Experimental Study of Reinforced Concrete Subjected to Shock Loading

Abstract

Split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) and one-stage light gas gun are utilized to study the dynamic mechanical properties of reinforced concrete (RC) subjected to shock loading. The former experimental results show that the strength and stiffness of RC decrease but the ductibility increases with increasing the volume fractions of reinforced fibers due to more damage in the concrete and interface. For the latter experiment, three stress-time curves are recorded by three manganin pressure transducers embedded in the targets. With the stress-time records, complete histories of particle velocity and strain etc. can be obtained at any point within the gauged regions of RC using the path line principle of Lagrangian analysis method. The stress-strain curves of RC present stagnant-return properties. And some other dynamic properties can be gained, such as strain rate hardening, wave shape dispersion effects and the rheological properties of the concrete.