Simulation and experimental validation of the dynamic pressure of shock wave under free-field blast loading

Shock wave energy generated by a blast can cause severe damage to buildings, as well as result in the loss of lives and properties. As explosive becomes increasingly powerful, the damaging effects generated by blast waves have become a weapon, not only on the battle field. Even explosions of gas utilized in various industries can be a source of great threat and destruction. Therefore, the study of the blast stress wave under the dynamic loading effect of an explosion is a subject to be carefully considered before construction planning and design, and research in this field is urgently needed. This study adopts the methods of field blasting experiment and numerical simulation analysis to analyze the shock wave energy and its attenuation characteristics by comparing the experimental results with data from the numerical simulation. The numerical analysis utilizes the Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian algorithm with a 3-dimensional (3D) solid structural model and 8-node solid elements. The results show an increasing trend for blast pressure as the amount of explosive increases. With the same amount of explosive, the blast pressure extreme shows a decreasing trend as the distance from the blast center increases. The results of this study can facilitate accurate analysis of shock wave energy of a blast, assess its destructive power and provide references for the calculation of blast safe quantity-distance for the human body, as well as for the planning of building safety zones, facility shock absorption measures and disaster prevention, in order to reduce the potential danger of blast waves and ensure the safety of human lives and properties.