Shrapnel containment system and method for producing same
A shrapnel containment system is provided which is adapted to be installed at an interior of a building wall to contain shrapnel from a blast, the system including a panel made of a layer of elastomeric material and fastener elements to fasten the layer to a wall of a structure, with the panel optionally including a fabric reinforcing layer. A method for producing the panel is also provided.
1. A method for improving blast resistance of a building, comprising:
spraying a layer of an elastomeric material to form an elongatable blast-resistant panel of the elastomeric material having only a single layer of a predetermined thickness in the range of about 100 mil to less than 250 mil and a percent elongation at break in a range of about 100-800%, the single layer, elongatable blast-resistant panel having substantially entirely exposed front and back sides;
allowing said elongatable blast-resistant panel to cure; and
once cured, securing said elongatable blast-resistant panel only to an interior side of an exterior wall of said building so that the elongatable blast-resistant panel extends from at least two opposing edges of the interior side of the exterior wall of said building with a first of said opposing edges being adjacent a top of an outer perimeter of the interior side of the exterior wall of said building and a second of said opposing edges being adjacent a bottom of the outer perimeter of the interior side of the exterior wall of said building.
2. A method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said elastomeric material is selected from the group consisting of polyurea, polysiloxane, polyurethane, and a polyurea/polyurethane hybrid.
3. A method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said elastomeric material is a polyurea material.
4. A method as set forth in claim 2 , wherein spraying said layer of said elastomeric material comprises spraying said layer directly onto a molding surface.
5. A method as set forth in claim 4 , wherein said elastomeric material has a percent elongation at break in a range of about 400-800%.
6. A method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said panel is flexible.
7. A method as set forth in claim 6 , wherein said elastomeric material is selected from the group consisting of polyurea, polysiloxane, polyurethane, and a polyurea/polyurethane hybrid.
8. A method as set forth in claim 6 , wherein said elastomeric material is a polyurea material.
9. A method as set forth in claim 7 , wherein spraying said layer of said elastomeric material comprises spraying said layer directly onto a molding surface.
10. A method as set forth in claim 9 , wherein said elastomeric material has a percent elongation at break in a range of about 400-800%.
11. A method as set forth in claim 6 , wherein spraying said layer of said elastomeric material further comprises spraying said elastomeric material onto a fabric reinforcement layer.
12. A method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein spraying said layer of said elastomeric material comprises spraying said layer directly onto a molding surface separate and apart from the interior side of the exterior wall of said building.
13. A method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein spraying said layer of said elastomeric material comprises positioning a fabric reinforcement layer on a molding surface separate and apart from the interior side of the exterior wall of said building; and spraying said elastomeric material onto said fabric reinforcement layer on said molding surface separate and apart from the interior side of the exterior wall of said building.