Modeling Shockwave-Induced Cavitation Effects Using a Coupled Gilmore–Wood Framework

Supercavitation enables significant drag reduction and high-speed underwater propulsion by enveloping a vehicle within a vapor cavity, thereby minimizing liquid–solid interaction. While this capability allows extreme transit velocities, it introduces geometric constraints that limit internal volume and influence system-level performance. This study investigates the role of controlled cavity collapse as a mechanism for enhancing localized pressure loading, reframing the supercavity from a passive drag-reduction envelope into an active hydrodynamic interaction process. A coupled Gilmore–Wood framework is developed to model the transient dynamics of cavity collapse under compressible multiphase conditions. The Gilmore equation is employed to capture spherical bubble dynamics with finite sound-speed effects, while Wood’s relation is used to evaluate the evolving mixture sound speed as a function of void fraction. This coupling enables representation of key physical mechanisms, including cavitation collapse, bubbly-flow compressibility, and acoustic softening. The analysis demonstrates that variations in void fraction can significantly reduce the effective sound speed, promoting strong compressibility effects and intensifying collapse dynamics. Under representative conditions, the model predicts collapse-induced pressure amplification on the order of hundreds of megapascals, accompanied by the formation of localized high-intensity pressure fronts and micro-jetting phenomena. These transient effects can induce localized material response, including plastic deformation and stress concentration, depending on the structural properties of the impacted surface. The framework enables quantitative evaluation of cavity evolution, collapse severity, and associated pressure loading, providing insight into the interaction between multiphase compressibility and transient energy focusing. The results highlight the importance of acoustic softening and compressibility-driven dynamics in governing collapse intensity, and suggest that controlled cavitation processes may be leveraged to enhance hydrodynamic interaction efficiency in high-speed underwater systems. This work contributes to the broader understanding of cavitation physics, multiphase flow behavior, and shock-induced loading in compressible fluid environments.