ESTABLISHING BLAST CRITERIA

1. Primary use - to protect life, equipment or both.
2. Door configuration - swing, horizontal slide or vertical lift.
3. Opening size.
4. Blast door manufacturer must provide all critical components -- door panel, frame with anchorage and hinge (swing door), blast restraints (sliding door), and hardware.
5. Review wall construction - must be sufficient to withstand blast force and handle door weight.
6. Review reinforcements - blast and rebound reactions will be transferred to frame and frame anchors, or blast restraints, and capable of transferring load to adjacent wall or structural sub-frame embedments.
7. Type of explosive - solid, liquid or gas - ammunition, bomb, missile, chemical, nuclear, steam pressure, etc.
8. Other hazards to be controlled - fire, smoke, gas fumes, ballistics, fragment resistance.
9. Blast force - either PSF (pounds per square foot) or PSI (pounds per square inch).
10. Static or dynamic analysis.
• Static equivalent load:
1. Maximum amount of blast force the door system will be subjected to.
2. Rebound - this is a negative suction phase at initial peak response and expressed as a percentage of reflected pressure (normally 100%).
• Dynamic analysis:
1. Amount of blast force the door will be subjected to at P_r peak reflected pressure.
2. Duration of the positive phase (stated in milliseconds - ms.)
3. Rebound shall be as calculated by the blast analysis.
4. Angle of incidence - if unknown, assume 0° which shall give the maximum protection.
5. Maximum ductility ratio (µ) of 1 (if elastic) or greater than 1 (if plastic).
6. The door edge support rotation shall not exceed ___° (degrees).
11. Direction of initial blast force - either seating (into frame) or unseating direction (against hardware).
12. Plastic or elastic deformation.
• Elastic - The allowable elastic deflection is limited to ^L_/60, ^L_/120 or ^L_/240 of the span. If the doors will be subjected to repetitive blasts, then no permanent deformation shall be allowed.
• Plastic (unavailable for static design) - door system contains the blast force but allowed to deform in the opening.
13. Fire Label requirements.
14. Interior or exterior application.
15. Door operation - manual or power operation, frequency of use, etc.
16. Hardware requirements - lever handles, panic bar, access control, door closer (required for Fire Label), weatherstripping, door bottom, threshold.

Additional notes:
Use of galvanized material is not compatible with all-welded steel door construction.
Hold-open devices are discouraged on a blast resistant door. When not in use, the door must remain closed at all times.