SAMTECH Launch Europlexus 2006

SAMTECH announces today the launch of the
commercial release 2006 of the general purpose explicit and fast dynamic analysis software
EUROPLEXUS.

Since 2000, EUROPLEXUS is jointly developed by the French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA Saclay), the Joint Research Centre (European Commission), EDF and SAMTECH.

EUROPLEXUS is a conveniently integrated simulation package that has been widely
demonstrated to adequately and effectively address the field of fast transient dynamics involving
fluid-structure interaction phenomena. It is used by academic institutions, research centres,
energy agencies and aerospace manufacturers (e.g. SNECMA, SONACA,...) to perform
advanced 1D, 2D and 3D non-linear explicit dynamic analyses of complex Fluid-Structure
interaction systems subjected to fast transient dynamic loading (e.g. explosions in enclosures,
shocks and impacts, pipelines dynamics under transient internal flows, propagation of subsonic,
transonic and supersonic flow variations associated with obstacles, …). EUROPLEXUS has also
been adapted to bird strikes simulation using SPH (Smooth Particle Hydrodynamics) model of the
bird with tuned material properties i.e. porous gelatine. Equivalent models of riveted structures
are also available enabling progressive damage and ultimate failure analysis of rivets and shells.

This newest version of EUROPLEXUS 2006 features enhanced modelling and analysis tools
allowing accurate dynamic progressive damage simulation of composite structures.

Major enhancements to EUROPLEXUS include:
· Implementation of multi-material and multi-layered shell elements (quadrilateral and
triangular);
· Implementation of a new elasto-plastic law with orthotropic Hook’s matrix and based on
Hill’s criteria;
· Noticeable performances improvement in terms of contact computation;
· …
EUROPLEXUS2006 runs on Linux, Unix and Windows platforms. The Linux versions are now
available for processors x86, Itanium2, AMD64 and EM64T. The IBM version is parallelized
based on Open-MP approach.

“With AIRBUS, EMBRAER, DASSAULT and BOMBARDIER as main customers, SONACA’s core
business is the development, testing, manufacturing and assembly of aerospace structures and
their associated subsystems, in particular wing leading edges, the fuselage sections and wing
panels.” said Claude Nyssen, Technical Director of SONACA s.a.

“In accordance with certification requirements, we have to demonstrate, in particular, that wing leading edge components can
absorb the major part of a 4 Lbs bird impact energy at a speed of 650 Km/h. In order to reduce
development costs, time-to-market and to optimize structural concepts, appropriate bird strikes
numerical modelling and simulation techniques appear clearly as a vital alternative to expensive
and time consuming destructive testing. A collaboration was thus established with SAMTECH
S.A. and specifications were defined to tailor the EUROPLEXUS package to our specific
requirements. Using the SPH bird model and including in our models largely deformable shell
elements, non-linear spring elements representing the riveted joints and failure modes capabilities (skin tearing or rivet failure), we’ve been able to finalize and integrate a methodology
for the modelling and simulation of bird impacts against metallic components. This methodology
has been validated through extensive testing, providing numerical predictions in very close
agreement with experimental data. Needless to say that we’re very excited about the new
features in EUROPLEXUS 2006, as we intend now to extend this approach to the simulation of
bird impacts against composite components and associated specific damage mechanisms. ”

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