INVESTIGATIONS AND CLASSIFICATION OF WINDOW ELEVATIONS AND FACADES RESISTANCE TO BLASTING FORCE

Abstract

Striving for better protection of people against the effects of bomb explosions in the world of ever-increasing terrorist threats some tendencies have appeared to normalize the resistance of window elevations and facades as well as an individual door and window against detonation of explosive charges. Such standards were developed in the United States and in the European Union, and were also introduced in Poland. These are Polish standards PN – EN 13541 „Glass in Building Industry – Security Glazing – Testing and Classification of Resistance against Explosion Pressure”, PN – EN 13123-2 „Windows, Doors and Shutters – Blast Resistance – Conditions and Classification – Part 2: Range Test” and PN – EN 13124-2 „Windows, Doors and Shutters – Blast Resistance – Testing Method – Part 2 Range Test” with Annexes A and B and also US GSA – TS01 – 2003 standard „Standard Test Method for Glazing and Window Systems Subject to Dynamic Overpressure Loadings”. US standards envisage using much larger explosive charges than EU standards but from a greater distance. In the paper the strength tests of window elevations and facades conducted at the Military Institute of Armaments in Zielonka are discussed.