Patent ID: 7571577

Claim:
A blast protective barrier system for providing a security perimeter or boundary at and above a ground level definable in terms of an x,y,z coordinate system, comprising: (a) a plurality of substantially ground level (xy plane) pile caps, each comprising a y-axis elongate length, a x-axis width, and a z-axis height, said x-axis substantially defining the width of said system, each pile cap further including upper and lower xy plane surfaces, each of said upper surfaces including y-axis channels and each of said lower surfaces including multiple recesses, said pile caps substantially symmetrical about a yz plane of said lower surface which is at least partially embedded within said ground level; (b) a first modular unit comprising a plurality of opposing pairs of yz plane, y-axis elongate modules comprising vertical panels having an x-axis width, each panel pair having a lower end disposed within one of said y-axis channels of said upper xy surfaces of at least one of said pile caps, each of said panels beginning and ending in a xz plane end integral with said vertical panels; (c) at least a second modular unit comprising a plurality of opposing pairs of yz plane, y-axis elongate vertical panels having an x-axis width, each panel pair having a lower end disposed within one of said y-axis channels of said upper xy surfaces of at least one of said pile caps, each of said panels beginning and ending in a xz plane end integral with said vertical panels and opposing an xz plane end of said first modular unit; (d) expansion elements separating and joining said opposing xz plane end caps of said first and second units; (e) further modular units comprising further pluralities of opposing pairs of yz plane, y-axis elongate vertical panels having an x-axis width, each panel pair having a lower end disposed within one of said y-axis channels of said upper xy surfaces of said pile caps, each of said panels beginning and ending in a xz plane end cap integral with said vertical panels and an opposing end cap of an adjacent unit; (f) further expansion elements separating and joining said opposing xz plane end caps of said second and further units; whereby any one of said modules, if subjected to a blast induced failure, will separate said module from said second or adjoining modules along said expansion spacer, thus preserving integrity of the rest of the system from effects of the blast.