Defense
Multiphysics Engineering for Defense and Safety-Critical Systems
Merkle CAE Multiphysics for Defense
The development of systems in the defense and security sectors places particularly high demands on reliability, robustness, and performance.
Components and assemblies must function reliably under extreme conditions—from dynamic loads and thermal influences to exceptional events such as shock or pressure waves. The development of systems in the defense and security sectors places particularly high demands on reliability, robustness, and performance. Components and assemblies must function reliably under extreme conditions—from dynamic loads and thermal influences to exceptional events such as shock or pressure waves.
Simulation as a Key Technology for Robust and Secure Systems
Systems in safety-critical environments must function under conditions that can only be tested to a limited extent. At the same time, the requirements for verification and reliability are particularly high.
Simulation provides the necessary transparency in this context. It makes it possible to analyze and specifically optimize the behavior of products under realistic operating conditions—even for scenarios that are difficult or costly to replicate experimentally.
Typical questions concern, for example, the behavior of structures under short-term, highly dynamic loads, the interaction between thermal and mechanical effects, or the stability of complex assemblies over their entire lifecycle.
Our simulation expertise for safety-critical applications
Merkle CAE has many years of experience in simulating complex technical systems that operate under demanding conditions. The focus is always on a deep understanding of the underlying physics and a realistic representation of relevant effects.
Structural and Strength Simulation
At the heart of many projects is the question of how structures behave under real-world loads. Both traditional strength analyses and highly dynamic load cases are considered in order to evaluate components and assemblies in a realistic manner.
· Impact loads and dynamic effects
· Vibration behavior and natural frequencies
· Optimization of weight and stiffness
· Complex load combinations over the entire service life
Simulation is particularly useful for high-stress systems, as it helps identify critical areas early on and optimize designs in a targeted manner during the development phase.
High dynamics and extreme load conditions
In safety-critical applications, load cases often occur that go well beyond typical operating conditions. These include short-term, high loads caused by pressure waves, impact events, or sudden accelerations.
Simulation helps to analyze such scenarios in detail, including:
· Stress Propagation Within a Structure
· Critical stresses and potential weak points
· Failure mechanisms in individual areas
· Optimization of energy absorption and protection strategies
Based on this, material properties, geometries, and design measures can be specifically adapted to make systems more robust and resilient.
Thermal Simulation
In addition to mechanical factors, thermal effects play a key role—especially in electronic systems and enclosed assemblies. Simulation helps us understand temperature distributions under real operating conditions and identify critical hotspots early on.
Typical questions in this context include:
· Temperature Behavior During Continuous Operation
· Thermal stresses in the event of a fault
· Effects of reduced or failed cooling
This makes it possible to assess at an early stage when critical temperatures will be reached and what design measures are necessary to ensure functionality and operational safety.
Flow simulation and coupled effects
Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is used to analyze the behavior of fluids such as air or gases inside and outside technical systems. The focus is often on cooling concepts, flow patterns, and the interaction between fluids and solid structures.
Typical applications include:
· Analysis of Cooling Air Flows in Enclosures and Assemblies
· Optimization of cooling and ventilation designs
· Investigation of the effects of fluid flow on mechanical components
· Coupled thermal and structural analyses (multiphysics)
By combining various branches of physics, we gain a much more realistic understanding of the overall system and its behavior under real operating conditions.
Real-world examples
Merkle CAE has extensive experience from projects in a wide range of fields—from airborne systems to maritime applications and mobile platforms.
Eurofighter – Structural Behavior Under Realistic Operational Conditions
Structural components of the Eurofighter were analyzed under complex load conditions. The analysis focused in particular on dynamic loads, vibration behavior, and potential failure scenarios.
The goal was to reliably predict the system’s behavior while achieving an optimal balance between weight, stiffness, and robustness.
Tiger Attack Helicopter – Thermal Behavior of Electronic Systems
Thermal analyses of complex electronic systems were conducted for applications related to the Tiger combat helicopter.
The focus was on how systems behave under real-world operating conditions - particularly in critical situations, such as when cooling is limited or in the event of a failure. Simulation provided the basis for well-informed design decisions.
Maritime Systems – Vibration and Decoupling
In marine applications, vibrations and their transmission within systems play a central role.
Among other things, the study examined how mechanical excitations affect sensitive components and how these can be reduced through appropriate decoupling strategies. The goal is to ensure the functionality and service life of the systems even under demanding conditions.
Mobile Systems – Performance and Reliability
Numerous analyses have been conducted for mobile platforms that examine the behavior of assemblies under dynamic loads.
These include, for example, actuators, drive systems, and electronic components, which are evaluated under realistic operating conditions. In addition to functional safety, compliance with relevant standards and verification procedures also plays an important role.
Simulation for protection and safety applications
In addition to traditional applications, Merkle CAE also provides support in the development of systems designed to protect infrastructure and technical facilities.
This includes, for example, the design of structures that must withstand extreme loads, or the evaluation of scenarios in which energy must be specifically absorbed or redirected.
Simulation makes it possible to evaluate and specifically optimize such systems as early as the conceptual phase. This reduces development risks and creates a robust foundation for subsequent validation.
Collaboration and Networks
Merkle CAE has been working for many years in an environment comprising industry, research, and high-tech companies, where complex systems are jointly developed and optimized.
These include, among others:
Strategic collaboration with OHB System AG, a leading European aerospace company
Projects related to the European Space Agency (ESA)
Interdisciplinary industrial projects, such as in the field of cleanroom and systems development
Collaborations within funded innovation networks (including ZIM)
Close collaboration with universities and research institutions
These networks make it possible to take a holistic approach to complex issues and develop solutions that go beyond individual disciplines.
Why Merkle CAE?
Merkle CAE is known for its deep understanding of physics and extensive experience in simulating complex technical systems. Clients benefit from a combination of methodological expertise, interdisciplinary thinking, and a clear focus on the specific application.
Our particular strengths lie in:
· extensive experience in challenging simulation projects
· in-depth expertise in multiphysics
· interdisciplinary collaboration across various departments
· realistic modeling of complex physical relationships
· application-oriented development and validation
In safety-critical projects in particular, this connection is crucial for achieving robust results and designing reliable systems.
![[Translate to English:] Chadi Serhan Merkle CAE](/fileadmin/_processed_/6/4/csm_Chadi_Serhan_10x8_9c3e330884.jpg.webp "[Translate to English:] Chadi Serhan Merkle CAE")