Sand–Tire Shred Mixture Performance in Controlling Surface Explosion Hazards That Affect Underground Structures

Blasting is an unavoidable activity in geotechnical engineering, road and tunnel construction, and mining and quarrying. However, this activity can expose the environment to various hazards that are challenging to control and, at the same time, critical for the safety of site workers, equipment, and surrounding structures. This research aims to evaluate the ability of sand–tire shred mixtures to reduce peak blast pressure, which is the leading cause of damage to underground structures under surface explosion. ABAQUS software is used to model the material behavior under explosion and is validated using the results of previous studies and an empirical equation. Different scenarios are created by using mixture layers with different thicknesses (2, 4, and 6 m) and tire shred contents (10%, 20%, and 30%) that are subjected to various surface explosion charges (100, 500, 1000, and 5000 kg). The thickness of the mixture layer is found to be directly related to the dissipation of explosion energy. However, the percentage of the rubber content in the mixture is only significant in reducing peak blast pressure when a thick enough mixture layer is used. The results confirm the adequate performance of the correctly chosen sand–tire shred mixtures in reducing peak blast pressure and protecting the underground structure from surface explosion hazards.