@article {doi:10.1177/20414196231183006,
	title = {Development of a high-performance blast energy-absorbing system for building structures},
	journal = {International Journal of Protective Structures},
	year = {Submitted},
	note = {n/a},
	pages = {20414196231183006},
	abstract = {<p>Shock absorbers have been widely used in the automotive and aeronautical industries for many years. Inspired on these devices, the paper presents an analytical and numerical assessment of a high performance protective system for building structures against blast loads, which is composed of a shielding element connected to the main structure, at the floor levels, through ductile Energy Absorbing Connectors (EACs). The EACs exploit the external tube inversion mechanism to absorb a significant part of the imparted kinetic energy from the blast wave. While the system prototype has been developed in laboratory, it was characterized and tested in a full-scale blast testing campaign. A validated finite element model was used next to analyze its performance in a more demanding design scenario. The introduction of EACs notably reduces the peak horizontal loads and the kinetic energy transferred to the protected structure, being expected a significant reduction of the stresses in the supporting vertical elements, in addition to the protection of structural and non-structural members. These results encourage further studies of the presented protective system that can be potentially employed for a large variety of blast threat scenarios, especially when increasing the stand-off is not a possible/viable option and sensitive facilities have to be protected.</p>
},
	doi = {10.1177/20414196231183006},
	url = {https://doi.org/10.1177/20414196231183006},
	author = {Gabriel de Jesus Gomes and Valter Jos{\'e} da Guia L{\'u}cio and Corneliu Cismasiu}
}
