Blast Demolition Planning Tool using Key Element Index

Abstract


The main objective of this study is to develop a demolition planning tool for buildings based on a parameter called the key element index, which indicates the contribution of a structural column to the vertical capacity of the structure. Two ways of selecting specific columns to demolish the whole structure are demonstrated: selecting the columns from the largest index value and from the smallest index value. The demolition results are confirmed numerically by carrying out collapse analyses using the adaptively shifted integration (ASI)-Gauss technique, and the tendencies of the demolition modes to follow the key element index values are estimated. The numerical results suggest that for a successful demolition, a group of columns with the largest key element index values should be selected when explosives are ignited in a simultaneous blast, whereas those with the smallest values should be selected when explosives are ignited sequentially, with a final blast set on a column with a large index value.


*This paper received a Highly Commendable Paper Award in SILOS2011.


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