A blast wall is a barrier designed to protect vulnerable buildings or other structures and the people inside them from the effects of a nearby
explosion, whether caused by
industrial accident
A work accident, workplace accident, occupational accident, or accident at work is a "discrete occurrence in the course of work" leading to physical or mental occupational injury. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), more tha ...
, military action or
terrorism
Terrorism, in its broadest sense, is the use of criminal violence to provoke a state of terror or fear, mostly with the intention to achieve political or religious aims. The term is used in this regard primarily to refer to intentional violen ...
.
Effectiveness
Research by
Cranfield University Defence Academy
A military academy or service academy is an educational institution which prepares candidates for service in the officer corps. It normally provides education in a military environment, the exact definition depending on the country concerned. ...
, building on earlier work, has shown that blast walls have the following properties:
* A non-deforming upright wall will significantly reduce the peak blast
overpressure and impulse in an area between 4 and 6 wall heights behind it
* Similar protection occurs at greater distances behind the wall, but to a diminishing extent
* Blast walls perform best if the explosion is relatively close to the front of the wall
* "Canopied" walls (with a top section overhanging the front face) show some improved blast protection over plane walls
* A 90-degree canopy is more effective than a 45-degree one
* Walls containing sand or water work well, and cause little damage if they fail
* A wall has to stay intact long enough to "interact" with the blast in order to have any effect
Types
Permanent blast walls can be made from pre-cast
reinforced concrete, or steel sheeting.
Various types of moveable blast wall have been manufactured. These include the
Bremer wall concrete barriers used in
Iraq
Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to the north, Iran to the east, the Persian Gulf and K ...
and
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
by
US Armed Forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. The armed forces consists of six service branches: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. The president of the United States is the ...
, and the
HESCO bastion
The Concertainer, known colloquially as the HESCO MIL, Hesco barrier, or Hesco bastion, is a modern gabion primarily used for flood control and military fortifications. It is made of a collapsible wire mesh container and heavy duty fabric liner, ...
s, wire mesh containers filled with sand or soil, which are used by
British Armed Forces.
See also
*
Blast shelter
A blast shelter is a place where people can go to protect themselves from blasts and explosions, like those from bombs, or in hazardous worksites, such as on oil and gas refineries or petrochemical facilities. It differs from a fallout shelter, ...
*
Shockwave
*
Revetment (aircraft)
A revetment, in military aviation, is a parking area for one or more aircraft that is surrounded by blast walls on three sides. These walls are as much about protecting neighbouring aircraft as it is to protect the aircraft within the revetment; ...
References
External links
Fortification (architectural elements)
Explosives engineering
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