Blast Resistant Design of Steel Structures

The purpose of this study was to examine the load experienced by a steel blast cubicle from a surface blast test. An important objective was to determine the blast load experienced at different standoff distances and the blast resistance capability of the blast cubicle. Three cubicles with standoff distances of 20, 25, and 30ft respectively were simultaneously subjected to a 50lb TNT explosive. The manual Structures to Resist the Effects of Accidental Explosions, Army TM 5-1300 conservatively predicted the blast pressure loadings obtained from the pressure transducers mounted on the cubicles. Data collected from accelerometers was compared to results from the analysis program SDOF.

The cubicle walls exhibited elastic behavior without any visible permanent deformation. The wall facing the blast was found to experience the greatest loading and was the critical member. The roof, however, experienced substantial deformation. As the standoff distance from the blast increased the pressure loading experienced by the cubicles decreased. The cubicle closest to the blast was likely close to its limit. Thus the structural design of the blast cubicle was efficient and economical without waste of construction material.