Computational modelling in protective engineering research: Recent advances and good practice

Abstract

Protective engineering has attracted significant renewed research interest in recent years. In the development to tackle the challenges arising from the needs of in-depth and detailed information about the complex dynamic structural and material responses, the use of sophisticated computational modelling has become a seemingly indispensable means. Apart from being driven by the traditional difficulties when it comes to performing physical experiments for the types of extreme loads concerned, the trend has been fuelled by the rapid advancement in the computing power and software capabilities. It is not difficult nowadays for an analyst to model even quite complex loading and nonlinear responses using just a desk-top computer. On the balancing side, however, we should always be reminded that the ability to exploit the modelling capabilities and make good sense of the results is still and will remain to be dependent upon sound comprehension of the underlying mechanics and physical processes, as well as calibration of the models by comparison with experimental results.