Blast consideration for safer building design in gas processing facilities

Human fatality and injury in process facilities due to explosion overpressures can be categorized as (a) direct injury to body due to blast overpressure, (b) secondary injury resulting from fragment or debris impact, and (c) tertiary injury as a result of body being thrown by explosion drag on stationary objects. Secondary and tertiary effects are typically the dominant causes of human fatalities in the process facilities. Direct injuries may result from change in internal pressure as a result of wall/roof response or penetration of blast overpressure into the building. This paper presents an improved blast design considerations for understanding the impact of blast loads on occupied buildings and a more comprehensive understanding of the vulnerability to occupants within these types of buildings when subject to blast loading. Additionally, the study aims to provide recommendations for new building designs accounting for the effects of explosions to minimize occupant vulnerability. Of interest for existing occupied buildings in the midstream industry under uncommon accidental explosion is to establish a guideline for strengthening and retrofitting existing buildings without incurring costly building relocation or new building design. The primary objective of this paper is to improve the understanding of the impacts of blast loads on occupied buildings located in process facilities. The outcome of this study includes recommendations for blast design related to occupant vulnerability in buildings as well as retrofit guidelines for critical structural and non-structural components.