Performance-Based, Blast-Resistant and Seismic Design of Reinforced Concrete Buildings in Industrial and Petrochemical Facilities

Many buildings located in industrial and petrochemical facilities require protection from accidental external explosions. Due to the difference in basic characteristics of the two loading types, design of these buildings to resist external explosions or blast loading poses significant challenges when the facility is located in in a region with high seismicity. Seismic loads are cyclic, inertial loads with long durations, whereas blast loads are short duration impulse loads. Seismic loads are defined by ground acceleration response spectra while blast loads are specified by blast overpressures and durations. In blast-resistant design, building owners determine hazard return periods and acceptable performance and damage levels based on risk evaluation of personnel safety and property loss. Current seismic code provisions have been developed with the intent of achieving performance through prevention of building collapse and protection of life safety. Next-generation, performance-based seismic design will be based on performance and damage levels similar to those used in blast resistant building design. For purposes of demonstrating an optimized design process for both seismic and blast loading using performance-based design philosophy, this paper presents a blast-resistant design of a reinforced concrete building in a petrochemical facility located in a region with high seismicity. Selection of effective structural systems, performance levels, acceptable damage levels, structural modeling, structural analysis methods and ductile design and detailing of structural components are discussed in this paper.