Abstract
This paper presents the numerically modelled behavior of reinforced concrete sandwich panels (RCSPs) subjected to blast loads. The RCSPs were fabricated with an expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam core and spray-on reinforced concrete skins on both sides, similar to a ferrocement overlay. An experimental study on RCSPs under blast load was conducted by Abbas et al. [1]. The authors used qualitative fragility curves created through visual inspection to assess physical damage intensity at different scaled distances. This study was restricted to a specific test plan, and no quantitative data were collected. Experimentation of RCSPs subjected to blasts requires substantial resources and funds. To address these limitations, this study utilized the Abaqus software application to explore the behavior of RCSPs subjected to blast loads. The objective of this study is to develop a numerical simulation using finite element analysis (FEA) that can be extended to various geometries and/or load configurations to facilitate quantitative research in the future. The conventional weapons effects program (CONWEP) model was used to simulate explosions in Abaqus, and an explicit dynamic solver was used for the analysis. A concrete damage plasticity model is used to evaluate the conditions of the RCSPs. The findings of the practical damage assessment and FEA results of the FEA are compared favorably. Damage was measured as the percentage of the affected area. The absolute mean of the difference between the percent damage predicted and that observed practically (predicted – actual) for two out of the four panels was zero percent, while that for the other two panels was 2.75% and 1.75%, respectively. The overall mean difference in the simulation was 1.12%. The numerical study was further extended to an RCSPs’ structure to examine the response of the RCSPs as an assembly. This extended model successfully visualizes the pressure confinement phenomenon. The model showed satisfactory strength with respect to the blast load. This study supports the findings of Abbas et al., who recommended that RCSPs can be used in buildings as infill walls, which provide significant capabilities for absorbing and dissipating the energy produced by explosions. The numerical model presented herein can be used for future studies on RCSPs.
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Acknowledgements
The research presented herein is part of the authors' (Amir Hamza Khan, Mehran Ahmad and Jehangeer Alam) bachelor’s degree studies in the Department of Civil Engineering at UET Peshawar (Bannu Campus). The kind support of Asim Abbas, Lecturer at the Department of Civil Engineering, UET Peshawar, is highly appreciated. The authors sincerely thank the anonymous reviewers for their insightful comments, which helped to enhance the quality of the paper.
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Abbas, A., Ahmad, M., Khan, A.H. et al. Numerical Study on the Behavior of Reinforced Concrete Sandwich Panels (RCSPs) under Blast Load. Iran J Sci Technol Trans Civ Eng (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40996-024-01446-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40996-024-01446-1