Rapid Assessment of the Blast Resistance of Laminated Plates for Protective Screens and Claddings
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36910/6775-2410-6208-2026-15(25)-02Keywords:
blast resistance, laminated plates, protective claddings, impulsive loading, Kirchhoff-Love theory, deflection, stresses, safety factor, areal mass.Abstract
In construction and related engineering fields, there is a growing demand for protective screens and claddings capable of performing effectively under blast loading. This paper presents a rapid assessment method for evaluating the blast resistance of protective laminated plates intended for the design of such elements. The method targets the preliminary concept-selection stage, where alternative layups must be compared quickly under constraints on areal mass and overall dimensions, and an initial design decision must be substantiated. The computational model is formulated within the linear Kirchhoff-Love plate theory, while the blast action is represented by an equivalent short-duration impulsive load whose generalized descriptor is an integral impulse measure. Preliminary structural performance is assessed using two indicators. The maximum deflection characterizes global compliance and is directly linked to functional requirements, in particular the allowable clearance to the protected object. The minimum safety factor with respect to allowable stresses identifies the critical layer and defines the direction for layup refinement. The method is presented as a step-by-step computational algorithm that enables variation of layer thicknesses, materials, and stacking sequence, producing results in an engineering-interpretable form. Key validation results are reported as a set of comparative and parametric calculations for three protective plate configurations, including a lightweight composite sandwich as an example of an alternative low–areal-mass solution class. For two widely used configurations–metal–polymer and ceramic–elastomer–relationships between “areal mass–deflection” and “areal mass–strength reserve” are obtained. It is shown that the thickness of the intermediate damping layer primarily governs deformability with a moderate mass increase, whereas increasing the face-sheet thickness rapidly enhances the strength reserve. The results confirm the suitability of rapid assessment as a tool for initial design decision-making and for preparing a justified baseline model for subsequent refinement in a finite-element framework.
Downloads
References
1. Li Y., Ren X., Zhang X., Chen Y., Zhao T., Fang D. Deformation and failure modes of aluminum foam-cored sandwich plates under air-blast loading. Composite Structures. 2021. Vol. 258. P. 113317. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compstruct.2020.113317
2. Ye N., Sun Z., Guo Q., Ma C., Shi Z. Experimental Investigation Concerning the Influence of Face Sheet Thickness on the Blast Resistance of Aluminum Foam Sandwich Structures Subjected to Localized Impulsive Loading. Metals. 2025. Vol. 15. P. 1122. https://doi.org/10.3390/met15101122
3. Tarlochan F. Sandwich Structures for Energy Absorption Applications: A Review. Materials. 2021. Vol. 14, no. 16. P. 4731. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14164731
4. Jiang F. Blast response and multi-objective optimization of graded re-entrant circular auxetic cored sandwich panels. Composite Structures. 2023. Vol. 305. P. 116494. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compstruct.2022.116494
5. Optimal design of composite sandwich panel with auxetic reentrant honeycomb using asymptotic equivalent model and PSO algorithm / P. Xiao et al. Composite Structures. 2024. Vol. 328. P. 117761. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compstruct.2023.117761
6. Impulse saturation in metal plates under confined blasts / Y. Yuan et al. International Journal of Impact Engineering. 2022. P. 104308. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijimpeng.2022.104308
7. Chuanqing Chen, Yulong He, Rui Xu et al. Dynamic behaviors of sandwich panels with 3D-printed gradient auxetic cores subjected to blast load. International Journal of Impact Engineering. 2024. P. 104943. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijimpeng.2024.104943
8. Blast Resistance of Confined Multilayer Graded Corrugated-Core Sandwich Cylindrical Shells / P. Su et al. Materials. 2025. Vol. 19, no. 1. P. 101. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19010101
9. Shats’kyi І. P. Limiting Equilibrium of a Plate with Partially Healed Crack. Materials Science. 2015. Vol. 51, no. 3. P. 322–330. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11003-015-9845-5
10. Perepichka V. V., Shats'kyi I. P. Journal of Mathematical Sciences. 2002. Vol. 109, no. 1. P. 1290–1294. https://doi.org/10.1023/a:1013713215277
11. Shats'kyi I. P., Makoviichuk M. V. Contact Interaction of the Crack Edges in the Case of Bending of a Plate with Elastic Support. Materials Science. 2003. 39. P. 371–376. https://doi.org/10.1023/b:masc.0000010742.15838.44
12. Andika S. P., Widagdo D., Pratomo A. N. Design and Multi-Objective Optimization of Auxetic Sandwich Panels for Blastworthy Structures Using Machine Learning Method. Applied Sciences. 2024. Vol. 14, no. 23. P. 10831. https://doi.org/10.3390/app142310831
13. Lam L., Chen W., Hao H., Li Z. Blast mitigation performance of sacrificial cladding with shear thickening fluid-filled origami metastructure core. Engineering Structures. 2025. Vol. 344. P. 121415. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2025.121415
14. Kostopoulos V., Kalimeris G. D., Giannaros E. Blast protection of steel reinforced concrete structures using composite foam-core sacrificial cladding. Composites Science and Technology. 2022. P. 109330. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compscitech.2022.109330
15. Study on blast resistance and energy dissipation mechanism of reinforced concrete-polyurea composite slabs under long duration blast loading of thermobaric explosives / J. Liu et al. Engineering Structures. 2025. Vol. 345. P. 121440. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2025.121440
16. Rizwanullah M., Sharma H. K. Blast loading effects on UHPFRC structural elements: a review. Innovative Infrastructure Solutions. 2022. Vol. 7, no. 6. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41062-022-00937-2
17. Hongxiang Yang, Kaicong Kuang, Yaqin Lu et al. Research on the dynamic response of open-web girders in new floor structures under near-blast load based on the CEL method. Structures. 2024. Vol. 65. P. 106692. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2024.106692
18. EN 1990:2023. Eurocode – Basis of structural and geotechnical design.
19. EN 1991-1-7. Eurocode 1 – Actions on structures – Part 1-7: Accidental actions.
20. DooJin Jeon, KiTae Kim, Han S. Modified Equation of Shock Wave Parameters. Computation. 2017. Vol. 5, no. 3. 5030041. https://doi.org/10.3390/computation5030041
