Demonstrating the Potential Use of Virtual Prototype Modelling Techniques for Future AFVs

The need to provide light weight armoured fighting vehicle AFV structures while maintaining or increasing the survivability of these structures has increased the need to develop new materials and design processes. One way to address this requirement is to use composite materials to increase the structural and ballistic efficiency of the hull. Composite materials offer a number of advantages including weight reduction by the elimination of the spall liner and integral stealth protection leading to signature reductions. QinetiQ in partnership with Vickers Defence Systems, have produced a full-sized composite demonstrator AFV called the Advanced Composite Armoured Vehicle Platform ACAVP. To obtain the maximum benefit from new materials new modelling techniques are being developed by QinetiQ. These techniques will increase the accuracy of the structural analysis used in the design of future AFV structures and also provided additional information to assist in the design and integration of sub components which include the main armament and vehicle suspension systems. The developed modelling techniques have also been applied to gun systems and a range of vehicle components. In effect a virtual prototyping tool has been developed. This paper provides a description of the ACAVP demonstrator, which was subsequently used as the test bed vehicle to validate the virtual prototype modelling. The paper describes the testing procedure and compares the results generated from the vehicle and those produced by the model. It is shown that good agreement can be achieved between the model and test vehicle.