Design of blast resistant structures

DESIGN OF BLAST
RESISTANT BUILDINGS

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Design of blast resistant structures

Contents page

1. Introduction …………………………………………………………………….. 3
2. Types of blasts…………………………………………………………………….. 4
3. Risk assessments…………………………………………………………………….. 4
4. Principles of blast resistant design………………………………………… 5
5. Stand-off zones …………………………………………………………………….. 6
6. Access control …………………………………………………………………….. 6
7. Definition of blast load ……………………………………………………… 7
8. Guidelines for analysis ……………………………………………………… 9
9. What effects structure must resist …………………………………… 9
10. Localized effects on connections and members ………………. 10
11.Are blast loads serviceable …………………………………………………. 11
12.Design approach types ……………………………………………………… 12
a. Pressure impulse
b. Load response
c. Redistribution of loads from removed column
13. Member wise response and reinforcement ……………………… 15
14.Design procedure in detail ………………………………………………… 20
15. Acceptable damage levels ……………………………………………… 22
16. Difference between seismic and blast loads ………………….. 22
17.Conclusions …………………………………………………………………….. 24
18. Reference …………………………………………………………………….. 25

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Design of blast resistant structures

1- Introduction

Blast resistant deign is a subject of interest for structural engineers these days
hence becoming popular in the field of structural engineering. Since there are
several terror attacks were faced in the society even fire accidents and arsons
there is a very much need of this subject to emerge. Many government and some
private building owners today require that new buildings be designed to resist the
effects of potential blasts and other incidents that could cause extreme local
damage.

In this discussion it may be possible to design buildings to resist such attacks

without severe damage, the loading effects associated with these hazards and so
intense that design measures necessary to provide such performance would
result in both unacceptably high costs as well as impose unacceptable limitations
on architectural design of such buildings.

Fortunately, the probability that any single building will actually be subjected
to such hazards is quite low. As a result, a performance based approach to design
has evolved. The most common performance goals are to permit severe and even
extreme damage should blasts or any other such incidents affect a structure, but
avoid massive loss of life.

Often, design to resist blast, impact and other extraordinary loads must be
thought of in the content of life safety, not in terms of serviceability or lifecycle
performance. The serviceability and reuse may be required for test facilities, but
most commercial office and industrial facilities will not have to perform to these
levels.

Structures designed to resist the effects of explosives and impact are

permitted to contribute all of their resistance, both material linear (elastic) and
material non-linear (inelastic), to absorb damage locally, so as not to compromise
the integrity of entire structure. It is likely that local failure can and may be
designed to occur, due to uncertainty associated with such blast-loads.

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Design of blast resistant structures

2-Types of blasts

Sl no Type of attack Description

1 Moving vehicle bombs A car, van or truck loaded with
(suicide attacks) explosive ram into facility with high
speed
2 Stationary vehicle bombs Vehicles parked outside or
underneath building, detonated with
time delay
3 Exterior attack Grenades, hand placed bombs,
homemade bombs etc..
4 Ballistic attacks Small arms

5 Arsons Flammable materials smuggled into

buildings and ignited or detonated
6 others Mail bombs, container bombs…

3-Risk assessment

Terrorist attacks include bombing, arsons, hostage, suicide attacks, sabotage and
assault.

Analyze the probable threats, potential disasters to the structure.

Proper planning before the design will be very much helpful in preventing such
accidents.

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Design of blast resistant structures

4-Principles of blast resistant design

The main intension of providing such design is to protect the people inside
the building, when a blast takes place and also hardening structure. The design
must be such that there would be neither casualty to take place. Indeed the
designer must be aware of the egress of survivors and the safe evacuation of
wounded after the event. It is virtually impossible to prevent casualties in a blast
environment.

Bomb blast is a result of exothermic chemical reactions where energy is

released over a sufficiently small time in a small volume such that a pressure wave
of finite amplitude and length is produced that travels away from the source.
Ideal explosions are simply those based on a convention assuming energy release
at a point. The resulting blast wave travels in air, which is generally of most
interest to building designers and may also travel in soil (called ground-shock) or
water.

The main principle of blast resistant design includes:

1. Maintain safe separation of attackers and targets i.e. standoff zones.

2. Design to sustain and contain a certain amount of bomb damage. Allow
for limited localized damage.
3. Prevent progressive collapse and catastrophic failure or total failure.
4. Minimize the quantity and hazard of broken glass and blast induced
debris.
5. Facilitate rescue and recovery operations, permit safe rescue and
adequate time for evacuation of the occupants.

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Design of blast resistant structures

5-Stand-off zones

a. Blockades, planters, fountains, fences as obstacles to ramming

vehicles/truck bombs. Only allow to provide emergency vehicle access.
b. Raise the building 2m above grade (provide ramps for barrier free
access).
c. Use earth-berms as blast barriers.
d. Keep parking away from the building. Restricted parking or no parking
underneath the buildings.
e. Secured access to loading dock. All deliveries registered, screened and
logged prior to acceptance.
f. Advanced security setups, usage of security camera at prominent spots.
g. Removal of hiding spots for bombs like thrash receptacles, mailboxes,
courier boxes, newspaper boxes, garden equipment rooms, garbage
containers etc...
h. Bags-free zones i.e. no bag-packs, shopping bags, shopping carts etc..

6-Access-control

a. Implement checkpoint at entrance and exits as temporary security

procedure, checkpoints as in airport style.
b. Walk through metal detectors.
c. Scanning guest luggage, bags etc...
d. Security screening and clearance for employees.

7-Definition of blast load

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Design of blast resistant structures

An explosion is a rapid release of stored potential energy characterized by a

bright flash released as an audible blast. Part of energy is released as thermal
radiation (flash); and a part is coupled into the air as air blast and into the soil
(ground) as ground shocks both as radially expanding shock waves.

Blast loads are most often thought of as emanating from exothermic

reactions resulting in detonations. However shockwaves in air can result from a
pressure vessel ruptures and high flame front velocity combustions (typical
unconfined vapour cloud explosions) as well. When the source material can
sustain a supersonic wave (wave front) of sufficient velocity to create a local high
pressure within the source material, the reaction is considered as detonation,
where all the stored potential energy is released in the chemical reaction. Flame
front velocity in the combustion below this detonation velocity will result in a
reaction (an explosion) short of a detonation, called deflagration, where only a
portion of stored potential energy is released in chemical reaction.

Often the class of explosion be deflagration or detonation, it is determined

by the initiation energy is usually delivered as a strong shock provided by impact,
detonation of a primary explosion.

When a thermal radiation strikes an object much of the energy is absorbed

determines whether combustible materials will be ignited or whether people will
be burnt. Then highly combustible materials like papers, window curtains, leaves
etc… can be easily ignited. They act as fuel for heavier combustible building
materials which further causes major fires.

The effects of shockwave which travels away from the explosion faster than the
speed of sound poses the next hazard at close in locations. The shock-front is
similar to a moving wall of highly compressed air and is accompanied by blast
winds. When it arrives at a location it causes sudden rise in ambient pressure. The
increase in atmospheric pressure over normal value called overpressure, and the
simultaneous pressures created by the blast winds are called dynamic pressures.
Both of them decay rapidly with time from their peak values to ambient pressure
and overpressure actually sinks below ambient pressure before equalizing back to
normal atmospheric pressure.

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Design of blast resistant structures

Blast pressures can create loads on buildings that are many times greater
than the normal design loads, and blast winds can be much more severe than
hurricanes. Buildings with relatively weak curtain walls and interior partitions
would be probably be gutted very early to the blast phase, even at low
overpressures. Dynamic pressures would then continue to cause drag loads on
the structural frame that is left standing. Slabs over closed basements would
experience the downward thrust of the overpressure, which would be
transmitted to supporting beams, girders and columns. Foundations would
experience blast induced vertical and overturning forces. Failure would occur
unless the structural system was designed to resist these large, quickly applied
loads.

Structures with load bearing walls or curtain walls that do not blow-out
easily could be completely demolished or toppled by blast loads. Such structures
would experience the combined loading conditions caused by incident
overpressures, the dynamic and highly transient reflected pressure that develops
when shock waves strikes a surface of the structure.

The air-blast can penetrate basement areas that are open to the
atmosphere causing internal pressures to buildup and creating high velocity jets
of air through the openings. Shattered window glass and other objects become
dangerous missiles in the air jets. High internal pressures can cause lung damage
and eardrum rupture. The air-jets, under certain circumstances can pick people
and hurl them against fixed objects possibly with lethal effects.

Secondary fires triggered by the blast damage such as broken utility lines,
overturned appliances, electrical short circuits etc… present additional hazards to
the survivors of the blasts and thermal phases of the attacks. Flammable building
materials furniture and debris created by blast can provide fuel to support fires.

8-Guidelines for the analysis

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Design of blast resistant structures

The procedure involves performing a series of linear-elastic static analyses of the

structure for an instantaneous loss of various local primary vertical support
elements. The number of cases analyzed should cover the worst case scenarios
for all sides of the building’s perimeter including corners. Interior bays are
required to be analyzed if the building has underground parking or uncontrolled
access to the ground floor. The instantaneous loss of vertical elements can consist
of the loss of either columns or sections of walls for one floor above grade while
nd
assuming the horizontal structural elements at the 2 floor remain intact.

The guideline also stresses the inclusion of the following structural

characteristics when designing the structural systems.

1. Redundancy and alternate load paths.

2. Ductile structural elements and details.

3. Designing for load reversal.

4. Shear capacities which preclude shear failure prior to flexural failure.

9-What effects must the structure resist?

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Design of blast resistant structures

Shock waves in air decay exponentially with distance, when encountering

an obstruction in their path blast waves will reflect to amplitudes many times
their free air value. This reflection is the function of the air shock and angle of
incidence of shock wave front and the structure. When subjected to the shock or
blast wave, the structure can respond in several ways, depending upon the
strength of the blast (a function of explosive yield size and the proximity of the
structure to the source) and the duration of the wave.

The duration of the typical blast pulse is normally a small fraction i.e. in the
order of one hundredth of a second to one thousandth and therefore such loads
typically have little significant impact on overall lateral force resisting systems of
buildings. However, the frequencies of individual elements are likely. When this
takes place it can lead to further instability.

If in a very strong blast wave region the structure may respond locally with
shattering, shearing and tearing of structural material.

The goal of blast and impact resistant design is to first prevent the
compromise or collapse of the structural system and to maintain structural
integrity through ductile and redundant behavior.

The secondary and critical goal is to eliminate debris, which is the chief cause for
casualties and fatalities in explosions. Structural integrity must be maintained
even after local loss of key structural member thus preventing progressive
collapse.

10-What are the localized effects the members and connections must resist?

1. Twisting of beams
This is caused by lateral fixity of beams. Top flange created by direct
attachment of connected floor accompanied by lateral bending.
2. Column effects
Twist in flange, web buckling, high dynamic shears at base and floor
supports

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Design of blast resistant structures

11-Are blast loads are “service loads” or is blast resistance a “life saving” issue

The design goal when considering blast loads in commercial and industrial
building design is the reduction of casualties and the maintenance of structural
systems in serviceable conditions only in as much as it permits egress after the
blast event. Special structures may require either partial or full containment. No
commercial buildings are preferred to be built as bunkers or army containers.

Casualty mitigation and fatality prevention is achieved by preventing

collapse by limiting debris caused by local failure of structural and non-structural
elements. Debris reduction is achieved by proper detailing and the provision of
ductility. Exterior walls should be detailed such that they do not produce debris,
window glass should resist nominal blast where a single punch does not fail and
propelled into interior spaces.

Interior floors should be designed for uplift in the event of blast load
propagations into spaces below.

Finally progressive collapse criteria and design approaches (described

further) for limiting failure to local blast damaged areas such that
disproportionate collapse does not occur.

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Design of blast resistant structures

12-Is there any equivalent static design approach available?

No, is the answer. The capacity of structural system to resist blast is a

function of both its material linear (elastic) and material non-linear (inelastic)
capacity and its inertial resistance (mass) attempting to design to peak blast
pressure will likely prove to be impossible or at least highly inefficient.

Simplified methods can be used, however, to scope or to gain a feel for the
performance of blast resistant design. Work and energy solutions bounding to the
extents of inelastic response have been developed for a variety of structural
components.

1. Pressure – impulse (P-I )

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Design of blast resistant structures

Pressure impulse diagrams graphically present asymptotic limits for cases

where change in peak pressure changes insignificantly over the time to maximum
response (pressure dependant) and for cases where the blast load duration is
short with respect to time to maximum response ( or natural period of the
structure) the example of P-I diagram shown in the figure above.

2. The extreme nature of blast loading necessities the acceptance that

members will have some degree of inelastic response in most cases. It includes
calculation of non-linear dynamic single degree of freedom analysis of member
and then comparing this with the calculated single degree of freedom response
with the previous where it includes the calculation of blast load energy/ pressure
within a response limit and trial member sizing and reinforcing it.

In this analysis for example of beams we use the following considerations for
general design.

a. Balanced design often leads to a strong column – weak beam approach,

with the intent that beam failure is preferable to column failure.

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Design of blast resistant structures

b. Provide sufficient shear transfer to floor slabs so that directly applied blast
loads can be restricted by the diaphragms rather than weak axis bending.

c. Transfer girders should be avoided in regions identified as having high blast

threat.

Connections and detailing

1. Use special seismic moment frame details.

2. Avoid splicing at plastic hinge location if it is a steel member.

3. Provide continuous reinforcing through joints.

4. Use hook bars where continuous reinforcing is not possible particularly

at joints

3. Redistribution of loads from removed column in building with a continuous

moment resting frame along column lines.

In this method a column is removed and the frame is analyzed. From this we
avoid the progressive collapse.

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Design of blast resistant structures

13-Member wise behavior for blast load and type of reinforcement

As the blast wave engulfs a building, it produces large pressures on exposed

surfaces and penetrates to the inside through openings. The overpressure causes
hydrostatic-type loads, and the dynamic pressure causes drag or wind type loads.
High reflected pressures are generated on surfaces that the shock front strikes
head-on or nearly head-on. At a given distance from ground zero, overpressures
and dynamic pressures decay with time but may last for several seconds. The time
it takes the reflected pressures to clear a point on a surface depends mainly on
the distance to a free edge or an opening and may be one-tenth to one-
hundredth of a second. Due to their sudden application and relatively long
duration, loads produced by overpressure and dynamic pressure can be more
critical than equivalent static loads, but the damaging effects of the even higher
reflected pressures are reduced by their short life. A building with very frangible
walls (i.e., walls that are very readily demolished by the air blast) will be rapidly
reduced to a bare frame that will experience mostly drag forces. Stronger exterior
walls and shear walls will cause the structure to be loaded with reflected
pressures, overpressures and dynamic pressures that could cause severe damage
or even total collapse.

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Design of blast resistant structures

Frangible upper-story walls and partitions will give way rapidly when struck
by the blast, permitting overpressures to equalize quickly around columns and
beams and over and below exposed slabs. Consequently, the high reflected
pressures will decay so rapidly that the structure will receive little impulse, and
the loading on the almost bare frame will be essentially the drag loading
associated with the dynamic pressure. The frame and slabs of a frangible-wall
structure would probably be left standing with rubble on the slab and around the
building. The stronger the exterior walls, the more total load will be imparted to
the structural frame. To reduce the amount of rubble on the slab over a basement
shelter which has been designed to resist the combined effects, the first-floor
walls should be made as frangible as possible.

Slabs over sealed off spaces will be loaded mainly by the overpressure that
builds up as the shock front engulfs the building. Basement spaces with openings
will be penetrated by the blast pressures, but relief to the slab loading will be
negligible since it takes so long for the inside pressures to build up. Jets of air
rushing through the openings will exert large drag forces on objects in their paths,
although the jets are fairly restricted and short lived.

Blast protection may be achieved in basements through the application of a

few basic principles in the design. Design techniques that enhance the strength
and ductility of structural elements will increase resistance to blast loads.

Exposed basement walls will experience the full effect of the high reflected
pressures that develop when a shock wave strikes a vertical surface. If the natural
topography does not allow the basement to be wholly below grade, earth berms
can be used to protect the basement walls from reflected pressures. Otherwise,
exposed shelter walls must be designed to resist the reflected-pressure impulse,
which will be reduced if the walls of the story above the shelter are made
frangible. Outside doors and stairways are very vulnerable to blast loadings, and
the openings that they leave can allow the blast waves to penetrate the shelter
space. Locating openings near the corners of the building will reduce the duration
of the reflected pressures on them.

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Design of blast resistant structures

The need for radiation shielding, tire resistance, strength and ductility
favors reinforced concrete as a construction material for floors. Blast-resistant
design philosophy allows structural elements to undergo large inelastic (plastic)
deformations in response to blast loading. Since blast loads act for a short period
of time, the most efficient structural system is one that absorbs the blast energy.
A ductile structure that undergoes large deformations without failure can absorb
much more energy than a brittle structure of the same static strength. Ductile
response of reinforced concrete structures to blast loads may be achieved by
applying a few basic principles in the structural design of the building.

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Design of blast resistant structures

In beams, slabs and other bending members, the relative amounts of

concrete and reinforcing steel should be proportioned so that the ductile steel
will yield before the more brittle concrete begins to crush. Such an under
reinforced flexural member will respond in a ductile manner to blast loads. If the
section is over reinforced, the concrete crushes before the tension steel yields,
causing a brittle failure. Tensile reinforcement between 0.5 and 2 percent of the
cross-sectional area of the concrete element will usually insure ductile behavior
while providing the required strength. Compression steel in flexural members
serves two purposes. After a structural member is deflected by blast loads, it
attempts to spring back or rebound. Dynamic rebound causes load reversal and,
under certain circumstances, can result in catastrophic failure if sufficient
rebound resistance is not provided. Compression steel is used to provide the
required rebound strength. Compression steel also increases the ductility of the
section by inhibiting crushing of the concrete. Compression steel should not be
less than 0.25 percent of the cross-sectional area. Ductile behavior of reinforced
concrete will occur only if the concrete is adequately confined by means of web
reinforcement. Vertical web steel is usually needed to prevent brittle diagonal
tension failure. To insure ductile behavior, the amount of diagonal tension
reinforcement should be greater than 0.25 percent. Stirrups may be used to
provide the required web reinforcement; stirrup ties will aid in confining the
concrete.

There is no advantage in using bent or truss-type bars, so all flexural steel

should be straight except for anchorage hooks. Brittle shear failure is avoided in
bending members if the section is deep enough for average shear stress on the
critical section to be not more than 20 percent of the compressive strength of the
concrete. Because blast loads are always much larger than dead loads, there is no
advantage to using pre-stressed concrete in blast-hardened beams and slabs. If
pre-stressed concrete is used, sufficient unpre-stressed mild steel should be
added to assure ductile response and to provide the required rebound resistance
to blast loads.

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Design of blast resistant structures

Column concrete must be adequately confined by means of special

transverse reinforcement in areas where yielding will occur in rigid frame
construction. Complete continuity is essential for the structure to act efficiently as
a unit in absorbing blast energy. The resistance of a tied column will drop off
sharply after its limiting static strength is reached, but a spirally reinforced column
(with the same area of steel and concrete as the tied column) can undergo
substantial deformations before losing its ability to support a load. Since spiral
columns are more ductile than tied columns, they are more suitable in resisting
blast loads. In view of the particular seriousness of column failures, columns
should always have a resistance at least equal to the maximum resistance of the
structural elements they support.

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Design of blast resistant structures

Flat-slab floors over the shelter area should have either a column capital or
drop panel or both. Flat plates (i.e., flat slabs without column capitals or drop
panels) have been shown to be very unsatisfactory in resisting blast loads. Brittle
shear failures around the columns can result in the slab punching through at the
columns and collapsing into the shelter area.

14-Design procedure in detail

The design approach to be used for the structural protective measures is to

first design the building for conventional loads, then evaluate the response to
explosive loads and augment the design, if needed, making sure that all
conventional load requirements are still met. This ensures that the design meets
all the requirements for gravity and natural hazards in addition to air-blast effects.

Take note that explosive load effects mitigation may make the design more
hazardous for other types of loads and therefore an iterative approach may be
needed. As an example, for seismic loads, increased mass generally increases the
design forces, whereas for explosion loads, mass generally improves response.
Careful consideration between the blast consultant and the structural engineer is
needed to provide an optimized response.

As an air-blast is a high load, short duration event, the most effective

analytical technique is dynamic analysis, allowing the element to go beyond the
elastic limit and into the plastic regime. Analytical models range from handbook
methods to equivalent single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) models to finite element
(FE) representation. For SDOF and FE methods, numerical computation requires
adequate resolution in space and time to account for the high-intensity, short-
duration loading and non-linear response. Difficulties involve the selection of the
model, the appropriate failure modes, and finally, the interpretation of the results
for structural design details. Whenever possible, results are checked against data
from tests and experiments for similar structures and loadings.

Exterior envelope components such as columns, spandrels and walls can

often be modeled by a SDOF system and then solving the governing equation of
motion by using numerical methods. Handbook methods may be used to evaluate
the peak displacement response of structural components using graphs that
require only that the designer define a few parameters including the ultimate
resistance, fundamental period, and elastic limit deflection. Other charts are
available which provide damage estimates for various types of construction based

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Design of blast resistant structures

on peak pressure and peak impulse based on analysis or empirical data. Military
design handbooks typically provide this type of design information. The design of
the anchorage and supporting structural system may be evaluated by using the
ultimate flexural capacity of the member.

For SDOF systems, material behavior may be modeled using idealized

elastic, perfectly-plastic stress-deformation functions, based on actual structural
support conditions and strain rate enhanced material properties. The model
properties selected provide the same peak displacement and fundamental period
as the actual structural system in flexure. Furthermore the mass and the
resistance function are multiplied by mass and load factors, which estimate the
actual portion of the mass or load participating in the deflection of the member
along its span.

For more complex elements, the engineer must resort to finite element
numerical time integration techniques and/or explosive testing. The time and cost
of the analysis cannot be ignored in choosing design procedures. Because the
design process is a sequence of iteration, the cost of analysis must be justified in
terms of benefits to the project and increased confidence in the reliability of the
results. In some cases, an SDOF approach will be used for the preliminary design
and a more sophisticated approach, using finite elements, and/or supported by
explosive testing may be used for the final verification of the design.

A dynamic non-linear approach is more likely to provide a section that

meets the design constraints of the project compared with a static approach.
Elastic static calculations are likely to give overly conservative design solutions if
the peak pressure is considered without the effect of load duration. By using
dynamic calculations instead of static, we are able to account for the very short
duration of the loading. Because the pressure levels are so high, it is important to
account for the short duration to mitigate response. In addition, the inertial effect
included in dynamic computations greatly improves response. This is because by
the time the mass is mobilized; the loading is greatly diminished, enhancing
response. Furthermore, by accepting that damage occurs we are able to account
for the energy absorption of ductile systems that occurs through plastic
deformation. Finally, because the loading is so rapid, we are able to enhance the
material strength to account for strain rate effects.

Response is evaluated by comparing the ductility (i.e., the peak

displacement divided by the elastic limit displacement) and/or support rotation

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Design of blast resistant structures

(the angle between the support and the point of peak deflection) to empirically
established maximum values which have been established by the military through
explosive testing. Note that these values are typically based on limited testing and
are not well defined within the industry at this time. Maximum permissible values
vary depending on the material and the acceptable damage level. Some criteria
documents do provide the design values that need to be met. Other criteria are
silent on this topic or make a general reference to a source document.

15-Acceptable Damage Levels

Levels of damage computed by means of analysis may be described by the

terms: minor, moderate or major depending on the peak ductility, support
rotation and collateral effects. A brief description of each damage level is given
below.

Minor: Non-structural failure of building elements as windows, doors, and

cladding. Injuries may be expected, and fatalities are possible but unlikely.

Moderate: Structural damage is confined to a localized area and is usually

repairable. Structural failure is limited to secondary structural members, such as
beams, slabs and non-load bearing walls. However, if the building has been
designed for loss of primary members, localized loss of columns may be
accommodated without initiating progressive collapse. Injuries and possible
fatalities are expected.

Major: Loss of primary structural components such as columns or transfer

girders precipitates loss of additional adjacent members that are adjacent or
above the lost member. In this case, extensive fatalities are expected. Building is
usually not repairable.

Generally, moderate damage at the "Design Threat" level is a reasonable

design goal for new construction. For buildings that need to remain operational
post-event or are designated as high risk, minor damage may be the more
appropriate damage level.

16-Difference between seismic and blast load

Finally, there is sometimes a misunderstanding about the blast resistance that

is provided by a building designed to resist earthquakes. Although there is some

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Design of blast resistant structures

overlap between the disciplines (see Figure 14a), mostly in the area of progressive
collapse prevention, earthquake resistant buildings are unlikely to meet the direct
effects of an air-blast loading acting on the exterior skin of a building. The reasons
for the differences between these loading are as follows:

 Explosion loads act directly on the exterior envelope whereas earthquakes

load buildings at the base of the building. Consequently the focus is on out
of plane response for explosions and in plane response for seismic loads
(see Figure 14b)

Left: Figure 14a. Seismic versus blast overlap; Right: Figure 14b. Seismic versus
blast loading type.

 Explosion loads are characterized by a single high pressure impulsive pulse

acting over milliseconds rather than the vibrational loading of earthquakes
which is acting over seconds (see Figure 14c)
 Explosion loads generally cause localized damage whereas seismic loads
cause global response (see Figure 14d)
 Mass helps resist explosion loads whereas mass worsens earthquake
response

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Design of blast resistant structures

Left: Figure 14c. Seismic versus blast loading time histories; Right: Figure 14d.
Seismic versus blast response

17-Conclusion

Although it is not practical to design buildings to withstand any conceivable

terrorist attack, it is possible to improve the performance of structures should one
occur in the form of an external explosion. By Maximizing standoff distances and
hardening key elements, designers can give building occupants a reasonable
chance of escaping death and serious injury during such an event. Building
owners need to understand the factors that contribute to a structure’s blast
resistance and provide input throughout the design process to ensure that
appropriate threat conditions and levels of protection are being incorporated.

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Design of blast resistant structures

Reference
1. Blast safety of the building envelope by Eve Hinman ,PE hinman engg report.
2. Structural design for external terrorist bomb attack by Jon A. Schmidt structure®
magazine march issue (2003)
3. Structure to resist the effects of accidental explosions U.S army nov 1990
4. Blast resistant design technology by Henry Wong WGA Wong Gregerson architects Inc.
5. Constructing and deigning blast resistant buildings by G. Gehring and P. Summers MMI
engg Texas
6. Design of structure for blast related progressive collapse resistance by Ronald
Hamburger and Andrew Whittaker
7. Blast and progressive collapse Kirk A Marchand and Farid Afawakhiri AISC Inc.
8. Blast resistant design of R C structures by Dennis M. McCann and Stevan J. Smith an
internet webpage in [email protected]

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