Next Generation Blast Protection Technologies and Combined Blast and CBRN Protection Technologies

This proposal addresses the need for engineering simulation models, validated through innovative test methods for verification and evaluation of structural integrity following an attack with multiple hazards. The project goals, whose feasibility is to be established under Phase I and accomplished in a Phase II effort are a s follows: • Develop optimal methods for analyzing disproportionate collapse problems and to evaluate the potential for collapse and develop designs to prevent collapse. • Provide an analytic approach that is applicable to a wide variety of structures. • Develop a procedure that is appropriate for use in generating fast running models for the prediction of collapse or catastrophic failure. • Develop a new simulation model pertaining to assessing the potential of and designing away from progressive collapse of buildings. • Generate fast-running models that approximate system responses to multiple hazardous loadings (e.g., blast, impact, fire, CBRN) that include consideration of the relevant failure modes for both the structural components (e.g., beams, columns, connections) and the structural system (i.e., its potential to fail from a given set of component damages).