Quantification of Blast Loads and Response of Structure under Blast

A bomb explosion within or immediately nearby a building can cause severe damage on the buildings external and internal structural frames, collapsing of walls, loss of life etc. In addition, major catastrophes resulting from explosion causes large dynamic loads, greater than the original design loads, of many structures. The analysis and design of structures subjected to blast loads require a detailed understanding of blast phenomena and its effects on various structural elements. Blast loads are in fact dynamic loads that need to be carefully calculated just like earthquake and wind loads. This mini project presents the study of effect of Blast loading on a two storey RCC building. Effect of variable blast source weight is calculated by considering at various standoff distances from point of explosion. The blast load was analytically determined as a pressure-time history and numerical model of a two story typical structure was created in SAP2000. The influence of the lateral load response due to blast in terms of peak over pressures and dynamic pressures is calculated at 16.40ft standoff distance from the point of explosion and the response of structure is studied under the calculated peak pressures occured due to blast.