Vulnerability of Infrastructures to Explosions and subsequent Progressive Collapse

Nowadays, terroristic attacks with explosive devices are no longer restricted to regions with open conflicts. One consequence is that security issues have become more and more important especially in cities. Therefore, urban planners have to think about security and consider this issue during their work. This was the starting point for the research project VITRUV. Within this project one important task is to analyse the structural safety of typical urban infrastructures during and directly after an explosion. The progress from the structural engineer´s point of view is that not only the direct effects due to an explosion will be calculated but also the consequences of a possible progressive collapse initiated by the explosion. The findings of the research work are twofold.

Firstly, urban planners will be qualified to design safer urban areas. Secondly, structural engineers will improve their knowledge regarding actions due to explosions and subsequent progressive collapse.