Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar Apparatus Research Articles

Experimental study on impact performance of seawater sea-sand concrete with recycled aggregates

On islands distant from the mainland, obtaining raw materials for concrete production is often more challenging. To achieve sustainable development in island reef engineering, using discarded marine concrete and coral waste generated during island construction as recycled aggregates are of considerable significance. The preparation of Recycled Coral Aggregate Concrete (RCAC) for island reef engineering thus holds substantial importance. In this study, RCAC and Natural Aggregate Concrete (NAC), both designed with a compressive strength of C60, were prepared. Initially, the fundamental physical properties of the recycled coarse aggregate, such as apparent density, water absorption, and crushing index, were determined. Subsequently, a comparative analysis of the quasi-static mechanical properties of RCAC with varying proportions of recycled coral coarse aggregate (RCCA) was conducted. Furthermore, the impact compression mechanical properties of different RCAC specimens under various strain rates were examined using the Ф100mm Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) apparatus. The microstructure and long-term drying shrinkage performance of RCAC were also analyzed using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and a drying shrinkage apparatus. The finding indicated that the 28-day compressive strength of RCAC specimens with 100% coarse aggregate replacement reached a maximum of 62.4 MPa. The quasi-static compressive strength of RCAC specimens with 50% and 100% RCCA replacement was only 11.5% and 14.2% lower than that of NAC, respectively. Under impact loading, the dynamic compressive strength of RCAC specimens increased with the strain rate, with peak stress exhibiting an approximately linear relationship with the strain rate. The energy dissipation of RCAC specimens generally occurred in three stages, with the reflected and absorbed energies of the specimens increasing linearly with strain rate. At the same strain rate, the transmitted energy of RCAC specimens was higher than that of NAC specimens. Microstructural analysis revealed that the morphology of recycled coral aggregate is characterized by its porous and rough surface. The interfacial transition zone between the recycled coral aggregate and the cement mortar was relatively dense. Incorporating recycled coarse aggregate significantly affected the drying shrinkage properties of the concrete, with higher contents of RCCA leading to greater drying shrinkage rates.

Role of {332} twinning on adiabatic shear behavior during dynamic loading in β-type Ti–15Mo alloy

The microstructural evolution and formation mechanism of the adiabatic shear band (ASB) in {332}<113> twinning-induced plasticity (TWIP) Ti–15Mo alloy were investigated by applying stopper rings in a split Hopkinson pressure bar apparatus. Accompanied by activation of numerous {332}<113> twins, ASB consisting of elongated fine-grains initiated in the dynamically compressed sample with 0.28 true strain. Multiple twins adjacent to the ASB region were severely distorted and refined along the shear direction. Further deformation led to refinement of elongated twins into elongated subgrains, then some of them were subdivided into equiaxed fine-grains. The morphology of the fine-grains within the ASB underwent a complete transition from elongated to equiaxed as the strain increased to 0.33. The equiaxed fine-grains exhibited a random distribution of orientation, which was regarded as the result of dynamic recrystallization. The formation of equiaxed fine-grains was found to obey rotational dynamic recrystallization mechanism through the thermodynamic and kinetic calculations.

Polyurea/Aminopropyl Isobutyl Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane-Functionalized Graphene Nanoplatelet Nanocomposites for Force Protection Applications.

Herein, the development of new nanocomposite systems is reported based on one-part polyurea (PU) and aminopropyl isobutyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS)-functionalized graphene nanoplatelets (GNP-POSS) as compatible nanoreinforcements with the PU resin. GNP-POSS was effectively synthesized via a two-step synthesis protocol, including ultrasonication-assisted reaction and precipitation, and carefully characterized with respect to its chemical and crystalline structure, morphology, and thermal stability. FTIR and XPS spectroscopy analyses revealed that POSS interacts with the residual oxygen moieties of the GNPs through both covalent and noncovalent bonding. The X-ray diffraction pattern of GNP-POSS further revealed that the crystallinity of the GNPs was not altered after their functionalization with POSS. GNP-POSS was successfully incorporated in PU at contents of 1, 3, 5, and 10 wt % to yield PU/GNP-POSS nanocomposite films. An ATR-FTIR analysis of these films confirmed the presence of strong interfacial interactions between the urea groups of PU and the GNP-POSS functionalities. Moreover, the PU/GNP-POSS nanocomposite films exhibited enhanced thermal stability and mechanical properties compared to those of the neat PU film. The quasi-static tensile testing of the PU/GNP-POSS samples revealed remarkable enhancements in the tensile strength (from 7.9 for the neat PU to 25.1 MPa for PU/GNP-POSS) and Young's modulus (238-617 MPa), while elongation at break and toughness also showed 14 and 125% improvements, respectively. Finally, the effects of GNP-POSS content on the morphological, quasistatic tensile, and high-strain-rate dynamic behavior of the PU/GNP-POSS nanocomposite films were also investigated. Overall, the tests performed using a split-Hopkinson pressure bar setup revealed a large increase in the film strength (from 147.6 for the neat PU film to 199 MPa for the PU/GNP-POSS film) and a marginal increase in the energy density of the film (38.1-40.8 kJ/m3). These findings support the suitability of the PU/GNP-POSS nanocomposite films for force protection applications.

Strain rate and size effects on dynamic tensile behaviour of standard and high-strength concrete: An experimental study

The strain rate and specimen size are the main dominant factors affecting the splitting tensile behaviour of concrete. The static size effect is well-known for concrete behaviour, but it needs more knowledge about the dynamic size effect. The present study investigated the strain rate sensitivity and size effect dependency of dynamic tensile behaviour of two different grades of concretes (M35 and M60) using the Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) setup. From the outcomes of the experimental analysis, it was noted that the quasi-static tensile strength underwent a reduction of 8.96% and 11.39% in standard and high-strength concrete, respectively. This decrease occurred as the diameter increased from 29.5 mm to 45 mm, aligning notably with the principles outlined in the "Bazant Size Effect Law," as proposed by Bazant et al. [52]. Whereas, the dynamic tensile strength and DIF increased with increased specimen diameter, which is opposite to the quasi-static size effect. The maximum split tensile strength observed was 18.56 and 19.86 MPa, corresponding to 13.30 and 12.13 s−1 strain rates with 3.69 and 3.51 dynamic increase factor (DIF) for standard (M35) and high-strength concrete (M60), respectively. The dynamic results also demonstrated a size-effect dependency, where larger diameter specimens exhibited higher strain rate sensitivity, leading to increased strength and DIF due to lateral inertial and crack propagation effects. The modified DIF model of CEB-FIP proposed by the Malvar et al. [17] considering the strain rate and size effect simultaneously strongly supported the experimentally obtained DIF values with an ± 13% deviations. In addition, the strain rate significantly influenced the concrete failure pattern, but no size effect was observed. At a low strain rate, the initiated crack propagated towards the loading ends and split the specimen into two semi-cylindrical halves with penetration cracks. While at higher strain rates, additional wedge-shaped crushed regions formed at the loading end due to tensile and shear damage generated due to stress concentration and local crushing. The crack width becomes wider, and the triangular-shaped local crushing zone continuously moves toward the centre of the specimen from both loading ends and generates the crushed strap.

Experimental assessment on the dynamic mechanical characteristics and cracking mechanism of hybrid basalt-sisal fiber reinforced concrete

Hybrid basalt-sisal fiber reinforced concrete (BSFRC) has good application prospects in construction engineering, while the research on its mechanical properties and impact resistance is rather limited. In this study, to systematically investigate the dynamic compressive behavior and cracking characteristics of BSFRC, 9 kinds of concrete specimens containing different fibers and contents were prepared and a series of dynamic compression tests under strain rates of 45–150 s−1 were conducted via the split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) apparatus. For the 9 typical types of concrete prepared in this study, the B1SP2 (i.e., concrete containing 0.1 vol% basalt fibers, 0.1 vol% sisal fibers and 0.1 vol% polypropylene fibers) shows the highest dynamic compressive strength, and the B2S2 (i.e., concrete containing 0.2 vol% basalt fibers and 0.2 vol% sisal fibers) exhibits the highest energy dissipation density. By means of high-speed photography, digital image correlation (DIC) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) techniques, the progressive failure process and microscopic fracture mechanism of BSFRC were further revealed. Fibers in BSFRC effectively inhibit the expansion and penetration of microcracks, and thus delay the initiation and coalescence of macrocracks. Similar to basalt fibers, sisal fibers control cracking behavior of concrete mainly by cutting crack propagation path and exerting bridging effect, and its fiber action is more remarkable for larger cracks. Furthermore, the coupling effect of strain rate and fiber action on the dynamic mechanical behavior of BSFRC were discussed. High loading rate activates more fibers to exert the strength-enhancement and crack-inhibition effect, and the fiber action makes the strain rate dependance of compressive strength more pronounced in BSFRC than that in plain concrete.

Study on the static and dynamic mechanical properties and constitutive models of 3D printed PLA and PLA-Cu materials

The failure of mechanical properties in 3D printed polylactic acid (PLA) for many functional applications has made exploring ways for improving these properties essential; the use of copper powder for producing a composite material known as PLA-Cu is one of these ways. The mechanical responses of both PLA and PLA-Cu under both static and dynamic loading were studied using a universal testing machine and a split Hopkinson pressure bar apparatus, respectively. This experimental study helped to develop a constitutive model for each material according to their mechanical behavior. However, PLA-Cu, affected by ‘impact embrittlement,’ indicates a purely linear elastic behavior during dynamic conditions. Addition of copper powder increases the yield strength of the composite material significantly as compared to pure PLA, with both materials being strain rate sensitive as they change from static to dynamic states. The calibration of the Johnson-Cook constitutive model with the inclusion of the Cowper-Symonds strain rate term for these materials promises useful information for numerical models, improving the predictive models on their behavior under different loading scenarios.

Dynamic mechanical response, energy absorption capacity, and constitutive modeling of polypropylene fiber-reinforced foamed concrete under high temperature

This study utilized a modified split Hopkinson pressure bar apparatus to subject polypropylene fiber-reinforced foamed concrete (PPFRFC) to substantial deformation loading at high temperatures and strain rates. Based on experimental results, the study systematically investigated the coupled effects of temperature and strain rate on the dynamic mechanical behavior of PPFRFC across a broad range of strain rates (0.001 s−1 to 1300 s−1) and temperatures (25 °C–600 °C). The findings revealed that elevated temperatures significantly affected various mechanical parameters including peak stress, plateau stress, elastic modulus, densification strain, dynamic increase factor (DIF), and energy absorption. Notably, with increasing temperature, the strain rate amplified the peak stress, plateau stress, and energy absorption, whereas its influence on the elastic modulus diminished. Microstructural examination revealed the absence of notable cracks in the pore walls after high-temperatures exposure. However, degradation of the cement matrix results in a loose skeleton structure within the pore walls, leading to a considerable reduction in material strength. Finally, a constitutive model was developed, considering the coupling effects of temperature and strain rate. This model accurately describes the mechanical response of the PPFRFC across various stages, including the elastic, plateau, and densification stages, as well as the stress drop behavior in the transition stage. Moreover, it effectively reflects the influence of strain rate and temperature coupling effects on the material's mechanical properties.

Coupled thermo-mechanical phase field modeling for shear ductile fracture at high strain rate and temperature

The objective of the current study is to introduce a coupled thermo-mechanical phase field model to elucidate shear ductile fracture under varying strain rates and temperatures. Both the plastic work threshold and fracture energy exhibit dependence on the strain rate and temperature. To explore this in detail, hat-shaped specimens are adopted to systematically investigate shear ductile fracture under distinct strain rates and temperatures by the split Hopkinson pressure bar apparatus. The simulated and experimental strain waveforms are then compared to calibrate and validate the damage parameters of the presented phase field model. The results demonstrate that the numerical simulations are in agreement with the experiments. Moreover, the fracture process of the hat-shaped specimen is also examined. The numerical results furnish a reliable description of the hat-shaped specimen from damage initiation to complete fracture. It's found that the influences of strain rate on shear stress and fracture initiation are less pronounced than that of temperature for U75V steel. In summary, the developed phase field model can reproduce shear ductile failure of the hat-shaped specimen under diverse strain rates and temperatures.

Dynamic mechanical behaviors of pearlitic U71MnG rail steel: Deformation mechanisms and constitutive model

Pearlitic rail steels with excellent mechanical and wear properties are widely employed for high-speed railways. During the service period, the presence of track irregularities, switches, as well as crossings can cause intense dynamic loadings, which accumulate the severe deformation of rails, and sometimes even facilitate crack initiation and failure. Knowledge of the dynamic mechanical response and damage behaviors of the rail steels is therefore important for the service performance estimation of railways. In this study, the pearlite U71MnG rail steel was deformed using a split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) apparatus to reach a wide range of strain rates and temperatures. Microstructures including the grain morphology, deformation characteristic of cementite lamellae, dislocation substructures in ferrite lamellae, and phase transformation at pearlite colony boundaries were characterized. Based on the microstructural observations, the rate-controlling strengthening mechanism and temperature-dependent softening mechanism of the steel were revealed when the process for the dynamic loading-induced cementite decomposition at boundaries was discussed. In consideration of the athermal deformation mechanism, thermally activated mechanism, and viscous-drag effect, a physically based constitutive model was proposed to describe the dynamic mechanical response of the pearlite rail steel. The predicted flow stresses were found to be consistent with the experimental one for all strain rates and temperatures.

Stress wave attenuation in chocolate

The stress wave attenuation in five types of chocolate (extra dark, dark, milk, white, and ruby) was studied. The main acoustics properties of these chocolates were described in terms of longitudinal and transversal wave velocities. The attenuation of the stress waves was studied using the experimental technique known as the Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB). The SHPB set-up consists of a specimen and linear elastic incident and transmission bar. Experimental data have been evaluated both in the time as well as frequency domain. Attenuation of the stress wave was described namely using the frequency dependence of the transmission coefficient of the stress wave. This damping increases with the plastic strain of the tested chocolate specimens. From a technological point of view, the fat content of the chocolate has the highest influence on the reduction of the longitudinal wave propagation velocity. The lowest attenuation was observed for the dark chocolate.

Modeling and simulation of dynamic compression of Bulk Metallic Glasses at room and elevated temperatures using split Hopkinson pressure bar setup

This paper presents a modeling and simulation study of dynamic compression behavior of Bulk Metallic Glasses (BMGs) at room and elevated temperatures using the split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) setup. The primary objective of this study is to develop and validate a constitutive model and simulation methodology capable of predicting the high strain rate response of BMGs at different temperatures. We propose a constitutive model for BMGs that accounts for the effects of high strain rates and elevated temperatures. We numerically implemented this model in ABAQUS/Explicit Finite Element Analysis software by writing a Vectorized User Material (VUMAT) subroutine. The methodology for modeling and simulation of dynamic compression of BMG specimens using the SHPB setup is developed. The present simulations are able to correctly predict the rate-independent response of Zr41.2Ti13.8Cu12.5Ni10Be22.5 (Vitreloy-1) BMG under dynamic compression at room and elevated temperatures. Furthermore, the present simulations are also able to correctly predict the negative strain rate sensitivity (SRS) of Zr52.5Cu17.9Ni14.6Al10Ti5 (Vitreloy-105) BMG at room temperature. Finally, the present simulations correctly predict that the failure stress of Zr64.13Cu15.75Ni10.12Al10 BMG decreases with increasing temperature and exhibits a minimal positive SRS. The present study is the first successful attempt to model the mechanical response of various BMGs under dynamic compression and at room and elevated temperatures. In particular, the experimentally observed negative SRS in some BMGs has been successfully simulated. The present work has important implications for the design of next generation spacecraft shields that are based on BMGs for mitigating the effects of hypervelocity impacts from debris in space.

Numerical Investigation of Tensile and Compressive Behavior of Mild Steel Subjected to High Strain Rate

Numerical simulations were conducted to validate computational and constitutive models for steel materials through dynamic material tests involving both tension and compression. These simulations involved the numerical modeling of the split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) apparatus, with the appropriate loading applied directly in compression and indirectly in tension. To induce a tensile wave within the specimen, a shoulder, such as a coupler or collar, was interposed between the bars. The simulations were carried out using the LS-DYNA finite element code. In these numerical simulations of the SHPB tests, the MAT-15 Johnson–Cook material model was applied to represent mild steel. The resulting stress–strain relationships obtained under both compression and tension conditions were subsequently compared to corresponding experimental data. The primary objectives of these simulations were to determine the optimal placement of strain gauges on both the input and output bars of the tensile SHPB setup. Additionally, the simulations aimed to assess the influence of the gauge length-to-diameter ratio on the behavior of the mild steel specimen subjected to dynamic tension and compression. The results showed that the pulse produced due to the mechanical mismatch of the element at boundaries can be avoided using the length of the input bar smaller than the output bar. Further, the location of the strain gauge in the case of the output bar should be toward the output bar-shoulder interface, while in the case of the input bar, it should be considered at the center of the span of the bar.

Compressive Behavior of Concrete Subjected to High Rate of Loading Using SHPB

Concrete is the most widely used construction material for strategic structures which are subjected to high rate of loading (impact and blast loading). Hence, the study of the concrete material becomes essential day by day for the structural engineers for the analysis and design of the concrete structures for safety and security purposes. This paper focuses on investigating the dynamic compressive response of the standard concrete (M35) and high-strength concrete (M60) under impact loading by using the newly developed split Hopkinson pressure bar setup (SHPB) apparatus. First, the calibration of SHPB performed at a 4.90[Formula: see text]ms[Formula: see text] impact velocity generates almost similar incident and transmission trapezoidal profile waves with minor reflection showing accuracy. Second, the dynamic compression tests were performed on the standard concrete (SC) and high-strength concrete (HSC) specimens of 29.5[Formula: see text]mm in diameter and [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]mm in length with an aspect ratio of about 1([Formula: see text]) and a comparative study of strain rate effect and quasi-static compressive strength on the material properties has been investigated. The dynamic compression behavior of SC and HSC thus studied under varying strain rates has been presented in terms of the compressive strength, dynamic increase factor, stress–strain relationship, material failure, and fragmentation. Compressive strength increments of 114% and 41% were observed in SC and HSC as the loading condition changed from quasi-static to dynamic. In addition, the HSC described the [Formula: see text]% and [Formula: see text]% higher compressive strength corresponding to 290[Formula: see text]s[Formula: see text] and 131[Formula: see text]s[Formula: see text] strain rate as compared to SC describing that the HSC is more sensitive to the strain rate. The dynamic mechanical properties increased with an increase in the strain rate, and the DIFs were found to vary in the range of 1.42–2.14 and 1.07–1.41 for SC and HSC, respectively. The critical strain and ultimate strain were also found to be sensitive to strain rate and increased with increase in strain rate for both grades of concrete. Moreover, strain rates exert a noteworthy influence on fragmentation, leading to an increase in the percentage weight of fine fragments and a decrease in the percentage weight of large fragments as the strain rate increases. Additionally, there is an overall increase in the quantity of fragments for both SC and HSC specimens under these conditions. The flaky, elongated, angular, and irregular shape fragments were observed but their quantity and size varied significantly with strain rate.

Dynamic Increase Factor of Concrete Subjected to Compression and Tension by using Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar Setup: Overview

Dynamic Increase Factor of Concrete Subjected to Compression and Tension by using Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar Setup: Overview

Study on dynamic deformation-damage-ignition mechanism of GAP/RDX/TEGDN propellant

ABSTRACT Investigations on high-energy and low-vulnerability propellants can provide a better understanding for improving the operational effectiveness and survivability of strategic and tactical missiles. In the present study, the dynamic compressive mechanical properties and damage-ignition response mechanism of the GAP/RDX/TEGDN (GRT) propellant under high strain rates have been studied using a split Hopkinson pressure bar apparatus and a high-performance high-speed camera. The experimental results suggested that the mechanical properties of the GRT propellant, in terms of yield stress, initial compressive modulus, and ultimate stress, were greatly affected by the loaded strain rate. The true stress-strain curves exhibited an initial linear elasticity region followed by yielding a subsequent strain hardening and strain softening region stage. It has been found that the yield stress and ultimate stress increased with the strain rates. Moreover, at higher strain rates, the impulse increases significantly, leading to earlier and more intense ignition. The critical strain rate and the critical impulse of the GRT propellant are 5000 s−1 and 13.28 N · s, respectively. A judgment basis for GRT propellant ignition is established. Finally, according to the high-speed images and the posttest SEM images, it has been concluded that the dominant ignition mechanism of GRT propellant is flow at the macroscopic level and internal frictional heating at the mesoscopic level.

Role of confinement in coseismic pulverization: Testing the rock record of rupture directivity on the San Jacinto fault, Southern California

The San Jacinto fault juxtaposes Pleistocene Bautista Formation sediments against Cretaceous tonalite near Anza, California. While the tonalites show typical features of pulverized fault zone rocks on the NE side of the fault, the weakly consolidated Bautista Formation shows evidence of pulverization at a depth of 120 m, yet only background level deformation at 70 m, consistent with the expectation that a minimum confining pressure is required to initiate pulverization in poorly consolidated sediments. We test this hypothesis by simulating pulverization using a modified Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar apparatus, in which dry and wet sediments are subjected to up to three repeated dynamic triaxial compressive load cycles. We suggest unconsolidated sediments require a minimum confining pressure under axial compression to initiate pulverization and multiple seismic cycles to reach the observed fracture densities. Companion experiments conducted on Ottawa sand suggest sub-grain scale inelastic deformation in the bulk (i.e., not localized in deformation bands) occurs preferentially at high strain rates. Furthermore, the compressive origin of sediment pulverization, along with evidence of tensile fragmentation in cross-fault tonalite, supports a preferred northwest rupture direction along the southern section of the San Jacinto fault.

Fiber metal laminates for high strain rate applications with layerwise shock impedance tuning

Novel materials such as fiber-metal laminates (FMLs) have demonstrated significant potential in a variety of applications. They must contend with problems such fatigue, creep, high-speed projectile impact, and deformation at high strain rates while in use. When employed as structural materials in aircraft, especially when exposed to shock wave impact and high velocity impact, fiber-metal laminates’ high strain rate characteristics become crucial. Shock impedance matching is a revolutionary approach used for shock-tuning the separate layers. The novelty of the current work is in developing custom shielding laminates, with in-depth analysis on the response of the shock impedance tuning of individual layers on the laminate behaviour at high strain rates. In the current study, five stackups of FMLs comprising metallic (AA 6061-T6) and fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) plies, were formulated, incorporating shock impedance matching. The fiber-polymer plies used in the FMLs include ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), p-aramid for supplementing the impact resistance. Transmission loss functions (TL) estimated from the impedance tube experiments were used to indicate the shock tuning of the various laminates. The laminates underwent testing using a Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) apparatus to determine their properties at high strain rates (350, textrm{s}^{-1} to 460, textrm{s}^{-1}). The variation in the Shock Energy (SE) absorbed by the laminates at various strain rates was analyzed as a function of the corresponding Transmission Loss employing regression. The dynamic stress-strain curves showed an increase in shock energy absorption at higher strain rates. The sequence SSP-IV and SSP-II showed the highest values of energy absorption as well as Transmission Loss.

Asynchronous time integration while achieving zero interface energy

This contribution deals with an asynchronous direct time integration of the finite-element model. The proposed method is applied to the phenomenon of wave propagation through an elastic linear continuum. The numerical model is partitioned into individual subdomains using the domain decomposition method by means of localized Lagrange multipliers. For each subdomain, different time discretizations are used. No restrictions for relation between subdomain’s time steps are imposed. The coupling of the subdomains is forced by an acceleration continuity condition. Additionally, we use the a posteriori technique to also provide the displacement and velocity continuity at the interfaces, and hence we obtain exact continuity of all three kinematic fields. The proposed method is experimentally validated using the modified SHPB (split Hopkinson pressure bar) setup.

Experimental study of the quasi-static and dynamic fracture toughness of notched and repaired concrete using semi-circular bend method

Concrete constructions commonly contain cracks or defects during forming and service, repair operations are necessary in many situations. However, limited investigations conducted on the dynamic fracture toughness (DFT) of repaired concrete structures. This paper investigates the cracking behavior of concrete structures through notched dynamic semi-circular bend (NSCB) tests performed using a split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) apparatus with two measurement techniques, namely digital image correlation (DIC) and crack propagation gauge (CPG), to capture the flying half angular velocity and crack propagation speed of NSCB concrete specimens under various loads. The results demonstrate a linear increase in both DFT and crack propagation speed of concrete with the loading rate. Additionally, a threshold value exists beyond which the crack speed stabilizes, and the DFT is not evidently influenced by the notch depths. The cracks propagate along the aggregates and remain mostly intact under a relatively low loading rate. With an increased loading rate, the damage pattern of some otherwise deflected aggregates changes resulting in crack penetration and significantly reducing the fracture surface roughness. Repaired specimens exhibit greater energy dissipation at the same loading rate, thereby producing flying fragments with lower kinetic energy, which can prevent secondary damage to internal personnel and structures.

Effect of dynamic loading orientation on fracture properties of surrounding rocks in twin tunnels

For expedited transportation, vehicular tunnels are often designed as two adjacent tunnels, which frequently experience dynamic stress waves from various orientations during blasting excavation. To analyze the impact of dynamic loading orientation on the stability of the twin-tunnel, a split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) apparatus was used to conduct a dynamic test on the twin-tunnel specimens. The two tunnels were rotated around the specimen’s center to consider the effect of dynamic loading orientation. LS-DYNA software was used for numerical simulation to reveal the failure properties and stress wave propagation law of the twin-tunnel specimens. The findings indicate that, for a twin-tunnel exposed to a dynamic load from different orientations, the crack initiation position appears most often at the tunnel corner, tunnel spandrel, and tunnel floor. As the impact direction is created by a certain angle (30°, 45°, 60°, 120°, 135°, and 150°), the fractures are produced in the middle of the line between the left tunnel corner and the right tunnel spandrel. As the impact loading angle (α) is 90°, the tunnel sustains minimal damage, and only tensile fractures form in the surrounding rocks. The orientation of the impact load could change the stress distribution in the twin-tunnel, and major fractures are more likely to form in areas where the tensile stress is concentrated.