Study of blast mitigation using brittle mineral foam-based sacrificial cladding

The increasing frequency of terrorist attacks and accidental explosions has made it essential to
adopt advanced blast-resistant techniques to safeguard infrastructure. This research investigates
the use of calcium-silicate based-mineral foam as a crushable core in a sacrificial cladding to
mitigate the effects of blast loads. Sacrificial cladding, which is attached to the exterior of
structures, offers a promising solution for enhancing blast resistance. In this study, the primary
structure under examination is a container, which is widely used in military operations.
To effectively study and implement the proposed solution on a container, the research is struc-
tured into four main parts. First, the compressive behavior of the calcium-silicate based-mineral
foam is studied under quasi-static and dynamic loading conditions, providing data for calibrating
the numerical constitutive model of the foam. The results show that foam thickness, core
geometry and confinement influence the material’s energy absorption capacity, with confined
specimens exhibiting superior performance in plateau stress and energy dissipation.
The second part focuses on small-scale tests using a thin flexible aluminum plate as the target
structure. Optimization of foam thickness and core geometry results in a reduction of up to 70%
in out-of-plane displacement (OPD), demonstrating the effectiveness of the foam in dissipating
blast energy. The third part extends these findings to laboratory-scale experiments on corrugated
steel panels that simulate the walls of standard containers. These tests confirm the ability of the
mineral foam-based sacrificial cladding to reduce OPD and mitigate structural deformation,
replicating the performance observed in small-scale tests.
Finally, the fourth part involves real-scale tests on a 20-ft ISO container. The sacrificial cladding,
using the calcium-silicate based-mineral foam, achieves a 60% reduction in OPD, demonstrating
its effectiveness in large-scale blast protection applications. The numerical models used in the
study show good agreement with experimental results, further validating the foam’s potential for
practical implementation in military and civilian infrastructure. The foam is found to dissipate
energy through crack propagation and crushing.
This dissertation advances the understanding of sacrificial cladding systems incorporating calcium-
silicate based-mineral foam, offering a novel approach to blast mitigation. The findings not only
underscore the material’s effectiveness in absorbing and dissipating blast energy but also provide
a solid foundation for future research and development. This work contributes to the design of
safer, more resilient structures in diverse high-risk environments.