Consequence analysis to determine damage to buildings from vapour cloud explosions using characteristic curves

The objective of this paper is to propose a methodology to estimate the consequences to buildings from the pressure wave caused by unconfined vapour cloud explosions (VCEs). This methodology is based on the use of characteristic overpressure–impulse–distance curves, shown in a previous paper [F. Diaz Alonso, E. Gonzalez Ferradas, J.F. Sanchez Perez, A. Miñana Aznar, J. Ruiz Gimeno, J. Martinez Alonso, Characteristic overpressure–impulse–distance curves for vapour cloud, explosions using the TNO Multi-Energy model, J. Hazard. Mater. A137 (2006) 734–741]. They allow the overpressure and impulse at each distance from the explosion to be determined. Since they can be combined with damage criteria (such as those shown by the PROBIT equations), they can be used to perform consequence analysis as the damage is shown in the same diagram as the overpressure, impulse and distance. Since damages suffered by buildings usually affect people inside, it is important to take them into account when performing consequence analysis. This is done in this paper, where diagrams and equations are presented to determine minor damage to buildings (broken windows, displacement of doors and window frames, tile displacement, etc.), major structural damage (cracks in walls, collapse of some walls) and collapse (the damage is so extensive that the building is partially or totally demolished). This paper completes the consequence analysis to humans outdoors shown by F.D. Alonso et al. [F. Diaz Alonso, E. Gonzalez Ferradas, T. Jimenez Sanchez, A. Miñana Aznar, J. Ruiz Gimeno, J. Martinez Alonso, Consequence analysis to determine the damage to humans from vapour cloud explosions using characteristic curves, J. Hazard. Mater., in press].