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

摘要

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.