Mitigation of Glass Hazards in High Threat Environment Using Cable Catch Systems

In high threat environments, it is challenging to provide blast protection for building occupants while financial resources, construction materials, and labor skills are poor or in limited supply. An important hazard to consider is the failure of window glazing, which is one of the leading causes of injuries during a blast event. One mitigation method is to apply anti-shatter film to the glass and a catch system consisting of wire rope cables spanning floor-to-ceiling directly behind the windows. This approach allows for a simple implementation with materials generally available in high threat regions with limited installation skills required. The purpose of this paper is to introduce typical failure mechanisms for this type of hazard mitigation based on experience, provide a recommended design approach, and discuss the results of an open-air blast demonstration performed on window and glass specimens backed up with a cable catch system.