Karagozian & Case Awarded Blast Resistant Curtain Wall R&D Program by Department of State
March 16, 2010
A team led by Karagozian & Case (K&C) was recently awarded a multi-year program to continue development of a blast, ballistic, and forced entry resistant curtain wall facade for the United States Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DOS-DS). Under this new research and development (R&D) program, a façade initially intended for new construction will be adapted for use in retrofitting existing structures. K&C has worked closely with DOS-DS continuously for over a decade providing blast-resistant design, high-fidelity physics-based analysis, and test planning support for numerous programs related to enhancing the blast resistance of facilities. According to Ruben Martinez, a senior engineer with K&C, “The Department of State has for many years required their oversea’s buildings to perform to a much higher standard as compared to most other kinds of facilities. This is particularly true in regions where threats from numerous sources are high.”
To assist with this program, K&C teamed with Wiss, Janey, Elstner Associates, Inc. (WJE), a firm with broad experience with design and installation of curtain walls. They offer a valuable resource for information concerning the design of façades for retrofit applications, forensic investigation of problematic facades and the development of façade repair solutions. This capability is useful in meeting the specialized objectives of DOS-DS. The Energetic Materials Research and Testing Center (EMRTC), a research division of New Mexico Tech, is also participating in the program and will execute a full-scale high explosive test to verify the capability afforded by a new type of façade, which was adapted by K&C from existing designs to afford better blast resistance. K&C and EMRTC have a history of planning and executing cost effective component-level and full-scale blast tests to validate the performance of engineered blast resistance systems.
“This program embodies the four core areas of expertise K&C has diligently maintained for the past several decades: high-fidelity engineering analysis, performance-based blast-resistant design, development of blast-resistant criteria, and blast effects test planning,” says John Crawford, president of K&C. “K&C’s dedication and ability to provide these diverse but closely interconnected groups of skill areas is unmatched in our industry.”