Blast Simulation

Abstract

The events of 9/11 continue to have a lasting effect on the US and the world. Everyone on the planet has been affected in some way or another. The implications of the vulnerability of the nation’s infrastructure to terrorist attack are a concern that should be shared by all engineers. If bridges and other structures may be subjected to severe loads from explosions or other sources, then it is the engineer’s responsibility to prepare for them. However, before design codes can be better developed or adequate protections can be created it is necessary to gain a better understanding of the complex interactions between structures and explosions. Yet methods for explosive testing are limited due to cost and permissions for experimental results. Therefore, with modern advances in computing technology called hydrocodes may be a better option. This paper will evaluate TM5-855-1 based software CONWEP and a hydrocode program called AUTODYN for the use of blast simulation on structures, with a focus on hydrocodes as a technology and user interactions with the program. It will also provide the reader with a brief overview of blasts or explosions in order to provide some background on the subject as well as a basis for the comparison of test results.