Researchers studied how blast loading affects aluminum plates through experiments and simulations. They used predrilled holes to simulate fragmentation and found that the material behaved anisotropically. The gas gun experiments showed asymmetric loading, requiring modifications for accuracy. No fractures occurred in the experiments. Numerical simulations validated experimental results but showed discrepancies in load distribution. Plates with holes performed similarly to solid plates under small loads. Digital Image Correlation accurately compared experimental and simulation results. The geometry of the charge significantly influenced blast load magnitude.IMPETUS Afea was not suitable for simulating long-range blast loading.