Airplane impact analysis

To simulate airplane impact close to reality the proper modeling of the loading and the structural resistance is mandatory.

The loading can be modeled with global force versus time curves derived by RIERA or with simulating the airplane impact itself. The FE airplane model is discretised with shell elements and verified with global characteristics of mass distribution, plastic strength, buckling loads or tearing forces of the wings and turbines. The reinforced concrete structure was modeled with volume (concrete) and shell (reinforcement).

For all materials suitable non-linear material models including damage and erosion were used and verified with material tests. With this close to reality modeling limit load analysis and damage scenario analysis was performed. Good correlation of the global loading using RIERA assumptions and simulating the airplane impact was shown.

The modeling was done with ANSYS. The highly non-linear analysis was done with LS-DYNA.