Structural Design for Blast-Containment Facilities,

Abstract

A 1/4-scale structural model was designed to represent a maintenance bay in a large munitions storage complex. Following construction, the model structure was tested by detonating a high explosive inside it, simulating the accident detonation of a stored weapon. Two tests were conducted on the model. The model survived the first test with only minor structural damage. Before the second test, the inside of the maintenance bay model was coated with a sealant which was least partially combustible. The burning of this combustible material produced a significant increase in the quasistatic gas pressure inside the maintenance bay and caused structural failure in the second test. These data indicate that the structural design used in this test is adequate to contain an accidental explosion. However, an added factor of safety could be obtained by strengthening the corner reinforcement detail where the maintenance bay roof connects to the walls. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 01, 1984
Accession Number
ADP004866

Entities

People

  • J. T. Baylot
  • J. W. Ball
  • S. A. Kiger

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Accidents
  • Ammunition
  • Construction
  • Detonations
  • Energetic Materials
  • Explosions
  • Explosives
  • High Explosives
  • Maintenance
  • Materials
  • Munitions
  • Weapons

Readers

  • Facility/Structural Engineering.
  • Mechanical Engineering/Mechanics of Materials.
  • Rocket Propulsion.