Energy absorbing blast wall for building structure

Abstract

A wall system protects a building structure from pressure caused by explosive blasts. The wall system includes vertical studs. Outer blast wall panels and inner blast wall panels are secured to the opposing sides of the vertical studs. An upper mounting system is attached to the building structure. An upper mounting system includes a fixed track, a movable mounting track, and an energy absorbing system that flexibly couples the movable mounting track to the fixed track. The upper ends of the vertical studs are attached to movable mounting track. A lower mounting system includes a mounting track that aligns the lower ends of the vertical studs. The wall are filled with an energy absorbing material. The lower ends of the vertical studs are connected to a lower track.

1 . A wall system for protecting a building structure from pressure caused by explosive blasts, comprising:
 a plurality of vertical studs having respective upper ends and lower ends;   at least one outer blast wall panel secured to the vertical studs to form an outer wall of the wall system;   at least one inner blast wall panel secured to the vertical studs to form an inner wall of the wall system;   an upper mounting system attached to the building structure, the upper ends of the vertical studs attached to the upper mounting system;   a lower mounting system attached to the building structure, the lower ends of the vertical studs attached to the lower mounting system;   at least one cavity formed between the at least one outer blast wall and the at least one inner blast wall; and   an energy absorbing material that substantially fills the at least one cavity.   
     
     
         2 . The wall system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein each vertical stud extends from the at least one outer blast wall panel to the at least one inner wall panel. 
     
     
         3 . The wall system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein each vertical stud is positioned to be attached to only the at least one inner blast wall panel or to only the at least one outer blast wall panel. 
     
     
         4 . The wall system as defined in  claim 3 , wherein:
 the vertical stud attached to the at least one inner blast wall panel comprises a U-channel stud having a web and a respective flange at each edge of the web; and   the at least one inner blast wall panel is connected to the web of the vertical stud with the flange at each edge of the web extending into the energy absorbing material in the cavity.   
     
     
         5 . The wall system as defined in  claim 3 , wherein:
 the vertical stud attached to the at least one outer blast wall panel comprises a U-channel stud having a web and a respective flange at each edge of the web; and   the at least one outer blast wall panel is connected to the web of the vertical stud with the flange at each edge of the web extending into the energy absorbing material in the cavity.   
     
     
         6 . The wall system as defined in  claim 3 , wherein:
 the vertical stud attached to the at least one inner blast wall panel comprises a C-stud having a web, a respective flange at each edge of the web, and a respective lip perpendicular to each flange; and   the at least one inner blast wall panel is connected to the web of the vertical stud with the flange at each edge of the web extending into the energy absorbing material in the cavity, and with each lip embedded in the energy absorbing material.   
     
     
         7 . The wall system as defined in  claim 3 , wherein:
 the vertical stud attached to the at least one inner blast wall panel comprises a C-stud having a web, a respective flange at each edge of the web, and a respective lip perpendicular to each flange; and   the at least one inner blast wall panel is connected to the web of the vertical stud with the flange at each edge of the web extending into the energy absorbing material in the cavity, and with each lip embedded in the energy absorbing material.   
     
     
         8 . The wall system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the energy absorbing material comprises expanded polystyrene foam. 
     
     
         9 . A wall system for protecting a building structure from pressure caused by explosive blasts, comprising:
 an inner blast wall panel comprising a generally rectangular metal sheet and an interior wall board laminated to the metal sheet, the inner blast wall panel secured to vertical studs with the metal sheet positioned against the vertical studs and with the interior wall board facing away from the vertical studs;   an outer blast wall panel comprising a generally rectangular metal sheet and an exterior wall board laminated to the metal sheet, the outer blast wall panel secured to vertical studs with the metal sheet positioned against the vertical studs and with the exterior wall board facing away from the vertical studs; and   an energy absorbing material positioned between the inner blast panel and the outer blast panel.   
     
     
         10 . The wall system as defined in  claim 9 , wherein the wall system is mounted between an upper header and a lower footer. 
     
     
         11 . The wall system as defined in  claim 9 , wherein the wall system is mounted to an outer face of a structure to span between two floors of the structure. 
     
     
         12 . The wall system as defined in  claim 9 , wherein the inner blast panel and the outer blast panel are secured to opposing flanges of studs that extend through the energy absorbing material between the inner blast panel and the outer blast panel. 
     
     
         13 . The wall system as defined in  claim 9 , wherein the inner blast panel is secured to a first set of studs, and the outer blast panel is secured to a second set of studs, the first set of a studs and the second set of studs separated by the energy absorbing material. 
     
     
         14 . A wall system for protecting a building structure from pressure caused by explosive blasts, comprising:
 a plurality of vertical studs having respective upper ends and lower ends;   at least one outer blast wall panel secured to respective outer sides of the vertical studs;   at least one inner blast wall panel secured to respective inner sides of the vertical studs;   an upper mounting system attached to the building structure, the upper mounting system including a fixed track, a movable mounting track, and an energy absorbing system that flexibly couples the movable mounting track to the fixed track, the upper ends of the vertical studs attached to movable mounting track; and   a lower mounting system comprising a mounting track that aligns the lower ends of the vertical studs and a attachment device for each vertical stud that resists vertical and lateral movement of lower end of the respective vertical stud.   
     
     
         15 . The wall system as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the mounting track of the lower mounting system comprises a lower track having a webbing and opposing flanges, and wherein the attachment device comprises a tab formed by a portion of the webbing bent perpendicular to the webbing. 
     
     
         16 . The wall system as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the mounting track of the lower mounting system comprises a lower track having a webbing, and wherein the respective attachment device for each vertical stud comprises a respective L-shaped attachment clip that secures each vertical stud to the webbing of the lower track and further comprises a plurality of plates that secure the webbing of the lower track to a corresponding plurality of anchor bolts to secure the lower track to a lower footing into which the anchor bolts are embedded.