Scaling dynamic failure: A numerical study

•Scaling of dynamic failure is studied numerically study.•Two scalable criteria are selected: maximum principal stress and dynamic strain energy.•Those criteria are alternatives to fracture-mechanics based criteria.•Dynamic failure, either by explosive loading or ballistic penetration, is scalable.•Future research should be invested into experimental validation.

Scaling failure in blast loaded structures is considered to be impossible with the known scaling laws when using fracture-mechanics based (fracture toughness) considerations (Jones, 1989). We will show in this research that scaling failure becomes possible when 2 alternative competing criteria are used, namely: maximum normal stress to describe separation (cracking) and a strain energy density-based criterion that describes adiabatic shear failure. Numerical simulations of two test-cases were carried out: Failure of circular clamped plates under close range, air blast loading, and penetration experiments.This study shows that both the prototype and small-scale model undergo scaling for those failure criteria. This study presents a new alternative to the scaling of structural failure under dynamic loading conditions, which is both simple and efficient.