Enhancement of the response of concrete at high strain rates

Abstract

Concrete is one of the most widely used materials in the construction of civil and protective structures. In the present era, these structures might be exposed to extreme loading events during their lifespan. Distinctive examples in various areas range from: aircraft landing on runways, rockfall protection structures subjected to impact of falling rocks in mountainous regions, vehicular collision with transportation structures. Other examples include: industrial buildings subjected to accidental drop of heavy loads, offshore structures subjected to ship or ice impact, civil structures subjected to projectile impact or blasting events. Although, concrete is capable of withstanding quasi-static loading conditions, its performance under extreme loading is debatable due to its heterogeneous and brittle nature, as well as low tensile strength. Therefore, it has become important to explore for new techniques in order to improve the safety and response of concrete under such loading events. The focus of this research is to thoroughly investigate and analyze new methods and material configurations in order to advance towards impact resistant concrete structures.