Evaluating the Effect of Large and Spread Explosives Loads

Abstract

Reports on experiments or numerical analysis involving medium to extreme explosive devices (> 100 kg TNT) are scarce. Blast wavefront parameters and scaling laws found in the specialized literature have usually been obtained and used for spherical explosive charges. Similarly, empirical equations proposed for the evaluation of crater dimensions produced by explosions on the ground level were obtained for compact charges that is spherical or cylindrical charges, and explosive masses up to 100 kg of TNT. This paper presents the numerical analysis of the detonation of explosive charges ranging from 1000 to 26,288 kg of TNT laid on the ground, mainly widespread in a carpet-like form. The charges consist of different ordnances stacked in different configurations. The effects of the charge configurations and mass of explosive on the crater dimensions and blast wave parameters are investigated. While the cube root scaled distance works well for a relatively compact charge layout the scaled distance parameter has to be modified for cases where charges are spread in a carpet-like form. Numerical results are compared with experimental results of crater dimensions and blast wave parameters. Reasonable agreement with the experiments is obtained.