Centrifuge model tests study on the cratering effect on dynamic response of silo under shallow buried explosion

To study the effect of shallow buried explosion cratering occurring near the silo, three centrifuge model tests are conducted using the geotechnical centrifuge ZJU400 at Zhejiang University. The cratering process, inner acceleration response and explosion-surface strain response of the silo are analyzed, and the results show that: compared with the explosion in the free field , if the maximum transient chamber does not contact with the silo for the shallow buried explosion occurring near the silo, the volume of crater will shrinkage because the existence of the structure will constrain the expansion of the chamber; if the transient chamber is in contact with the silo, the apparent crater will appear asymmetrical and the crater volume will increase because of the collision and extrusion between the explosion gas and the silo; with the increase of distance between explosion and silo or the decrease of buried depth of explosion, the influence of structure on cratering will gradually decrease. The dynamic response of the silo is significantly affected by cratering process, that the part of silo near or exposed within the crater is more susceptible to generate larger deformation and stronger vibration response when subjected to explosion compared to the part with larger buried depth. The research results provide experimental reference for anti-blast design of silo structure, and also throw insight to the research on the related performance indicators and damage effects of such structures under explosion.