Effects of transverse reinforcement spacing on the response of reinforced concrete columns subjected to blast loading

Abstract Concerns have risen from building responses and resulting fatalities in some recent infamous terrorist attacks. The collapse of the Alfred P. Murrah Building, for instance, revealed that failure of load-bearing members could lead to extensive building failure. It has become imperative to investigate the blast resistance offered by loading-bearing structural members designed for gravity loads and other load types such as earthquakes. Reinforced concrete (RC) columns not forming part of the seismic force resisting system were detailed according to CSA A23.3-04 – Design of Concrete Structures. Using a high-fidelity physics-based finite element code, LS-DYNA, a numerical study was undertaken to investigate the effects of transverse reinforcement spacing on the blast resistance of RC columns. The study shows that the effect of transverse reinforcement spacing and axial loading significantly affects RC column behaviour under blast loading at low scaled distances. At higher scaled distances, however, the effects were insignificant.

[1]  Michel Bruneau,et al.  Experimental investigation of multihazard resistant bridge piers having concrete-filled steel tube under blast loading , 2008 .

[2]  Tarek H. Almusallam,et al.  Effect of blast loading on CFRP-Retrofitted RC columns - a numerical study , 2011 .

[3]  Bing Li,et al.  The effects of explosive mass ratio on residual compressive capacity of contact blast damaged composite columns , 2011 .

[4]  Shuichi Fujikura,et al.  Experimental Investigation of Seismically Resistant Bridge Piers under Blast Loading , 2011 .

[5]  A. Braimah,et al.  Near-Field Explosion Effects on Reinforced Concrete Columns: An Experimental Investigation , 2015 .

[6]  D. Logan.  A First Course in the Finite Element Method , 2001 .

[7]  Werner Riedel,et al.  Residual load capacity of exposed and hardened concrete columns under explosion loads , 2013 .

[8]  Hong Hao,et al.  Numerical study of structural progressive collapse using substructure technique , 2013 .

[9]  R. Clough,et al.  Dynamics Of Structures , 1975 .

[10]  C. F. Zhao,et al.  Damage mechanism and response of reinforced concrete containment structure under internal blast loading , 2012 .

[11]  Anirudha Kadambi Vasudevan.  Finite element analysis and experimental comparison of doubly reinforced concrete slabs subjected to blast loads , 2012 .

[12]  Wing Kam Liu,et al.  Nonlinear Finite Elements for Continua and Structures , 2000 .

[13]  Abass Braimah,et al.  Near-Field Explosion Effects on the Behaviour of Reinforced Concrete Columns: A Numerical Investigation , 2014 .

[14]  Ganesh Thiagarajan,et al.  Experimental and finite element analysis of doubly reinforced concrete slabs subjected to blast loads , 2015 .

[15]  Norman J. Glover.  The Oklahoma City Bombing: Improving Building Performance through Multi-Hazard Mitigation (FEMA 277) by Building Performance Analysis Team , 1997 .

[16]  M. P. Byfield.  Behavior and Design of Commercial Multistory Buildings Subjected to Blast , 2006 .

[17]  Yvonne D Murray,et al.  Users Manual for LS-DYNA Concrete Material Model 159 , 2007 .

[18]  P. Fanning.  Nonlinear Models of Reinforced and Post-tensioned Concrete Beams , 2001 .

[19]  E CrawfordJohn,et al.  State of the art for enhancing the blast resistance of reinforced concrete columns with fiber-reinforced plastic1 , 2013 .

[20]  John Hetherington,et al.  Blast and ballistic loading of structures , 1994 .

[21]  G. F. Kinney,et al.  Explosive Shocks in Air , 1985 .

[22]  Eric B. Williamson,et al.  Blast-Resistant Highway Bridges: Design and Detailing Guidelines , 2010 .

[23]  Roger P Bligh,et al.  Evaluation of LS-DYNA Concrete Material Model 159 , 2007 .

[24]  David Bogosian,et al.  Measuring Uncertainty and Conservatism in Simplified Blast Models , 2002 .

[25]  Hong Hao,et al.  A new method for progressive collapse analysis of RC frames under blast loading , 2010 .

[26]  Nicola Augenti,et al.  Influence of seismic design criteria on blast resistance of RC framed buildings: A case study , 2012 .

[27]  W. E. Baker,et al.  Explosion Hazards and Evaluation , 2012 .

[28]  Maria Carolina Jaime.  Numerical modeling of rock cutting and its associated fragmentation process using the finite element method , 2011 .

[29]  Eric B. Williamson,et al.  Response of Reinforced Concrete Bridge Columns Subjected to Blast Loads , 2011 .

[30]  Eric B. Williamson,et al.  Analysis and Design of Critical Bridges Subjected to Blast Loads , 2005 .

[31]  David W Hyde,et al.  Microcomputer Programs CONWEP and FUNPRO, Applications of TM 5-855-1, 'Fundamentals of Protective Design for Conventional Weapons' (User's Guide) , 1988 .

[32]  Bing Li,et al.  Residual Strength of Blast Damaged Reinforced Concrete Columns , 2010 .