BLAST LOADING OF STRUCTURES - A REVIEW

The use of explosives in vehicles to attack city centers has become a common technique by terrorist organizations around the world. A bomb explosion within or in the vicinity of a building can cause significant damage on the building's internal and external structural frames , collapsing of walls and structural walls, blowing out of large expanses of window and closing down of critical safety systems. Injuries and loss of life of occupants can result from many causes such as direct explosion - effects, collapse of structure, impa ct of debris, fire and smoke. Blast loads results in large dynamic loads larger than the original design loads of many structures. Due to the threat from such extreme loading conditions, continuous efforts have been made during the last few decades to gen erate methods of structural analysis and design which helps the structure to resist blast loads. The analysis and design of Civil Engineering structures subjected to blast loading requires a thorough understanding of blast phenomenon and the dynamic respon se of various structural elements. This paper presents a brief overview of the effects of explosion on structures and modeling of blast loading