Failure of reinforced concrete and tuff stone masonry buildings as consequence of hydrogen pipeline explosions

Pipelines are the most efficient method of transporting large quantities of hydrogen, and the low volumetric energy density of gaseous hydrogen requires that the gas must be compressed to extremely high pressure to be used as a transport fuel. The failure of high pressure hydrogen gas pipelines and subsequent explosion may induce heavy damage to buildings. In this paper, such an issue is addressed for existing reinforced concrete framed buildings and tuff stone masonry buildings. Physical features such as the gas jet release process, flammable cloud size, blast generation and propagation, and explosion effects on structural components of buildings are considered and evaluated through the SLAB integral model, Multi-Energy Method and pressure‒impulse diagrams. Damage to both types of structural components was evaluated and the maximum distance of blast damage was derived in several environmental conditions, contributing to land-use planning and performance-based design/assessment of pipelines and buildings.