Zhifan Zhang

Prof. Dr. Zhifan Zhang


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

14Years (2013-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

View All Publications
1 May 2017 in International Journal of Impact Engineering
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
ZZZhifan Zhang
Zhifan Zhang
LWLongkan Wang
Longkan Wang
VSVadim V. Silberschmidt
Vadim V. Silberschmidt
This paper was published in the journal International Journal of Impact Engineering and the definitive published version is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijimpeng.2017.01.008.© 2017 Elsevier LtdA shape of charge liners has a great effect on formation of a metal jet and its penetration into a target. In this paper, three different shapes of a charge liner, namely, conical, hemispherical and spherical-segment, are chosen to investigate their effect on damage response of a plate to underwater explosion. A Smooth Particle Hydrodynamic (SPH) method based on mesh-free Lagrange formulation is applied to simulate an entire process of a shaped-charge detonation, formation of a metal jet as well as penetration on a steel plate. Initially, a SPH model of the shaped charge with a spherical-segment liner is developed, and its results are compared with experimental data to verify the effectiveness of this method. Then, numerical simulations of shaped charges with different liners are performed to study the damage characteristics of a steel plate subjected to underwater-explosion shock loading and the metal jet. It was found that for the shock wave the peak value of the radial pressure is larger than that of the axial pressure during the detonation process; the level of pressure in the spherical-segment case was higher than that of the other two cases. After the detonation, the metal jet was gradually produced under the effect of the detonation wave. Three types of the metal jet - a shaped charge jet (SCJ), a jetting projectile charge (JPC) and an explosive formed projectile (EFP) – were formed corresponding to three cases with conical, hemispherical and spherical-segment liners. The obtained results show that the velocity and length of the SCJ in the conical case are greater than that of the other cases, and it therefore may lead to a larger penetration depth. In addition, the EFP has a better motion stability for a velocity difference in the spherical case is lower than that of the other two cases. Subsequently, the shock wave arrives at the plate earlier than the metal jet, which will cause deformation of the plate. Due to higher pressure, the shock wave in the spherical-segment case has a stronger damaging effect on the plate than that in the other two cases. Finally, the metal jet reaches the plate causing a hole. Because of a wider jet head, the EFP results in a more serious damage to the plate. The suggested analysis and its results provide a reference for structural design of shaped charge warheads

1 November 2018 in International Journal of Impact Engineering
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
ZZZhifan Zhang
Zhifan Zhang
CWC. Wang
C. Wang
LWL.K. Wang
L.K. Wang
AZA.M. Zhang
A.M. Zhang
VSVadim V. Silberschmidt
Vadim V. Silberschmidt
In this paper, a coupled scheme utilizing advantages of the Runge–Kutta discontinuous Galerkin (RKDG) method and finite elements is applied to investigate cavitation induced by rarefaction waves during a near-field underwater explosion of cylindrical charge. A high-order RKDG method has advantages of an accurate shock capturing. So, it was used to solve a governing Eulerian equation for a compressible fluid. A finite-element method (FEM) was suitable to deal with problems of a shock response of structures and, therefore, applied for structural analysis. The suggested method was used to study pressure characteristics and cavitation effects of underwater explosions of cylindrical charges near single/double plates. First, a cavitation model was introduced in the RKDG method, and a numerical model of a high-pressure bubble in a cylinder was developed. The obtained numerical results were compared with the known solution in order to verify the validity of the suggested method. Second, a RKDG-FEM model of underwater explosion of a spherical charge near a plate was developed; its results for maximum deflection at the centre of the plate were compared with experimental data to prove the effectiveness of the coupled algorithm. Then, this algorithm was employed to simulate the process of underwater explosions of cylindrical charges near a single plate. Here, effects of different parameters - thickness of the plate and a distance between the charge and the plate - on pressure and cavitation characteristics were studied. Finally, a numerical model of double plates subjected to a near-field underwater explosion was developed. Cavitation evolution and its effect on shock-wave loading were analysed. Additionally, the effect of the distance between two plates was studied. The suggested analysis and its results provide a reference for load characteristics of near-field underwater explosions and shock response of structures.

1 November 2016 in Composite Structures
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
ZZZhifan Zhang
Zhifan Zhang
LWLongkan Wang
Longkan Wang
VSVadim V. Silberschmidt
Vadim V. Silberschmidt
SWShiping Wang
Shiping Wang
This paper was accepted for publication in the journal Composite Structures and the definitive published version is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.compstruct.2016.08.002A high-speed metal jet capable to cause severe damage to a double-hull structure can be produced after detonation of a shaped charge. A Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) method with a mesh-free and Lagrange formulations has natural advantages in solving extremely dynamic problems. Hence, it was used to simulate the formation process of a shaped-charge jet. A Finite Element Method (FEM) is suitable for a structural analysis and is highly efficient for simulations of a complex impact process in a relatively short time; therefore, it was applied to develop a double-hull model. In this paper, a hybrid algorithm fully utilizing advantages of both SPH and FEM is proposed to simulate a metal-jet penetration into a double hull made of different materials – steel and SPS (Sandwich Plate System). First, a SPH-FEM model of a sphere impacting a plate was developed, and its results were compared with experimental data to validate the suggested algorithm. Second, numerical models of steel/SPS double-hull subjected to a shaped-charge jet were developed and their results for jet formation, a penetration process and a damage response were analysed and compared. The obtained results show that the velocity of the metal jet tended to decrease from its tip to the tail during its formation process. The jet broke into separate fragments after the first steel shell was penetrated, causing the damage zone of the second shell that grew as a result of continuous impact by fragments. As for the SPS structure, its damage zone was smaller, and the jet trended to bend becoming thinner due to the resistance of the composite layer. It was found that the polyurethane layer could have a protective effect for the second shell

1 August 2013 in Applied Ocean Research
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
AZA-Man Zhang
A-Man Zhang
XCXue-Yan Cao
Xue-Yan Cao
FMFu-Ren Ming
Fu-Ren Ming
ZZZhifan Zhang
Zhifan Zhang

1 November 2017 in Ocean Engineering
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
ZZZhifan Zhang
Zhifan Zhang
LWLongkan Wang
Longkan Wang
FMFuren Ming
Furen Ming
VSVadim V. Silberschmidt
Vadim V. Silberschmidt
HCHailong Chen
Hailong Chen
This paper is in closed access until 12th September 2018.© 2017 Elsevier Ltd A process of target pen etration by a shaped-charge jet includes three main stages: charge detonation, formation of a metallic jet and its penetration of the target. With continuously increasing computational power, a numerical approach gradually becomes more prominent (combined with experimental and theoretical methods) in investigations of performance of a shaped-charge jet and its target penetration. This paper presents a meshfree methodology - Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) - for a shaped charge penetrating underwater structures. First, a SPH model of a sphere impacting a plate is developed; its numerical results agree well with the experimental data, verifying the validity of the mentioned developed method. Then, results obtained for different cases - for various materials of explosives and liners - are discussed and compared, and as a result, more suitable parameters of the shaped charge in order to increase the penetration depth are obtained - HMX and copper were chosen respectively as the explosive and the liner material. It follows by validation of a model of a free-field underwater explosion, developed to verify the effectiveness of the modified SPH method in solving problems of underwater explosion; its numerical results are compared with an empirical formula. Finally, the SPH method is applied to simulate the entire process ranging from the detonation of the shaped charge to the target penetration employing the optimal parameters. A fluid around the shaped charge is included into analysis, and damage characteristics of the plate exposed to air and water on its back side are compared

1 September 2016 in Applied Ocean Research
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
LWLong-Kan Wang
Long-Kan Wang
ZZZhifan Zhang
Zhifan Zhang
SWShi-Ping Wang
Shi-Ping Wang