Numerical Study of Blast-Induced Liquefaction Test in Silty Sands

Soil liquefaction typically occurs during and following earthquakes, although it may also be triggered by non-seismic dynamic loading. While liquefaction is systematically investigated using laboratory element tests, critical field-scale aspects, such as soil fabric and complex boundary conditions, remain challenging to replicate. Consequently, researchers have evaluated field liquefaction through controlled explosive detonations. The primary objective of this study is the numerical simulation of a controlled blast-induced liquefaction test conducted at a silty sand site. An advanced constitutive model was employed to capture the highly non-linear soil behaviour under blast loading. Modelling blast loading is inherently challenging due to extreme near-field deformations, high-frequency accelerations (exceeding 100 Hz), and rapid excess pore water pressure generation on the order of milliseconds. Particular attention is paid to replicating acceleration time histories and Fourier amplitude spectra. Furthermore, computed pore water pressures are validated against experimental transducer data, providing relevant insights into the spatial and temporal development of blast-induced liquefaction.