Computer Simulation for Building Implosion Using LS-DYNA

A complex simulation of the demolition of a high-rise building in Hagen is presented. This building because of its geometry (approx. 100m height) and of the applied blasting strategy (resulting in vertical collapse) was impossible to be computed with a simple fracture algorithm modelling the local failure mechanism. The problem of applying on this model algorithms which were tested and have proved to be successful in previous models is discussed and the more sophisticated algorithms are described. The collapse sequence of the simulation is validated with the video of the real demolition, proving a fairly adequate quality of the simulation results. The blasting of a storehouse in Thueringen is also simulated. In this case of a non vertical collapse scenario the initial collapse kinematics are well captured with the rather complex node split and the simple element erosion technique. Though the simple erosion technique is rather limited, its high efficiency may still make it a favourable choice, however, then the collapse process should be known in advance to some extend.