Blast Pressure Measurements of an Underwater Detonation in the Sea

Abstract

Blast pressure measurements of a controlled underwater explosion in the sea were carried out. An explosive of 25-kg trinitrotoluene (TNT) equivalent was detonated, and the blast pressures were recorded by eight different high-performance pressure sensors that work at the nonresonant high-voltage output in adverse underwater conditions. Recorded peak pressure values are used to establish a relationship in the well-known form of empirical underwater explosion (UNDEX) loading formula. Constants of the formula are redetermined by employing the least-squares method in two different forms for best fitting to the measured data. The newly determined constants are found to be only slightly different from the generally accepted ones.

Keywords

Underwater explosions / High-pressure shock waves / Effects of directionality on blast pressure records / Pressure loading formulas / Applications of the least-squares method

References

[1] Barras G, Souli M, Aquelet N, Couty N. Numerical simulation of underwater explosions using an ALE method The pulsating bubble phenomena. Ocean Eng, 2012, 41: 53-66

[2] Brochard K, Sourne HL, Barras G. A simplified method to assess the damage of a deeply immersed cylinder subjected to underwater explosion. Int J Saf Secur Eng, 2019, 9(2): 95-108

[3] Camargo FV. Survey on experimental and numerical approaches to model underwater explosions. J Mar Sci Eng, 2019, 7(1): 15

[4] Cole RH. Underwater explosions, 1948, Princeton: Princeton University Press

[5] Emamzadeh SS, Ahmadi MT, Mohammadi S, Biglarkhani M. Dynamic adaptive finite element analysis of acoustic wave propagation due to underwater explosion for fluid-structure interaction problems. J Mar Sci Appl, 2015, 14: 302-315

[6] Gan N, Liu LT, Yao XL, Wang JX, Wu WB. Experimental and numerical investigation on the dynamic response of a simplified open floating slender structure subjected to underwater explosion bubble. Ocean Eng, 2021, 219

[7] Hawass A, Elbeih A, Mostafa HE (2019) Theoretical and experimental study of underwater explosion performance of selected explosive compositions. 18th International Conference on Aerospace Sciences & Aviation Technology, IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 610, 012061

[8] Hsu CY, Liang CC, Teng TL, Nguyen HA (2014) The study on the underwater shock loading empirical formula. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/281823479 [Accessed on 21 Sept 2021]

[9] Huang C, Liu M, Wang B, Zhang Y. Underwater explosion of slender explosives: directional effects of shock waves and structure responses. Int J Impact Eng, 2019, 130: 266-280

[10] Hung CF, Hsu PY, Hwang-Fuu JJ. Elastic shock response of an air-backed plate to underwater explosion. Int J Impact Eng, 2005, 31(2): 151-168

[11] Jiang X, Zhang W, Li D, Chen T, Tang C, Guo Z. Experimental analysis on dynamic response of pre-cracked aluminum plate subjected to underwater explosion shock loadings. Thin Walled Struct, 2021, 159: 107256

[12] Keil AH. The response of ships to underwater explosions. Trans Soc Naval Archit Mar Eng, 1961, 69: 366-410

[13] Kwon YW, Fox PK. Underwater shock responses of a cylinder subjected to a side-on explosion. Comput Struct, 1993, 48(4): 637-646

[14] Li LJ, Jiang WK, Ai YH. Experimental study on dynamic response and shock damage of cylindrical shell structures subjected to underwater explosion. J Offshore Mech Arct Eng, 2011, 133(1): 011102

[15] Peng X, Nie W, Yan B. Capacity of surface warship's protective bulkhead subjected to blast loading. J Mar Sci Appl, 2009, 8: 13-17

[16] Peng YX, Zhang AM, Ming FR. Numerical simulation of structural damage subjected to the near-field underwater explosion based on SPH and RKPM. Ocean Eng, 2021, 222: 108576

[17] Ralston A, Rabinowitz P. A first course in numerical analysis, 2001, Mineola, New York: Dover Publications, Inc.

[18] Ramajeyathilagam K, Vendhan JP. Deformation and rupture of thin rectangular plates subjected to underwater shock. Int J Impact Eng, 2004, 30: 699-719

[19] Reid WD. The response of surface ships to underwater explosions, 1996, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia: DSTO Aeronautical and Maritime Research Library

[20] Shin YS. Ship shock modeling and simulation for far-field underwater explosion. Comput Struct, 2004, 82: 2211-2219

[21] Yao X, Zhang A, Liu Y. Interaction of two three-dimensional explosion bubbles. J Mar Sci Appl, 2007, 6(2): 12-18

[22] Zamyshlyaev B, Yakovlev Yu S (1973) Dynamic loads in underwater explosion. Naval Intelligence Support Center, Washington D. C. (Translated from Russian, Dinamicheskiye nagruzki v podvodnom vzryve, Sudostroyeniye, Leningrad, 1967)

[23] Zhang J, Shia XU, Guedes Soares C. Experimental study on the response of multi-layered protective structure subjected to underwater contact explosions. Int J Impact Eng, 2017, 100: 23-34

[24] Zhao Y, He L, Huang Y, Wang Y. FEA for designing of floating raft shock-resistant system. J Mar Sci Appl, 2003, 2(1): 24-28

[25] Zong Z, Zhao Y, Ye F, Li H, Chen G. Parallel computing of the underwater explosion cavitation effects on full-scale ship structures. J. Mar Sci Appl, 2012, 11: 469-477