Henry L. Pierce Laboratory Seminar Series

The frequency of terrorist bomb attacks on civil engineering infrastructure has increased during the last two decades. At no time in our history has the need been greater to protect these vital assets against maliciously intended acts of terror. Government facilities, residential and office buildings, as well as transportation facilities and other critical infrastructures are vulnerable to blast-induced impulsive forces, raising concerns over safety and security of their occupants.
A Blast Research Laboratory has been established at the University of Ottawa, equipped with a blast simulator in the form of a Shock Tube, suitable for large scale testing of structural and non-structural infrastructure components. Experimental and analytical research is being conducted in this unique Canadian facility. The performance of building components; such as reinforced concrete columns, walls and slabs, as well as masonry walls; building envelop elements, such as blast-resistant windows and doors are investigated with the objective of developing blast-resistant design procedures for both new construction, and retrofitting existing substandard infrastructure components. Professor Saatcioglu will provide highlights of his research in the area, while also introducing design concepts that are outlined in the Canadian Standard CSA S850 on Design and Assessment of Buildings Subjected to Blast Loads.