ANALYSIS OF BUILDING

COLLAPSE UNDER BLAST

LOADS
NUMERICAL METHOD
SINAN NIZAR
 CONTENTS

LIST OF FIGURES

LIST OF TABLES

LIST OF NOTATIONS

1. INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 NEED OF SUCH A SOFISTICATED ANALYSIS 2
2. METHODS FOR PREDICTING BLAST LOAD 3
2.1 EMPIRICAL METHODS 3
2.2 SEMI-EMPIRICAL METHODS 3
2.3 NUMERICAL METHODS 3
2.3.1 ADVANTAGES OF NUMERICAL SOFTWARE ANALYSIS 4
2.3.2 VARIOUS SOFTWARE TOOLS 5
2.3.3 ADVANTAGES OF AUTODYNE 5
3. ANALYSIS AND DESIGN 7
4. COMPUTATIONAL MODEL 9
4.1 PARTS OF MODEL 9
4.2 CONSTITUTIVE MODEL 10
4.2.1 AIR 10
4.2.2 REINFORCED CONCRETE 11
4.2.3 MASONRY 12
5. EROSION 13
6. BLAST ANALYSIS 14
6.1 INTRODUCTION 14
6.2 EXPLOSION GENERATION 14
6.3 STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS 15
7. RESULTS 16
8. COLLAPSE MECHANISM 17
9. COMPARISON WITH ACTUAL DAMAGE 18
10. CONCLUSION 20
11. REFERENCES 21
 LIST OF FIGURES

FIGURE 1: MODEL FOR THE COMPLETE BUILDING

FIGURE 2: BLAST TEST OF A CONCRETE SLAB

FIGURE 3: PRESSURE CONTOURS

FIGURE 4: MESH USED FOR THE GENERATION OF THE EXPLOSION

FIGURE 5: REMAPING TO THE 3D MODEL

FIGURE 6: EFFECT OF THE WALLS IN BLAST WAVE PROPAGATION

FIGURE 7: EVOLUSION OF DAMAGE PRODUCED BY THE EXPLOSION

FIGURE 8: COMPARISON WITH THE ACTUAL DAMAGE

FIGURE 9: SLABS HANGING FROM THE HIGHER STAGES

FIGURE 10: REMAINING FRAMES

FIGURE 11: LIMIT OF DESTRUCTION ZONE

 LIST OF TABLES

TABLE 1: VARIOUS SOFTWARE TOOLS

TABLE 2: PROPERTIES OF AIR

TABLE 3: PROPERTIES OF REINFORCED CONCRETE

TABLE 4: PROPERTIES OF MASONRY

 LIST OF NOTATIONS

kg = KILOGRAM

cm = CENTIMETER

K = KELVIN

J = JOULES

Pa = PASCAL

h = HOUR

MHz = MEGA HERTZ

 1. INTRODUCTION

Bomb explosions against iconic and public buildings have become hazardous due to
widespread terrorist activities in various parts of the world. Loss of life and properties worth
millions are the consequences of such terror attacks. Most buildings which are likely to be the
target of a terrorist bomb have been constructed without considering their vulnerability, or
their potential to mitigate the impact. The design and construction of public buildings to
provide life safety in the face of explosions is receiving renewed attention from structural
engineers. Such concern arose initially in response to air attacks during World War II, it
continued through the Cold War and more recently this concern has grown with the increase
of terrorism worldwide. The analysis of the structural failure of a reinforced concrete building
caused by a blast load is presented in this paper. All the process from the detonation of the
explosive charge to the complete demolition, including the propagation of the blast wave and
its interaction with the structure is reproduced. The analysis was carried out with a
hydrocode. The problem analyzed corresponds to an actual building that has suffered a
terrorist attack. The paper includes comparisons with photographs of the real damage
produced by the explosive charge that validates all the simulation procedure.

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1.1 NEED OF SUCH A SOFISTICATED ANALYSIS

During a blast load the initial casualties are due to direct over pressure released by the
explosion & falling of structural elements may extensively increase the total figure. Blast
protection has the modest goal of containing the damage in the immediate vicinity of the
explosion and the prevention of progressive collapse. In this sense, computer programs
simulations could be very valuable in testing a wide range of building types and structural
details over a broad range of hypothetical events. It helps to ensure structural integrity from
explosive blasts with minimum loss of life or property. With the increase of terrorism
worldwide, it is important to carry out vulnerability and damage assessment of buildings
subjected to blast loads to provide mitigation strategies.

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 2. METHODS OF PREDICTING BLAST LOAD

The most tedious part of this analysis is the prediction of blast load behavior with
various structural elements. Since blast load is impulsive load of extremely short time
duration with very high pressure, the strain rate and structural local damage effect of concrete
structures subjected to blast loads should be considered in the blast dynamic analysis of
structures.

The following methods are available for prediction of blast effect on building structures:

• Empirical (or analytical) methods

• Semi-empirical methods
• Numerical (or first principle) methods

2.1 Empirical methods

These are essentially correlations with experimental data. Most of these approaches are
limited by the extent of the underlying experimental database. The accuracy of all
empirical equations diminishes as the explosive event becomes increasingly near field.

2.2 Semi-empirical methods

These are based on simplified models of physical phenomena. They attempt to model
the underlying important physical processes in a simplified way. These methods rely on
extensive data and case study. Their predictive accuracy is generally better than that
provided by the empirical methods.

2.3 Numerical (or first-principle) methods

These are based on mathematical equations that describe the basic laws of physics
governing a problem. These principles include conservation of mass, momentum, and
energy. In addition, the physical behavior of materials is described by constitutive
relationships. These models are commonly termed computational fluid dynamics (CFD)
models. This paper uses the numerical or first principle method.

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 2.3.1 Advantages of numerical software analysis

Numerical software tools offer an alternative approach to high explosive blast and
explosion phenomena. Their advantage is that they attempt to model the full physics of the
phenomena. In other words, they are designed to solve from first principles the governing
conservation equations that describe the behavior of the system. By their nature numerical
techniques are suitable for solving a wider range of problems than any particular analytical
technique. They enable great savings to be made in the costs of investigative physical
experiments and allow the analyst to look at “perfectly instrumented numerical experiments”.
Thus parameters that are virtually impossible to measure in physical experiments can be
examined in detail.

In reality, numerical techniques for these highly non-linear phenomena are not able to model
the complete physics and often the sub-models, which exist in all state-of-the art tools, are
empirically based or require data which must be obtained through experimental validation.
For example, equation of state parameters for HE are often determined using data from so
called cylinder tests where the motion of the wall of a copper cylinder filled with explosive is
measured. There are two major general problems to be faced in the numerical analysis of the
types of events described in this paper. Firstly, for problems of solid dynamics (e.g. structural
response) the chief problem is material characterization in terms of the models that are used
and the data required for them. For fluid dynamics (e.g. the expansion of high explosive
products and blast) the chief problem is the lack of numerical resolution available for solving
such problems. Much of the current research and development work related to numerical
codes is concerned with better overcoming these two major issues.

Despite the computational requirements of numerical analysis, the increased power and
availability of computers has led to the widespread use of numerical software tools for
solving highly non-linear dynamic events. The barriers between experimentalists, analysts
and designers are gradually breaking down as such tools become more widely used. Indeed,
problems are most efficiently and effectively solved when a combined approach involving
physical experimentation, analytical and numerical techniques is taken.

A more general problem faced by all techniques, but which becomes particularly apparent
when developing numerical techniques, is that many areas of non-linear response are poorly
understood; two notable examples are the details of dynamic material fracture and turbulent
fluid flow. This poor understanding does not mean that modeling techniques are rendered
useless, indeed numerical modeling is a major vehicle in developing our understanding of
these complex phenomena.

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 2.3.2 Various software tools
A variety of software tools are available from various sources to quantify the effects of
explosives on structures. The table below summarizes those in use.

Table 1 Various software tools

2.3.3 Advantages of AUTODYNE

The specific features and capabilities of AUTODYN-2D & 3D are described below.
Importantly, they both include all the required functions for model generation, analysis and
display of results in a single graphical menu-driven package. The codes can be run, with the
same functionality albeit at varying speeds, on personal computers and engineering
workstations through to mainframes and supercomputers. The codes are written in ANSI
standard FORTRAN and C for portability. These codes are under constant and active
development through industrial and academic research and development. Such developments
are to a great extent driven by the feedback obtained from users of the codes.

AUTODYN-2D & 3D are fully integrated engineering analysis codes specifically designed
for non-linear dynamic problems. They are particularly suited to the modeling of impact,
penetration, blast and explosion events. AUTODYN-2D & 3D are explicit numerical
analysis codes, sometimes referred to as “hydrocodes” where the equations of mass,
momentum and energy conservation coupled with materials descriptions are solved. Finite

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difference, finite volume, finite element and mesh less methods are used depending on
the solution technique (or “processor”) being used.

Alternative numerical processors are available and can be selectively used to model different
regions of a problem. The currently available processors include Lagrange, typically used
for modeling solid continua and structures, and Euler for modeling gases, fluids and the large
distortion of solids. The Euler capability allows for multi-material flow and material
strength to be included. A fast single material high resolution Euler FCT processor in both
2D and 3D has also been developed, to more efficiently address blast problems. In addition,
the software includes an ALE (Arbitrary Lagrange Euler) processor which can be used to
provide automatic rezoning of distorted grids; ALE rezoning algorithms can range from
Lagrangian (i.e. grid moves with material) to Eulerian (i.e. grid fixed in space). A Shell
processor is available for modeling thin structures and both codes include an erosion
algorithm that enhances the ability of the Lagrange and shell processors to simulate impact
problems where large deformations occur. Coupling between the processor types is available
so that the best processor type for each region of a problem can be used. Various techniques,
such as remapping which uses an initial explosion calculation to set up the initial conditions
for a subsequent calculation stage, can be used to improve computational efficiency and
solution accuracy.

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 3. ANALYSIS AND DESIGN
With rapid development of computer hardware over the last decades, it has become
possible to make detailed numerical simulations of explosive events in personal computers,
significantly increasing the avail-ability of these methods. On the other hand, new
developments in integrated computer hydrocodes, such as AUTODYN software [used in this
paper], complete the tools necessary to carry out the numerical analysis successfully.
Nevertheless, two important features must be taken into account when performing computer
blast resistance assessment of buildings. The first one is related to the need of experimental
validation of both the models and the analysis procedures used. The second problem is
related to the computational cost that makes almost impracticable, a realistic blast analysis of
an actual reinforced concrete building with all its details.

Much research has been carried out in last year’s concerning the behavior of structural
elements and materials under blast loads. The experimental results about the behavior of steel
concrete and fiber reinforced panels subjected to explosions can be found in the bibliography.
Nevertheless, most of the results related to full-scale structures are those concerning
structures that have actually suffered explosions. One of the first tests was a full-scale blast
test on a four-story building at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico as part of a
research and development contract from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency

(DTRA) to investigate measures to retrofit US Embassies and other critical structures

worldwide against blast loads. At White Sands, DTRA Field Command has constructed a
full-scale prototype of a concrete flat-structure called CST-1 to test windows, walls and
structural elements under realistic threat conditions (i.e., the blast effects of large vehicle
bomb). Although there are still many uncertainties, material behavior under blast
loads has been widely studied experimentally and many sophisticated numerical models
have been proposed, especially for steel and concrete .

These models have been included in different computer programs, which can be used for the
analysis of the blast behavior of structural elements and small structures and validated with
available experimental results. Nowadays, the analysis of a complete reinforced concrete
structure taking into account all the reinforcement details is almost impracticable due to the
elevated computational costs. Many simplifying assumptions should be done in order to
perform the analysis and most of these assumptions are related to constituents’ materials that
cannot be yet considered as individual materials but have to be interpreted as homogenized
materials with average properties.

This paper is related to the effect of blast loads in reinforced concrete buildings and presents
the results of the numerical simulation of the structural collapse of an actual building, the
AMIA (Israel’s mutual society of Argentina) building that has suffered a terrorist attack that
produced the demolition of part of it in 1994. The location and magnitude of the explosive
Load were previously obtained from the blast analysis and comparison with actual damage of
the complete block of buildings where the target was located and are supposed to be known

7
in this paper. It is assumed that the damage was caused by an explosive load equivalent to
400 kg of TNT placed in the entrance hall of the building.

In order to reproduce the structural collapse, the complete building was modeled, including
the reinforced concrete structure and the masonry walls. Appropriate numerical models were
used for the different materials that are in the structure. The mechanical properties of
the materials were obtained from tests on parts of the actual structure. The constitutive model
used for concrete was proved and calibrated with experimental results of a concrete plate
subjected to blast loads. A homogenized model was used for reinforced concrete.

In order to reproduce the complete phenomenon, the volume of air in which the structure was
immersed was also modeled. The analysis began with the modeling of the detonation and
propagation of the pressure wave inside the explosive and in the air in contact with the
explosive. As this analysis must be performed with much detail, it was done in a previous
stage in which a spherical explosive was modeled. Then the results of this first analysis were
mapped into the 3D model. Starting from this point, the propagation of the blast wave in air
and its interaction with the building was simulated. The complete collapse process was
reproduced and compared with the rest of the actual building validating the analysis
procedure and the assumptions made.

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 4. COMPUTATIONAL MODEL

The computational model was constructed following the structural and architectural
plans of the actual building. For the dynamical analysis of building structures under
seismic or wind loads, it is enough to model only the resisting structure. A blast analysis also
requires the consideration of all the non-structural elements, specially the walls as they play
an important role in the propagation of the pressure wave.

4.1 Parts of model

The model is composed of the building and air volume occupied by the building. A 3D
Euler FCT (higher order Euler processor) sub grid was used for the air. The lateral faces
of the underground level were supposed to have rigid surfaces and air flow out was allowed
in the rest of the borders. The complete building was modeled, from the underground level to
the higher level. The resulting model is presented in Fig. 1. As it can be seen in this figure,
the building was composed of three differentiable blocks the front block, severely damaged
by the blast load, the intermediate block and the back block. The mesh was refined and a
more detailed modeling was used in the front block were the focus of the explosion was
supposed to have been located and more damage was produced.

Fig.1 Model for the complete building

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The model of the building was composed of the reinforced concrete structure and the
masonry walls. A rigid floor in the bottom of the underground level was used to simulate the
soil. The reinforced concrete structure was a frame structure composed by columns, beams
and slabs. The mesh was finer in the front of the building and the lower levels. A coarse
discretization was used for the back part of the building, not affected by the explosion and
with no significance in the structural collapse. The columns, beams and slabs were modeled
with 3D solid elements that were solved with a Lagrange processor. The bases of the
columns were fixed in their base corresponding to the ground level in the back part of the
building and the underground level in the front.

The exterior and interior walls of the first level, where the explosion was supposed to have
taken place, were modeled with shell elements of 30 cm of thickness and solved with a
Lagrange processor. As the walls in the building were in filled masonry walls, they were
modeled as perfectly joined to the reinforced concrete frame. The loads were transferred to
the frames through the common nodes.

4.2 Constitutive models

The mechanical properties of the different parts of the structure were obtained from the
result of tests performed on proving corps extracted from the rests of the demolition and from
parts of left structure.

4.2.1 Air

A fluid with the properties presented in Table 2 was used to model the air.

State equation Ideal gas

g 1.41

Reference density 1.225E 03 g /cm3

Reference temperature 2.882E + 02 °K

Specific heat 7.173E + 02 J /kg K

Table 2 Properties of air

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 4.2.2 Reinforced concrete

Although reinforced concrete elements can be modeled as a combination of concrete and

steel elements jointed together with the assumption of perfect bond, this type of model is
prohibited for actual structures, as it requires a great number of elements. Moreover, the time
step in explicit dynamic programs is directly related to the size of the elements. Elements of
the dimensions of the actual reinforcement usually lead to extremely reduced time steps,
making the analysis too slow. Taking into account the above considerations, an approximate
material model for reinforced concrete was defined to simulate the behavior of reinforced
concrete columns, beams and slabs that formed the resistant structure of the building. The
model used is a homogenized elastoplastic material similar to concrete elastoplastic
models but with higher tension strength to take into account the collaboration of the
reinforcement to resist tension stresses. The model was calibrated with the results of the
analysis of a reinforced concrete column of the first stage. These columns were chosen
because they played an important role in the collapse mechanism of the building. They are
square columns of 0.30 m side, 5 m of height and 4% of reinforcement. First, the columns
were modeled and analyzed identifying concrete and reinforcement elements, with a concrete
and steel model, respectively, as in the actual reinforced concrete column. The analysis was
repeated then using a reinforced concrete homogenized model for all the column elements.
The properties of the homogenized model were determined to achieve the same strength
under distributed static lateral loads as in the actual reinforced concrete column. The model
was also tested under an explosive load of 400 kg of TNT located at a distance of 2.5 m to
reproduce the same damage as in the actual reinforced concrete column. Both types of
analysis corresponded to a tension strength of about the compression strength for the
homogenized model and this fact justifies the use of the Von Mises model as the yielding and
failure criteria. The compression strength of the homogenized model was taken as the
compression strength of concrete obtained from tests performed on the rests of the structure.
The mechanical properties of the homogenized model used for reinforced concrete are shown
in Table 3. This concrete model with increased tension capacity was used for all reinforced
concrete elements

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 Concrete State equation linear

Reference density 2.750 g/cm3

Bulk modulus 3.527E + 07 kPa

Strength model Von Mises

Shear modulus 1.000E + 04 kPa

Elastic limit 1.000E + 04 kPa

Failure criteria principal stresses

Failure stress 1.220E + 07 kPa

Table 3 Properties of reinforced concrete

4.2.3 Masonry

An elastoplastic model, similar to those models frequently applied for plain concrete,
but with reduced strength, was used to reproduce the behavior of masonry walls. The
principal mechanical properties of masonry are presented in Tables 4.

State equation linear

Reference density 2.400E + 00 g /cm3

Bulk modulus 7.800E + 06 kPa

Strength model Mohr Coulomb

Shear modulus 2.6E + 06 kPa

Failure criteria principal stresses

Failure stress 1.000E + 03 kPa

Table 4 Properties of masonry

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 5. EROSION

Detonation is a type of reaction of the explosive that produces shock waves of great
intensity. If the explosive is in contact near a solid material, the arrival of the explosive wave
to the surface of the explosion generates intensive pressure waves that can produce the
crushing or disintegration of the material. This shook effect is known as brisance effect. If
the explosive is surrounded by air, a pressure wave that can fracture masonry and concrete
structures is generated.

Both brisance effect and fracture produce discontinuities in the material. In order to
reproduce this type of effects, the erosion model of AUTODYN was used to remove from the
calculus the cells that have reached certain criteria based on deformations. When a cell is
eliminated, its mass is retained and concentrated in its nodes that begin to behave as free
masses conserving their initial velocity. This erosion model represents a numerical remedial
to great distortion that can cause excessive deformation of the mesh. For this reason, its
application to the simulation of a physical phenomenon requires the calibration with
experimental results. Erosion models were used both for the reinforced concrete structure and
for masonry walls. For the calibration of the erosion model used for concrete, the
experimental results of concrete slabs lying on the ground and subjected to explosions over
them were used. The slab was tested with different amounts of explosive. The testing set up
is shown in Fig. 2a and the final state of the slab after three explosions over it is shown in
Fig. 2b.The slab was simulated with different erosion models, erosion limits and meshes in
order to define the appropriate erosion criteria and erosion limit. Fig. 3 shows the results of
one of the numerical tests. The light grey circles represent the eroded nodes. For the
calibration of the erosion model for masonry, data found in the bibliography on the pressure
and impulse that produce damage and demolition of masonry walls were used.

Fig 2 Blast test of a concrete slab. Fig 3 Pressure contours after the first
(a) Location of the explosive over the slab. blast (4 kg of TNT 0.5 m over the slab)
(b) Final damage pattern.

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 6. BLAST ANALYSIS

6.1 Introduction
The analysis of the structural collapse of the building was performed in two stages. The
first part of the analysis consists on the simulation of the explosion itself from the detonation
instant and the second part consists on the analysis of the effect and interaction with the
building of the blast wave generated by the explosion. Only the load produced by the air blast
wave was considered in the analysis. The ground motion generated by the explosion was not
taken into account because the explosive was supposed to be placed 1m above the ground
level, for example on a vehicle, isolated from the ground and so the ground shock can be
diminished

6.2 Explosion generation

The initiation of the explosion and the propagation of the blast wave in the air in contact
with the explosive were first simulated. For this purpose, it was assumed that, until the blast
wave encounters a rigid surface, the problem has spherical symmetry and can be treated as
1D. The results of this analysis were later mapped in the 3D model representing the building
and the surrounded air volume. In this way, the computational cost of the analysis was
drastically reduced

Fig 4 Mesh used for the generation of the explosion (400 kg TNT).

The initial detonation and expansion of the sphere of 400 kg of TNT was modeled in a 1D,
spherically symmetric model of 1 m radius with a JWL equation of state, as illustrated in
Fig.4. Part way through the detonation process, and to avoid numerical errors, the material
model for the high explosive was modified. The 1D expansion analysis continues until just
prior to impingement of the blast wave on the rigid surface. The default density gave a radius
388.4 mm for a 400 kg spherical charge of TNT. Fig 5 illustrates the remapping of the 1D
analysis to the 3D model of the building.

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 6.3 Structural analysis
To study the structural behavior of the building, the propagation of the blast wave and its
interaction with the building was analyzed. For that purpose, an interaction algorithm
between the Lagrange (building) and Euler (air) processors was used. As illustration of
the role played by the interaction of the blast wave with the building, the propagation of
the blast wave in a building without walls is compared with the propagation of the same
blast wave in the actual building with walls in Fig. 6. The velocity field is
represented in the air and pressure contours are plotted on the solids. It may be noted
the alteration of the blast wave produced as a result of the multiple reflections on the
walls, even though they were brittle elements. Because of the reflections on the
walls, the blast wave lost its spherical shape and increased its destructive effect in
vertical direction. In the analysis of the building collapse, the solid-solid interaction
between the different parts of the structures that fell down was also taken into
account.

Fig. 5 Remapping to the 3D model (0.2 ms).

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 7. RESULTS

The results obtained for an explosive load of 400 kg of TNT located 1 m above the ground
level, 1 m inside the entrance hall and 1 m to the right of the axis of the building are shown in
Fig. 7. For the sake of visualization, only the front and the intermediate blocks of the building
are shown. The first moments following the detonation are shown in Fig. 7a. The erosion of
most of the columns and walls in the first stage and the underground stage, in the front block,
is showed in Fig. 7b. The failure of the highest slab and the loosening of the front block are
clear in Fig. 7c. The free fall of the front block can be seen in Fig. 7d. The final state of the
collapsed structure can be observed in Fig. 7e. The run time necessary for the analysis was
approximately 310 h in a system with a Pentium IV processor and 500 MHz RIMM memory.

Fig 6 Effect of the walls in the blast wave propagation. (a) Building without walls, (b)
building with walls.

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 8. COLLAPSE MECHANISM

The structural collapse was due to a gravitational mechanism produced by the failure of most
of the load bearing columns of the first stage in the front block. See Fig. 7. The four columns
closer to the explosion focus failed due to the direct effect of the reflected pressure that
produced the erosion of concrete by brisance effect (see Fig. 7a). Lateral columns in the front
failed by a combination of shear and flexure. Columns at the back of the front block lost
connection with the upper and lower beams (tension failure), due to the tension effect
imparted by the first floor slabs that were pushed upwards and downwards by the pressure
and then failed by lack of lateral support when the pressure wave reached them.

The pressure destroyed the ground floor just under the explosion (see Fig. 7a) allowing the
blast wave to pass to the underground level and destroy some columns (see Fig. 7b). The first
three lines of columns of the underground level and the first level resulted almost completely
destroyed (Fig.7b) leaving without support the upper floors that began to fall own pulling
from the back block (Fig. 7c). Beams and columns in the upper floors of the intermediate
block have failed by a combination of tension, flexure and shear.

On the other side, the blast wave propagated upwards in the intermediate block, limiting the
advance of damage to the back block. See Fig. 7b. Both effects produced an inclined failure
advancing backwards in height. See Fig. 7e. The front block lost connection with the rest of
the structure along this inclined line and immediately began to fall down. The slabs impacted
one over the other destroying themselves.

Fig. 7 Evolution of damage produced by the explosion.

(a) 0.75ms,(b)254ms, (c) 378 ms,(d) 1.35 ms and (e) 2.46 ms.

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 9. COMPARISON WITH ACTUAL DAMAGE

Comparisons of the numerical simulation results with photographs of the Actual damage
produced by the explosion are presented in Figs. 8-11. Fig. 8 shows similarity between the
final state of model and the distribution of the remains of the demolition with those registered
in the actual building. Fig. 9 shows that the numerical simulation reproduces the fall of
the front slabs that resulted hanging from the back part of the building. Fig.10 presents a
view of the reinforced concrete frames that remained after the explosion. It may be noted the
coincidence with the photograph taken after removing the rests of the demolition. The line
limiting the destroyed part of the actual building is drawn on the picture obtained from the
numerical simulation of the collapse in Fig. 11. It can be observed that the numerical analysis
reproduces the limit of the destruction zone in accordance with the actual damage observed.

Fig. 8. Comparison with actual damage.

Fig. 9. Slabs hanging from the higher stages.

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 Fig. 10. Remaining frames.

Fig. 11. Limit of the destruction zone

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 10. CONCLUSION

The analysis of the structural failure of a reinforced concrete building caused by a blast
load is presented in this paper. All the process from the detonation of the explosive charge to
the complete demolition, including the propagation of the blast wave and its interaction with
the structure is reproduced. The comparison of numerical results with photographs shows that
the numerical analysis accurately reproduces the collapse of the building under the blast load
confirming the location and magnitude of the explosion previously established based on other
analysis. The good agreement between actual damage and that one numerically obtained
proves that the simplifying assumptions made for the structure and materials are allowable
for this type of analysis and nowadays represent the only way to successfully run a complete
collapse analysis of an entire building.

The collapse was due to a gravitational mechanism originated by the destruction of the
lower columns. In this case, the explosive charge was determined based on other data, but the
demolition of the front block of the building analyzed could have been produced with a
smaller charge. The type of analysis presented can be used for structure vulnerability
assessment in order to choose structural configurations that prevent damage to extend damage
beyond that caused directly by the blast.

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 11. REFERENCES

1. “Analysis of building collapse under blast loads” B.M.Luccioni, R.D.Ambrossini,

R.F.Danesi.

2. “HFPB Analysis of rc structures under blast loads considering concrete damage model”
N.H.Yi-Doctoral student, J.W. Nam Ph.D researcher, S.B.Kim -Doctoral student, J.H.J.Kim
Assistant Professor , K.J. Byun-Emeritus Professor Yonsei University, Dept. of Civil and
Environment, Seoul, Korea.

3. “Blast and residual capacity analysis of reinforced concrete framed buildings” Ruwan
Jayasooriya , David P. Thambiratnam, Nimal J. Perera, Vladis Kosse.

4. “A Review of Methods for Predicting Bomb Blast Effects on Buildings” A. M. Remennikov.

5. “Analysis of blast loads on buildings” Naury K. Birnbaum Richard A. Clegg Greg E.

Fairlie, Colin J. Hayhurst, Nigel J. Francis.

6. “The Numerical Simulation of High Explosives using AUTODYN-2D & 3D” G E Fairlie.

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