Numerical and Experimental Approach for Failure Analysis of Soil Subjected to Surface Explosion Loading

Controlling the hazards to facilities caused by detonation waves is a high priority in engineering design. To protect an underground facility, soil can reduce the destructive effects of detonation waves. Soil dynamic characteristics and the area of the destructive zone are affected by shock wave energy. The material at ground zero is impacted by high-intensity stress and forms a crater. To ensure the safety of the facility, the protective soil layers must be sufficiently thick. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to analyze the destructive effects that caused the deformation and destruction of an external protective soil layer. The results of the explosion experiments and the numerical simulation analysis were compared to explore the dynamic characteristics of the soil affected by the shock wave and the crater effects of on-ground explosions. The analysis model adopted an 8-node hexahedral element to create a three-dimensional solid structure model of the fluid-solid interaction. The material failure analysis demonstrated that the detonation wave destabilized the interior of the soil body, and the nearby high-intensity stress was the key factor for material failure. The results can serve as a reference for the design of soil-covering layers that provide explosion hazard control.