ABSTRACT
Protection of civilian structures against blast loads is attracting increasingly more public attention over the past several decades. The need of useful and effective guidance for this topic boosts many researches around the world (e.g., US_ Department_of_Defense 2005, US_Department_ of_Defense 2008, Li and Hao 2014a). Due to the uncertainty of the blast loading scenario and the high cost of increased level of damage protection, structural protection against blast loads lacks an absolute or clear concept. For existing structures, indirect methods such as perimeter protection (traffic control and anti-vehicle barriers) can effectively reduce the threat from Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED). However, in the meantime, an adequate evaluation of the structural vulnerability is still necessary and should be carefully carried out. Analysis and design of structures against blast loads had been extensively studied in previous researches (e.g., Li and Hao 2012, Li and Hao 2013).
