Failure mechanisms of concrete slab–soil double-layer structure subjected to underground explosion

Abstract

The failure mechanism of a concrete slab–soil double-layer structure subjected to an underground explosion was investigated by experimental and numerical methods in this paper. Two underground explosion depths of 150 and 350 mm were tested. The typical failure modes such as the conoid spall of concrete, the bulge of the concrete slab and the cavity in the soil were obtained experimentally. Numerical simulations of the experiments were performed using a hydrodynamic code to analyze the effects of both the stress wave and the expansion of the blast products. Based on the experimental and numerical results, the effects of explosive depth, blast wave front and expansion of the blast products on the failure modes and failure mechanisms were discussed. The underground explosion process at different explosion depths was also analyzed. The results show that attenuation of the stress wave in the soil is significant. The blast wave front and the expansion of the blast products play different roles at different explosion depths. At the explosion depth of 150 mm, the failure mode is mainly caused by a point load induced by the blast wave front, whereas at the depth of 350 mm a sphere-shaped load resulting from the expansion of the blast products is a key factor for failure.