Blast Wall Design Forces 1

[TheLinker]

I am currently designing a foundation / blast wall system for an electrical transformer ( greater then 5,000 gal). I have the separation and line of sight requirements to determine the height of the wall but looking at FM Global, IEEE and NFPA, I do not find a way to determine the design blast force to apply to the wall.

Does anyone have experience or references on how to determine the blast force on a wall a certain distance from a fuel source?

 

[mudflaps]

You need info from the ATF. I did an explosives bunker a few years ago and they wanted to make sure the doors would blow off before the structure disintegrated. Of course that was before 911 so maybe Homeland Security would have better information now days.

Mudflaps

 

[bridgebuster]

Your client has to provide you with either the blast pressure or the parameters for you to calculate the blast pressure. The parameters would include type of explosive, size of the charge, and stand-off distance.

If they can't provide this info you would need a security consultant to help them select an appropriate threat level, i.e. probable type of explosive a terrorist would use, size of the charge, and stand-off distance.

 

[MiketheEngineer]

Check out

http://www.appliedscienceint.com

They have some blast software that may be helpful

 

[civilperson]

2 psi for transformer explosion is normal (ten feet away as a minimum).