Experimental and numerical study of RC columns under lateral low-velocity impact load

Abstract

Reinforced concrete (RC) columns subjected to lateral impact loading were experimentally and numerically investigated to observe the effects of various parameters on the impact response of the columns. A free-falling weight test setup, designed by one of the authors, was used to apply impact loading to the RC columns. Eight test specimens of square cross-section were fabricated and tested. The main variables considered were the application point of impact loading, the shear reinforcement spacing and the concrete compressive strength. Acceleration, displacement and impact load measurements were taken during the impact tests. The general behaviour of the test specimens, their collapse mechanisms and acceleration–time, displacement–time and impact load–time relationships were interpreted and load–displacement relationships were obtained. The results showed that the transverse reinforcement spacing had a significant effect on the overall impact resistance of the considered columns. Finite-element analyses of the tested specimens were performed using the Ansys Autodyn explicit solver to investigate the impact behaviour further. Reasonable accuracy was achieved in the numerical simulations.