The performance of multilayered thin steel plates subjected to close-range air blasts has been experimentally studied and compared with that of monolithic plates made of the same material and having equal mass. In present experiments, multilayered plates are in-contact four-layered thin steel plates and two types of deformation/failure modes were observed for them. Comparisons concerning deformation/failure modes, strain distributions and energy absorptions between the multilayered plate and its monolithic counterpart were conducted. It is found that the multilayered plate is much superior to its monolithic counterpart in the ability to deform against blast loading. Furthermore, under intense airblast loading, the multilayered plate can not only absorb much more energy but also effectively reduce the secondary destruction ability of structural fragments in comparison with its monolithic counterpart.
