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SwRI receives $5.1 million contract from DARPA to develop library for predicting survivability of military ground vehicles

August 22, 2012 — Southwest Research Institute has been awarded a $5.1 million contract by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to develop the Context Model Library as part of the Component, Context and Manufacturing Model Library-2 (C2M2L-2) for the DARPA Adaptive Vehicle Make program.

Understanding the threats to military vehicles from land mine blasts and other weaponry — and which structures and materials offer the best protection against these threats — is key to the survivability of the warfighter. This research centers on building software tools in a model library that combines experimental test data, analytical models and large-scale numerical simulation capability.

"During this one-year effort, SwRI and its subcontractors will develop domain-specific models to enable the design, verification and fabrication of the chassis and survivability subsystems of next-generation infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) designs developed through DARPA's Fast Adaptable Next-Generation Ground Vehicle (FANG) program," said Dr. James Walker, an Institute scientist in the Engineering Dynamics Department of SwRI's Mechanical Engineering Division. "Our researchers have extensive experience with impact and blast modeling and ballistic and blast testing of full-scale vehicles, and we will use this expertise as a basis for developing the C2M2L-2 Context Model Library."

Walker added that the work will involve SwRI researchers from three technical divisions — Mechanical Engineering, Automation and Data Systems, and Aerospace Electronics, Systems Engineering and Training.

For more information about ballistics, blast and explosives engineering, contact James Walker at +1 210 522 2051 or SwRI Solutions, or visit engineeringdynamics.swri.org.