Structural vibrations of buried land mines

Abstract

Buried landmines exhibit complex structural vibrations, which are dependent on interaction between soil and mines as well as on their respective properties. This paper presents experimental and theoretical studies of multimodal vibrations of buried mines and discusses the effects of burial depth and soil properties on dynamics of the soil-mine system. The two-dimensional model of the soil-mine system that accounts for soil-coupled mine’s multiple vibration modes and spatial distribution of vibrations over the soil surface is introduced. The model was tested using experiments with the plastic mine simulant. The study reveals that the soil shear stiffness is one of the key governing parameters determining the resonance vibration frequency and the amplitude of the soil-mine system. Burial depth, soil moisture, and consolidation are among factors leading to the increase of the soil shear stiffness, therefore effectively influencing modal vibrations of buried mines.