This paper aims to analyze the explosion loading characteristics in a confined ship cabin with a pressure relief hole, and the impact of the pressure relief hole in propagating shock loads from the explosion affected cabin to the adjacent cabin.

First, a numerical simulation of the explosion venting effect on a double cabin is conducted, and the pressure drop of the explosion affected cabin is analyzed with the Baker empirical formula. On the basis of the pressure distribution characteristics in the adjacent cabin, the empirical formula for the initial peak pressure in the adjacent cabin is deduced using the least squares principle.

The results indicate that the increase in the size of the pressure relief hole will change the initial state of the pressure field in the explosion affected cabin and adjacent cabin during the explosion venting process, weakening the pressure convergence and superposition in the explosion affected cabin, and strengthening the pressure propagation in the adjacent cabins. Without considering the influence of structural deformation, the shock wave presents a peach-shaped and jellyfish-shaped pressure distribution after passing through the pressure relief hole, and the phenomenon of pressure stratification and attenuation with angle occurs.

The results of this paper can provide references for the study of explosion load characteristics in cabins.