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High-fidelity simulations of blast loadings in urban environments using an overset meshing strategy

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Abstract

Detailed blast propagation and evolution through multiple structures representing an urban environment were simulated using the code Loci/BLAST, which employs an overset meshing strategy. The use of overset meshes simplifies mesh generation by allowing meshes for individual component geometries to be generated independently. Detailed blast propagation and evolution through multiple structures, wave reflection and interaction between structures, and blast loadings on structures were simulated and analyzed. Predicted results showed good agreement with experimental data generated by the US Army Engineer Research and Development Center. Loci/BLAST results were also found to compare favorably to simulations obtained using the Second-Order Hydrodynamic Automatic Mesh Refinement Code (SHAMRC). The results obtained demonstrated that blast reflections in an urban setting significantly increased the blast loads on adjacent buildings. Correlations of computational results with experimental data yielded valuable insights into the physics of blast propagation, reflection, and interaction under an urban setting and verified the use of Loci/BLAST as a viable tool for urban blast analysis.

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Acknowledgments

This research was partially funded by the Department of Homeland Security-sponsored Southeast Region Research Initiative (SERRI) at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

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Author notes

  1. M. Remotigue

    Present address: Pointwise, Inc., 213 South Jennings Avenue, Fort Worth, TX, 76104, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems (CAVS), Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, 39762, USA

    X. Wang, M. Remotigue, Q. Arnoldus & R. Weed

  2. Department of Aerospace Engineering, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, 39762, USA

    M. Janus & D. Thompson

  3. Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, 39762, USA

    E. Luke

  4. Geotechnical and Structures Laboratory, US Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Vicksburg, MS, 39180, USA

    G. Bessette

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  1. X. Wang
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Correspondence to X. Wang.

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Communicated by C. Needham.

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Wang, X., Remotigue, M., Arnoldus, Q. et al. High-fidelity simulations of blast loadings in urban environments using an overset meshing strategy. Shock Waves 27, 409–422 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00193-016-0680-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00193-016-0680-x

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