High strength and reactive powder concrete columns subjected to impact: Experimental investigation

•Impact drop test on HSC and RPC columns are carried out and results are reported.•Influence of axial force on failure mode & impact resistance of columns is studied.•Energy absorption ability of HSC and RPC columns subjected to impact is studied.•Failure mode of HSC and RPC columns under impact load is discussed.

Reinforced concrete structures during their construction stage and service life may experience severe loading scenario such as impact loads. In the literature, there are numerous experimental and numerical studies investigating the performance of RC slabs and beams subjected to impact loading but that of RC columns are scarce, especially for high strength and very high strength concrete columns. This experimental study investigates the performance of sixteen RC columns of three different types, i.e. high strength concrete, high strength concrete core with reactive powder concrete shell and reactive powder RC under low- to medium-velocity impacts. The effect of axial force, loading eccentricity and the use of steel fibre reactive powder concrete, as a replacement for conventional concrete, on the impact performance of columns are considered. The experimental results showed that axial force and its eccentricity had significant influence on both the impact resistance and the failure mode of the columns subjected to impact. Also, it was observed that application of reactive powder concrete can enhance the impact performance of the columns.