Dynamic response of reinforced concrete slabs under blast loading: A numerical approach

Abstract The present study investigates the dynamic response of reinforced concrete slabs subjected to free air blast. The investigation focuses on the influence of altering various reinforcement parameters while keeping the slab dimensions constant. Three methods of increasing the reinforcement ratio, namely variation in the number of bars (VNB), variation in the radius of rebars (VRB), and variation in the number of layers (VNL), are compared against each other. A comparative analysis between bidirectional reinforcement (BR) and unidirectional reinforcement (UR) is also carried out, emphasizing maximum deflection, impulse velocity, percentage of element degradation, and elastic strain energy density for concrete. Moreover, the effectiveness of variable spacing reinforcement (VSR) is explored compared to uniform spacing reinforcement (USR) in terms of their ability to withstand blast loads. All variables aside from those under examination are constant to ensure a valid comparison. Additionally, the relationship between maximum deflection and varying reinforcement ratios is examined. Numerical results are compared with the experimental outcomes to verify the simulation findings. In this study, VNB and VRB were found to be more effective for the same reinforcement ratio as VNL against blast load. Also, BR is advantageous over UR, and VSR exhibits more resistance against blast load rather than USR. This study is pivotal in determining the most effective approach for increasing the reinforcement ratio and arranging reinforcement bars efficiently to enhance structural resilience against blast loads.