Abstract
Explosion craters on the ground surface induced by contact or near-field explosions have important implications, which can be used to assess blast consequences, guide the design of the explosion, or develop a protective strategy. In this study, to understand the crater characteristics induced by the contact explosion of large weight explosives, four field contact explosion tests were conducted on the surface of the Gobi Desert with large TNT charge weights of 1 ton, 3 tons, and 10 tons (test conducted twice). Cratering on the ground surface generated by large amounts of explosives was measured and evaluated, including the shape, depth, and diameter. A fine-mesh numerical model was developed and validated on the AUTODYN software platform, and a detailed parametric study was performed on the resulting craters. The effects of sand and gravel density, initiation method, shear modulus, and failure criteria were analyzed and discussed. An energy conversion coefficient was determined, and the corresponding theoretical equations were derived to predict the dimensions of the craters resulting from the large weight contact explosion. The calculated cratering characteristics were consistent with previous data and hence can be used in future engineering applications.
Highlights
An explosion on or near the surface of the ground creates a crater. e information about craters, for example, the crater’s shape, diameter, and depth has been used to investigate the TNT equivalent observed in the Tianjin port explosions [1], Xiangshui explosions [2], and Beirut port explosions [3]
The dispersion degree of the density, initiation method, and hydrotensile limit have little influence on the dimensions of the crater induced by the contact explosion of large charge weights, while the shear modulus has a significant influence on the dimensions of the crater
Four field contact explosion tests were conducted on the Gobi Desert surface with large TNT charge weights of 1 ton, 3 tons, and 10 tons
Summary
An explosion on or near the surface of the ground creates a crater. e information about craters, for example, the crater’s shape, diameter, and depth has been used to investigate the TNT equivalent observed in the Tianjin port explosions [1], Xiangshui explosions [2], and Beirut port explosions [3]. An explosion on or near the surface of the ground creates a crater. E information about craters, for example, the crater’s shape, diameter, and depth has been used to investigate the TNT equivalent observed in the Tianjin port explosions [1], Xiangshui explosions [2], and Beirut port explosions [3]. E primary parameters that influence the size and shape of the explosion crater are the weight of the explosives, the depth of the explosion, the formation method, and the geological structure of the ground. Explosion craters have been widely studied through field experiments, numerical simulations, and theoretical analyses. Another study [6] reported the results of experiments on craters generated by chemical and nuclear surface explosions with different TNTequivalents (1–5,000 tons) on different types of soil. Another study [6] reported the results of experiments on craters generated by chemical and nuclear surface explosions with different TNTequivalents (1–5,000 tons) on different types of soil. e formulae for calculating the diameter, volume, and depth of craters based on the charge amount were determined, and the relationships between these formulae were
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