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Numerical modelling of fracture intensity increase due to interacting blast waves in three-dimensional granitic rocks

Publisher
British Geological Survey (BGS)
Updated
13 August 2026
Topic
Not set
Licence
Not set

Summary

This work presents a detailed three-dimensional finite element based model for wave propagation, combined with a postprocessing procedure to determine the fracture intensity caused by blasting. The data generated during this project includes output files of all simulations with detailed fields, geometries and meshes. The model incorporates the Johnson-Holmquist-2 constitutive model, which is designed for brittle materials undergoing high strain rates and high pressures and fracturing, and a tensile failure model. Material heterogeneity is introduced into the model through variation of the material properties at the element level, ensuring jumps in strain. The algorithm for the combined Johnson-Holmquist-2 and tensile failure model is presented and is demonstrated to be energy-conserving, with an open-source MATLABTM implementation of the model. A range of sub-scale numerical experiments are performed to validate the modelling and postprocessing procedures, and a range of materials, explosive waves and geometries are considered to demonstrate the model's predictive capability quantitatively and qualitatively for fracture intensity. Fracture intensities on 2D planes and 3D volumes are presented. The mesh dependence of the method is explored, demonstrating that mesh density changes maintain similar results and improve with increasing mesh quality. Damage patterns in simulations are self-organising, forming thin, planar, fracture-like structures that closely match the observed fractures in the experiments. The presented model is an advancement in realism for continuum modelling of blasts as it enables fully three-dimensional wave interaction, handles damage due to both compression and tension, and relies only on measurable material properties. The uploaded data are the specific simulation outputs for four explosion models occurring on two different rock types, and the specific fracture patterns generated.

Data links

Link Format Preview Updated
Data 13/8/2026
Published Paper 13/8/2026
Citation Information - Digital Object Identifier (DOI) 13/8/2026

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Additional information

Source Metadata
XML, HTML
Date added
12 August 2026
Harvest GUID
fb545266-dd9f-372f-e053-0937940ad24b
Dataset reference date (creation)
2023-02-01
Frequency of update
notApplicable
Access constraints
The copyright of materials derived from the British Geological Survey's work is vested in the Natural Environment Research Council [NERC]. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a retrieval system of any nature, without the prior permission of the copyright holder, via the BGS Intellectual Property Rights Manager. Use by customers of information provided by the BGS, is at the customer's own risk. In view of the disparate sources of information at BGS's disposal, including such material donated to BGS, that BGS accepts in good faith as being accurate, the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) gives no warranty, expressed or implied, as to the quality or accuracy of the information supplied, or to the information's suitability for any use. NERC/BGS accepts no liability whatever in respect of loss, damage, injury or other occurence however caused.
Responsible party
Imperial College London (originator); British Geological Survey (distributor, pointOfContact)
ISO 19139 resource type
nonGeographicDataset
Metadata language
eng