JOURNAL OF ROCK MECHANICS

JOURNAL OF ROCK MECHANICS

Hybrid Numerical Modeling of Blast Response in Steel–Soil Layered Media

Document Type : ٍAn English Original Article

Authors
Mohammad Hossein Mokhtarzadeh 1
Ehsan Taheri 2
1 Department of Rock Mechanics, Faculty of Mining and Materials, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
2 Assistant Professor at the Department of Rock Mechanics, Faculty of Mining and Materials, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
10.22034/IRSRM.2026.468758.0141
Abstract
Accurate prediction of blast-induced damage in layered geotechnical systems is essential for the resilient design of underground protective structures. However, the complex physics of explosion—involving extreme deformation, multi-material interaction, and high strain rates—poses significant challenges for both experimental replication and single-method numerical modeling. To address this gap, the present study develops a hybrid computational framework coupling Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH), the Discrete Element Method (DEM), and the Finite Element Method (FEM) to simulate damage in a steel–soil layered configuration subjected to explosive loading. The proposed model assigns each constituent material its most suitable numerical approach: SPH handles the TNT explosive charge, capturing large deformation and fragmentation without mesh distortion; DEM models the granular soil layer, accounting for particle-scale interactions and contact failure; FEM discretizes the steel sheet, enabling precise stress–strain evaluation. The Johnson–Cook constitutive model is employed as the damage criterion for the steel layer, incorporating strain hardening, strain rate sensitivity, and thermal softening effects. For the soil, contact failure is defined to govern particle debonding and detachment. The thermodynamic behavior of the detonation products is described by the Jones–Wilkins–Lee (JWL) equation of state. The paper details the fundamental principles, coupling algorithms, and interface conditions among the three methods. Simulation results demonstrate that the integrated SPH-DEM-FEM approach effectively reproduces key damage patterns, including steel perforation, soil cratering, and layer delamination. This validated multiphysics model provides researchers with a powerful numerical tool to explore various blast scenarios, charge geometries, and layer properties, thereby advancing the understanding of explosion–structure interaction in layered media.
Keywords
Discrete Element Method, Finite Element Method, Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics, Explosion, Blasting Damage, Steel&‌‌ndash
soil layer
Subjects
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JOURNAL OF ROCK MECHANICS
Volume 9, Issue 4
Winter 2026
Pages 1-17