ALE-FEM Coupling Numerical Simulation and Experimental Verification for Water-entry Impact of the Stiffened Panel

SUN Ligang; LYU Jinfeng; LIANG Yuan

doi:10.7643/issn.1672-9242.2026.09.005

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Equipment Environmental Engineering ›› 2026, Vol. 23 ›› Issue (9) : 50-59. DOI: 10.7643/issn.1672-9242.2026.09.005

Special Topic—Structural Dynamics of Aviation Equipment

ALE-FEM Coupling Numerical Simulation and Experimental Verification for Water-entry Impact of the Stiffened Panel

SUN Ligang, LYU Jinfeng, LIANG Yuan

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Abstract

The work aims to carry out ALE-FEM coupling numerical simulation of the water-entry impact of stiffened panel structures, and conduct water-entry impact experiments on the panel structures to verify the accuracy of the method. Based on LS-DYNA software, the fluid-solid coupling model for vertical water-entry impact of the aluminum alloy stiffened panel was established with the coupling arbitrary Lagrangian-Euler method (ALE) and finite element method (FEM) to carry out numerical simulation and experimental verification on the water-entry impact of the stiffened panel. The error between simulation value and test value of acceleration measuring point and pressure measuring point was within 10%, verifying the accuracy of numerical simulation. During the water-entry process, the slamming force rapidly increased to the peak, and decreased after that. The panel vibration was caused by structural deformation and fluid-solid coupling, further triggering the second peak of slamming force. The vertical acceleration also rapidly increased to the peak and then decreased and continuously oscillated. The locations with high stress of the panel were mainly distributed on the longitudinal stringers, partition frame and the skin connected with them. The ALE-FEM method can effectively simulate fluid-structure interaction, which provides important theoretical support for the safety design of aircraft ditching.

Key words

water-entry impact / ALE-FEM coupling method / LS-DYNA / stiffened panel / fluid-solid coupling / aircraft ditching

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SUN Ligang, LYU Jinfeng, LIANG Yuan. ALE-FEM Coupling Numerical Simulation and Experimental Verification for Water-entry Impact of the Stiffened Panel[J]. Equipment Environmental Engineering. 2026, 23(9): 50-59 https://doi.org/10.7643/issn.1672-9242.2026.09.005

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