Finite element analysis of the Arquin-designed CMU wall under a dynamic (blast) load.

The Arquin Corporation designed a CMU (concrete masonry unit) wall construction and reinforcement technique that includes steel wire and polymer spacers that is intended to facilitate a faster and stronger wall construction. Since the construction method for an Arquin-designed wall is different from current wall construction practices, finite element computer analyses were performed to estimate the ability of the wall to withstand a hypothetical dynamic load, similar to that of a blast from a nearby explosion. The response of the Arquin wall was compared to the response of an idealized standard masonry wall exposed to the same dynamic load. Results from the simulations show that the Arquin wall deformed less than the idealized standard wall under such loading conditions. As part of a different effort, Sandia National Laboratories also looked at the relative static response of the Arquin wall, results that are summarized in a separate SAND Report