Scaling laws for centrifuge modelling of explosion-induced cratering in sand

There are shortcomings in generality and applicability for the traditional crater scaling laws, and the Coriolis effects on explosion cratering in centrifuge tests are still unclear. The centrifuge modelling including buried and surface explosions is performed to investigate the cratering effects under different centrifugal accelerations, charge weights and buried depths. The scaling laws on buried and surface explosion craters are derived, and the formula for the crater radius is given. The quantitative analysis and numerical simulation of the Coriolis effects on explosion cratering are carried out. The results show that the proposed crater scaling laws can be applied to both the buried and surface explosions in dry sand, and good uniformity is obtained for the crater data from both the centrifuge tests and 1g tests. The Coriolis force primarily affects the profile of the apparent crater by changing the motion trajectory of sand particles, and it is obviously observed in the buried explosion tests, and the crater profile is asymmetric and shift in the direction of centrifuge rotation. However, the Coriolis force has a negligible effect on the surface explosion cratering. The crater offset error can be significantly reduced by using a centrifuge with a larger beam radius and conducting tests at higher centrifugal accelerations. The research results provide reference and a basis for the centrifugal modelling and theoretical analysis of explosion cratering. © 2024 Chinese Society of Civil Engineering. All rights reserved.