Recommendations for a New Generation of Standards for Testing Numerical Assessment of Blast-Loaded Glass Windows

The determination of the blast protection level of civil engineering buildings components against explosive effects represents a design topic of crucial importance, in current practice. However, some key aspects of blast resistant structures design have been only marginally considered in the last decade, and currently still require appropriate regulations. This is especially true in the case of glass windows and facades, where the intrinsic material brittleness is the major influencing parameter for blast-resistant assemblies. While blast assessment of buildings and systems is usually achieved by means of experimental investigations, as well as Finite-Element numerical simulations, general regulations and guidelines are currently missing. In this regard, the European Reference Network for Critical Infrastructure Protection - Task Group (ERNCIP-TG) “Resistance of Structures to Explosion Effects” attempts to develop guidelines and recommendations aimed to harmonise test procedures in experimental testing of glass windows under blast, as well as standardized approaches for their vulnerability assessment via Finite Element numerical modelling. In this paper, major ERNCIP-TG outcomes and next challenges are briefly summarized.