When subjecting a structure to a blast wave resulting from an accidental or intentional explosion on the outside of the building, the skin of the building is exposed to extremely high pressures that may blow the exterior and windows into the occupied spaces of the building. During these events, the building elements can become deadly projectiles in the process… Blast-resistant windows won’t shatter but may fly into the space in one piece creating another risk. Cable Catchment systems are engineered Blast Mitigation systems designed to prevent that occurrence. Cables stretched between structural members barely restrict the field of view yet will block windows, doors, or partitions from flying freely into the space propelled from a detonation outside. Combining catchment cable systems with a steel mesh creates a net that can catch smaller blocks from CMU and brick walls.
Another risk factor in blast protection is the potential progressive collapse of a structure due to a failure of a load-bearing element such as a column. To prevent the possible disastrous effects of such a systemic structure failure (domino effect) it is essential to engineer redundant load paths into the structure to hold stability for sufficient time to evacuate the occupants and prevent catastrophic loss of life. High-strength steel cables are an optimal tool in Progressive Collapse Mitigation. Their extremely high strength-to-weight ratio allows the strengthening of structures by creating a truss mechanism without significant weight addition and in the most cost-effective manner.

A catchment system is made of cables pitched to limit the size of the potentially projected façade elements and can be combined with a steel mesh to create a net that can catch blocks and large debris while allowing the energy and limitation of forces applied to the building frame/structure to dissipate. The main advantage of such an application is the fact that it makes existing façade and window systems (including historical structures) safer without replacement or an upgrade. Using high-strength materials and hardware derived from its vehicular restraint systems, BCSI can design and implement Cable Catchment Systems adapted to each specific structure and client need