Centrifugal model tests on cratering effects on dynamic response of silo under shallowly buried explosion

To study the effects of shallowly buried explosion cratering occurring near the silo, three centrifugal 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. 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 shallowly buried explosion occurring near the silo, the volume of crater will shrink because the existence of the structures will constrain the expansion of the chamber. If the transient chamber is in contact with the silo, the apparent crater will be asymmetrical, and the cratering volume will increase because of the collision and extrusion between the explosion gas and the silo. With the increase of the distance between the explosion and the silo or the decrease of the buried depth of explosion, the influences of structure on cratering will gradually decrease. The dynamic response of the silo is significantly affected by the cratering process, that the part of the 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 structures, and also throw insight to the researches on the related performance indices and damage effects of such structures under explosion.