<p>Underground structures frequently get exposed to dynamic forces, such as impact loads, requiring the assessment of their response depending on soil type and burial depth. This study examines the effect of impact loading on shallow buried structures in various types of soil of different stiffness. Initially, a previously published experimental investigation involving a plate resting on sandy soil subjected to impact loading was referred to validate the finite element model of the subject plate developed in ABAQUS. The model’s performance was assessed at different depths as in the reference case for sandy soil. As the simulation results showed strong agreement with the laboratory models, the work was further extended to clayey soil encompassing soft, medium and stiff. The outcomes indicate a direct relationship between soil type, consistency and burial depth with its response to an impact load. Soft clay possessing lower stiffness comparatively to medium and stiff clays showed the maximum displacement and longest duration in response to impact loads. While medium and stiff clay displayed a quicker response and smaller displacements. Among the three clayey soils types, soft clay showed the greatest displacement and slowest response time while stiff clay had the smallest displacement and fastest response time.</p> Graphical abstract <p></p>