Response of Building Structure and its Components to Blast Loads

Abstract

In the present work, both the local response of the components of a building structure and the global response of the structure itself to blast loading are studied. The local response of the columns on the front face of a building, which experience high reflected pressures, is of utmost importance in the analysis and design of structures subjected to blast and is the subject of the first section of this study. The beams on the side faces and roof of the buildings experience loads produced by a travelling blast wave, which makes their response analysis somewhat complex. Analysis of such response is the second component of this study. For the two types of members mentioned above, the impact of simplifications and assumptions inherent in the current methodologies for calculating blast loading and for the determination of their dynamic response is examined. The response obtained from these methodologies is compared with that obtained from a refined analysis that uses a more exact representation of the blast loading as well as of the members. The objective is to find whether there are any inaccuracies in the current practice, and to suggest modifications, as well as new tools to improve the reliability of the response analysis, while maintaining the efficiency and simplicity of the current methodologies. The final part of the study is related to the analysis of the global response of the structures to blast loading. Different aspects of the global response of buildings to blast loads are analysed in a case study of a 10-story reinforced concrete building. The impact of different assumptions in application of the blast loads to the building and loading area of the frames are studied. Also, the global response of building structures to blast loading are compared to the individual member-by-member analysis in blast loading. In addition, comparison is made between the response of the building to blast and to seismic forces.