The determination of the blast protection level of laminated glass windows and facades is of crucial importance, and it is normally done by using experimental investigations. In recent years numerical methods have become much more powerful also with respect to this kind of application. This paper attempts to give a first idea of a possible standardization concerning such numerical simulations. Attention is drawn to the representation of the blast loading and to the proper description of the behaviour of the material of the mentioned products, to the geometrical meshing, and to the modelling of the connections of the glass components to the main structure. The need to validate the numerical models against reliable experimental data, some of which are indicated, is underlined.

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IRIS_2010 benchmark was an exercise in OECD/NEA/CSNI framework. This exercise concentrated on improving robustness assessment methodologies for structures impacted by missiles. This article describes experimental tests included in the exercise. These tests consisted of two tests for bending, three for punching and one for combined punching and bending behaviour of reinforced concrete walls under impact loading. The test for combined behaviour was carried out in Meppen, Germany in the 1980’s, while all the other tests were carried out by VTT Technical research centre of Finland during the spring of 2010. In the bending behaviour tests, 0.15 m thick simply supported square concrete walls with span width of 2 m were impacted with soft missiles weighing ∼50 kg and having velocity of ∼110 m/s at the impact moment. The impacts resulted maximum displacements of 29-32 mm at the centre of the wall with the permanent values being 8-9 mm. In the punching behaviour tests, similar walls but with thickness of 0.25 m were impacted with hard missiles weighing ∼47.5 kg and having velocity of ∼135 m/s at the impact moment. The impacts resulted perforation of the wall by the missile with residual velocity of the missile being 34-46 m/s. In addition, the walls suffered severe scabbing on the backside with the scabbed area being 1.00-1.12 m2.

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The determination of the blast protection level of civil engineering buildings components against explosive effects represents a design topic of crucial importance, in current practice. However, some key aspects of blast resistant structures design have been only marginally considered in the last decade, and currently still require appropriate regulations. This is especially true in the case of glass windows and facades, where the intrinsic material brittleness is the major influencing parameter for blast-resistant assemblies. While blast assessment of buildings and systems is usually achieved by means of experimental investigations, as well as Finite-Element numerical simulations, general regulations and guidelines are currently missing. In this regard, the European Reference Network for Critical Infrastructure Protection - Task Group (ERNCIP-TG) “Resistance of Structures to Explosion Effects” attempts to develop guidelines and recommendations aimed to harmonise test procedures in experimental testing of glass windows under blast, as well as standardized approaches for their vulnerability assessment via Finite Element numerical modelling. In this paper, major ERNCIP-TG outcomes and next challenges are briefly summarized.