Blast resistant prefabricated wall units
View Patent ↗Blast resistant prefabricated wall panels contain at least one panel consisting of two structural boards having a thermoset resin-impregnated fiber reinforcing layer therebetween and extending from sides of the panel, the extension wrapped at least partially around metal sole and top plates of a metal sole plate, top plate, and stud construction. The panels are capable of resisting explosive blasts without forming secondary projectiles, and are preferably attached to a building structure by energy absorbing deformable brackets.
1. A prefabricated wall panel, comprising:
a horizontally extending sole plate,
a horizontally extending top plate,
a plurality of vertically extending studs fixed to said sole plate and to said top plate, said sole plate, top plate, and studs forming a framework,
two panel structures affixed to said framework on opposing sides of said framework, at least one of said panel structures comprising a first structural board, a second structural board, and a thermoset resin impregnated fiber reinforcing layer between said first structural board and said second structural board, said fiber reinforcing layer extending from said first and second structural boards proximate said sole plate and proximate said top plate, and extending along and affixed to at least a bottom portion of said sole plate and at least a top portion of said top plate.
2. The wall panel of claim 1 , wherein said structural boards are individually selected from the group consisting of masonry board and gypsum board.
3. The wall board of claim 1 , wherein fiber reinforcement of said fiber reinforcing layer comprises fibers selected from the group consisting of glass fibers, carbon fibers, aramid fibers, and mixtures thereof.
4. The wall panel of claim 1 , wherein fibrous reinforcement of said fiber reinforcing layer comprises woven fabric, stitched unidirectional fabric, or a combination thereof.
5. The wall panel of claim 1 , wherein said thermoset matrix resin comprises one or more matrix resins selected from the group consisting of epoxy resins, unsaturated polyester resins, vinyl ester resins, and polyurethane resins.
6. The wall panel of claim 1 , wherein said fiber reinforcing layer
a) proximate the sole plate wraps around the sole plate over at least a portion of the length of the sole plate; or
b) proximate the top plate wraps around the top plate over at least a portion of the length of the top plate; or
c) proximate to the top plate and the sole plate wraps around each of these plates over at least a portion of their respective lengths.
7. The wall panel of claim 1 , wherein both said panels comprise two layers of structural board with a thermoset matrix resin impregnated fiber reinforcing layer therebetween.
8. The wall panel of claim 1 , wherein fibrous reinforcement of said fiber reinforcing layer comprises woven fiberglass, and said thermoset matrix resin comprises an epoxy resin.
9. A building construction, having an internal load bearing structure and an exterior, comprising as at least a portion of said exterior,
a) a plurality of the wall panels of claim 1 ;
b) a plurality of brackets, one or more brackets supporting said wall panels, said brackets attached to said internal load bearing structure of said building by means of an energy absorbing structure which forms a part of said bracket, which is attached to said bracket, or which operates with said bracket to allow said wall panels to be displaced inwardly towards said internal load bearing structure by the force of a blast exterior to said building.
10. The building construction of claim 9 , wherein said bracket contains or is attached to a vertically pleated energy absorbing structure.