EXPLOSION DESIGN

[civinco01]

Can anyone advice how to consider/evaluate explosion loads against buildings. This is required for the design of a Power plant to be built inside a LNG Gas Station Facility. What are the regulatory codes, typical values.

 

[richardm]

pba

Yes - I may not have made my meaning clear - using an equivalent static load is fine if you have the skill to assess it in relation to the dynamic response of the member you are designing. As bridgebuster says, the acceptable level of damage is another component of the calculation. My concern was that civinco01 and his/her client may not have that level of experience.

Knowing when you are outside your own level of competence, and when therefore to call on specialist help is the mark of a professional.

 

[civinco01]

To All:

Thanks once again for the advice. I'm certainly looking for a specialist but before doing so I wanted to get a first impression of this complicated discipline. I think that there are alot more variable one should take care for, such as: refraction, far field explosion, near field explosion, allowable extent of damage, flying objects, etc.

All the above require professional knowledge & care

Thank you all

 

[eyec]

On top of that our client require the buildings to be EMP- Protected

design an automatic shutoff switch for the entire electrical/electronic systems - that is the only thing that is going to realistically provide EMP protection. unless you really mean TEMPEST protected.

 

[civinco01]

What I meant with EMP protected is Electromagnetic Pulse Protection. Has anyone anything to say about this?

 

[eyec]

unless you are building this plant 200ft below ground you don't need to worry about EMP protection because the blast is going to destroy everything above ground.

sorry to seem skeptical but case hardened installations requiring EMP protection usually fall under National Security and i am doubtful we are talking about such an installation as you describe on this board.

 

[civinco01]

Eyec:

Our client spec is rather confusing, in some parts is calling for EMP Protection and in others for EMI shielding. Can you please advice what is the difference and what are the impacts to the civil works construction of the building.

According to what you mentioned before,what sense does it make to ask for such special requirements when the structure will not even withstand the blast!!

The project I'm talking about is in Norway at the Statoil Gas facility in Karstoe.

 

[eyec]

EMI shielding description

EMP/EMI description

 

[damo74]

I'm designing a raft foundation for Semi-D domestic dwellings. The contractor wants to use this form of construction, only if we can design the raft for a maximum thickness of 200mm. He does not want to use ground beams. It is only economical if we use mesh top and bottom and u-bars around the edges. The ground is good with an expected bearing capacity of 150kN/m2.I have analysed the raft structure using FEA and it will work theoretically. The maximum deflection is about 5mm at the corners. I'm worried about differential settlement and excessive cracking of the blockwork. Has anybody designed a raft foundation this thin without ground beams? Has anyone had any problems with such construction? All advice is welcome!