Consequence analysis by means of characteristic curves to determine the damage to buildings from the detonation of explosive substances as a function of TNT equivalence

• Published in: Journal of loss prevention in the process industries Vol. 21; no. 1; pp. 74 - 81
• Main Authors: Díaz Alonso, Fernando, González Ferradás, Enrique, Doval Miñarro, Marta, Miñana Aznar, Agustín, Ruiz Gimeno, José, Sánchez Pérez, Juan Francisco
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 2008
• Subjects: Characteristic curves; Consequence analysis; Damage to buildings; Explosion; Explosive substances; TNT equivalence; Damage to buildings; Explosion; TNT equivalence; Consequence analysis; Characteristic curves; Explosive substances
• ISSN: 0950-4230
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jlp.2007.08.002

This paper aims at providing a methodology to perform consequences analysis to buildings produced by the pressure wave from the detonation of explosive substances whose TNT equivalence is known. Damages suffered by buildings usually affect the people inside them. Thus, it is important to take them into account when performing consequence analysis. This is done in this paper by firstly presenting and discussing the main PROBIT equations to evaluate the following damages to buildings: minor damage (broken windows, displacement of doors and window frames, tile displacement, etc.), major structural damage (cracks in walls, collapse of some walls) and collapse (building partially or totally demolished). Secondly, a new methodology is developed to relate characteristic overpressure–impulse–distance curves for the detonation of explosive substances, obtained in a previous paper [Diaz Alonso, F., Gonzalez Ferradas, E., Sanchez Perez, J. F., Miñana Aznar, A., Ruiz Gimeno, J., & Martinez Alonso, J. (2006). Characteristic overpressure–impulse–distance curves for the detonation of explosives, pyrotechnics or unstable substances. Journal of Loss Prevention in the Process Industries, 19, 724–728] with the selected PROBIT equations. This methodology allows the determination of damage to buildings as a function of distance to the accident's origin in one step, using TNT equivalent mass as input parameter and completing the consequence analysis, since the application to determine damage to humans outdoors was shown in a previous paper [Diaz Alonso, F., Gonzalez Ferradas, E., Sanchez Perez, J. F., Miñana Aznar, A., Ruiz Gimeno, J., & Martinez Alonso, J. (2007). Consequence analysis by means of characteristic curves to determine the damage to humans from the detonation of explosive substances as a function of TNT equivalence. Journal of Loss Prevention in the Process Industries, 20, 187–193].