Protecting Buildings against Vehicle Bomb Attacks

TLDR

Two significant terrorist vehicle bomb attacks occurred in the United States within a short period: the World Trade Center in February 1992 and the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in April 1995. The study compares the probable energy content of the two vehicle bombs based on available information. The authors describe how vehicle bombs interact with buildings, covering damage and casualty mechanisms, structural systems that can resist progressive collapse, nonstructural components that mitigate secondary damage, and perimeter protection concepts that prevent vehicle access.

Abstract

Two significant terrorist vehicle bomb attacks took place in the United States over a relatively short span of time: the World Trade Center, New York City, was attacked in February 1992 and the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, Oklahoma City, in April 1995. This paper briefly compares the two vehicle bombs in terms of their probable energy content, based on available information. Damage/casualty mechanisms that are manifested by the interaction of a vehicle bomb with a building are described. Building structural systems capable of resisting progressive collapse when subjected to vehicle bomb attacks are briefly identified. Nonstructural building components and building systems capable of interacting with a blast loading without inducing significant secondary damage and casualties are identified. Several types of building perimeter protection concepts capable of preventing access or close proximity of a vehicle bomb to the subject building are described. Related references are provided.