Government’s anti-terrorism initiative

12 June 2003

Government’s anti-terrorism initiative tries to shoot a hole through ICFs and ends up showcasing the benefits of using this commercial off-the-shelf solution

Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. – Just as the government’s space explorations have led to such unexpected products as Velcro, its current war against terrorism also promises to reap some surprising consumer benefits. Those include demonstrating the safety benefits of building with insulating concrete form (ICF) technology.

Quantico Marine Corps Base – which has been at the frontline of innovation since its inception in 1917, from developing amphibious warfare techniques to leading technological advances – is once again at the forefront of change. From May 6-8, the base was the site of blast demonstrations designed to show how ICF building systems hold up during an explosive event.

Using 50 pounds of military-grade TNT, the Insulating Concrete Form Association (ICFA) tested six different ICF ‘reaction boxes’ at distances of six feet up to 40 feet. These reaction boxes were built using standard 4,000 psi concrete. They consisted of three 8′ by 8′ reinforced 6″ concrete core walls placed in a U-shape with 6″ reinforced concrete slabs on the top and bottom acting as the floor and the roof, while maintaining one open side.

The compressive strength properties of the expanded polystyrene (EPS) on the face of each box both absorbed and distributed the load during each explosion. Even the closest blast – which produced a fireball 200 feet wide and 100 feet high and lateral forces 10 times the box’s weight of 26,000 pounds – resulted in nothing more serious than some small cracks on the face of the wall (cracks less than 2 millimeters wide) and some singeing of the EPS. There was no structural damage, no deflection and no concrete spall observed. Additional tests are planned for the future.

ECO-Block was one of six ICF systems tested. Technical Director Sheldon Warman, P.Eng. constructed the ECO-Block reaction box. “We’ve long known that our system provides superior insulating properties as well as protection against severe weather,” said Warman. “Seeing them withstand a direct blast only feet away highlights yet another benefit of using ECO-Block ICFs, not only to commercial and residential builders, but to governments seeking to protect their military and civilians in this new, unprecedented era we are experiencing.”

The testing is part of a program developed as a response to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff’s directive following the 1996 bombing of Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia. Force Protection Equipment Demonstration IV – entitled Homeland Security: Protecting America’s Future – focused on commercial, off-the-shelf products that could be used to protect troops and resources. Sponsors included the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Department of Defense, Department of Energy, National Institute of Justice, and the Transportation Security Administration. Leaders and decision-makers from numerous federal departments and agencies and select state and local law enforcement and corrections agencies came to observe. In addition to the blast-resistant building material testing, FPED provided a showcase for 490 vendors with more than 1,000 products. The event drew approximately 9,000 attendees to the base, located outside of Washington, D.C.

“These demonstrations proved that you don’t have to spend unlimited amounts of money on special materials to create blast-resistant buildings,” said Joseph Lyman, executive director, Insulating Concrete Form Association. “With proper design and installations, ICF technology can mitigate the harmful results associated with progressive collapse.”