Damage characteristic of caisson gravity wharf subjected to underwater contact and near-field explosion

To investigate the damage mechanism and load characteristics of caisson wharf under underwater contact and near-field explosion, a high-fidelity numerical model was conducted based on the scaled model tests of caisson wharf and verified by comparing the simulation results with the experimental data. The propagation and attenuation characteristics of shock waves inside the caisson, partition walls, and internal backfill soil were analyzed. The destruction process and typical damage mechanisms of the caisson wharf were analyzed by comparing Holmquist-Johnson-Cook constitutive model damage contour maps with experimental results. The results shows that the damage areas and characteristics of the caisson wharf are largely consistent under both underwater contact and near-field explosion. The primary damage areas are blast-facing wall and deck slab. The blast-facing wall exhibits cratering and breaching phenomena, while of the deck slab shows transverse full-length cracks at trench-slab connections, longitudinal cracks, and blow-off. The side walls and internal partitions of the caisson wharf sustain relatively minor damage. Shock wave within the caisson subjected to underwater contact and near-field explosions undergo reflection and transmission at the interfaces between the partitions and fillings within the compartments. The blast-facing wall and side walls of the wharf are subjected to shock loads. The transmitted compressive waves across the transverse bulkheads and blast-resistant back walls exhibited amplification compared to the incident waves, whereas attenuation was observed as the waves traversed the sand-filled compartments. Numerical simulation results revealed that the shock wave load within the caisson undergoes a decay rate that transitions from rapid to gradual. Damage characteristics of caisson wharf is primarily shaped during the underwater explosion shockwave phase. Neglecting large-scale macroscopic movements such as uplift and scattering post panel failure, the damage formation time slightly exceeds twice the shockwave propagation duration through the structure.