Characterisation of buried blast loading

While it is well known that detonation of shallow-buried high explosive charges generally results in above-surface loading which is greatly amplified compared with the same detonation in air, uncertainty persists as to the mechanisms leading to this effect. The work presented in this paper is a systematic investigation into the mechanisms of load transfer in buried blast events. This paper details the results from a parametric study into the mechanisms and magnitudes of load transfer following a shallow-buried explosion, where spatial and temporal load distributions are directly measured on a rigid surface using an array of Hopkinson pressure bars. In particular, the investigation has looked at the influence of both geometrical confinement and geotechnical conditions on the loading. The parametric study was separated into four main threads: the influence of physical confinement; gravimetric moisture content; stand-off distance and depth of burial; and soil material/particle size distribution. This study allows a direct observation of the contributions of each of these distinct parameters, and in particular the ability to discern how each parameter influences the temporal form and spatial distribution of the loading.