High-pile　wharfs　are　a　type　of　important　port　structure　and　they　may　suffer　from　accidental　explosions　or　terrorist　bombing　loads　during　the　period　of　service.　In　order　to　assess　safety　of　high-pile　wharfs　particularly　under　near-field　explosion,　it　is　necessary　to　study　the　dynamic　response　and　failure　mode　of　the　vertical　load-bearing　piles　subjected　to　the　near-field　non-contact　underwater　explosion.　The　reinforced　concrete　(RC)　pile　is　one　of　the　popular　vertical　load-bearing　piles　of　high-pile　wharfs.　In　this　study,　a　typical　RC　pile　was　designed　and　fabricated　for　an　experimental　investigation　under　near-field　non-contact　underwater　explosion.　The　failure　mode　of　the　RC　pile　specimen　was　observed　and　recorded　after　the　test,　and　damage　analysis　and　assessment　were　carried　out.　The　test　results　were　also　benchmarks　for　validation　of　numerical　modelling.　A　detailed　3-D　numerical　modelling　was　established　to　analyze　the　RC　pile　specimen　under　the　explosive　load,　and　the　modelling　results　well　agreed　with　the　test　data.　By　using　the　validated　modelling　method,　a　group　of　numerical　models　were　established　to　analyze　the　effect　of　radius　on　the　dynamic　response　and　failure　mode　of　the　RC　pile.　Based　on　the　experimental　and　analysis　results,　the　method　to　assess　damage　of　the　studied　type　of　RC　piles　under　the　near-field　non-contact　underwater　explosion　was　established,　safety　distance　for　the　RC　pile　subjected　to　underwater　explosion　shock　loading　was　proposed.　This　study　presented　reference　for　analysis,　assessment　and　design　of　the　type　of　RC　pile　for　high-pile　wharfs　subjected　to　near-field　non-contact　underwater　explosion.　©　13th　International　Conference　on　Shock　and　Impact　Loads　on　Structures,　SILOS　2019.　All　Rights　Reserved.