Nonlinear Response of Highly Flexible Structures to Air Blast Loads: Application Shelters

摘要

The dynamic response of flexible membrane structures to blast loads is described, with application toward shelter systems. Shelters such as the Tent Extendable Modular Personnel tents fall into the category of highly flexible membrane structures due to their large deformation behavior. Material testing was conducted to determine the material properties of the liner and the canvas material. A finite element model for the shelter structure was developed, and the dynamic response to blast loading conditions was obtained. Transient analysis was performed based on an implicit approach in which the time integration was done using the Newmark method, and the Newton-Raphson method was used for the nonlinear analysis. Dynamic responses consisting of displacement time histories and dynamic stresses were computed for the membrane model. A parametric study was performed, and design recommendations are presented.