Abstract
Blast resistant gates/doors are essential for sensitive infrastructure, such as embassies, ministries, or parliaments. Lightweight gates equipped with ‘energy absorbing systems’ have better operational performance than the traditional costly and bulky design. Graded auxetic structures have not yet been used as potential passive damping systems in the supporting frame of blast resistant gates. Consequently, this study tries to test if a uniaxial graded auxetic damper (UGAD) proposed by the authors in a recent article, namely the development of a new shock absorbing UGAD, could maintain a 3000 mm × 4500 mm steel gate operable after high blast peak reflected overpressure of 6.6 MPa, from 100 kg TNT at 5 m stand-off distance. The blast-induced response of the gate was assessed, with and without the proposed UGAD, using Abaqus/Explicit solver. Results showed that the attachment of the proposed UGAD to the gate led to a dramatic decrease in permanent deformations (a critical factor for gate operability after a blast event). Hence, a lighter, more economical gate (with 50% reduction in mass) was required to satisfy the operability condition. In addition, 49% of peak reaction forces were diminished, that have a direct impact on the supporting frame. Moreover, the results revealed that, in the numerical model, 56% of the achieved plastic dissipation energy was from the UGADs, and 44% from the gate. The outcomes of this research may have a positive impact on other sectors beyond academia, such as industry, economy, and public safety.
Highlights
Explosive attacks on civilian structures have recently increased [1,2], requiring more robust protecting systems
The outcomes of this research may have a positive impact on other sectors beyond academia, such as industry, economy, and public safety
The dynamic response of steel or steel-concrete blast doors have been covered in research [3] and in engineering standards [4]
Summary
Explosive attacks on civilian structures have recently increased [1,2], requiring more robust protecting systems. Blast-resistant doors rely on strength and mass to provide protection from explosions. The United Facilities Criteria (UFC) [4], provides the engineering design steps for blast resistant doors with two illustrative examples. The first example is a double-leaf built-up A36 steel door with dimensions 6 × 8 ft. The door has to sustain low blast pressure of 14.8 psi (0.1 MPa) and leakage is permitted. A 34 inch plate (19 mm thick) with L 4 × 3 × 12 satisfied the requirements. The second example is a single-leaf steel door with dimensions 4 × 7 ft. The door has to sustain high blast pressure of 1100 psi (7.5 MPa) and leakage is not permitted. A two-inch plate thickness (50.8 mm) was required to satisfy the design. Current needs require a blast door to be lightweight and blast protective [7,8]
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