In today’s world, the threat of explosive attacks is a serious concern for a wide range of structures, from government buildings and military installations to critical infrastructure and commercial properties.
As a structural engineering company, we understand the importance of designing and constructing buildings that can withstand the devastating effects of blasts.
Understanding the Challenge
Blast events generate extreme loads in a very short time, creating complex dynamic forces that can cause catastrophic damage to conventional structures. These forces include:
- Airblast: The rapid overpressure wave generated by the explosion.
- Ground shock: The seismic waves transmitted through the ground.
- Fragmentation: High-velocity debris propelled by the blast.
The goal of blast design is to mitigate these effects, protecting both the structure itself and the people inside.
Blast-Resistant Design
Property and building owners and managers should employ a comprehensive approach to blast design:
- Threat Assessment: We work with our clients to define the potential threats, considering factors such as the type and size of explosive, standoff distance, and potential points of attack.
- Performance Objectives: We establish clear performance objectives, defining the acceptable level of damage for different blast scenarios. This might range from minimal structural damage to ensuring life safety.
- Advanced Analysis: We use sophisticated software to model the blast event and analyze the structural response. This includes:
- Blast load modeling: Simulating the complex pressure-time history of the blast wave.
- Nonlinear dynamic analysis: Assessing the structural behavior under extreme loading conditions, considering material nonlinearities and large deformations.
- Design Strategies: Based on the analysis results, we implement design strategies to enhance the blast resistance of the structure. These may include:
- Ductile detailing: Designing connections and members to deform in a controlled manner, absorbing energy and preventing brittle failure.
- Stand-Off Distance: Locate parking and roadways to decrease the bomb blast pressures.
- Redundancy: Build in redundant load paths to minimize the likelihood of progressive collapse.
- Material Selection: Builders should select materials with high strength, ductility, and energy absorption capacity. This may include:
- Ductility: Utilize ductile materials such as steel to absorb the energy from a blast.
- Mass: Utilize heavy cladding to absorb the energy from a blast.
Blast Design Expertise for Your Business
As technology evolves, so too does physical security design engineering. Integration with cyber security systems and the use of advanced surveillance techniques are becoming increasingly common. This field is constantly adapting to meet the ever-changing security landscape.
By combining engineering expertise with a keen understanding of security threats, physical security design engineers play a vital role in creating safe and secure environments for people and property.
We not only have in-depth knowledge of physical security and blast design criteria; we have access to interpretations and those who make them. Contact us today to learn more!