Conference Papers
Open web steel joists (OWSJs) are widely used for carrying gravity and environmental loads on roofs and floors. However, when they are subjected to blast loads, it can be a challenge to determinate their ultimate blast capacity, due to limited availability of data on their blast performance. Current blast design criteria for OWSJs appear to be conservative by permitting rather small deformation, considering certain OWSJs appeared to have experienced significant amount of deflection without collapsing after some explosion accidents. Adding to the seemingly conservative criteria, the commonly used simplified analyses techniques tend to over-predict the deformation of OWSJs under blast loads. A blast testing and numerical study was carried out to investigate the blast response and failure modes of certain OWSJs. The results showed that these joists performed better than predicted by simplified analyses using the current response criteria, and the joists did not fail in the more brittle shear mode.
As the biofuels industry continues to expand in support of global decarbonization mandates and objectives, facility owners and developers are being challenged to balance production efficiency, operational reliability, and personnel safety.
As high hazard facilities, biofuels sites should focus on developing a fire protections strategy informed by performance-based analysis so strategies implemented meet the unique challenges found at each facility.
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