Calculation of blast loads for application to structural components

This technical report describes a procedure that can be followed for the calculation of the loads to be applied to a structure as a consequence of a blast. The report considers explosions taking place outside a building, which are not addressed directly at the relevant European Standards (Eurocode EN1991-1-7) dealing with accidental loading scenarios. The aim is the production of a simple, self-contained guide enabling the structural engineer to conduct a preliminary design of buildings for possible terrorist attacks. Aspects of the theory of blast waves have been included at an introductory level. The approach of the empirical methods for the prediction of blast loads has been chosen, which is more straightforward and has resulted from extensive experimental testing. For the determination of the main blast parameters, several graphs and diagrams have been included, which have been collected and properly adapted from several authoritative sources. This should make the load calculation procedure easier to grasp and less demanding in terms of mathematical complexity and computational capacity. Selected case studies are also presented in order to demonstrate through simplified examples the steps that must be followed for the calculation of blast pressures on the surfaces of a structure.