Experimental and Numerical Study of Engineered Cementitious Composite with Strain Recovery under Impact Loading

Moncef Nehdi,Mohamed Ali

doi:10.3390/app9050994

Abstract

An engineered cementitious composite, endowed with strain recovery and incorporating hybrid shape memory alloy (SMA) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) short fibers, was subjected to drop weight impact loading. Numerical simulation of the composite’s impact behavior was performed, and the model predictions agreed well with the experimental findings. Numerical and experimental investigations demonstrated that incorporating SMA fibers in the composite yielded superior impact resistance compared to that of control mono-PVA specimens. Heat treatment stimulated the SMA fibers to apply local prestress on the composite’s matrix owing to the shape memory effect, thus enhancing energy absorption capacity, despite the damage incurred by PVA fibers during the heating process. The superior impact performance of the hybrid composite makes it a strong contender for the construction of protective structures, with a potential to enhance the safety of critical infrastructure assets against impact and blast loading.

Highlights

Missiles, bombs, aircraft and truck crashes, accidental explosions, and rock falls have been major threats to civilian structures and military facilities [1]
Experimental testing and numerical simulations were carried out in the present study to investigate the behavior under impact loading of a novel composite endowed with strain recovery, which is made of an engineered cementitious composite incorporating hybrid shape memory alloy (SMA) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) short fibers
Impact loading was conducted at different drop levels using a drop weight impact test, and numerical simulations of the composite’s impact behavior were performed

Summary

Introduction

Bombs, aircraft and truck crashes, accidental explosions, and rock falls have been major threats to civilian structures and military facilities [1]. Coupled with the growing number of intended attacks on civilian infrastructure, a superior level of protection against explosive and impact loading will be required in the future. Reinforced concrete has been the construction material of choice for critical civilian infrastructure and defensive structures. Due to its low tensile strength, concrete exhibits brittle failure under dynamic loading, which can compromise structural integrity and safety within and near protective facilities. When a structural concrete element is subjected to dynamic loadings, such as impacts or explosions, it experiences unique states of stresses. Near the impacted location, severe hydrostatic compression can propagate, and the state of stress irreversibly compresses the concrete

Methods

Results

Conclusion