Structural Behavior of Ground-Supported Concrete Slabs Subjected to Repeated Drop-Weight Impacts

Cast-in-place ground-supported concrete slabs (GSCSs) are used as floors in many facilities such as factories, workshops, garages, and airports (i.e., rigid pavements). These slabs may be subjected to repeated impact loads caused by vehicle loads, the dropping of heavy loads, and aircraft landing loads on runways. This research presents an experimental and numerical study to investigate the behavior of these slabs under impact loads. The experimental program consists of 18 concrete slabs with dimensions of 400 mm × 400 mm × 100 mm. Some variables were studied experimentally, such as the reinforcement ratio of these slabs and the amount of the impact force (represented by the drop height). Unreinforced slabs and slabs reinforced with steel reinforcement or a geogrid mesh made of knitted polyester ribs were tested. ABAQUS software was employed to study the failure mode and crack distribution of these slabs numerically. The accuracy of the proposed numerical model was verified by modeling the tested slabs and comparing the numerical results with the experimental results. From the study results, it is clear that the reinforcement significantly improves the impact performance of GSCSs, transforming their failure behavior from brittle to more ductile and tough. The combined use of impact strength and ductility factors provides an integrated measure of slab performance, offering valuable guidance for the design of protective structures, pavements, and industrial flooring under impact loading.