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The following dissertation describes an investigation of the structural response behaviour of a composite solid rocket motor nozzle subjected to thermal and pressure loading during the motor ignition period, derived on the basis of a multidisciplinary numerical simulation approach. To provide quantitative and qualitative context to the results obtained, comparisons were made to the predicted aerothermostructural response of the nozzle over the entire motor burn period. The study considered two nozzle designs – an exploratory nozzle design used to establish the basic simulation methodology, and a prototype nozzle design that was employed as the primary subject for numerical experimentation work. Both designs were developed according to fundamental solid rocket motor nozzle design principles as non-vectoring nozzles for deployment in medium sized solid rocket booster motors. The designs feature extensive use of spatially reinforced carbon-carbon composites for thermostructural components, complemented by carbon-phenolic composites for thermal insulation and steel for the motor attachment substructures. All numerical simulations were conducted using the ADINA multiphysics finite element analysis code with respect to axisymmetric computational domains. Thermal and structural models were developed to simulate the structural response of the exploratory nozzle design in reference to the instantaneous application of pressure and thermal loading conditions derived from literature. Ignition and burn period response results were obtained for both quasi-static and dynamic analysis regimes. For the case of the prototype nozzle design, a flow model was specifically developed to simulate the flow of the exhaust gas stream within the nozzle, for the provision of transient and steady loading data to the associated thermal and structural models. This arrangement allowed for a more realistic representation of the interaction between the fluid, thermal and structural fields concerned. Results were once again obtained for short and long term scenarios with respect to quasi-static and dynamic interpretations. In addition, the aeroelastic interaction occurring between the nozzle and flow field during motor ignition was examined in detail. The results obtained in the present study provided significant indications with respect to a variety of response characteristics associated with the motor ignition period, including the magnitude and distribution of the displacement and stress responses, the importance of inertial effects in response computations, the stress response contributions made by thermal and pressure loading, the effect of loading condition quality, and the bearing of the rate of ignition on the calculated stress response. Through comparisons between the response behaviour predicted during the motor ignition and burn periods, the significance of considering the ignition period as a qualification and optimisation criterion in the design of characteristically similar solid rocket motor nozzles was established. / Thesis (M.Sc.Eng.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1992. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [144]-153).

Thesis (M.S.)--Auburn University, 2008. / Abstract. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 83-85).

Thesis (M.S.)--Rochester Institute of Technology, 2009. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 70-73).

[by] Gordon K. Mandell, George J. Caporaso [and] William P. Bengen. / Includes bibliographies.

A theory has been developed which determines the influence of primary errors upon the dispersion of the apogee and perigee altitudes of the orbit of a satellite vehicle. It is seen that the apogee and perigee altitudes are influenced chiefly by the errors in velocity and flight-path angle at burnout of the next-to-last stage, guidance, velocity increment and thrust alinement, and pitching rate at ignition of the last stage. The theory will allow the probability of a satellite vehicle successfully obtaining a given orbit to be determined. A series of charts which greatly reduce the amount of work required in applying the theory are included. The theory has been applied to the Scout missile for a range of injection altitudes and one payload weight which is representative of the capability of this vehicle. One of the major requirements of any future satellite vehicle will be an improved guidance system so that the Scout probably will be the worst case to which the theory will be applied. / Master of Science

The object of this investigation was to develop a general solution for the thermal stresses and strains in a hollow cylindrical case-bonded solid propellant. The heat conduction equation, as solved by Carslaw and Jaeger, was applied to a hollow composite cylinder. The temperature distribution from this equation was used in conjunction with the stress and strain for an elastic solid propellant. The boundary conditions were employed to solve for the constants and the general solution for the stresses and strains were obtained. In order to study the predictions of the general expressions, a numerical example was presented. It was found that the maximum stress and strain appeared at the inner radius of the grain. It was also observed that the stress and strain increased with an increase in the radius ratio "m”. Failure criteria for the grain under consideration were discussed. A method for obtaining the maximum allowable temperature variation (from cure temperature) was investigated. Knowing the stress and strain characteristics of the grain the equations developed would indicate failure conditions and also allow calculations of the maximum allowable temperature variations prior to grain failure. / M.S.

The methodology and analysis used to characterize the performance of a sabot/rod as it is subjected to lateral and axial loading during launch is presented. The methodology described incorporates the experimental and numerical portions of the evaluation. Three separate sabot/rod designs are evaluated for their performance in the launch tube and are compared with one another. The experimental portion of the research involved full-scale testing of two separate sabot/rod designs in a 120-mm launch tube that was slightly bent. When launched through the bent tube, the sabot/rod system was forced to negotiate lateral displacements at axial velocities of approximately 5400 fps. This combination of axial velocity and lateral displacement produced significant lateral loading on the sabot/rod system. A 2.3-MeV x-ray unit was used to determine the lateral displacement that occurred as the sabot/rod was forced through the bent tube. After the sabot/rod exited the launch tube, the sabot separation and rod straightness were recorded by four 150-keV x-ray units. The in-bore radiography experiments used x-ray shielding techniques to reduce x-ray scatter, and layered indexed film and intensifier screens to record the sabot/rod image. The processed film was computer scanned with a microdensitometer and was remapped on the computer to enhance the x-ray image. Results indicated rod lateral displacement accuracy to 0.007 in. Test results were used to benchmark the numerical analyses used to characterize the in-bore performance of each sabot/rod system studied. The numerical portion of the research involved three-dimensional modeling of the sabot/rod systems in three launch-tube environments: a perfectly straight launch tube, an existing accuracy tube, and the slightly bent tube used in the experimental program. Because of the good agreement between the experimental and numerical models, stress, strain, and displacement time histories were obtained from the numerical work and used to evaluate each of the three sabot/rod systems in three launch environments. A dynamic analysis was performed for each of nine separate models. Sliding surfaces, nonlinear constitutive relations, and multiple materials were used for each analysis. Results from both the experimental and numerical analyses are presented.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 1999. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 130-135). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.