Abstract
In Lebanon and many other countries where structures are vulnerable to impact loads caused by accidental rock falls due to landslides, specifically bridges with hollow core slab, it is mandatory to develop safe and efficient design procedures to design such types of structures to withstand extreme cases of loading. The structural response of concrete members subjected to low velocity high falling weight raised the interest of researchers in the previous years. The effect of impact due to landslide falling rocks on reinforced concrete (RC) slabs has been investigated by many researchers, while very few studied the effect of impact loading on pre-stressed structures, noting that a recent study was conducted at Beirut Arab University which compared the dynamic behavior of reinforced concrete and post-tensioned slabs under impact loading from a 605 kg impactor freely dropped from a height of 20 m. Hollow core slabs are widely used in bridges and precast structures. Thus, studying their behavior due to such hazards becomes inevitable. This study focuses on these types of slabs. For a better understanding of the behavior, a full scale experimental program consists of testing a single span hollow core slab. The specimen has 6000 mm × 1200 mm × 200 mm dimensions with a 100 mm cast in a place topping slab. Successive free fall drops cases from 14 m height will be investigated on the prescribed slab having a span of 6000 m. This series of impacts will be held by hitting the single span hollow core slab at three different locations: center, edge, and near the support. The data from the testing program were used to assess the structural response in terms of experimental observations, maximum impact and inertia forces, structural damage/failure: type and pattern, acceleration response, and structural design recommendations. This research showed that the hollow core slab has a different dynamic behavior compared to the post tensioned and reinforced concrete slabs mentioned in the literature review section.
Highlights
Lebanon is characterized by its varied terrain
Considering the advantages of precast pre-stressed concrete structures, they were introduced in the industry for construction purposes such as covering large spans and speed of erection compared to conventional reinforced concrete (RC) structures
Noting that the most commonly used bridge deck system used in Lebanon mountain areas are made up using precast hollow core units and because of the high probability of natural catastrophes that may highly cause failure for this structures, it is mandatory to study the behavior of hollow core slab under impact loading and provide design recommendations for manufactures and structural enhancement for a better performance under such extreme cases of loading
Summary
Lebanon is characterized by its varied terrain (coast, mountains, and valleys). With the increase in population, people moved to live in the mountain region, increasing the percentage of inhabitants there. Noting that the most commonly used bridge deck system used in Lebanon mountain areas are made up using precast hollow core units and because of the high probability of natural catastrophes that may highly cause failure for this structures, it is mandatory to study the behavior of hollow core slab under impact loading and provide design recommendations for manufactures and structural enhancement for a better performance under such extreme cases of loading. This complex phenomenon drew the attention of many researchers noting that structural engineers do not take into consideration such type of loading cases though the international design codes used
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