Prediction of Blast Loading and its Impact on Buildings

Abstract

A bomb explosion within or immediately nearby a building can cause catastrophic damage on the building's external and internal structural frames, collapsing of walls, blowing out of large expanses of windows, and shutting down of critical life-safety systems. Loss of life and injuries to occupants can result from many causes, including direct blast-effects, structural collapse, debris impact, fire, and smoke. The indirect effects can combine to inhibit or prevent timely evacuation, thereby contributing to additional casualties. In addition, major catastrophes resulting from gas-chemical explosions result in large dynamic loads, greater than the original design loads, of many structures. Due to the threat from such extreme loading conditions, efforts have been made during the past three decades to develop methods of structural analysis and design to resist blast loads. Studies were conducted on the behavior of structural concrete subjected to blast loads. These studies gradually enhanced the understanding of the role that structural details play in affecting the behavior. The response of simple RC columns subjected to constant axial loads and lateral blast loads was examined. The finite element package ANSYS was used to model RC column with different boundary conditions and using the mesh less method to reduce mesh distortions. For the response calculations, a constant axial force was first applied to the column and the equilibrium state was determined. Next, a short duration, lateral blast load was applied and the response time history was calculated. The analysis and design of structures subjected to blast loads require a detailed understanding of blast phenomena and the dynamic response of various structural elements. This gives a comprehensive overview of the effects of explosion on structures