Full Scale Blast Testing of Structures

University Of North Carolina At Charlotte, Charlotte NC

Investigators

Abstract

Abstract CMS-0342103 In response to the increased awareness of terrorism as it could affect our critical infrastructure, the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte proposes to conduct full-scale experimental blast tests in a conventional structure. This research will simulate a terrorist attack using a hand-carried satchel charge placed at a strategic location inside the structure. The charge weight will be between 10 and 50 pounds of TNT-equivalent. Incident and reflected pressures and structural response quantities such as accelerations and displacements will be measured with a high-speed data acquisition system. The resulting data will be analyzed and the data and the findings will be disseminated to the appropriate parties.