A damage mitigation measure for steel structures under blast loading

The number of explosive attacks on civilian buildings has recently increased and the pattern of damage inflicted on structures when an explosion takes place remains quite difficult to predict. This paper performs a 3-dimensional dynamic response and damage analysis on steel frame structure, subjected to blast loads created by explosive devices. In this study, advantages of using polymer cables as a means of damage mitigation are investigated. Results from this study shows that synthetic fiber ropes as bracing for steel structures reduce the horizontal displacements of structure caused by air blast pressure. The contribution of fiber ropes in structural stability is also presented.