What to Know about Southern Comfort Shelters’ Blast Resistant Tent

BakerRisk Webinar:

“What to Know about Southern Comfort Shelters’ Blast Resistant Tent”

June 2, 2022 @ 11:00 AM CT

You are tasked to acquire a worksite tent for an upcoming turnaround (a scheduled shutdown of all or part of a plant’s operations), but which tent will satisfy API 756, “Management of Hazards Associated with Location of Process Plant Tents”, to keep your workers safe from an accidental explosion? This presentation will cover some unique design features of a blast resistant tent specifically designed for blast response. The presentation will also showcase some modeling and testing performed to validate the tents’ blast performance to satisfy API 756.

What is covered in this webinar:

  • Features of the tent design that are new or unique
    • base anchorage 
    • quick-release fabric wall panels 
    • lightweight framing 
  • Finite element modeling of the design
  • Testing performed to validate performance
    • Component level in the shock tube
    • Full-scale vented deflagration loading
  • Limitations of the use of a blast resistant tent
    • Flammable/thermal protection
    • Toxic protection
    • Use case for permanent vs. temporary installation

About the presenters:

Matt Edel

Matthew Edel

• 25 years of experience in blast resistant design of structures to resist blast loads and other effects from accidental industrial explosions.


• Co-chair for the ASCE Task Committee on Blast-Resistant Design, which is in the process of releasing a new edition of the manual called “Design of Blast-Resistant Buildings in Petrochemical Facilities.”


• Participant on the ASME committees responsible for publishing the PCC-2 Repair of Pressure Equipment and Piping and PCC-3 Risk-Based Inspection Standards.

Rob Dixon

Operations Manager for Southern Comfort Shelters, manufacturer of the tent that will be discussed.

BakerRisk was selected to lead the full-scale testing program to help develop requirements for placement of process plant tent structures under API RP 756. Click to learn about our Facility Siting Study services.

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