Session: AM9.1 - Materials for (strategic sectors) Aerospace and Defense applications

Paper Number: 189536

189536 - Transient Thermal Analysis of a Metal–ceramic Functionally Graded Flight Vehicle Nose Section Under Aerodynamic Heating Using Finite Element Modeling 

High-speed flight vehicles operating in severe aerodynamic environments are subjected to intense heating at the stagnation region, where convective heat flux reaches its maximum magnitude. The rapid temperature rise and steep thermal gradients developed across the nose structure can compromise structural integrity and reduce service life. Conventional metallic configurations conduct heat quickly toward the interior, leading to elevated temperatures in load-bearing regions, whereas discrete ceramic coatings introduce abrupt thermophysical mismatches at the interface, often resulting in stress concentration and long-term instability. To overcome these limitations, the present work investigates the thermal response of a metal–ceramic functionally graded nose section for flight vehicle applications.

To address the shortcomings of homogeneous and layered systems, a computational framework incorporating continuous material gradation was developed. Thermophysical properties such as thermal conductivity, density, and specific heat were defined as spatially varying functions through the thickness using a power-law distribution. A three-dimensional axisymmetric model of the flight vehicle nose geometry was constructed in ANSYS Workbench, and transient thermal analysis was carried out under representative aerodynamic heating conditions. Surface heat flux corresponding to high-speed flight and radiative boundary effects were included to improve physical realism. Numerical accuracy was ensured through systematic mesh refinement and time-step sensitivity assessment. A parametric study was performed by varying the gradation index to evaluate its influence on temperature evolution.

The results indicate that graded configurations significantly reduce internal heat penetration compared to conventional metallic models subjected to identical loading. Increased ceramic concentration near the exposed surface lowers peak substrate temperature and produces smoother through-thickness temperature distributions. Intermediate gradation indices demonstrate a balanced thermal response by limiting inward heat transfer without excessive surface temperature localization.

It is concluded that metal–ceramic functionally graded nose sections for flight vehicles provide enhanced thermal protection and improved temperature stability compared to existing monolithic or layered approaches. The developed modelling methodology establishes a systematic design framework for optimizing graded thermal protection structures in high-temperature aerospace applications, offering improved reliability and performance over conventional configurations.

Presenting Author: Harsh Verma DEFENCE

Presenting Author Biography: Harsh Verma is currently pursuing his M.Tech in Aerospace Engineering at the Defence Institute of Advanced Technology (DIAT), Pune. His research interests include high-temperature structural materials, missile aerothermodynamics, guidance and control systems, and computational simulation of aerospace structures.

He is presently involved in a research study at the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), focusing on the thermo-mechanical modeling and finite element analysis of metal–ceramic functionally graded nose sections for high-speed defence applications. His work emphasizes transient thermal response analysis and structural reliability under extreme aerodynamic heating conditions.

Before his master’s program, he completed his B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering and conducted his major research project at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), ISRO, where he worked on the evaluation of suitable interlayers for joining stainless steel with dissimilar materials for cryogenic engine applications.

Harsh is the Director of Team Albatross 8, an internationally recognized student aerospace team that has represented India in national and global competitions, including US CanSat and ISRO-InSpace challenges. The team has achieved international rankings and published research contributions in reputed conferences.

His broader areas of interest include hypersonic vehicle structures, advanced propulsion systems, defence technologies, and space mission design.