Seminar Report On Blast Resistant Building 2019-2020

1.0 INTRODUCTION
Damage to the assets, loss of life and social panic are factors that have to be
minimized if the threat of terrorist action cannot be stopped. Designing the structures to be
fully blast resistant is not an realistic and economical option, however current engineering
and architectural knowledge can enhance the new and existing buildings to mitigate the
effects of an explosion.

The main target of this study is to provide guidance to engineers and architects where
there is a necessity of protection against the explosions caused by detonation of high
explosives. The guidance describes measures for mitigating the effects of explosions,
therefore providing protection for human, structure and the valuable equipment inside.

The paper includes information about explosives, blast loading parameters and
enhancements for blast resistant building design both with an architectural and structural
approach. Only explosions caused by high explosives (chemical reactions) are considered
within the study.

High explosives are solid in form and are commonly termed condensed explosives.
TNT (trinitrotoluene) is the most widely known example. There are 3 kinds of explosions
which are unconfined explosions, confined explosions and explosions caused by explosives
attached to the structure. Unconfined explosions can occur as an air-burst or a surface burst.

In an air burst explosion, the detonation of the high explosive occurs above the
ground level and intermediate amplification of the wave caused by ground reflections occurs
prior to the arrival of the initial blast wave at a building.

As the shock wave continues to propagate outwards along the ground surface, a front
commonly called a Mach stem is formed by the interaction of the initial wave and the
reflected wave. However a surface burst explosion occurs when the detonation occurs close
to or on the ground surface. The initial shock wave is reflected and amplified by the ground
surface to produce a reflected wave.

Unlike the air burst, the reflected wave merges with the incident wave at the point of
detonation and forms a single wave. In the majority of cases, terrorist activity occurs in built-
up areas of cities, where devices are placed on or very near the ground surface.

Dept. Of Civil Engineering 1 Al-Azhar Polytechnic College

Seminar Report On Blast Resistant Building 2019-2020

2.0 EXPLOSION PROCESS FOR HIGH EXPLOSIVES

An explosion occurs when a gas, liquid or solid material goes through a rapid
chemical reaction. When the explosion occurs, gas products of the reaction are formed at a
very high temperature and pressure at the source. These high pressure gasses expand rapidly
into the surrounding area and a blast wave is formed. Because the gases are moving, they
cause the surrounding air move as well. The damage caused by explosions is produced by the
passage of compressed air in the blast wave.

Blast waves propagate at supersonic speeds and reflected as they meet objects. As the
blast wave continues to expand away from the source of the explosion its intensity diminishes
and its effect on the objects is also reduced. However, within tunnels or enclosed passages,
the blast wave will travel with very little diminution. Close to the source of explosion the
blast wave is formed and violently hot and expanding gases will exert intense loads which are
difficult to quantify precisely.

Once the blast wave has formed and propagating away from the source, it is
convenient to separate out the different types of loading experienced by the surrounding
objects. Three effects have been identified in three categories. The effect rapidly compressing
the surrounding air is called “air shock wave”.

The air pressure and air movement effect due to the accumulation of gases from the
explosion chemical reactions is called “dynamic pressure” and the effect rapidly compressing
the ground is called “ground shock wave”. The air shock wave produces an instantaneous
increase in pressure above the ambient atmospheric pressure at a point some distance from
the source.

This is commonly referred to as overpressure. As a consequence, a pressure

differential is generated between the combustion gases and the atmosphere, causing a reversal
in the direction of flow, back towards the centre of the explosion, known as a negative
pressure phase. This is a negative pressure relative to atmospheric, rather than absolute
negative pressure. Equilibrium is reached when the air is returned to its original state. As a
rough approximation, 1kg of explosive produces about 1m of gas.

Dept. Of Civil Engineering 2 Al-Azhar Polytechnic College

Seminar Report On Blast Resistant Building 2019-2020

As this gas expands, its act on the air surrounding the source of the explosion causes it
to move and increase in pressure. The movement of the displaced air may affect nearby
objects and cause damage.

Except for a confinement case, the effects of the dynamic pressure diminish rapidly
with distance from source. The ground shock leaving the site of an explosion consists of three
principal components. A compression wave which travels radially from the source; a shear
wave which travels radially and comprises particle movements in a plane normal to the radial
direction where the ground shock wave intersects with the surface and a surface or Raleigh
wave. These waves propagate at different velocities and alternate at different frequencies.

FIG 2.0 BLAST WAVE PRESSURE GRAPH

Dept. Of Civil Engineering 3 Al-Azhar Polytechnic College

Seminar Report On Blast Resistant Building 2019-2020

3.0 ARCHITECTURAL ASPECT OF BLAST RESISTANT

BUILDING DESIGN

The target of blast resistant building design philosophy is minimizing the

consequences to the structure and its inhabitants in the event of an explosion. A primary
requirement is the prevention of catastrophic failure of the entire structure or large portions of
it.

It is also necessary to minimize the effects of blast waves transmitted into the building
through openings and to minimize the effects of projectiles on the inhabitants of a building.
However, in some cases blast resistant building design methods, conflicts with aesthetical
concerns, accessibility variations, fire fighting regulations and the construction budget
restrictions.

3.1 Planning And Layout

Much can be done at the planning stage of a new building to reduce potential threats and the
associated risks of injury and damage. The risk of a terrorist attack, necessity of blast
protection for structural and non-structural members, adequate placing of shelter areas within
a building should be considered for instance.

In relation to an external threat, the priority should be to create as much stand-off

distance between an external bomb and the building as possible. On congested city centers
there may be little or no scope for repositioning the building, but what small stand-off there is
should be secured where possible. This can be achieved by strategic location of obstructions
such as bollards, trees and street furniture. Figure 5 shows a possible external layout for blast
safe planning.

Dept. Of Civil Engineering 4 Al-Azhar Polytechnic College

Seminar Report On Blast Resistant Building 2019-2020

FIG 3.1 SCHEMATIC LAYOUT OF SITE FOR PROTECTION AGAINST BOMBS

3.2 Structural Form And Internal Layout

Structural form is a parameter that greatly affects the blast loads on the building.
Arches and domes are the types of structural forms that reduce the blast effects on the
building compared with a cubicle form. The plan-shape of a building also has a significant
influence on the magnitude of the blast load it is likely to experience.

Complex shapes that cause multiple reflections of the blast wave should be
discouraged. Projecting roofs or floors, and buildings that are U-shaped on plan are
undesirable for this reason. It should be noted that single story buildings are more blast
resistant compared with multi-story buildings if applicable.

Partially or fully embed buildings are quite blast resistant. These kinds of structures
take the advantage of the shock absorbing property of the soil covered by. The soil provides
protection in case of a nuclear explosion as well. The internal layout of the building is
another parameter that should be undertaken with the aim of isolating the value from the

Dept. Of Civil Engineering 5 Al-Azhar Polytechnic College

Seminar Report On Blast Resistant Building 2019-2020

threat and should be arranged so that the highest exterior threat is separated by the greatest
distance from the highest value asset.

Foyer areas should be protected with reinforced concrete walls; double-dooring

should be used and the doors should be arranged eccentrically within a corridor to prevent the
blast pressure entering the internals of the building. Entrance to the building should be
controlled and be separated from other parts of the building by robust construction for greater
physical protection.

An underpass beneath or car parking below or within the building should be avoided
unless access to it can be effectively controlled. A possible fire that occurs within a structure
after an explosion may increase the damage. Therefore the internal members of the building
should be designed to resist the fire.

FIG 3.2 INTERNAL PLANNING OF A BUILDING

Dept. Of Civil Engineering 6 Al-Azhar Polytechnic College

Seminar Report On Blast Resistant Building 2019-2020

3.3 Bomb Shelter Areas

The bomb shelter areas are specially designated within the building where
vulnerability from the effects of the explosion is at a minimum and where personnel can
retire in the event of a bomb threat warning.

These areas must afford reasonable protection against explosions; ideally be large
enough to accommodate the personnel involved and be located so as to facilitate continual
access. For modern-framed buildings, shelter areas should be located away from windows,
external doors, external walls and the top floors if the roof is weak.

Areas surrounded by full height concrete walls should be selected and underground
car parks, gas storage tanks, areas light weight partition walls, e.g. internal corridors, toilet
areas, or conference should be avoided while locating the shelter areas. Basements can
sometimes be useful shelter areas, but it is important to ensure that the building does not
collapse on top of them.

The functional aspects of a bomb shelter area should accommodate all the occupants
of the building; provide adequate communication with outside; provide sufficient ventilation
and sanitation; limit the blast pressure to less than the ear drum rupture pressure and provide
alternative means of escape.

3.4 Installations

Gas, water, steam installations, electrical connections, elevators and water storage
systems should be planned to resist any explosion affects. Installation connections are critical
points to be considered and should be avoided to use in high-risk deformation areas. Areas
with high damage receiving potential e.g. external walls, ceilings, roof slabs, car parking
spaces and lobbies also should be avoided to locate the electrical and other installations.

The main control units and installation feeding points should be protected from direct
attacks. A reserve installation system should be provided for a potential explosion and should
be located remote from the main installation system.

Dept. Of Civil Engineering 7 Al-Azhar Polytechnic College

Seminar Report On Blast Resistant Building 2019-2020

3.5 Glazing And Cladding

Glass from broken and shattered windows could be responsible for a large number of
injuries caused by an explosion in a city centre. The choice of a safer glazing material is
critical and it has been found out that laminated glass is the most effective in this context. On
the other hand, applying transparent polyester anti-shatter film to the inner surface of the
glazing is as well an effective method.

For the cladding, several aspects of design should be considered to minimize the
vulnerability of people within the building and damage to the building itself. The amount of
glazing in the facade should be minimized.

This will limit the amount of internal damage from the glazing and the amount of
blast that can enter. It should also be ensured that the cladding is fixed to the structure
securely with easily accessible fixings. This will allow rapid inspection after an explosion so
that any failure or movement can be detected.

Dept. Of Civil Engineering 8 Al-Azhar Polytechnic College

Seminar Report On Blast Resistant Building 2019-2020

4. STRUCTURAL ASPECT OF BLAST RESISTANT BUILDING

DESIGN

The front face of a building experiences peak overpressures due to reflection of an

external blast wave. Once the initial blast wave has passed the reflected surface of the
building, the peak overpressure decays to zero. As the sides and the top faces of the building
are exposed to overpressures (which has no reflections and are lower than the reflected
overpressures on the front face), a relieving effect of blast overpressure is experienced on the
front face.

The rear of the structure experiences no pressure until the blast wave has travelled the
length of the structure and a compression wave has begun to move towards the centre of the
rear face. Therefore the pressure built up is not instantaneous. On the other hand, there will
be a time lag in the development of pressures and loads on the front and back faces. This time
lag causes translational forces to act on the building in the direction of the blast wave.

Blast loadings are extra ordinary load cases however, during structural design, this
effect should be taken into account with other loads by an adequate ratio. Similar to the static
loaded case design, blast resistant dynamic design also uses the limit state design techniques
which are collapse limit design and functionality limit design.

In collapse limit design the target is to provide enough ductility to the building so that
the explosion energy is distributed to the structure without overall collapse. For collapse limit
design the behaviour of structural member connections is crucial.

In the case of an explosion, significant translational movement and moment occur

and the loads involved should be transferred from the beams to columns. The structure
doesn’t collapse after the explosion however it cannot function anymore.

Functionality limit design however, requires the building to continue functionality

after a possible explosion occurred. Only non-structural members like windows or cladding
may need maintenance after an explosion so that they should be designed ductile enough.

Dept. Of Civil Engineering 9 Al-Azhar Polytechnic College

Seminar Report On Blast Resistant Building 2019-2020

When the positive phase of the shock wave is shorter than the natural vibration period
of the structure, the explosion effect vanishes before the structure responds. This kind of blast
loading is defined as “impulsive loading”.

If the positive phase is longer than the natural vibration period of the structure, the
load can be assumed constant when the structure has maximum deformation. This maximum
deformation is a function of the blast loading and the structural rigidity. This kind of blast
loading is defined as “quasi-static loading”.

Finally, if the positive phase duration is similar to the natural vibration period of the
structure, the behaviour of the structure becomes quite complicated. This case can be defined
as “dynamic loading”. Frame buildings designed to resist gravity, wind loads and earthquake
loads in the normal way have frequently been found to be deficient in two respects.

When subjected to blast loading; the failure of beam-to-column connections and the
inability of the structure to tolerate load reversal. Beam-to-column connections can be
subjected to very high forces as the result of an explosion.

These forces will have a horizontal component arising from the walls of the building
and a vertical component from the differential loading on the upper and lower surfaces of
floors. Providing additional robustness to these connections can be a significant
enhancement. In the connections, normal details for static loading have been found to be
inadequate for blast loading.

Especially for the steelwork beam-to-column connections, it is essential for the

connection to bear inelastic deformations so that the moment frames could still operate after a
instantaneous explosion. Figure 8 shows the side-plate connection detail in question. The
main features to note in the reinforced concrete connection are the use of extra links and the
location of the starter bars in the connection.

These enhancements are intended to reduce the risk of collapse or the connection be
damaged, possibly as a result of a load reversal on the beam. It is vital that in critical areas,
full moment-resisting connections are made in order to ensure the load carrying capacity of
structural members after an explosion. Beams acting primarily in bending may also carry
significant axial load caused by the blast loading.

Dept. Of Civil Engineering 10 Al-Azhar Polytechnic College

Seminar Report On Blast Resistant Building 2019-2020

On the contrary, columns are predominantly loaded with axial forces under normal
loading conditions, however under blast loading they may be subjected to bending. Such
forces can lead to loss of load-carrying capacity of a section.

In the case of an explosion, columns of a reinforced concrete structure are the most
important members that should be protected. Two types of wrapping can be applied to
provide this. Wrapping with steel belts or wrapping with carbon fibre reinforced polymers
(CFRP).

Cast reinforced concrete floor slabs are the preferred option for blast resistant
buildings, but it may be necessary to consider the use of precast floors in some
circumstances. Precast floor units are not recommended for use at first floor where the risk
from an internal explosion is greatest. Lightweight roofs and more particularly, glass roofs
should be avoided and a reinforced concrete or precast concrete slab is to be preferred.

4.1 Design Consideration

Structural Engineering Structural engineering, or structural design, is the design of a

building's internal support system. Structural design includes the selection of a framing
method or structural system, as well as the selection and sizing of structural members, based
on loading and architectural requirements.

Structural members include beams, columns, the foundation, floor slabs, connections
of these elements to each other, and other ancillary components. Building design (structural
and architectural) can contribute to infrastructure security by minimizing the extent and depth
of damage in an attack.

Structural integrity can help mitigate blast and fire damage to the building; protect
inhabitants; protect equipment, property, and records; allow critical operations to function
immediately after an attack; and allow rescue operations in and around the building preserved
after an attack. This section focuses on blasts and fires, describing engineering concepts for
structural integrity and strategies for minimizing damage.

Dept. Of Civil Engineering 11 Al-Azhar Polytechnic College

Seminar Report On Blast Resistant Building 2019-2020

5.0 DESIGN TECHNIQUES

The first requirement in the assessment of a structure is to determine the threat. While
numerous threats exist, the present seminar will be limited to intentional explosions, such as
those caused by terrorist bombings. In recent terrorist attacks, the explosive device was a
mixture of Ammonium Nitrate and Fuel Oil (ANFO).

These ingredients and detonating devices can be purchased relatively easily; however
there are many other types of explosive devices, including TNT, C-4, and Semtex, which are
more efficient and must be considered. To standardize the criteria, the industry refers to the
charge weight of an explosive device in terms of equivalent TNT weight.

The relative effect on pressure and impulse can be scaled to an equivalent amount of
TNT. The threat for a conventional bomb is defined by two equally important elements, the
bomb size, or charge weight, and the standoff distance, the minimum guaranteed distance
between the blast source and the target.

As terrorist attacks range from the small letter bomb to the gigantic truck bomb as
experienced in Oklahoma City, the mechanics of a conventional explosion and their effects
on a target must be addressed. With the detonation of a mass of TNT at or near the ground
surface, the peak blast pressures resulting from this hemispherical explosion decay as a
function of the distance from the source as the ever-expanding shock front dissipates with
range.

The incident peak pressures are amplified by a reflection factor as the shock wave
encounters an object or structure in its path. Except for specific focusing of high intensity
shock waves at near 45° incidence, these reflection factors are typically greatest for normal
incidence (a surface adjacent and perpendicular to the source) and diminish with the angle of
obliquity or angular position relative to the source. Reflection factors depend on the intensity
of the shock wave, and for large explosives at normal incidence these reflection factors may
enhance the incident pressures by as much as an order of magnitude.

The duration of the positive-phase blast wave increases with range, resulting in a
lower-amplitude, longer-duration shock pulse the further a target structure is situated from
the burst. Charges situated extremely close to a target structure impose a highly impulsive,

Dept. Of Civil Engineering 12 Al-Azhar Polytechnic College

Seminar Report On Blast Resistant Building 2019-2020

high intensity pressure load over a localized region of the structure; charges situated further
away produce a lower-intensity, longer-duration uniform pressure distribution over the entire
structure.

In short, by purely geometrical relations, the larger the standoff, the more uniform the
pressure distribution over the surface of the target. Eventually, the entire structure is engulfed
in the shock wave, with reflection and diffraction effects creating focusing and shadow zones
in a complex pattern around the structure.

Following the initial blast wave, the structure is subjected to a negative pressure,
suction phase and eventually to the quasi-static blast wind. During this phase, the weakened
structure may be subjected to impact by debris that may cause additional damage.

While it may be possible to predict effects of a certain charge weight at a specified

standoff distance, the actual charge weight of explosive used by the terrorist, the efficiency of
the chemical reaction and the source location are not reliably predictable.

The most significant observation that one draws from blast- pressure phenomenology
is that the most effective means of protecting a structure is to keep the bomb as far away as
possible, by maximizing the keep out distance.

No matter what size the bomb, the damage will be less severe the further the target is
from the source. The external explosive threat is by no means the only type of terrorist attack,
but for the purpose of the present paper an uncased bomb at street level is assumed.

Structural hardening should actually be the last resort in protecting a structure;

detection and prevention must remain the first line of defense. As the cost of protection
increases dramatically with the assumed charge weight, to thepoint at which the cost of
protection becomes untenable, and since the size of the potential threat is such an unknown
quantity, the structural engineer is put in a very uncharacteristic role. Rather than designing to
a specific charge weight, as one would a live load or 50-year wind load that has a presumed
return period, the structural engineer must design a structure to exhibit its best behavior in the
presence of a blast loading. The blast loading may originate from any point around the
perimeter of the structure-within the loading dock, the mail room, or the lobby. The engineer
must design and detail specific components to withstand the various threats such that
catastrophic failure and progressive collapse is avoided and the rescue of victims may
proceed unhindered. The recognition of the localized intensity of the close-in blast and the

Dept. Of Civil Engineering 13 Al-Azhar Polytechnic College

Seminar Report On Blast Resistant Building 2019-2020

inability to design the entire structure to withstand this type of loading is the first step in
prescribing the design forces to be withstood.

5.2 External Treatments

The two parameters that most directly influence the blast environment that the
structure will be subjected to are the bomb's charge weight and the standoff distance. Of these
two, the only parameter that anyone has any control over is the standoff distance, and this is
primarily dictated by the site.

Regardless of the selected charge weight, the maximum attainable standoff or keep
out distance must be secured around the entire perimeter of the building. For the building
under consideration, it is clear that only the public sidewalk around the building can be
controlled to limit the standoff distance.

Thus the building is extremely vulnerable to unimpeded hand-delivered or car-bomb

attacks. The most directly affected building elements are the lower-floor facade and structural
members. Therefore, the site parameter and the exterior elements at the lower floors require
special attention.

Stand Off keep out distance, within which explosives-laden vehicles may not
penetrate, must be maximized and guaranteed. As we all know, the greater the standoff
distance, the more the blast forces will dissipate resulting in reduced pressures on, and
impulse imparted to, the building. Several recommendations can be made to maintain and
improve the standoff distance for the building.

The public parking lot at the corner of the building must be secured to guarantee the
prescribed keep out distance from the face of the structure. Securing this parking lot means
that all vehicles must be cleared, i.e., employee owned or visually inspected, such as delivery
trucks. Preferably, the parking lot should be eliminated Street parking should not be
permitted on the near side of the street, adjacent to the building. However, the city typically
gains large revenue from street parking and might require annual fees from the owner to
compensate for the losses.

An additional measure to reduce the chances of an attack would be to prevent parking

on the opposite side of the street. While this does not improve the keep out distance, it could
eliminate the "parked" bomb, thereby limiting bombings to "park and run," drive-by, and

Dept. Of Civil Engineering 14 Al-Azhar Polytechnic College

Seminar Report On Blast Resistant Building 2019-2020

suicide bombers. Unfortunately, as was the case with the Oklahoma City Bombing, the truck
laden with explosives was only parked for approximately two minutes.

Even in the most security-aware environments, this may not be long enough to draw
the attention of security officers. Note that the practical benefit of increasing the standoff
depends on the charge weight. If the charge weight is small, this measure will significantly
reduce the forces to a more manageable level.

If the threat is a large charge weight, the blast forces may overwhelm the structure
despite the addition of nine or ten feet to the standoff distance, and the measure may not
significantly improve the survivability of the occupants or the structure. Lower Floor Exterior
The architectural design of the building of interest currently calls for window glass around
the first floor.

Unless this area is constructed in reinforced concrete, the damage to the lower floor
structural elements and their connections will be quite severe. Consequently, the injury to the
lower floor inhabitants will be equally severe, especially at these short standoffs. In general,
three sizes of charges can be discussed. 1. To protect against a small charge weight, a
nominal 300 mm (12 in.) thick wall with 0.3% steel doubly reinforced in both directions
might be required. For intermediate charge weight protection, a 460 mm (18 in.) thick wall
with 0.5% steel might be needed.

Finally, a large charge weight at these small standoffs will likely breach any
reasonably sized wall at the lower levels. Therefore, precautions have to be taken and
adjustments made for the design of the entire structure.

It should be assumed that all glazing on the target structure will fail for most realistic
car bomb threats, particularly on the side of the building facing the bomb. Commonly used
annealed glass behaves poorly when loaded dynamically. The failure mode for annealed glass
creates large sharp edged shards, resembling knives and daggers.

Historically, failed window glazing due to the direct pressures produced by an

explosion has resulted in a considerable proportion of the injuries and casualties. For the
window assemblies to behave properly, the glazing, mullions, and anchorage must all be
capable of resisting the blast pressures and transfer the loads to the adjacent structure.

Dept. Of Civil Engineering 15 Al-Azhar Polytechnic College

Seminar Report On Blast Resistant Building 2019-2020

6.0 FIRE PROTECTION

While accidental fires may occur, fires resulting from an attack may have a different
kind of impact. For example, an accidental fire usually starts at one location and often, but
not always, spreads relatively slowly. On the other hand, a fire from arson is often
strategically set in multiple locations to maximize the rate of spread and damage. An arsonist
may also sabotage the fire protection system.

An incendiary bomb that produces a fireball or intense heat (as opposed to a bomb
that produces only a shock wave) ignites a large area and can cause substantial damage,
including local damage to the fire suppression system.

Well-established design and construction practices for protecting structural members

from fire are particularly important in case of an attack. Although not all structural materials
will "burn," all structural members, regardless of their material composition, will lose a
percentage of their original strength when subjected to intense heat.

Excessive heat is the principal cause of a fire's detrimental effects on a structure.

Therefore, upgrading or hardening the automatic sprinkler system is of tremendous benefit in
mitigating the effects of fire on a structure.

Additionally, many of the mitigation measures for blast impacts apply to fire
management as well, such as isolating vulnerable areas to prevent the spread of fire and
avoiding progressive collapse.

This section discusses the effects of fire on four major structural construction
materials: steel (structural steel), reinforced concrete, pre-stressed concrete, and timber. 4.1
Steel At high temperatures, unprotected steel looses its strength. For this reason structural
steel members used in building construction are protected (fireproofed).

Dept. Of Civil Engineering 16 Al-Azhar Polytechnic College

Seminar Report On Blast Resistant Building 2019-2020

6.1 Fireproofing methods to protect steel members :

This increases the time required for heat to transfer from the fire to the steel. There
are several insulating methods for steel members:

 Concrete encasement: Encasing steel members in concrete provides excellent

insulation to the steel. Lightweight concrete provides better insulation than standard concrete.
The selection of concrete type depends on several design factors that are beyond the scope of
this document. This method is well suited to insulating columns. It may also be used to
insulate floor beams supporting a concrete floor slab. However this can be expensive due to
complicated forming and increased dead load.

 Sprayed on mineral fibre coatings: Mineral fibre coatings are easy to apply, and
they provide excellent protection when applied correctly. However, these coatings are easy to
scrape off, and explosive blasts may damage portions of the insulation. Protection of the
insulation is discussed at the end of this section.

 Cementitious material coatings: Cementitious coatings form a continuous coating

around the steel. However, during a fire, they can spall (chip or flake on the surface), and
there is a history of problems with lack of adhesion to the steel.

 Intumescent paints and coatings: Intumescent coatings swell when heated, thereby
insulating the steel and retarding the effects of the flames and high temperatures. These
coatings work well to protect the steel from heat. Exposure to flames can damage or destroy
this type of coating and therefore should only be applied to components unlikely to be
directly exposed to flames.

There are several concerns when selecting a method to fireproof steel, including
method of building construction, and installation and maintenance costs. During a blast, it is
likely that the fire proofing on the steel in the immediate vicinity of the blast will be
damaged.

However, the fire that may result (and spread) will have an effect similar to
conventional fires. Assuming the progressive collapse considerations were used in design,
protection of the remaining steel members will be effective.

Dept. Of Civil Engineering 17 Al-Azhar Polytechnic College

Seminar Report On Blast Resistant Building 2019-2020

6.2 Reinforced Concrete

Although concrete structures rarely collapse from fire damage, the strength of
concrete and reinforced concrete members is reduced by exposure to high temperatures. Type
of aggregate and moisture content are the principal factors that determine concrete's
sensitivity to heat. Type of aggregate is the most significant factor.

Lightweight aggregates such as vermiculite and perlite are used in lightweight

concrete. Lightweight concrete, in addition to having better insulating characteristics, has
better strength retention when exposed to intense heat.

The amount of moisture in a concrete affects the member's resistance to heat. The
moisture is trapped in the small capillaries within the concrete. As heat energy is absorbed,
the water in the concrete vaporizes, which locally helps maintain the concrete's strength until
the moisture is burned off. However, voids left by the vaporized moisture weakens the area.
Structural engineers should consider this when fire is a concern for concrete members.

6.3 Pre-Stressed Concrete

The relevance of aggregates and moisture content for pre-stressed concrete are similar to
those for reinforced concrete. The concrete used for pre-stressed concrete members is usually
stronger than the concrete used for reinforced concrete members and has better fire
resistance, but tends to spall and expose the reinforcement.

Pre-stressing steel is the principal concern when exposing pre-stressed members to intense
heat. High carbon-cold drawn steel used in pre-stressing is more sensitive to intense heat than
low carbon, hot rolled steel used in reinforced concrete. Also, the loss of strength in pre-
stressing steel is permanent and not regained upon cooling. For example, the pre-stressing
steel is initially under great tension.

Over time this tension decreases, as the steel tends to creep (continually deform or lengthen).
This is taken into account during the design process; however exposure to high temperatures,
exacerbated by the spalling concrete, accelerates this "creeping" process. Engineers should
consider this when considering fire effects on building hardening.

Dept. Of Civil Engineering 18 Al-Azhar Polytechnic College

Seminar Report On Blast Resistant Building 2019-2020

7.0 CONCLUSION

After studying the behaviour of building subjected to a blast loading, different

structural and architectural features of the building were analyzed, and their vulnerability to
blast loading was presented. Several techniques were presented for each of the identified
features. The implementation of these techniques will greatly improve the blast – resisting
capability of the building. The aim in blast resistant building design is to prevent the overall
collapse of the building and fatal damages.

Despite the fact that, the magnitude of the explosion and the loads caused by it
cannot be anticipated perfectly, the most possible scenarios will let to find the necessary
engineering and architectural solutions for it. In the design process it is vital to determine the
potential danger and the extent of this danger.

Most importantly human safety should be provided. Moreover, to achieve functional

continuity after an explosion, architectural and structural factors should be taken into account
in the design process, and an optimum building plan should be put together.

This study is motivated from making buildings in a blast resistant way, pioneering to
put the necessary regulations into practice for preventing human and structural loss due to the
blast and other human-sourced hazards and creating a common sense about the explosions
that they are possible threats in daily life. In this context, architectural and structural design
of buildings should be specially considered.

During the architectural design, the behavior under extreme compression loading of
the structural form, structural elements e.g. walls, flooring and secondary structural elements
like cladding and glazing should be considered carefully. In conventional design, all
structural elements are designed to resist the structural loads. But it should be remembered
that, blast loads are unpredictable, instantaneous and extreme.

Therefore, it is obvious that a building will receive less damage with a selected safety
level and a blast resistant architectural design. On the other hand, these kinds of buildings
will less attract the terrorist attacks. Structural design after an environmental and architectural
blast resistant design, as well stands for a great importance to prevent the overall collapse of a
building.

Dept. Of Civil Engineering 19 Al-Azhar Polytechnic College

Seminar Report On Blast Resistant Building 2019-2020

8.0 REFERENCES

1. Civil engineering journal (oct. 1995)

2. Fire engineering journal (nov. 1995)
3. Structural design and construction journal (nov. 1996)
4. American concrete institute American society of civil engineering Committee 352
(1985).
5. Koccaz Z. (2004) Blast Resistant Building Design, MSc Thesis, Istanbul Technical
University, Istanbul, Turkey.
6. Yandzio E., Gough M. (1999). Protection of Buildings Against Explosions, SCI
Publication, Berkshire, U.K.
7. Hill J.A., Courtney M.A. (1995). The structural Engineer’s Response to Explosion
Damage. The Institution of Structural Engineer’s Report, SETO Ltd, London.
8. Mays G.C., Smith P.D. (1995). Blast Effects on Buildings, Thomas Telford
Publications, Heron Quay, London.
9. Hinman E. (2008) Blast Safety of the Building Envelope, WBDG, US [6]
Remennikov A. (2003) Essay 1: The HSBC Bank Building Bombing: Analysis of
Blast Loading.
10. Punch S. (1999) Blast Design of Steel Structures to Prevent Progressive Collapse,
Structural Engineers Association Convention Proceedings, Santa Barbara, California,
U.S.A.
11. Smith P.D., Hetherington J.G. (1994) Blast and ballistic loading of structures.
Butterworth Heinemann.

Dept. Of Civil Engineering 20 Al-Azhar Polytechnic College