Projects
Blast wall German Embassy

DUCON protective barriers as a proven measure against terrorist attacks

DUCON has already been used in numerous projects to protect critical infrastructure. This includes several German embassies, which use freestanding DUCON protective walls to shield their premises against terrorist attacks.

The applications for our high-performance material are diverse and can be adapted to local conditions and requirements. The simplest design option is a single-shell protective wall made of DUCON as a precast element. This can be easily placed on the construction site, for example, in a shaft foundation. If necessary, a foundation (L- or T-shaped) can alternatively be cast into the precast element at the factory, eliminating the need for in-situ concrete work on the construction site. Another option is the production of semi-precast elements. Thin DUCON panels are erected and filled with cast-in-place concrete on site. DUCON can be used on either one side of the wall or on both sides. This variant can reduce logistics costs due to the lower component weights. This is often an important consideration when protecting embassies, as production near the site is usually not possible and long transport distances must be accepted.

DUCON protective walls have already been put to the test in a tragic real-world scenario when a targeted bomb attack using several tons of explosives was carried out against a German embassy. The DUCON wall withstood the explosion unscathed. Protective walls made of conventional reinforced concrete, which were intended to shield adjacent buildings at a similar distance from the blast, were destroyed. All employees who were on the grounds of the German Embassy at the time survived the attack.