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 is filled with an energy absorbing material. The lower ends of the vertical studs are connected to a lower track.

1 - 6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . 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 a first inner blast wall panel and a second inner blast wall panel, at least the first inner blast wall panel including an extended tab;   a plurality of fasteners that secure the first inner blast wall panel and the second inner blast wall panel to the vertical studs to form an inner wall of the wall system, the extended tab of the first inner blast wall panel positioned between a portion of the second inner blast wall panel and the vertical studs such that selected ones of the plurality of fasteners extend through the portion of the second inner blast wall panel and the extended tab of the first inner blast wall panel to interconnect the first inner blast wall panel and the second inner blast wall panel;   an upper mounting system attached to the building structure, the upper ends of the vertical studs attached to the upper mounting system; and   a lower mounting system attached to the building structure, the lower ends of the vertical studs attached to the lower mounting system.   
     
     
         8 . The wall system as defined in  claim 7 , wherein:
 each of the first inner blast wall panel and the second inner blast wall panel is configured as a rectangle having first and second parallel sides longer than third and fourth parallel sides, the third and fourth parallel sides orthogonal to the first and second parallel sides;   the extended tab of the first inner blast wall is positioned along the first parallel side of the first inner blast wall; and   the first inner blast wall panel and the second inner blast wall panel are mounted on the vertical studs with the respective first and second parallel sides in a horizontal orientation, with the respective third and fourth parallel sides in a vertical orientation, and with the portion of the second parallel side of the second inner blast wall panel overlapping the extended tab of the first inner blast wall panel.   
     
     
         9 . The wall system as defined in  claim 7 , wherein:
 each of the first inner blast wall panel and the second inner blast wall panel comprises a generally rectangular metal sheet and an interior wall board laminated to the metal sheet;   each of the first inner blast wall panel and the second inner blast wall panel is secured to the vertical studs with the metal sheet positioned against the vertical studs and with the interior wall board facing away from the vertical studs; and   the extended tab of the first inner blast panel is an extension of the rectangular metal sheet of the first inner blast panel.   
     
     
         10 . The wall system as defined in  claim 7 , wherein the upper mounting system comprises an energy absorbing system that allows the upper ends of the vertical studs to elastically move with respect to the building structure while remaining attached to the upper mounting system. 
     
     
         11 . The wall system as defined in  claim 7 , wherein:
 the lower mounting system comprises a lower track having a webbing;   the respective lower end of each vertical stud is attached to the lower track with a respective attachment device, the attachment device comprising a respective L-shaped attachment clip that secures the lower end of the vertical stud to the webbing of the lower track; and   a plurality of plates 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.