Numerical Simulation of the Response of Underground Structures to Shock Waves

The manner by which the shock waves, generated by an explosion, propagate in the medium surrounding an underground structure is very complex. This complexity is due to the interaction between the structure and the surrounding soil and the attenuation of the shock waves in the soil layers. In this research, by simulating the shock waves equivalent to the explosion of 900 kg of TNT, the effects of different parameters such as soil type, concrete type, and buried depth on maximum strain at the top and on the mid-length of the structure is investigated. For simulating the loading due to explosion, the finite element software, ABAQUS, has been utilized. Also, to numerically simulate the nonlinear behavior of the medium surrounding the underground structure, the Mohr-Columb model has been used. In view of the results obtained from the numerical analysis of various models, it was found that the parameter of underground structure depth has the greatest effect on the amount of maximum strain produced in the structure, followed by soil and concrete type.