POREWATER PRESSURE INCREASES IN SOIL AND ROCK FROM UNDERGROUND CHEMICAL AND NUCLEAR-EXPLOSIONS

A review and analysis of chemical and nuclear explosive-induced porewa ter pressure increases and induced rise in groundwater table elevation s (groundwater mounding) is presented. Our analysis indicates that res idual pore pressure increases and groundwater mounding can be induced by underground chemical and nuclear explosions to scaled distances of 879 m/(kt)(1/3). This relationship is linear over eleven orders of mag nitude of explosive energy ranging from a 0.01 kg chemical explosion t o a 100 kt nuclear explosion and is valid for a wide variety of satura ted geological profiles. Underground chemical explosions, and probably underground nuclear explosions, have the potential to induce liquefac tion of water-saturated soils to scaled distances of about 260 m/(kt)( 1/3).