A Methodology for Structural and Component Damage Assessment of Building Targets

Abstract

One of targets of increasing significance in recent operations is building. The Joint Munitions Effectiveness Manual (JMEM) approaches for evaluating structural damage to buildings use the Building Mean Area of Effectiveness MAEBLDG (in square meters in the ground plane) as the Effectiveness Index (EI). MAEBLDG, the numerical values are classified, is used to describe the damage function for building and is area over which a weapon will damage the building. With this MAEBLDG values, the building damage is estimated for specific the building dimensions and weapon delivery accuracy [1]. In general the warhead detonates external to the building in air or after penetrating the roof, walls and floor slabs. It is inadequate to use the fixed MAEBLDG values for the specific building types since the MAEBLDG varies as the detonation location at the building target. Target elements inside buildings are usually personnel or equipment. In many cases, it is only required to kill the function or activity performed inside the building rather than destroy the building itself. Therefore the damage should be considered in two ways:1) structural damage and 2) functional damage. This paper deals with the methodologies to estimate both structural damages of buildings caused by detonations insides or outside the structures without using MAEBLDG concept. This method uses the specific weapon-structure interactions and Monte Carlo to capture the delivery accuracy of the weapon.