Spall Damage of Concrete Structures

Abstract : Spall is defined as the ejection of fragments from the opposite side of a structural element from which it is impacted and/or impulsively imploded. This research was on the spall of reinforced concrete panels subjected to bomb fragment impacts and/or airblast loads from nearby bomb detonations. Theories of spall, tests involving spall, and current spall prediction methods were reviewed and evaluated. The current spall, and current spall prediction methods were reviewed and evaluated. The current spall prediction methods did not satisfactorily predict all of the previous test results found in the literature. Forty tests were conducted on reinforced concrete walls to investigate parameters which affect spall, to evaluate prediction methods further, and to provide data with which theory and prediction methods could be improved. Theoretical calculations were conducted for airblast loads under the compressive elastic limit.