Structural collapse due to blast loading

BIBIANA LUCCIONI; DANIEL AMBROSINI

Los Angeles, CA, USA

Congreso; 7th World Congress on Computational Mechanics; 2006

With the 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 availability of these methods. On the other hand, new developments in integrated computer hydrocodes, 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. This paper is related to the effect of blast loads on 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, which has suffered a terrorist attack that produced the demolition of part of it in 1994. 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 paper includes comparisons with photographs of the real damage produced by the explosive charge that validates all the simulation procedure.