Design and analysis of stainless steel profiled blast barriers

Abstract

Profiled panels have been increasingly used as blastwalls in typical offshore topsides modules to provide a safety barrier for working personnel and critical equipment. Most of the blastwalls are designed using the single degree of freedom method (SDOF) as recommended in the design guidance Technical Note 5 (TN5) issued by the Fire and Blast Information Group (FABIG) and the Steel Construction Institute (SCI). By using nonlinear finite element analysis (NLFEA) to assess the response of blast barriers subjected to hydrocarbon explosions, the adequacy of the design guide has been reviewed and recommendations given. Three profiled sections with different compactness are investigated. Effects of cross-section flattening, local transverse effects, support rotation and the effects of cross-section compactness on the overall behaviour of the blast barriers are discussed. Most importantly, the work presented here will pave the way towards a more rational performance based blast resistant design since the present criteria as set out in the design guide have shown to be limited only to elastic design. © 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.