On the Elastoplastic Dynamic Response of Steel Belt Staggered Multi-Layer Cylindrical Shell Subjected to External Blast Loading

The steel belt staggered multi-layer cylindrical shell is the preferred structure for high-pressure hydrogen storage vessel in refueling stations. However, it could be threatened by external blast loads from accidental hydrogen leaks and explosions. In this paper, detailed numerical model is established to analyze the elastoplastic response of such multi-layer cylindrical shell subjected to external blast loads of different TNT equivalency weights. The thermo-viscoplastic constitutive model and fluid-structure coupling approach are incorporated in the modeling. The radial displacement/vibration histories and the effective strain responses of different layers were analyzed to demonstrate the potential deformation of the shell structure. Also, the maximum strain at different locations of the shell structure are discussed. The results will be helpful to evaluate the integrity of such multi-layer cylindrical structure that undertakes the risk of external hydrogen explosion.