Blast Resistant Shelter

Abstract

A blast resistant shelter apparatus includes a framework having at least an upper metal rail. A plurality of metal panels each have a C-shaped cross-section defined by a central flat web and two channel arms on the opposite sides of the central flat web. The metal panels are vertically mounted within the framework in a side by side relationship to define a wall. Each panel includes an upper and a lower end plate. A metal interior wall cladding is connected to the panels and spans the channel arms of each panel to close the cross-sections of the panels to define an interior space of each panel. The upper metal rail and the upper end plate of each panel have aligned fill openings defined therethrough for introducing a particulate material such as sand into the interior space of the associated panel.

1 . A blast resistant shelter apparatus, comprising:
 a framework, including at least an upper metal rail;   a plurality of metal panels, each panel having a C-shape cross-section defined by a central flat web and two channel arms on opposite sides of the central flat web, the metal panels being vertically mounted within the framework in side by side relationship to define a wall, each panel including an upper end plate;   a metal interior wall cladding connected to the panels and spanning the channel arms of each panel to close the cross-sections of the panels to define an interior space of each panel; and   wherein the upper metal rail and the upper end plate of each panel have aligned fill openings defined therethrough for introducing a particulate material into the interior space of the associated panel.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a metal exterior blast shield attached to the central flat webs of the panels of the wall.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the adjacent channel arms of adjacent panels are attached to each other with screws.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the upper end plate of each panel is attached to the upper metal rail of the framework with a viscoelastic adhesive and screws.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 each panel includes a lower end plate and the lower end plate of each panel has a drain opening defined therein for draining the particulate material from the interior space of the associated panel.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the framework includes a lower metal rail, the lower metal rail having a plurality of openings defined therein aligned with the drain openings of the panels, for draining the particulate material.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the panels have a stiffness and the interior space of each panel has a volume such that if the interior space were filled with particulate material having a density of approximately 109 pounds per cubic foot, a mass to stiffness ratio of the panels would be in the range of from about 0.03 lb-sec 2 /psi to about 0.05 lb-sec 2 /psi. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 each panel includes two channel fingers extending toward each other from the two channel arms; and   the interior wall cladding is attached to the channel fingers of each panel.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the framework defines a six-sided structure having four walls, each of the four walls including a plurality of said metal panels;   the framework includes the metal upper rail and a metal lower rail for each of the four walls;   each panel includes a lower end plate; and   the lower end plates of each panel of the four walls and the lower metal rail of each wall have aligned drain openings defined therethrough to allow particulate material to drain from the interior spaces of the panels when the structure is lifted off a ground surface to thereby reduce a weight of the structure for transport and re-location of the structure.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein each of the panels of each wall is attached to the associated upper and lower metal rails of the framework by a visco-elastic adhesive and screws and to at least one adjacent panel by screws. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , in combination with at least one additional such six-sided structure to define a multi-room building; and
 a tent enclosure arranged over the structures to define an attic space for locating utilities extending to the building.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , located within a building interior and connected to at least one laterally extending support wall of the structure and having the interior space of the panels filled with particulate material to at least partially define a protected space within the building. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the upper rail of the framework is attached to a structural ceiling diaphragm. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , hung on an exterior of a building and having the interior space of the panels filled with particulate material to define a blast resistant curtain for the building. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a particulate material received in the interior space of each panel of the wall, the particulate material having a density in the range of from about 90 pounds per cubic foot to about 115 pounds per cubic foot. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the particulate material comprises sand. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the particulate material comprises a low ratio cement to sand mixture having a cement to sand ratio in a range of from about 5% to about 15%. 
     
     
         18 . A blast resistant shelter apparatus, comprising:
 a framework including at least an upper rail;   a plurality of panels, each panel having an enclosed interior space, the panels being vertically mounted within the framework in a side by side relationship and attached to each other and the upper rail to define a wall; and   a particulate material received in the interior space of each panel of the wall, the wall having a mass to stiffness ratio in a range of from about 0.03 lb-sec 2 /psi to about 0.05 lb-sec 2 /psi.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the panels are attached to adjacent panels with screws and to the upper rail by adhesive and screws. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the panels and the upper rail are constructed of steel. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the particulate material comprises primarily sand. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the particulate material has a density in a range of from about 90 to about 115 pounds per cubic foot. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the particulate material comprises a low ratio cement to sand mixture having a cement to sand ratio in a range of from about 5% to about 15%. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the framework and an upper end of each panel have aligned fill openings therein, for filling the panels with the particulate material; and   the framework and a lower end of each panel have aligned drain openings therein for draining the particulate material from the wall.   
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the framework defines a six-sided structure having four such walls. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , in combination with at least one additional such six-sided structure to define a multi-room building; and
 a tent enclosure arranged over the structures to define an attic space for locating utilities extending to the building.   
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , erected within a building interior and connected to at least one laterally extending support wall of the structure and connected to a structural ceiling member of the structure to at least partially define a protected space within the building. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , mounted on an exterior of a building to define a blast resistant curtain for the building. 
     
     
         29 . A blast resistant shelter apparatus, comprising:
 a plurality of six-sided room structures arranged in a pattern to define a multi-room building;   each of the room structures having four room walls;   each of the room walls including a plurality of panels vertically mounted in a side by side relationship to define the respective room wall, each panel having an enclosed interior space;   a particulate material received in the interior spaces of the panels of at least some of the room walls to make those particulate filled room walls blast resistant; and   a tent enclosure arranged over the free-standing structure to define an attic space of the building.   
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein:
 within the pattern some of the room walls of adjacent room structures face each other to define interior room walls of the building, and the remaining room walls define exterior room walls of the building; and   substantially all of the exterior room walls of the building are filled with the particulate material to comprise said blast resistant room walls.   
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein:
 each of the panels is made of steel sheet and has a C-shape cross-section defined by a central flat web and two channel arms on opposite sides of the central flat web, with a steel sheet cladding spanning the channel arms to close the cross-section to define the interior space of the panel.   
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , further comprising:
 an exterior sheet steel blast shield attached to the central flat webs of the panels of at least some of the room walls.   
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein:
 the panels of the particulate filled room walls each have an upper end having a fill opening defined therein for introducing the particulate material into the interior space of the panel, and a lower end having a drain opening therein for draining the particulate material from the panel.   
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , further comprising building utilities located in the attic space. 
     
     
         35 . A blast resistant shelter apparatus, comprising:
 a building having a plurality of structural exterior walls;   a blast resistant interior wall located within the building and spaced inwardly from the exterior walls, the interior wall having a hollow wall space and having a majority of the hollow wall space filled with a particulate material having a density of at least 90 pounds per cubic foot; and   at least one laterally extending interior support wall connected to the blast resistant interior wall.   
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  claim 35 , further comprising:
 a structural ceiling attached to the blast resistant interior wall.   
     
     
         37 . The apparatus of  claim 35 , further comprising:
 a plurality of additional blast resistant interior walls arranged with the first blast resistant wall to define a blast resistant area within the building.   
     
     
         38 . The apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein:
 the building comprises at least a first floor and a second floor located above the first floor; and   a plurality of said blast resistant interior walls are located on each of said first and second floors to define a blast resistant zone on each floor.   
     
     
         39 . A blast resistant shelter apparatus, comprising:
 a building having a foundation and a structural framework extending upward from the foundation; and   a blast resistant perimeter curtain supported from the framework and at least partially defining a perimeter wall of the building, the curtain being of modular construction and including a plurality of side-by-side vertically oriented metal panels, each panel having a hollow interior panel space having a width and a height greater than said width, at least a majority of which space is filled with a particulate material.   
     
     
         40 . The apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein adjacent panels are attached to each other with an adhesive. 
     
     
         41 . The apparatus of  claim 39 , further comprising:
 a steel sheet exterior blast shield attached to said panels.   
     
     
         42 . The apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein:
 the framework defines at least a first floor and a second floor located above the first floor; and   the blast resistant perimeter curtain spans the perimeter wall of at least the first and second floors.