Assessment of Analytical Methods Used to Predict the Structural Response of 12-inch Concrete Substantial Dividing Walls to Blast Loading

Abstract

When 12-inch concrete substantial dividing walls are used to protect personnel from explosive effects, the typical allowable explosive weight, when calculated using the methods in Army TM 5-1300, is less than 2 pounds TNT. Comparison of results from state-of-the-art nonlinear finite element models to actual data from accidental explosions shows that even well validated, high fidelity, physics-based analytical methods grossly overpredict the response of these walls. Consideration of the observed damage from these accidents indicates that methodology used to compute the gas pressure portion of the blast loads incorporates significant levels of conservatism. Further analytical and experimental investigation to reduce this level of conservatism could allow up to an order of magnitude increase in the allowable net explosive weight for personnel protection.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 01, 1998
Accession Number
ADA500242

Entities

People

  • David D. Bogosian
  • William H. Zehrt Jr.

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Counter IED
  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Abstracts
  • Accidents
  • Blast
  • Blast Loads
  • Concrete
  • Conservatism
  • Construction
  • Department Of Defense
  • Detonations
  • Engineering
  • Explosions
  • Explosives
  • Materials
  • Munitions
  • Reinforced Concrete
  • Standards
  • Structural Response

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Computational Modeling and Simulation
  • Hydraulic Engineering.
  • Regression Analysis.