Conference Papers
Masonry buildings are often prevalent in potential accidental blast environments, but they commonly exhibit poor blast capacity. Of increasing interest is one method of strengthening the blast capacity of masonry walls by applying one or more layers of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites to the inner and/or outer surface of the wall. This upgrade technique can significantly improve the blast response of such a wall, but it also poses new design and analysis challenges to the structural blast engineer. This paper will examine some analysis techniques that have been successfully utilized to predict the dynamic response of FRP-upgraded masonry walls, including both single degree of freedom (SDOF) and finite element analysis (FEA) methods. Comparisons of analytical predictions to blast test results available from previously completed programs will also be shown. As a result of this effort, some of the common potential challenges of using this type of upgrade will be discussed.
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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