The effect of protective barriers on the dynamic response of underground structures

Abstract

Engineers have dedicated considerable attention over the past ten years to studying the influences of dynamic loads caused by both intentional and unintentional events on infrastructures. As a result, determining how buried structures react to explosions and enhancing their security against blast loads have become crucial subjects in defensive engineering. To achieve this goal, constructing a protective barrier, which is known as a blast wall, in front of structures can be an effective measure. This research focused on examining the impact of a protective barrier on the response of a box-shaped tunnel located in Kobe, Japan, using a comprehensive numerical approach. The results revealed that incorporating a barrier with widths of either 1 m or 2 m resulted in a significant reduction in peak pressure. Specifically, the use of a 1 m wide barrier resulted in a 77% decrease, while a 2 m wide barrier achieved an even greater reduction of 84%. Additionally, it was observed that minimizing the distance between the barrier and the explosion point, as well as increasing the width of the barrier, resulted in reduced peak pressure throughout all sections of the tunnel.