Nonstructural Considerations in Design of Blast-Resistant Buildings

Abstract

Blast-resistant control centers are essential to the safe operation of an industrial plant. More importantly, they are essential for the safe shutdown of a plant after an emergency. Structural design of these facilities can be rendered ineffective if the proper precautions are not taken to insure that such buildings operate as a blast-resistant system, rather than a blast-resistant structure. Architectural, mechanical, plumbing, and electrical details and systems need to be integrated into the design in order to ensure that a blast-resistant building behaves as a blast-resistant system. This paper outlines methods of classifying explosion hazards based on plant content, and lists some of the essential parameters that must be considered.