N151-045 TITLE: Submarine Component Design Tool to Assess Relative Resistance to High Intensity Loading

TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Ground/Sea Vehicles

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: PMS 397, OHIO Replacement for reduction in non-recurring engineering costs

The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the solicitation. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws.

OBJECTIVE: Develop an innovative and cost-effective automated software design and qualification tool to comparatively assess submarine components ability to withstand high intensity loadings.

DESCRIPTION: The Navy requires submarine components, internal and external, to withstand a specified level of high intensity loading to comply with shock requirements (ref 1). Compliance with shock requirements is accomplished through standard testing or detailed analyses that seek to estimate the response of components to high intensity loading in an absolute sense. In special cases where a new component is shown to be similar to a previously shock qualified component, its ability to withstand high intensity loading may be demonstrated by a comparison to the previously shock qualified component. This comparison process is defined as shock qualification by extension. Though an extension is the lowest cost option in shock qualification, it has limited use as a design tool. This SBIR seeks innovative and cost-effective design means which will allow equipment manufacturers to design equipment without the need for high cost testing or forcing the design to be similar to older, previously qualified items.

The developed means of comparison must account for ranges of potential differences in components including physical differences, mounting conditions, and orientations. A successful assessment method will address parameters relevant to high intensity shock loadings (ref 2,3) and will be developed into an automated software tool that, when coupled with the knowledge of qualified component and new component properties, can be implemented by a designer or Navy engineer to determine which of the two components is more resistant to high intensity loadings. The process and methodology envisioned to get a solution in today�s digitally designed environment qualification by Finite Element Analysis (FEA) enables another tool to be developed to compare a qualified design with a modified design. That comparison tool will allow one to approve or disapprove the new modified design � thereby eliminating a whole new FEA or test program. FEA uses stress analysis to determine pass/fail. This new tool will compare stresses between the two models.

The automated software tool will be used as a design development tool in the design phase of submarine programs and, if applicable, as a shock qualification tool. A successful automated software tool will reduce submarine design costs by tens of millions of dollars and be a catalyst to submarine component adaptively. This can be demonstrated using any number of test parameters for the sake of proving a concept before using real (and potentially classified) or simulated data.

PHASE I: The company will define and develop a concept for an automated software tool to perform comparative assessments of submarine components resistance to high intensity loading to include the relevant metrics used in quantifying a component�s ability to withstand shock. The company will demonstrate the feasibility of the concept in meeting Navy needs and determine its feasibility to be developed into a useful product for the Navy through analytical modeling.

PHASE II: Based on the results of Phase I the company will develop and execute a validation methodology for the automated software assessment tool. This includes building the prototype tool, which will be evaluated to determine its capability in meeting Navy shock requirements. Evaluation results will be used to iterate and refine the prototype design. The company will prepare a Phase III development plan to transition the technology to Navy use.

PHASE III: The company will be expected to support the Navy in transitioning the automated software comparative assessment tool for Navy use. The company will develop an assessment tool according to the Phase III development plan for evaluation to determine its effectiveness in an operationally relevant environment. The company will support the Navy during testing and validation to certify and qualify the system for Navy use and to transition the tool to its intended submarine program.

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: A method, as implemented in an automated software tool, to quickly and quantitatively compare components or systems in their ability to withstand high intensity loading has applicability in vehicle loading and crashworthiness. These applications would be useful to the automotive and shipping industries. There are also potential uses in aerospace industries due to the high severity loads associated with launch or takeoff and landing, as well as high speed turbulence.

REFERENCES:
1. Scavuzzo, Rudolph. Naval Shock Analysis and Design. Arvonia, VA: SAVIAC/HI-TEST Laboratories, Inc. 2009.

2. Scavuzzo, Rudolph. Principles and Techniques of Shock Data Analysis. Arlington, VA: SAVIAC/Booze-Allen and Hamilton, Inc. 1996.

3. Cole, Robert. Underwater Explosions. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1948.

KEYWORDS: Underwater shock test; shock qualification tool; dynamic loading; relative resistance; comparative analysis of relative resistivity; shock qualification by extension

** TOPIC AUTHOR (TPOC) **

DoD Notice:   Between December 12, 2014 and January 14, 2015 you may talk directly with the Topic Authors (TPOC) to ask technical questions about the topics. For reasons of competitive fairness, direct communication between proposers and topic authors is not allowed starting January 15, 2015 , when DoD begins accepting proposals for this solicitation.

However, proposers may still submit written questions about solicitation topics through the DoD's SBIR/STTR Interactive Topic Information System (SITIS), in which the questioner and respondent remain anonymous and all questions and answers are posted electronically for general viewing until the solicitation closes. All proposers are advised to monitor SITIS (15.1 Q&A) during the solicitation period for questions and answers, and other significant information, relevant to the SBIR 15.1 topic under which they are proposing.

If you have general questions about DoD SBIR program, please contact the DoD SBIR Help Desk at (866) 724-7457 or webmail link.