What is blast mitigation? It is a system or a plan that is designed to mitigate or at least reduce the effects of a blast. During a blast, high-pressure impulses and energy forces are generated that can destroy a structure or vehicle and harm human lives. And one of the major causes of blast damage is the flying debris, glass particles, and collapsing structures.
So with blast mitigation systems, the damage occurring from the blasts can be minimized to protect the assets, buildings, and people. There are a lot of products when we talk about blast mitigation, such as bullet proof windows, blast mitigation fabric, cable catch system, and even FP solutions for the walls.
Why Are Blast Mitigation Systems Important?
During a blast, all sorts of energy (sound, shockwaves, etc.) and fragments are released into the atmosphere. And once a blast has happened, there is no way to stop its effects, but with blast mitigation systems, its intensity can be reduced.
So the basic idea behind blast mitigation systems is to lower the intensity of the blasts and thus protect the buildings and people.
Commonly Used Blast Mitigation Solutions
Some of the popular blast mitigation solutions are given below:
Blast Proof Windows
The first product is the blast proof windows which are made from poly carbonate or laminated glass. These windows can be installed in a location where blast mitigation is required.
A normal glass window will shatter right away after a blast & can result in flying glass pieces. On top of that, the energy and shock waves can also enter the building and damage the assets and people. However, a blast proof window is designed specifically to absorb the impact of a blast & will not shatter upon impact!
Blast Proof Doors
The next commonly used product is the blast proof door which provides protection from blast and unauthorized access. These doors are usually made from aluminum and timber, but if required, they can be made from steel as well.
Once again, the basic idea is to protect the assets and people inside a building from the after-effects of a high-intensity blast. Due to their effectiveness, they can be installed in concrete bunkers, storage facilities, embassies, and other important buildings.
Cable Catch System
Another popular product is the cable catch system which can catch the glass plane and fragments in the case of a blast. As mentioned earlier, falling glass fragments can cause injuries to the people inside and even destroy important assets, but all of this can be avoided with a cable catch system.
The cable catch system utilizes steel cables (high strength) that are anchored to the building’s structural parts. Besides that, it is also combined with a special blast-proof film that is added to the inside of the glass.
Blast Proof Walls
To protect the walls from a blast or other high-energy impact, blast proof walls are used. Depending on the requirements, these walls can be made from reinforced concrete, steel, and fiberglass.
However, the blast proof walls are usually used in conjunction with other products such as cable catch system, blast proof doors, and FP solutions for full spectrum safety.