Impulsive loading on a concrete structure

Abstract

The current paper deals with the experimental determination of relationships of simultaneous ground shock and airblast parameters against impulsive loading. The empirical relationships of peak air pressure, peak reflected airblast pressure along the height of the structure, peak ground acceleration, arriving shock of ground shock, duration of ground shock and the time lag between ground shock and airblast pressure reaching the concrete structure and so forth on a reinforced cement concrete containment scaled model owing to a surface explosion at a certain distance have been established. Equations have been developed and utilised in software for a structural response analysis of a reactor containment subjected to surface explosions. The generation and the effects of blast wave on the shell structure in the plastic range are discussed. Critical distances have been determined for different amounts of blast charges for a typical shell structure. The developed methodology of analysis may be adopted in order to evaluate the effect of an external explosion on the reinforced concrete containments of other reactors.