Numerical investigation of the shockwave overpressure fields of multi-sources FAE explosions

Shockwaves from fuel-air explosive (FAE) cloud explosions may cause significant casualties. The ground overpressure field is usually used to evaluate the damage range of explosion shockwaves. In this paper, a finite element model of multi-sources FAE explosion is established to simulate the process of multiple shockwaves propagation and interaction. The model is verified with the experimental data of a fourfold-source FAE explosion, with the total fuel mass of 340 kg. Simulation results show that the overpressure fields of multi-sources FAE explosions are different from that of the single-source. In the case of multi-sources, the overpressure fields are influenced significantly by source scattering distance and source number. Subsequently, damage ranges of overpressure under three different levels are calculated. Within a suitable source scattering distance, the damage range of multi-sources situation is greater than that of the single-source, under the same amount of total fuel mass. This research provides a basis for personnel shockwave protection from multi-sources FAE explosion.