Quantum Computing with Finite Elements for crack propagation in defence applications

forthcoming

Cracks are one of the common defects caused by damages to the material. The reliability and safety of military operations heavily depend on the performance and survivability of vehicles and their armour. Being able to predict crack propagation with high accuracy is therefore critical, both from a protection and a (threat) ammunition point of view. Methods for detection and evaluation of crack propagation, including those based on Finite Element (FE) simulation, still face a number of limitations: high computational costs, excessive computing time, lack of accuracy and precision. Quantum computing holds the promise to make these restrictions obsolete in the long run. QANCOMFIN will design novel and disruptive sets of classical and quantum algorithms for integration into a commercially available FE Analysis (FEA) simulation package – the IMPETUS DEFENSE Solver – to design an entirely new version able to predict crack propagation and thereby reshape the defence industry and redefine market landscape. QANCOMFIN will leverage the unique feature of the IMPETUS DEFENSE Solver, the node splitting technique modelling cracks, and propose a novel approach drawing inspiration from the Extended FE Method (X-FEM) while introducing key improvements through reformulating the crack propagation scheme based on the energy principle. QANCOMFIN will evaluate and verify the novel algorithms by demonstrating higher prediction accuracy for two defence use cases. To unlock the potential of quantum computing for FE crack propagation simulation in defence, QANCOMFIN brings together 3 high-profile SMEs and 2 leading research organisations from 4 countries. QANCOMFIN will be a starting point to make Europe’s defence ecosystem quantum-ready, leading to future strategic, technological and operational advantage: enhanced and accelerated materials design and performance, cost reduction and enhanced safety and operational reliability by minimising downtime and improving combat readiness.