Numerical Assessment of Blast Effects Scaling Procedures

Abstract

Scaling laws are nowadays frequently used for the evaluation of the effects of explosions on structures and soils. They are mainly used to extrapolate results obtained in reduced scale tests to the actual scale case and they are also assumed valid when empirical equations or graphics involving the scaled distance or other scale parameters are used to compute blast effects. Nevertheless, it has been observed in different works that it is difficult to scale the complete problem including the material micro and meso structure. Moreover, it has been suggested that scaling laws are not the same for all masses, shapes and locations of explosive. The use of scaling laws for blast effects is numerically assessed in this paper with a hydrocode. Two main applications of blast scaling are analyzed: a) blast wave and its effect on structures and b) crater formation. The accuracy of numerical simulations and numerical results mesh dependence are also addressed in the paper. First a brief description of most widely used scaling laws for blast effects is presented. The numerical tool and models used are described and the results of the simulation of different scaling cases study are presented. Numerical results are analyzed and compared with experimental results available in blast research literature. The paper is completed with conclusions about the applicability of scaling laws and the accuracy of numerical simulation of the reduced and full scale blast problems for the two types of problems analyzed.