Title: Risk analysis about explosions in train carriages

Authors: M. Larcher

Addresses: Joint Research Centre, IPSC, European Laboratory for Structural Assessment, I-21027 Ispra, Italy

Abstract: Land mass transport systems have an open architecture and are therefore vulnerable to terrorist attack. The risk of injuries and fatalities in case of an explosion inside trains can be minimised by optimising these structures. Fluid-dynamic calculations are performed to investigate the risk inside a train carriage. The structural part of the train is built up from aluminium. Special failure models are used for laminated glass. Two structures of the train body are investigated. A honeycomb structure results in small displacements and limited failure. The risk inside such a train is much higher than in a train built from a frame structure, where a thin sheet of aluminium is welded on. The influence of the glazing and of internals on the risk inside a train is also discussed in the paper.

Keywords: air blast waves; laminated safety glass; fluid-structure interaction; explosions inside structures; compressed balloon method; risk of death; risk of eardrum rupture; train carriages; risk assessment; terrorist attacks; injury risks; carriage structures; aluminium; failure modelling; train body; honeycomb structures; frame structures.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMATEI.2011.039503

International Journal of Materials Engineering Innovation, 2011 Vol.2 No.2, pp.110 - 123

Published online: 26 Mar 2015 *

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