Abstract
This paper presents a numerical simulation on the blast response of cold-formed steel (CFS) structural framing system protected with a functionally graded composite material (FGM) panel. The steel frame consists of four CFS studs, which were protected by 12.5 mm thick gypsum, aluminum composite, and FGM composite materials on both sides. The numerical simulation was performed using ABAQUS on a 1.8 m × 2.4 m, overall wall panel exposed to air blast on one side. A 1.0 kg TNT explosive charge placed at four standoff distances (R) of 1.0 m, 1.5 m, 2.0 m, and 2.5 m from the framing were investigated. The FGM board was modeled using a stepwise material variation using the power-law material function. Deformation and failure modes of the studs, as well as the protective materials, were compared to the same framing system but with different protective materials, including conventional gypsum boards and aluminum composite panels. Based on the observation from the analysis and computational simulation, the proposed protective composite material (FGM) resulted in a smaller deformation at peak overpressure at a given standoff distance (R) and local failure modes on studs. The same frame system with gypsum and aluminum panel exhibited excessive deformation as well as an early collapse of the CFS studs. This observation can lead to an alternative material solution in blast-resistant design.
Highlights
The wall system protected with gypsum sheathing exhibits higher deformation and early cold-formed steel (CFS) stud failure at all standoff distances considered for TNT charge
(1.0 kg) compared to those protected with functionally graded composite material (FGM) sheathing and aluminum composite panel
The dynamic explicit analysis on the blast response of the cold-formed steel (CFS) wall system protected by conventional gypsum board, aluminum composite panel, and FGM composite was investigated against equivalent explosive TNT weight of 1.0 Kg
Summary
Over the past three decades, after the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995, there has been a growing demand to incorporate blast resistance design methods and building envelope materials in government buildings and commercial facilities in the USA. Most of the works on blast-resistant materials are confined to military researches and are not accessible to the public. An experimental study on cold-formed steel (CFS) stud wall system that uses a composite system of cement board with steel sheet as a protective sheathing was reported by Stewart et al [1]. Thorough testing of multiple stud wall systems with various spacing and connection configurations, they provided qualitative data that can be used to optimize and develop a low-cost, constructible wall system using the composite panels for blast resistance thin-walled system
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