Alternatives to improve the dynamic response of reinforced concrete columns subjected to blast loading

RAMÓN HUMBERTO CODINA; RICARDO DANIEL AMBROSINI; FERNANDA MARÍA DE BORBÓN

Conferencia; 1st International Conference on Impact Loading of Structures and Materials; 2016

A numerical-experimental study of the dynamic response of reinforced concrete (RC) columns protected in different ways is presented in this paper. Two alternatives for the protection of RC columns are designed and studied; classical steel jacketing and a new reinforced polyurethane sacrificial layer. The mitigation of shock and absorption of energy from the blast is studied with experimental methods. For comparison purposes, a RC column without protection is also tested and studied. For this case, also numerical results are presented. As expected, the steel jacketing gives excellent protection reducing the maximum final deflection as well as reducing damage to the column. The proposed reinforced polyurethane protection performed reasonably well. The obtained results are useful for exploring new alternatives for the protection of RC columns as well as for the calibration of numerical codes.