Dynamic response and failure mechanisms of brick masonry walls under natural gas explosion loads: A numerical assessment based on static and dynamic verification

Natural gas explosions in civil buildings can impose transient overpressure on brick masonry walls and may trigger wall failure, fragment generation, and even progressive structural damage. This study characterises the dynamic response and failure mechanisms of brick masonry walls subjected to natural gas explosion loading. Static mechanical tests were conducted on ordinary fired clay bricks and mortar to obtain the material parameters. Dynamic impact tests were subsequently performed on masonry components constructed using standard procedures. A finite element model with calibrated material parameters was established in LS-DYNA, and its dynamic response and damage modes were validated against the impact test results to assess the accuracy of the predicted response of the brick masonry components. The validated finite element model was then used to simulate wall response under a triangular pressure–time history representing natural gas explosion loading. The parametric analysis focused on the effects of peak overpressure and edge restraints on mid-span displacement, velocity response, and failure-mode evolution. The findings support blast protection, boundary-detailing optimisation, local strengthening, and post-blast damage assessment of masonry structures under natural gas explosion loading.