Layout considerations on compound survival shelters for blast mitigation: A finite-element approach

The safety of both military personnel and equipment in unstable regions has for a long time been a major issue and concern. Protective shelters with multiple configurations have been widely used to meet safety requirements. Since military compounds are subjected to different types of threats, such as the detonation of improvised explosive devices (IED), a good understanding of the response of such shielding structures to blast waves is critical. A three-dimensional finite element (FE) model of a corner-entry ISO 20 ft container HESCO-Bastion survival shelter is developed, validated and tested under the external detonation of explosive charges. The FE model is validated against experimental data and used to investigate the protective performance of the shelter by considering several design-related parameters, such as charge location, roof extension, interior corridor dimensions and the effect of venting and its location. Results are discussed in terms of peak overpressure and maximum impulse at discrete locations around the container, and it is found that the shelter is the least efficient in mitigating the blast load propagation when the explosive material is at an angle of 45° to the entrance. Also, while the protective roof at the entrance plays a significant role in protecting the container from air-borne threats, it is observed that it contributes to higher pressure and impulse data within the shelter, for detonations at ground level, with impulse amplifications as high as 94% when fully covering the entrance area. Contrarily, varying the distance between the container and the HESCO-Bastions is found to have minimal impact on the impulse, while naturally decreasing the peak pressure for increasing distances. Venting (through openings) can lead to up to 95% reduction in the peak pressure, whilst not affecting the impulse.