Explosion and Thermal Hazards
We perform computational fire modeling to assess thermal hazards to personnel and facilities that are exposed to energetic events involving propellants (liquid and solid), flammable gases and flammable
Explore our Explosion Testing capabilities and Explosives Safety and Quantity Distance Siting services
Solutions that Prepare You for Explosive Events
Hazard Assessment
The ability to realistically assess hazards from explosions and thermal energetic events is an important part of safety engineering. ABS Group uses advanced analysis and numerical modeling methods to identify and correctly quantify the consequences of energetic events to give our clients a correct understanding of the exposures to their personnel and property.
Our understanding of the consequences of such events is supported by a combination of research and development (R&D), detailed modeling, physical testing and investigations of severe incidents. Our work has been effectively demonstrated for a wide range of situations, including those faced by
- Blast Load Prediction
- Explosive Safety and Quantity Distance (ESQD) Assessments
- Critical Asset Vulnerability Modeling
- Facility Siting Structural Remediation Design
- Anti-Terrorism and Force Protection Assessments
- Threat Vulnerability and Risk Modeling
- Terrorism Risk Projections
Hazard Mitigation
Once explosion or thermal hazards have been identified, engineering solutions are needed to reduce risk to personnel and assets. Our engineering team has designed and implemented innovative solutions to problem-solve for our clients, including but not limited to, protective construction, shielding and hazard mitigation at the source. We develop concepts and carry those to final design, including
Examples include:
- Design of new control rooms and the structural upgrade of existing buildings at refineries, chemical plants and similar facilities where flammable vapor, dust or other explosion situations exist.
- Planning for barricades and shields to defeat blast, fragmentation and debris exposures at high explosives operating facilities.
- Design of test chambers to contain blast and missiles for uses such as
high pressure oil and gas component testing. - Developing blast containment chambers for
intentional detonation of high explosives. - Design of containment cells to protect personnel at facilities where explosives are handled or manufactured and a high risk of detonation is present.
- Detailed fire modeling for the oil and gas industry to assess personnel evacuation routes, placement of radiation shielding to protect personnel and specification of
fire proofing for key structural elements. - Detailed thermal modeling at enclosed facilities handling or processing propellants, hazardous
dusts or other energetic materials. - Design and specification of window glass hazard mitigations, both for new and existing glazing systems, such as at refineries, commercial properties and government buildings with explosion risks.
- Preparation of construction documents (drawings and specifications) for any of the above plus construction cost estimates.
Explosive Safety and Quantity-Distance Siting
Our staff evaluates explosives operations for compliance with the US Department of Defense (DoD) explosive safety standards and industry best practices. We quantify and develop measures to manage risks associated with ammunition and explosives by providing protection criteria and design solutions to minimize serious injury, loss of life, damage to property and loss of mission. ABS Group engineers are well versed in the methods prescribed by the DoD for Explosive Safety Quantity-Distance (ESQD) requirements using DoD 6055.9 and DoD 4145.26 standards. We are also well informed on
Examples of our work include:
- Explosives operations
siting within a facility for Q-D Compliance - Both consequence based and
risk based assessment methods Explosion and thermal modeling- Primary and secondary fragment hazard assessment
- TP-13 and TP-16 analysis
- Thermal hazard assessment
- Substantial dividing wall (SDW) applications
- The Department of Defense Explosives Safety Board (DDESB) Siting Plan Submissions
Explosion Effects Testing
ABS Group provides explosion testing services to support a variety of programs for commercial and
Our capabilities include:
- Shock tube testing
- Live explosives range testing
- Small and
large scale testing - R&D
- Window/glazing performance testing (ASTM/GSA/EN)
- Blast resistant doors (PIP)
- Blast rated glazed curtain wall systems
- Prototypes of wall upgrade systems
- Blast containment chamber proof testing (MIL-STD 398)
- Blast resistant modular buildings
- Instrumentation systems including
high speed data recording systems, pressure recording, thermal recording andhigh speed video recording - Third party witness and test evaluation
Related Services
Security Vulnerability Assessments
By combining engineering and security expertise with a comprehensive understanding of both regulatory requirements and the industries we serve, our team has helped clients control security risks while at the same time reducing operations and maintenance costs. Solutions include:
- Engineering-based physical SVAs
- Mitigation measures development
- Force-on-force exercise support
- Emergency response planning
Facility Siting
Over the years, as industries needed to evaluate the potential impact of explosion, fire and toxic hazards to occupied buildings, ABS Group developed and expanded facility siting services to such a degree they’ve had an impact on industry recommended practices, even affecting EPA and OSHA regulations. Our full service solution includes, among others:
- Flammable dispersion modeling
- Explosion modeling
- Building damage assessment
- Prediction of hazards to building occupants