November 16, 2007
Reinforced concrete offers potential for discreet bomb-blast protection
The British Association of Reinforcement (BAR) has welcomed Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s proposals for increasing the protection for public buildings such as airports, rail stations, shopping centres and sporting venues against possible terrorism but calls for the protection to be incorporated into the design where possible rather than be intrusive.
The Prime Minister proposals are based on a report by Admiral Lord West of Spithead on the incorporation of anti-terrorism measures into the design of public buildings following the abortive terror attacks in London and Glasgow in June and the revealing of a foiled terrorist attack on the Bluewater Shopping Centre in Kent.
“Whilst we welcome the move to incorporate anti-terrorist design into public buildings. We do not wish to see a sea of concrete walls and barriers, “said Steve Elliott, project director of BAR. “Concrete has significant robustness that means it is well suited to anti-bomb blast measures. However, it combines this with unmatched potential for design creativity and so the need for anti-terrorist protection can easily be incorporated into the overall design of buildings”.
Elliott cites the concrete guns, concrete steps and discrete reinforced concrete walls at the entrance of the Arsenal Emirates Stadium as an example of how anti-terrorism measures can be successfully incorporated into the design of a building.
“Unfortunately, these days terrorism is a major consideration but there is no need for it to mean that our public buildings have to become fortresses. Thoughtful design can provide protection without intrusive, forbidding structures”, said Elliott.
