Vapor Cloud Explosion Test of Air-Inflated Fabric Structure

摘要

Portable buildings are gaining widespread use at refining and chemical processingfacilities, particularly for facility siting requirements. Although trailers and blast resistantmodules (BRMs) can be used for many modular applications, in certain situations fabricstructures may provide a viable alternative. However, the blast response of fabricstructures is neither clearly defined nor well understood throughout the blast designcommunity.One such modular fabric structure is an air-inflated structure. A manufacturer of thistype of structure recently funded the testing of one of their specimens for the effects of avapor cloud explosion (VCE). The VCE for the test was initiated using propane and aninternal matrix of congestion inside a three-walled cubicle, referred to as the DeflagrationLoad Generator (DLG) test rig. The test involved a deflagration event that imparted athermal flux and a maximum free-field pressure of 2.9 psi with an average duration of 31ms at the front wall of the air-inflated structure.The reduced blast loads and thermal effects inside the structure were compared to thoseoutside. In addition, the attenuation of blast loads behind the structure was alsoexamined, as well as shielding effects. The structural response of the test specimen wascaptured with high-speed video, and observations on the motion of the structure areprovided.