Citation

Larcher M, Casadei F, Solomos G. J. Hazard. Mater. 2010; 183(1-3): 839-846.

Affiliation

Universität der Bundeswehr München, Institut für Mechanik und Statik, Werner-Heisenberg-Weg 39, D-85577 Neubiberg, Germany; Joint Research Centre, IPSC, European Laboratory for Structural Assessment, I-21027 Ispra, Italy.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jhazmat.2010.07.103

PMID

20728991

Abstract

In case of a terrorist bomb attack the influence and efficiency of venting areas in tubular structures like train carriages is of interest. The pressure-time function of an air blast wave resulting from a solid charge is first compared to that of a gas or dust explosion and the capability of a venting structure to fly away is assessed. Several calculations using fluid-structure interaction are performed, which show that after a certain distance from the explosion, the air blast wave inside a tubular structure becomes one-dimensional, and that the influence of venting areas parallel to the wave propagation direction is small. The pressure peak and the impulse at certain points in a tubular structure are compared for several opening sizes. The overall influence of realistic size venting devices remains moderate and their usefulness in mitigating internal explosion effects in trains is discussed.

Language: en