UFC 4-010-01
8 October 2003
These and related design issues are intended to be incorporated into standard design
practice in the future.
2-3
DESIGN STRATEGIES. There are several major design strategies that
are applied throughout these standards. They do not account for all of the measures
considered in these standards, but they are the most effective and economical in
protecting DoD personnel from terrorist attacks. These strategies are summarized
below.
2-3.1
Maximize Standoff Distance. The primary design strategy is to keep
terrorists as far away from inhabited DoD buildings as possible. The easiest and least
costly opportunity for achieving the appropriate levels of protection against terrorist
threats is to incorporate sufficient standoff distance into project designs. While sufficient
standoff distance is not always available to provide the minimum standoff distances
required for conventional construction, maximizing the available standoff distance
always results in the most cost-effective solution. Maximizing standoff distance also
ensures that there is opportunity in the future to upgrade buildings to meet increased
threats or to accommodate higher levels of protection.
2-3.2
Prevent Building Collapse. Provisions relating to preventing building
collapse and building component failure are essential to effectively protecting building
occupants, especially from fatalities. Designing those provisions into buildings during
new construction or retrofitting during major renovations, repairs, restorations, or
modifications of existing buildings is the most cost effective time to do that. In addition,
structural systems that provide greater continuity and redundancy among structural
components will help limit collapse in the event of severe structural damage from
unpredictable terrorist acts.
2-3.3
Minimize Hazardous Flying Debris. In past explosive events where
there was no building collapse, a high number of injuries resulted from flying glass
fragments and debris from walls, ceilings, and fixtures (non-structural features). Flying
debris can be minimized through building design and avoidance of certain building
materials and construction techniques. The glass used in most windows breaks at very
low blast pressures, resulting in hazardous, dagger-like shards. Minimizing those
hazards through reduction in window numbers and sizes and through enhanced window
construction has a major effect on limiting mass casualties. Window and door designs
must treat glazing, frames, connections, and the structural components to which they
are attached as an integrated system. Hazardous fragments may also include
secondary debris such as those from barriers and site furnishings.
2-3.4
Provide Effective Building Layout. Effective design of building layout
and orientation can significantly reduce opportunities for terrorists to target building
occupants or injure large numbers of people.
2-3.5
and air conditioning (HVAC) systems can significantly reduce the potential for chemical,
biological, and radiological agents being distributed throughout buildings.
2-2
Previous Page
