Investigation of the blast-resistance performance of geotextile-reinforced soil

An explosion on the ground surface can cause considerable damage to underground structures. In this study, a series of experimental and numerical investigations were conducted to examine the performance and reinforcing mechanism of reinforced soil subjected to blast loads. An excavated pit backfilled with sand only (unreinforced soil) and sand reinforced with three layers of geotextiles (reinforced soil) were used as test models in a field explosion test. In the field explosion test, blast pressures in air and soil, ground deformation, and mobilized reinforcement tensile strain were measured. The test results obtained for the reinforced and unreinforced soil were compared to evaluate the effectiveness of using soil reinforcement as a protective barrier against blast loads. The test results indicated that peak blast pressure in the reinforced soil was only 10–28% of those in the unreinforced soil. Two reinforcing mechanisms were identified in this study: the tensioned membrane effect and lateral restraint effect. Moreover, a series of numerical analyses were performed to evaluate the effects of reinforcement parameters on the blast pressure. This study provides useful insights into the application and design of soil reinforcement as an alternative antiexplosion measure to protect underground structures against surface explosions.