Decoupled　charge　structures　are　widely　used　in　contour　blasting　because　of　their　lower　peak　value　and　loading　rate　of　the　borehole　wall　pressure　(BWP),　which　plays　an　important　role　in　the　contour　blasting　effect.　The　filling　medium　and　decoupling　ratio　are　the　two　key　factors　of　decoupled　charge　blasting,　and　their　effects　on　the　peak　value,　rise　time　and　loading　rate　of　BWP　need　to　be　investigated.　In　the　present　study,　physical　model　tests　of　decoupled　charge　blasting　on　cement　mortar　blocks　(400　×　400　×　200　mm)　were　conducted　under　different　filling　mediums　and　decoupling　ratios,　and　polyvinylidene　fluoride　(PVDF)　gauges　were　used　to　directly　measure　the　BWP.　In　addition,　a　numerical　model　was　developed　and　verified　to　simulate　the　same　decoupled　charge　blasting　tests　and　some　other　tests　with　additional　decoupling　ratios.　The　measured　and　simulated　results　both　showed　that　the　peak　value　and　the　loading　rate　decreased　with　increasing　decoupling　ratio.　Compared　with　the　theoretical　formulas,　the　modified　power　function　formulas　provide　more　accurate　peak　values.　The　peak　pressure,　rise　time　and　loading　rate　were　higher　in　water-coupled　blasting,　and　the　ratio　of　the　peak　pressure　in　water-coupled　blasting　to　that　in　air-coupled　blasting　was　between　2.35　and　4.28　under　decoupling　ratios　of　2∼5.　When　the　peak　pressure　was　the　same,　the　loading　rate　in　the　water　coupling　blasting　was　always　lower　than　that　in　the　air　coupling　blasting.　©　2023　Elsevier　Ltd