Analysis of the resistance of structural components to explosive loading by shock-tube tests and SDOF models

The analysis of the resistance of structural components to explosive loading conditions is important for the design and assessment of buildings which are potentially exposed to explosions. Explosive loading conditions may arise from sabotage, terroristic attacks or accidental explosions and pose a significant hazard. The characteristics of explosive loading differ entirely from those of ordinary static or dynamic loading to which structures are regularly exposed. Reliable methods for the analysis of explosively loaded structures are thus required to design safe buildings and reliably assess existing buildings and thereby minimize the consequences of explosions. Experimental testing is a mandatory step towards a reliable analysis of explosively loaded structures and provides validation data for further simulation-based analysis. Shock-tube testing offers several advantages over range testing of explosively loaded structural components. This paper describes the shock-tube facility Blast-STAR of the Fraunhofer EMI, which is capable of replicating detonations of high explosives and gas explosions. Besides the presentation of the adjustable range of blast parameters and the installed diagnostic equipment, it is explained how shock-tube tests are used for the derivation of dynamic resistance parameters of building components. These resistance parameters are used in single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) models, which permit an assessment of the structural response of components and entire buildings under various explosive loadings conditions.