Concrete fracture mechanisms of steel-reinforced-concrete columns subjected to blast loading

The effect of blast loading on structural components are very different from static or low rate dynamic loading, and it involves generally three phases, which are the impact wave phase, the 'rigid body' movement phase and the structural deformation phase due to shear and bending effects. As a result, the concrete cracking process also exhibits a distinctive feature. In steel-reinforced-concrete (SRC) columns, the cracking and failure processes are further complicated because of the effects of their steel core. The mechanisms of concrete cracking in the SRC columns under blast loading are investigated based on numerical simulation analyses. The results provide a good basis for further research on the failure modes of the SRC columns under blast loading, as well as for reference in the design of blast-resistant SRC columns.