Progressive collapse of buildings with key elements subjected to gas explosion

Abstract

▪ Gas-explosion is defined as a “fast chemical reaction of gas in air; it happens at high temperatures and high pressure and having as a result the propagation of a pressure wave”.

▪ Gas explosion loading can be described by means of a “pressure-time diagram” where the peak pressure value represents the deflagration severity. In order to estimate the peak pressure due to gas-explosion both empirical and Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) methods can be adopted. Using empirical methods the peak pressure, related to the deflagration, can be estimated by very simple and cheap calculations. While empirical relationships provide accurate results for explosion having laminar flame propagation, CFD methods, which are more detailed, can estimate peak pressure also in case of turbulent flame propagation (De Matteis et al., 2005). [extract from Description]