A structural investigation of San Agustin Church Masonry Walls under blast loading by linear static analysis finite element method

ABSTRACT: The research study investigated the structural response of San Agustin Church masonry walls under blast loading with varying charge weights at a blast distance of five meters using Linear Static Analysis through Finite Element Method. The structure was exposed to unconfined surface bust with varying charge weights of 100kg, 200kg and 400kg, the Parameters for the blast load are computed through the guide of UFC 3-340-02 Structures to Resist the Effects of Accidental Explosions. Autodesk Robot Structural Analysis 2023 was utilized to create the finite element model of the church with quadrilateral surface and tetrahedron volumetric type mesh. Internal reactions generated such as shear stresses and displacements were evaluated according to NSCP 2015 allowable standards. The results showed that the distance of the structure relative to the blast loading and the charge weights directly affects the results of the calculation. The maximum stresses determined by Static Linear Analysis do not meet the guidelines established in NSCP 2015 for permissible shear stress. The walls directly facing the blast, which were also the closed relative position to experience the blast, were found to have the largest recorded model displacements. Moreover, based on the extracted results, the most critical part of the church were panels A/2-3 and 9/B-C. These panels are expected to experience moderate damage caused by the 100 kg TNT and heavy damage will be caused by the 200 kg and 400 kg TNT charge weights based on their resulting support rotation as per ASCE/SEI 59-11 guidelines.

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