Windows and glazing systems exposed to explosion loads: Part 2 – Safety improvement strategies

Abstract

International terrorism has increased the interest in the dynamic behavior of windows under explosion loads. Windows are usually the first elements exposed to blast loading causing serious secondary threats as they can break up in sharp shards which are accelerated inwards. The University of the German Armed Forces, Munich, FOI the Swedish Defence Research Agency, and TNO Defence, Security and Safety conducted studies to assess the lethality of these shards. These results are presented in Part 1 of this paper in two parts. In Part 2, the authors discuss safety improvement and hazard mitigation strategies for window systems. First, general safety strategies to counter blast threats are discussed. Then, balanced design principles are presented leading to a significant reduction of stresses in the window panels by allowing larger elastic-plastic deformation of the total window frame system. By using elastic-plastic, i.e., dissipative, support elements blast energy is dissipated and the load transferred to the main structure is controlled and reduced