Researchers at the University of Missouri-Rolla are developing bomb- and impact-resistant technologies to spare lives and buildings if terrorists strike again. “Such building designs will reduce, and in some cases prevent, serious damage to structures resulting from terrorist bomb attacks,” says Dr. Jason Baird, research assistant professor at UMR's Rock Mechanics and Explosives Research Center (RMERC).

The project — a collaboration among researchers from UMR, Kontek Industries of New Madrid, Mo., and the University of Missouri-Columbia (UMC) — is receiving $2.4 million from the Department of Defense for research, engineering development and deployment of blast-resistant structures and construction standards for homeland defense. “As far as I know, this will be the first time anyone has attempted to combine the efforts of explosives engineers, structural engineers, environmental designers and architects in this manner,” notes Baird.

A related project with Kontek has led to the creation of steel-reinforced concrete barriers that link to form a barricade able to resist a 200-lb. trinitrotoluene (TNT) blast, followed by the impact of a 20,000-lb. truck traveling at 50 miles per hour, according to Baird. Kontek now offers this barrier system to industry and government agencies. So far, 12 nuclear electric power generating stations and two U.S. national laboratories have purchased blast-resistant barrier systems from Kontek, he adds.

UMR researchers from RMERC and civil engineering will work with architects and environmental designers at UMC and its National Center for Explosion-Resistant Design to make the barriers aesthetically pleasing and ergonomical. Once the research is completed, Kontek plans to use the design to build bomb- or blast-resistant infrastructure. Further, by integrating concepts used to develop the barriers into the actual design and architecture of a building, bridge, monument or other structure, Baird and his colleagues are developing the technology to make buildings inherently blast-resistant.