Failure behaviors of reinforced concrete beams subjected to high impact loading

To attain a better understanding of the failure behavior of reinforced concrete (RC) beams under impact load, series of high speed impact experiments were performed using an instrumented drop-weight impact machine. The test program was successful in providing a substantial volume of test data including impact loads, mid-span deflections, crack profiles and strains. These data was analyzed, focusing on the impact load characteristics and the impact behaviors of RC beams. Various characteristic values and their relationships were investigated such as the drop height, the static flexural load-carrying capacity, the input impact energy and the beam response values. Two empirical formulas were proposed to estimate the maximum and residual deflection of the beam based on the static flexural load-carrying capacity and the input impact energy. The applicability of the proposed equations was confirmed by comparison with the experimental results obtained by other researchers.     

Modelling the response of reinforced concrete panels under blast loading

A finite element model is developed for the simulation of the structural response of steel-reinforced concrete panels to blast loading using LS-DYNA. The effect of element size on the dynamic material model of concrete is investigated and strain-rate effects on concrete in tension and compression are accounted for separately in the model. The model is validated by comparing the computed results with experimental data from the literature. In addition, a parametric study is carried out to investigate the effects of charge weight, standoff distance, panel thickness and reinforcement ratio on the blast resistance of reinforced concrete panels.     

超高性能混凝土在埋置炸药下的抗爆试验及数值模拟

该文研究了超高性能混凝土在埋置炸药爆炸载荷作用下的动态力学性能和损伤规律。通过改变混凝土靶体的配合比和炸药放置深度,得到了不同试验条件下混凝土靶体的破坏数据,采用非线性有限元法对靶体的毁伤效果进行了数值模拟,模拟结果与实际情况吻合较好。研究结果表明混杂纤维增强的超高性能混凝土具备更加优异的抗爆炸性能,炸药在靶体中的放置深度对混凝土的抗爆性能有显著影响。     

Numerical evaluation of the retrofit effectiveness for GFRP retrofitted concrete slab subjected to blast pressure

For retrofitting structures against blast loads, sufficient ductility and strength should be provided by using high-performance materials such as fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites. The effectiveness of retrofit materials needs to be precisely evaluated for the retrofitting design based on the dynamic material responses under blast loads. In this study, refined FEM analysis with high-strain rate dependent material model and debonding failure model is conducted for evaluating the FRP retrofitting effectiveness. The structural behavior of reinforced concrete (RC) slab retrofitted with glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) under blast pressure is simulated and the analysis results are verified with the previous experimental results.     

爆炸冲击下水底隧道的动态响应及毁伤模式研究

考虑炸药起爆、冲击波传播、冲击波与结构的相互作用以及结构的动态响应等复杂过程,基于Lagrange-Euler耦合算法,建立了水底隧道水下爆炸的全耦合数值仿真模型。通过与爆炸试验结果进行对比,验证了数值模型的可靠性;研究了水下爆炸冲击荷载作用下的水底隧道的毁伤破坏过程、空间分布规律及破坏模式。结果表明:水底隧道的破坏模式不仅与隧道自身的动力特性有关,还取决于起爆距离及炸药当量等;隧道的破坏模式为局部冲切或剥落破坏、弯曲破坏伴随着局部剥落破坏以及整体弯曲破坏。     

爆炸冲击下水底隧道的动态响应及毁伤模式研究

考虑炸药起爆、冲击波传播、冲击波与结构的相互作用以及结构的动态响应等复杂过程,基于Lagrange-Euler耦合算法,建立了水底隧道水下爆炸的全耦合数值仿真模型。通过与爆炸试验结果进行对比,验证了数值模型的可靠性;研究了水下爆炸冲击荷载作用下的水底隧道的毁伤破坏过程、空间分布规律及破坏模式。结果表明:水底隧道的破坏模式不仅与隧道自身的动力特性有关,还取决于起爆距离及炸药当量等;隧道的破坏模式为局部冲切或剥落破坏、弯曲破坏伴随着局部剥落破坏以及整体弯曲破坏。     

Fly ash concrete subjected to thermal cyclic loads

The present study describes the behaviour of concrete as well as fly ash concrete when subjected to varying number of high temperature heating cycles. A Concrete mix (1:2.37:2.98) with 340 kg/m³ cement and w/cm ratio 0.45 was prepared. Cement was replaced by varying percentages (0%, 20%, 40%, 50% and 60%) of fly ash by weight of cement. The concrete was subjected to a constant temperature of 200°C for 7, 14, 21 and 28 heating cycles. One heating cycle corresponds to 8 h heating and subsequent cooling in 24 h. Subsequently the effect of temperature on the properties of the concrete was investigated and compared with that of the properties of unheated concrete. The compressive strength of plain as well as fly ash concrete increased when it was subjected to thermal cyclic loads. Moreover, the compressive strength increased with an increase in number of heating cycles. Thermal conductivity of concrete was found to decrease with an increase in the fly ash content.     

Experimental and numerical investigation of carbon fiber sandwich panels subjected to blast loading

The objective of this paper is to investigate the structural response of carbon fiber sandwich panels subjected to blast loading through an integrated experimental and numerical approach. A total of nine experiments, corresponding to three different blast intensity levels were conducted in the 28-inch square shock tube apparatus. Computational models were developed to capture the experimental details and further study the mechanism of blast wave-sandwich panel interactions. The peak reflected overpressure was monitored, which amplified to approximately 2.5 times of the incident overpressure due to fluid-structure interactions. The measured strain histories demonstrated opposite phases at the center of the front and back facesheets. Both strains showed damped oscillation with a reduced oscillation frequency as well as amplified facesheet deformations at the higher blast intensity. As the blast wave traversed across the panel, the observed flow separation and reattachment led to pressure increase at the back side of the panel. Further parametric studies suggested that the maximum deflection of the back facesheet increased dramatically with higher blast intensity and decreased with larger facesheet and core thickness. Our computational models, calibrated by experimental measurements, could be used as a virtual tool for assessing the mechanism of blast-panel interactions, and predicting the structural response of composite panels subjected to blast loading.     

Nonlinear transient analysis of reinforced concrete slabs subjected to blast loading and retrofitted with CFRP composites

Computational models using the finite element method for nonlinear transient analysis of reinforced concrete (RC) two-way slabs subjected to blast loading are presented. Both as-built and retrofitted slabs with carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composite strips are analyzed. The models are used to investigate different parameters including (a) loading duration, and (b) effect of CFRP retrofit on damage accumulation. In this study, damage is globally quantified by the amount of reduction of the first two vibrational frequencies of the slabs. Local representation of damage in terms of reinforcing steel strains is also discussed. The computational models for both the as-built and the retrofitted slabs are verified using experimental results. In these experiments, a slowly increasing uniform pressure is applied to the bottom surface of large-scale RC slab specimens using high-pressure water bag. Experimental results showed that an increase up to 200% in the load carrying capacity is achieved when using the CFRP composite retrofit system. Transient nonlinear analysis results proved the efficiency of the CFRP composite retrofit in improving the slab behavior under blast loading for different loading durations, i.e. for small, medium, and large charge weights at the same applied maximum pressure. In particular, less than 50% reduction of the fundamental frequency due to concrete damage is obtained for the retrofitted slab compared to more than 85% reduction for the as-built slab. Moreover, the maximum displacement is reduced by 40–70% with the CFRP retrofit compared to the as-built slab. As for reinforcing steel strains, the application of CFRP retrofit significantly limited the spread of yielding in time and space. The improved slab behavior with CFRP is best when retrofitting is applied to both sides of the slab.     

Failure analysis of fiber-reinforced composite laminates subjected to biaxial loads

A nonlinear constitutive model for a single lamina is proposed for the failure analysis of composite laminates. In the material model, both fiber and matrix are assumed to behave as elastic-plastic and the in-plane shear is assumed to behave nonlinearly with a variable shear parameter. The damage onset for individual lamina is detected by a mixed failure criterion, composed of the Tsai-Wu criterion and the maximum stress criterion. After damage takes place within the lamina, the fiber and in-plane shear are assumed to exhibit brittle behavior, and the matrix is assumed to exhibit degrading behavior. The proposed nonlinear constitutive model is tested against experimental data and good agreement is obtained. Then, numerical analyses are carried out to study the failure behavior of symmetric angle-ply composite laminates and symmetric cross-ply composite laminates subjected to biaxial loads. Finally, the conclusions obtained from the numerical analysis are given.     

Resistance of fibre concrete slabs to low velocity projectile impact

An investigation on fibre concrete slabs subjected to low velocity projectile impact was carried out to assess impact resistance. The main variables of the study were type of fibre and volume fraction of fibres. The types of fibres chosen were polyolefin, polyvinyl alcohol and steel. The volume fraction of fibres examined were 0%, 1% and 2%. A total of 10 square slabs of size 1 m and 50 mm thickness were cast and tested. Impact was achieved by dropping projectile of mass 43 kg from a height of 4 m, by means of an instrumented impact test facility. Test results indicate that hooked-end steel fibre concrete slabs have better cracking and energy absorption characteristics than slabs reinforced with other fibre types. Slabs reinforced with polyvinyl alcohol fibres exhibited higher fracture energy values compared to slabs reinforced with polyolefin fibres.     

Experiments and failure analysis of SHCC and reinforced concrete composite slabs

For all types of concrete structures, controlling of cracking, as well as the enhancement of serviceability and ultimate flexural capacity are important issues for deck slabs. This study presents an experimental campaign and accompanying nonlinear analysis of a series of Strain Hardening Cementitious Composite (SHCC) and reinforced concrete slab systems, simply-supported and subjected to four-point loading. In order to improve flexural performance both at the service and ultimate limit states, an SHCC layer with thickness of 150–400 mm was placed on the soffit of the composite slab; the SHCC was manufactured using two different processes, namely cast-in-situ SHCCs and extruded precast SHCC panel. Nonlinear analysis of SHCC and reinforced concrete slabs was also carried out to predict moment and curvature as well as deflections of the slab systems. The developed slab systems were found to have enhanced performance with regard to both at serviceability and flexural capacity, compared to the conventional reinforced concrete slab.     

Defect identification under uncertain blast loading

A novel finite element-based system identification procedure is proposed to detect defects in existing frame structures when excited by blast loadings. The procedure is a linear time-domain system identification technique where the structure is represented by finite elements and the input excitation is not required to identify the structure. It identifies stiffness parameter (EI/L) of all the elements and tracks the changes in them to locate the defect spots. The similar procedure can also be used to monitor health of structures just after natural events like strong earthquakes and high winds. With the help of several numerical examples, it is shown that the algorithm can identify defect-free and defective structures even in the presence of noise in the output response information. The accuracy of the method is much better than other methods currently available even when input excitation information was used for identification purpose. The method not only detects defective elements but also locate the defect spot more accurately within the defective element. The structures can be excited by single or multiple blast loadings and the defect can be relatively small and large. With the help of several examples, it is established that the proposed method can be used as a nondestructive defect evaluation procedure for the health assessment of existing structures.     

Residual strength of blast damaged reinforced concrete columns

Columns are the key load-bearing elements in frame structures and exterior columns are probably the most vulnerable structural components to terrorist attacks. Column failure is normally the primary cause of progressive failure in frame structures. A high-fidelity physics-based computer program, LS-DYNA was utilized in this study to provide numerical simulations of the dynamic responses and residual axial strength of reinforced concrete columns subjected to short standoff blast conditions. The finite element (FE) model is discussed in detail and verified through correlated experimental studies. An extensive parametric study was carried out on a series of 12 columns to investigate the effects of transverse reinforcement ratio, axial load ratio, longitudinal reinforcement ratio, and column aspect ratio. These various parameters were incorporated into a proposed formula, capable of estimating the residual axial capacity ratio based on the mid-height displacement to height ratios.     

Hybrid composite rods subjected to excessive bending loads

Glass fiber/carbon fiber/epoxy hybrid composite rods were investigated in this research for their resistance to excessive bending. The rods are presently being used as the load bearing component of the Aluminum Conductor Composite Core/Trapezoidal Wire (ACCC/TW™) design. The ACCC/TW™ design is one of the most serious candidates to replace the existing conductor designs based on steel and aluminum wires. The effects of mandrel size and thickness of the insulating glass fiber composite sheath on the axial compressive stress state during bending of the ACCC rod were numerically investigated by performing non-linear finite element analyses of the conductor wrapping process. In addition, two sets of compression experiments were performed on composite specimens in order to determine the ultimate compressive strength of the ACCC rod and of the carbon fiber composite alone. During the compression tests, acoustic emissions were monitored from the specimens to determine if a different failure process exists for the hybrid composite as opposed to a traditional uni-directional long fiber composite. Proof tests, and subsequent Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) work of each type of composite were also performed to better understand the failure process. It was clearly demonstrated in this research that ACCC rods will be mechanically damaged by excessive bending over small diameter mandrels used for transportation and installation purposes. This work should be of great help to the manufacturers and potential users of the ACCC conductors around the world.     

Finite element modelling of multiple cohesive discrete crack propagation in reinforced concrete beams

This paper presents a finite element (FE) model for fully automatic simulation of multiple discrete crack propagation in reinforced concrete (RC) beams. The discrete cracks are modelled based on the cohesive/fictitious crack concept using nonlinear interface elements with a bilinear tensile softening constitutive law. The model comprises an energy-based crack propagation criterion, a simple remeshing procedure to accommodate crack propagations, two state variable mapping methods to transfer structural responses from one FE mesh to another, and a local arc-length algorithm to solve system equations characterised by material softening. The bond-slip behaviour between reinforcing bars and surrounding concrete is modelled by a tension-softening element. An example RC beam with well-documented test data is simulated. The model is found capable of automatically modelling multiple crack propagation. The predicted cracking process and distributed crack pattern are in close agreement with experimental observations. The load-deflection relations are accurately predicted up to a point when compressive cracking becomes dominant. The effects of bond-slip modelling and the efficiency and effectiveness of the numerical algorithms, together with the limitations of the current model, are also discussed.     

An experimental and numerical study of reinforced ultra-high performance concrete slabs under blast loads

Ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) which is characterized by high strength, high ductility and high toughness has been widely applied in modern structure construction. Outstanding mechanical feature of UHPC not only enables strong yet slim structure design but also highlights its potential in protective engineering against extreme loads like impact or explosion. In this research a series of reinforced concrete slabs are tested to determine their response under explosive loading conditions. Concrete materials used in the slab construction are ultra-high strength concrete (UHPC) and normal strength concrete (NSC). In total five slabs are tested including four UHPC slabs with varying reinforcement ratios and one control NSC slab with normal reinforcement. Explosive charges with TNT equivalent weights ranging from 1.0 to 14.0 kg at scaled distances ranging from 0.41 to 3.05 m/kg^1/3 are used in the current experiments. Test results verified the effectiveness of UHPC slabs against blast loads. Numerical models are established in LS-DYNA to reproduce the field blast tests on UHPC slabs. The numerical results are compared with the field test data, and the feasibility and validity of the numerical predictions of UHPC slab responses are demonstrated.     

Simulation of crash tests for high containment levels of road safety barriers

This paper presents the results of computer simulations of road safety barrier behaviour under vehicle crash conditions for high containment levels as mandated by the European standard EN 1317. Simulations were performed with the explicit finite element code LS-DYNA, running on a multiprocessor computational platform. A very good agreement of simulation and real crash tests results was observed, which in turn justifies the use of computer simulations in the process of development and certification of road safety barriers.     

Engineering assessment of cracked structures subjected to dynamic loads using fracture mechanics assessment

This paper presents practical guidance on the assessment of cracked structures subjected to dynamic loading. General reviews of fracture behaviour of structures subjected to dynamic loading are presented. A series of finite element (FE) analyses have been carried out to study the effects of dynamic loading on both fracture toughness specimens under rapid loads and cracked connections in steel framed structures under earthquake loads. FE results of submodel analyses of cracked connections are compared with the results from a simplified method. The simplified method can reduce the analysis time enormously and allows design engineers to assess the possibility of connection fractures, or determine approximate values of toughness and defect size requirements for given peak stress and strain level.     

Core crush criterion to determine the strength of sandwich composite structures subjected to compression after impact

In this study a core crush criterion is proposed to determine the residual strength of impacted sandwich structures. The core of the sandwich is made of a Nomex Honeycomb core and the faces are laminated and remain thin. The mechanism of failure of this kind of structure under post-impact compressive loading is due to interaction between three mechanical behaviors: geometrical nonlinearity due to the skin’s neutral line off-set in the dent area, nonlinear response of the core and damages to the skins. For the type of sandwich analysed in this study, initially the core crushes at the apex of the damage. Using a finite element discrete modelling of the core previously proposed by the authors, the load corresponding to the crushing of the first cell can be computed and it gives the value of the residual strength for our criterion. Some geometric and material hypotheses are assumed in the damaged area mainly based on non-destructive inspection (NDI). The criterion is then applied to tests modelled by Lacy and Hwang [Lacy TE, Hwang Y. Numerical modelling of impact-damaged sandwich composites subjected to compression after impact loading. Compos Struct 2003;61:115–128]. It is shown that the criterion allows a good prediction of the tests except in the case of very small dents. Several sensitivity studies on the assumptions were made and it is shown that using this approach, the criterion is robust.