RUI: Understanding the Role of Flexible and Rigid Barriers in Mitigating Surface Blast Effects on Underground Structures

Principal Investigator: Anirban De

Undergraduate Researchers: Ryan Conry (2009-2010), Gregory Barasch (2010-2011), Sean Butler (2011-2012), and Alberto Morgante (2012---)

Manhattan College, Bronx, New York

NSF Organization: CMMI Division, Geomechanics & Geomaterials Program

NSF GRANT # 0928537

Objectives
To study the effects of surface blasts on underground structures, such as tunnels and pipelines through physical model tests and numerical analyses Understanding the role of flexible and rigid barriers in mitigating surface blast effects on underground structures

Tunnel Protection
Summary
Soil Dry Nevada #120 sand at 60% relative density Foam Polyurethane Flexible barrier Concrete Quikcrete Rigid barrier

Related Studies Using Numerical Modeling Tool

Surface Explosion on an Earth Embankment Dam

Centrifuge Modeling of Explosions

The effect of explosion is proportional to the cube of scale, i.e., proportional to N3 Models were constructed at 1:70 scale and tests were conducted at 70g Effects (e.g., cratering and shock waves) were same as those under mass of explosive that would be 703 times larger Ocean-bed Penetration of Torpedo Anchor Foam full cover (left) and concrete half cover (right)
Penetration vs. Soil Friction Angle
50

c=5 kPa
40

c=20kPa c=40kPa

Numerical Modeling

Anchor Penetration (m)

30

c=60kPa c=80kPa

20

10

0 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 Soil Friction Angle (degrees)

Outreach

Student preparing for test on 150 g-ton Centrifuge at RPI

B

Results from Autodyn numerical analyses showing pressure on tunnel body (left) and crater formation (right)

5,000

27.6 m

Soil - 1.8m cover 4,500

Soil - 2.7m cover Soil-Centrifuge Foam - 3.6m cover Foam half-Centrifuge Concrete - 3.6m cover

Location of model structure B Plan view

Magnitude of Peak Axial Microstrain

Soil - 3.6m cover 4,000 Foam - 1.8m cover 3,500 Foam full-Centrifuge 3,000 Concrete - 1.8m cover 2,500 Concrete-Centrifuge 2,000 1,500 1,000 500

Location of Explosive

Location of Explosive

Cover (0.9 m to 3.6 m)

16.9m to 19.5m

PI and student researcher making presentations at high school summer program for women and minority students, organized by New York Building Congress and Manhattan College School of Engineering

61.3 m

27.6 m

0 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000

Section A-A

Section B-B

Publications
1.Numerical simulation of surface explosions over dry, cohesionless soil, Computers and Geotechnics, 43, 7279 2012. (De) 2.Modeling of Surface Blast Effects on Underground Structures, Proceedings of GeoFrontiers 2011, Dallas, 2011 (De & Conry) 3.Physical Modeling of Explosive Effects on Tunnels, Proceedings of the Fourth International Symposium on Tunnel Safety and Security, Frankfurt, Germany, pp. 159-168, 2010 (De, Zimmie, Abdoun & Tessari) 4. Centrifuge Modeling of Explosion Craters Formed Over Underground Structures, GeoCongress 2008: Geosustainability and Geohazard Mitigation, Geotechnical Special Publication 178, ASCE, pp. 311-318, 2008 (De) 5. Centrifuge Modeling of Surface Blast Effects on Underground Structures, Geotechnical Testing Journal, ASTM, Vol. 30, No. 5, September 2007 (De & Zimmie) 6. Modeling of Surface Blast Effects on Underground Structures, Proceedings of GeoCongress 2006, ASCE, Atlanta, Georgia (De & Zimmie) 7. Centrifuge Experiments to Study Surface Blast Effects on Underground Pipelines, Proceedings of Pipelines 2005, ASCE, Houston, Texas, August 2005. (De, Zimmie & Vamos)

Scaled Distance [R/W (1/3)]

Peak axial strain at the top of midspan: Comparison of results of numerical analyses and centrifuge model tests

16,000

14,000

12,000

Crater diameter (mm)

10,000

8,000
Numerical: De [Present work] Centrifuge 50g: Sausville [7] Centrifuge 70g: De & Zimmie [24] Centrifuge 50g: Pena [25] 1g: De & Zimmie [24] 1g: Goodings et al. [5]

6,000

4,000

Centrifuge 1g to 100g: Goodings et al. [5] 1g: Pena [25] 1g: Ambrosini & Luccioni [23]

2,000

0 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200

Explosive mass (kg)

Configurations Tested on Projects CMMI-0226864 (2004-2005) and CMMI-0928537 (2009-2013)

Crater diameter as a function of explosive mass: Comparison of results of numerical analyses and physical model tests