Experimental Validation and Numerical Analysis of a High-Performance Blast Energy-Absorbing System for Building Structures

The paper presents a full-scale blast testing experimental campaign conducted on an energyabsorbing connector comprising thin-walled inversion tubes as kernel elements mounted in façade protective panel. LS-DYNA finite element predictions of the global and local deformation/inversion panel/connectors compared reasonably well with observations. After validation, numerical model was used to analyze response simple idealized reinforced concrete structure under three blast-loading scenarios: first two scenarios produce, approximately, same impulse but are significantly different terms load duration overpressures, represent far-field near-field scenario (1600 kg TNT at 20 m (i) 150 5 (ii), respectively); third is more demanding, consists half standoff distance second (150 2.5 (iii)). These simulations allow assess effect loading effectiveness system. One may conclude that introduction EACs strongly limits forces imparted protected structure, reducing corresponding energy absorption demand. Comparing absorbed by scenarios, without system (8 × ?64 2 mm), one can see these reductions reach, respectively 67%, 72% 68% far-field, very explosions.