The quantity and movement of Dangerous Goods (DG) depend on the economy of a country and its trading partners. One would expect that the better theeconomy the higher the volume of DG transported among other goods. In a developed country like Canada with its strong economy, large amounts of DG can be found on the various components of the transportation infrastructure. Ground transport moves approximately 21 to 31 percent of the total tonnage of DG in Canada. Accidents involving DG can occur at any time, at any location along transport routes or within storage areas, and they would not only affect people and the environment but would also have a great impact on the national economy. This paper presents the details of an experimental investigation studying the blast attenuation concept of four suppressive shield panels (SSP). The SSP technology can be used for storage, processing and transport of explosive materials and can also be applied to protecting attractive targets that is deemed vulnerable to explosive attacks. Various configurations of commercially-available steel angles were assembled as SSPs and were evaluated for their capability to attenuate blast pressure from detonating Pentolite charges. Results obtained from the experimental tests indicate blast pressure attenuation between 43 to 60 percent. This research can be extended to include the design and construction of SSPs for transportation of DG by sea as well by effectively strengthening thecommonly-used transport containers.
Abstract