REDUCED-COST MODELLING OF REINFORCED CONCRETE INFRASTRUCTURE UNDER HIGH-MASS LOW-VELOCITY IMPACT

Abstract:

The numerical assessment of reinforced concrete (RC) structures under impact is often done using high-fidelity modelling procedures. While such approaches can provide extremely detailed, high-resolution response estimates, in the majority of cases they have met with limited success for several reasons: i) they require complex micro-modelling of the structure under consideration, which entails significant model preparation and computation costs, ii) they often require characterization of difficult-to-define material parameters which are typically unknown and require calibration against test data, and iii) many of the commercial programs have shown deficiencies in their abilities to capture post-cracked concrete mechanical response, particularly for scenarios involving brittle failure mechanisms such as those governed by shear. This paper presents the application of an alternative RC shell and slab structure modelling approach. The nonlinear procedure employs low-cost layered shell finite elements that can capture throughthickness shearing effects, and models the mechanical response of concrete in accordance with the Disturbed Stress Field Model (DSFM): a smeared crack formulation dedicated to cracked RC elements. The modelling approach is used to develop response estimates for RC and steel fiber-reinforced concrete (SFRC) slab-like elements, and for an RC bridge railing subjected to high-mass low-velocity impacts. Using basic finite element meshing techniques and material behavioural models requiring easy-to-define parameters, good correlation between the observed and modelled responses were attained

Notes:

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