Award Data

Recent trends in the closure of military installations, requirements for the demilitarization and disposal of energetic materials and munitions, and environmental remediation obligations have produced a corresponding requirement for efficient processes which can detect the presence of energetic or explosive materials, extract them from the surrounding soil, air, or water, and modify or convert the ...

This proposal discusses the development of a Graphical Vulnerability Assessment (GVA) system for setting up, executing, and visualizing the results of vulnerability assessments. The vulnerability assessments might be for hardened concrete targets, mobile ground targets, or mobile air targets. This graphical tool will allow users to link together modules from various vulnerability analyses by using ...

A new automated methodology for collecting, analyzing, and reporting fragment data from warhead arena tests is proposed. While the Air Force has digitally recorded average fragment velocity data using electronic velocity screens since 1971, fragment mass distributions are still determined using a time consuming and labor intensive process of manually locating, cleaning, and weighing fragments. In ...

Under the proposed research a single degree-of-freedom hinge will be developed that exaggerates actuation by either a piezoceramic or a shape-memory alloy. The proposed hinge is a marriage of two concepts, one providing exaggerated excitation and the other providing bearing-free rotational mobility. The first concept translates the relatively small motion achievable with smart materials (shape-m ...

ARA along with its team member Ryan International Airlines proposes to develop an innovative stochastic decision tool for selecting among the various life extensions options for aging aircraft. The methodology is based on a genetic algorithm search that can efficiently choose among various alternatives. The search algorithm retrieves input from a relational database designed to store and manage ...

Investigation of failed composite components requires tress analysis to assess their structural integrity. Currently there exist no general-purpose software packages for composite structural analysis that are accessible to failure investigators who are not experts in these types of analysis. The proposed research and development effort will fill this void with a flexible user friendly, PC-based ...

This Phase I SBIR will develop a general purpose probabilistic finite element analysis system, ProFEA, that allows designers to perform probabilistic finite element analysis in a graphical environment that is completely familiar and similar to modern deterministic FEA. We have developed an innovative architecture that takes advantage of emerging file exchange and database standards (I ...

Under the proposed research an Interface-Driven Design Manager (IDM) for CAD packages will be developed to greatly reduce the design cycle time for aircraft structures. The IDM represents a first attempt to fully integrate powerful new interface element and design management technologies into the CAD environment. These emerging technologiies have the potential for making multidisciplinary design ...

Recent efforts in the target vulnerability community (fixed ground targets, mobile ground targets, and aircraft) have focused on enhancing the blast and fragmentation modeling from weapon detonations. This includes modeling propagation of the detonation effects from the weapon through their interaction with the target geometry, to the development of loads on and response of the target structure. ...

The objective of this work is to develop analytical techniques to characterize wear and gouging phenomena of slippers at speeds up to hypersonic and demonstrate means to evaluate or reduce slipper wear/gouging. Specifically, we will develop analytical techniques that can be used to predict slipper wear patterns and gouging phenomena throughout the sled velocity regime to Mach 10. This will inclu ...