DEM-FEM Coupling Analysis of Safe Landing of Reentry Capsule Considering Landing Attitude and Rebound Response

Abstract

This paper discusses the safe landing process of a reentry capsule in detail with respect to landing attitude and rebound response. First, the discrete-element method (DEM) of the land soil and the finite-element method (FEM) of the reentry capsule structure are established. The dynamic response of the reentry capsule landing are analyzed using the DEM-FEM coupling algorithm and then compared with the results obtained from experiment and LS-DYNA. Second, the effects of the landing velocity and attitude on the landing process are discussed. Finally, the effects of mass and friction coefficient between particles on the rebound response of the reentry capsule are analyzed. The study shows that soil particles contribute to the absorption of the impact energy of the reentry capsule. The inclined landing is more conducive to the safe landing of the reentry capsule. The rebound velocity of the reentry capsule is relatively smaller when the friction coefficient between the particles is smaller and the mass of the reentry capsule is larger.