- Author
- Shope, R. L. | Keenan, W. A.
- Title
- Safety Window Shield to Protect Against External Explosions. Final Report. October 1989-September 1990.
- Coporate
- Naval Civil Engineering Laboratory, Port Hueneme, CA
- Sponsor
- Naval Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Center, Indian Head, MD
- Report
- TN-1834; Final Report, July 1991, 41 p.
- Distribution
- Available from Defense Technical Information Center
- Keywords
- windows | explosions | blast effects | debris | polycarbonates | glazing materials
- Identifiers
- safety window shield; fragments; energy absorption
- Abstract
- This paper describes the conceptual design, predicted preformance, and development plan for a new low-cost design concept being developed by the Naval Civil Engineering Laboratory for safety windows in both new and existing buildings. The concept protects the building interior against effects from accidental explosions outside the building, including blast overpressures, fragments, and debris. The shield transfers the applied window loads to the wall-ceiling and wall-floor joints where the building is inherently strong. This vastly reduces collateral building damage and the probability of structural collapse from an explosion. The design concept is a polycarbonate sheild mounted in a steel frame suspended immediately behind the window opening from steel cables connected to the ceiling and floow. Energy absorbers and lead mass concealed inside the frame control dynamic response of the shield to an explosion. The cables restrain the shield to protect the building interior during the critical time when blast overpressures, casing fragments, glass shards, and debris act on the window.