Investigation of Blast Resistance Performance in Reinforced Concrete Slabs Using CONWEP-ALE Coupling Algorithm

The Conventional Weapons Effects Program (CONWEP) algorithm often lacks sufficient accuracy in predicting blast responses of reinforced concrete (RC) slabs, while the Arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian (ALE) algorithm demands prohibitively high computational resources. To enhance the engineering applicability of blast resistance assessments for RC slabs, this study proposed a novel CONWEP-ALE coupling algorithm. Utilizing validated blast tests on RC slabs, a representative finite element model was established using LS-DYNA. The performance differences between the CONWEP, ALE, and CONWEP-ALE coupling algorithms were systematically compared under three distinct blast scenarios. Key response characteristics, including incident overpressure, structural deformation, and computational time, were analyzed to evaluate the predictive capabilities of each algorithm for RC slab dynamic response. The results demonstrated that the CONWEP-ALE coupling algorithm achieved the lowest average error (23.23%) in predicting incident overpressure among the three algorithms. Both the ALE and CONWEP-ALE coupling algorithms demonstrate superior accuracy over the CONWEP algorithm in predicting the displacement. Crucially, computational time was reduced by approximately 50% using the CONWEP-ALE algorithm for the specific blast scenarios. Thus, the CONWEP-ALE coupling algorithm provides an effective and efficient approach for analyzing the dynamic response and failure modes of blast-loaded RC slabs.