The Cost of Protection vs. The Cost of Regret
By Peter DiMaggio & Nick Misselbrook
November 16, 2017
Big Cities Turning to Explosion Blast Analysis to Mitigate Impact of Terrorism
Thornton Tomasetti provided blast analysis services for the World Trade Center Towers 1 (also known as the Freedom Tower) through 4 to determine their responses to extreme blasts and to design appropriate levels of structural protection.
Imagine a vehicle laden with explosives detonates near an iconic New York City building. An emergency official receives the alert almost immediately and opens up computer software to examine the explosives’ impact on all buildings in the immediate vicinity. He, or she, sees that the shock waves from the detonation — traveling faster than the speed of sound — would have channeled between tall buildings flanking the site, causing the blast waves to multiply in intensity. Worse, the blast waves will reflect off one building, in particular, causing the waves to be magnified and, in turn, trigger failure of an adjacent building. The ability to evaluate the anticipated damage pattern allows the emergency official to make fast, accurate decisions regarding recommended evacuations. As important, the software alerts first responders as to optimal routes for access to the damaged area. Sound futuristic? Well, the future is now.
https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2017/11/16/the_cost_of_protection_vs_the_cost_of_regret_112644.html
