A blast vulnerability assessment of major structural components of the East Block of Parliament Hill was performed. The objective was to establish a preliminary estimate of structural vulerability to multiple external blast scenarios. Approximately 60 resistance curves, and pressure-impulse (PI) diagrams were generated for the entire exterior of the structure. The exterior walls were discretized into seven common wall types, considering typical offices, towers, entrance ways, senate chambers, and any other unusual structural configuration. Each wall type was further subdivided by storey level, which affects axial load. The out-of-plane blast resistance of the walls was analyzed using both a one-way and two-way flexural approach.
Externally-bonded carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) retrofits were studied for enhancing the blast resistance of reinforced concrete slabs and walls. Companion sets of reinforced concrete wall and slab specimens were subjected to a total of sixty simulated explosions using a shock tube. Externally bonded FRP retrofits were an effective retrofit technique to improve the blast resistance of reinforced concrete structures, provided that debonding of the composite from the concrete substrate is prevented. The test results also indicated that FRP retrofitted reinforced concrete structures may survive initial inbound displacements, only to fail by moment reversals during the negative displacement phase.