Experimental Evaluation of Cratering and Ground Vibration in Clay Soils Subjected to Explosive Airblast Loading

This study focused on the ground response of clay soils in confined conditions subjected to explosive airblast loading through small-scale field experiments. Laboratory testing was also performed to characterize the soils used during field testing and obtain material properties for future work. A total of 33 suspended explosive blasts were conducted with explosive masses ranging from 0.9 to 100.9 g and two heights of suspension of 2.5–7.6 cm above the clay surface. The field instrumentation consisted of subsurface triaxial geophones and surface airblast sensors. Results of the study included surface crater geometry measurements, ground vibration data, and air overpressure data. Crater diameters ranged from 3.8 to 22.9 cm, while crater depth ranged from 0.8 to 8.4 cm. Crater volumes ranged from 32.1 to 1720.6 cm3. Peak particle velocity (PPV) decreased with depth and ranged from 1.0 to 40.2 cm/s. The results of the experiment provided a data set that could be used to predict the effects of airblast loads on clay soils.