Evaluation of Polyurea Retrofitted Light-Frame Wood Stud Walls Subjected to Blast Loa

This study aims to investigate the behavior of retrofitted and as-built typical residential wood stud walls subjected to blast loading. A computational model using the finite element method to perform a non-linear dynamic analysis is proposed to examine the dynamic response of wood stud walls to impulsive/impact loads. The non-linear finite element modeling and analysis will be implemented using ANSYS and LS-DYNA respectively. LS-DYNA uses explicit time integration algorithm during post-processing to compute results therefore utilizing memory and disk space, which makes it an excellent choice, compared to other finite element programs. Different charge weights of equivalent weight of TNT at various standoff distances will be considered. The study also aims to examine critically the effect of a spray-cast layer of polyurea on different locations along the stud and OSB (Oriented strand board) to obtain optimal blast mitigation. Timber may not be the preferred choice of material to design blast resistant structures due to their poor resistant to impact loading; however, wood structures may be located near a military or petrochemical facility. The following proposal aims to enhance the energy absorption capability of wood stud walls to high impact/impulsive loads by retrofitting with polyurea. From the numerical study conducted, retrofitting the wood wall along the OSB produced the optimum performance of the structure in terms of the peak dynamic displacement.