Self-propelled Artillery Turret Structure Dynamic Design Research

This thesis focuses on structural dynamic design of a self-propelled howitzer's turret with the theory of structural dynamics, nonlinear finite element and structure optimal design. The main contents are follows: in the front part of this thesis, based on the existed 3D model of the self-propelled howitzer, the finite element structural model of the turret and other associated parts is created with different elements such as solid elements, shell elements and beam elements. Then the former model is translated into ABAQUS/CAE and converted to a nonlinear finite element structural dynamic analysis model. When creating the finite element model, complicated nonlinear connections among howitzer components are considered, especially defining contact pairs with "softened" contact relationship between gun tube and cradle. Using the implicit time integration program simulate the processes of the gun firing at the direction/elevation angles of 0°/0°and 0°/65°and the characteristics of structural dynamics response of the gun are obtained.The rest part of this thesis based on the existed results, combining the parameterized modeling with the Genetic Algorithm for multi-objective optimization based on the Pareto-optimum, ABAQUS noGUI method is integrated into iSIGHT optimization software platform. The structure of turret is optimized to light weighting. The result is satisfied. The method of dynamic design which is used in this thesis shows a efficient way for the light weighting of the self-propelled howitzer's turret.