Theoretical models to predict the flexural failure of reinforced concrete beams under blast loads

This paper presents two alternative approaches for the study of reinforced concrete beams under blast loads. In the first approach, the beam is modeled by means of Euler–Bernoulli’s theory and its elastic–plastic behavior is expressed through a new nonlinear relationship between bending moment and curvature. In the second approach, instead, the beam is idealized as a single degree of freedom system. The effects of strain rate, which are of paramount relevance in blast problems, are taken into consideration by introducing time-variable coefficients into the equations of motion derived from the two models. The latter are employed to assess the time-history of the maximum deflection of a simply supported beam subjected to a uniformly distributed blast load. By comparing the theoretical results with some experimental findings available in literature and with the solution obtained from a commercial finite element software, it is found that the first approach is capable of accurately evaluating the maximum deflection of the beam at failure; on the other hand, the second approach provides a less precise prediction, however it is simpler to implement in practice because it requires less computational effort.

► A continuous model for reinforced concrete beams under blast loads is proposed.
► An alternative approach through an equivalent SDOF system is also formulated.
► Strain rate effects are taken into account for both models.
► The continuous beam model well predicts the nonlinear behavior of the beam.
► The SDOF model is simpler, but less reliable than the continuous beam model.