Blast-resistance of ultra-high strength concrete and reactive powder concrete

Abstract

Recent advances in nanotechnology research have been applied to improve the durability, service- ability, and safety of ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC). Furthermore, improvements in the compres- sive strength of concrete have allowed concrete structural member size and self-weight to be significantly reduced, which has in turn resulted in cost reduction and structural aesthetic enhancement. Among many UHPCs currently available on the market, the most representative ones are ultra-high strength concrete (UHSC) and reactive powder concrete (RPC). Even though UHSC and RPC have compressive strengths of over 100 MPa, their safety has been questioned due to possible ultra brittle failure behavior and unfavorable cost-to-performance efficiency. The blast-resistant capacities of UHSC and RPC were experimentally evalu- ated to determine the possibility of using UHSC and RPC in concrete structures susceptible to terrorist at- tacks or accidental impacts. In addition, ANFO blast tests were performed on reinforced UHSC and RPC panels. Incidental and reflected pressures, as well as maximum and residual displacements and the strains of rebar and concrete were measured. Blast damage and failure modes of the reinforced panel specimens were recorded. The maximum displacement ratio of UHSC-NSC and RPC-NSC are 0.57, showing that UHSC and RPC have better blast resistance than NSC.