Optimization of a silent mortar baseplate with increased ground contact area
38 viewsDOI:
https://doi.org/10.54939/1859-1043.j.mst.113.2026.176-184Keywords:
Silent mortar; Mortar baseplate; Geometric parametric optimization; Finite element method; Recoil loading; Structural safety factor.Abstract
This study presents a parametric optimization of the outer aluminum baseplate of a silent mortar system to improve ground-contact performance while satisfying mass and structural safety constraints. To preserve the system architecture, only the outer baseplate was redesigned, whereas the inner steel baseplate remained unchanged. FEM-based optimization was performed in ANSYS Mechanical under equivalent static recoil loading to evaluate the effects of key geometric parameters on the Von Mises stress, deformation, and minimum safety factor. The optimized design achieved a mass of 5.9 kg, increased the ground-contact area by 53%, and improved the minimum safety factor by 9.8% compared with the original design. Field firing tests under identical soil conditions further reduced settlement by 44.4% after the first firing round and 40.5% after five consecutive rounds. The proposed design effectively improves ground-support capability without compromising structural integrity or operational mobility.
References
[1]. T. S. Ngo and Ho Van Khanh, “Research and design the taper angle of a single use piston”, Journal of Military Science and Technology, Vol. 86, No. 86, pp. 165–172, (2023). DOI: https://doi.org/10.54939/1859-1043.j.mst.86.2023.165-172
[2]. X. Yang and Y. Wang, “Parametric structural optimization of mortar baseplates using finite element analysis”, Journal of Mechanical Engineering, (2021).
[3]. J. Lee and S. Kim, “Topology optimization of lightweight mortar baseplate structures using OptiStruct”, Engineering Optimization, (2020).
[4]. R. Patel and D. Singh, “Transient dynamic analysis of mortar recoil systems using LS-DYNA”, Defence Technology, (2019).
[5]. H. Chen and Z. Liu, “Explicit finite element simulation of recoil load transfer in mortar structures”, International Journal of Impact Engineering, (2022).
[6]. M. Ahmed and K. Hassan, “Soil–structure interaction analysis of mortar baseplates on soft ground”, Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering, (2021).
[7]. R. D. Cook, D. S. Malkus, M. E. Plesha and R. J. Witt, “Concepts and Applications of Finite Element Analysis”, 4th ed., John Wiley & Sons, (2002).
[8]. T. Belytschko, W. K. Liu and B. Moran, “Nonlinear Finite Elements for Continua and Structures”, John Wiley & Sons, (2000).
[9]. O. C. Zienkiewicz, R. L. Taylor and J. Z. Zhu, “The Finite Element Method: Its Basis and Fundamentals”, 7th ed., Elsevier, (2013).
