ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT: The design of a reinforced concrete wall as protection of buildings against accidental explosions in the petrochemical industry is presented in this work. Different types of accidental explosion events are considered: The liberated energy from the explosion is calculated following procedures firmly established in practice. The propagation of the blast wave and the effects of blast pressure and the impact of fragments on the buildings and on the wall are studied using a hydrocode. The numerical strategies and models used to simulate the problem with acceptable accuracy are discussed. Alternative locations and heights of the protection wall and the corresponding damage on buildings are analyzed. The results obtained show that if it is properly located and designed, a reinforced concrete wall can withstand the blast load and the impact of fragments originated from the considered accidental explosion events with minor damage and serve as a protection to surrounding buildings. In fact, it can effectively contribute to reduce the values of peak overpressure and impulse acting on buildings and, thus, the damage levels to be expected.
