Impact response of reinforced concrete beam with cushion using finite-element analysis

Abstract

This study focusses on numerical analysis to clarify the effect of four types of high strength expanded materials on reinforced concrete (RC) beams subjected to impact of weight falling from a height. LS-DYNA numerical code was used to simulate the dynamic response of the cushions (three are Polystyrene and one is Polycarbonate), and its RC beams during drop-weight impact event. Based on proposed constitutive finite element (FE) models of concrete (MAT_SCHWER_MURRAY_CAP_MODEL_145), steel (MAT_PIECEWISE_LINEAR_024) and cushions (MAT_CRUSHABLE_FOAM_063), the numerical results, i.e., impact forces, mid-span deflection waves and crack patterns, saw good agreement with those from the experimental results. It is confirmed on the proposed numerical model of RC beams with and without cushion subjected to impact loading that the higher protective characteristic of the cushion was hired, the fewer damages on the RC beam were observed.

Keywords

• RC beam
• Cushion
• Numerical analysis
• Constitutive model
• Drop-weight test