Effect of Carbon Steel Hollow Tubes as Reinforcement and Aluminum Foam as Shock Absorber on the Blast Response of One-way Concrete Slabs

To investigate the blast response of the one-way normal strength concrete slabs reinforced on both sides with the High Yield Strength Deformed (HYSD) steel re-bars under air-blast loading, finite element (FE) simulation models have been developed using the explicit non-linear finite element program, ABAQUS/CAE. FE simulation outcomes are found matching closely with the available experimental results and observations. Analyses have been further extended substituting the hollow square carbon steel seamless tubes of grade Fe330 of equivalent strength in place of the conventional steel re-bars of grade Fe600 on the tension side, impact side only, and both the sides of the slab. The substitution has been considered to enhance the blast response of the slab. The damage has been simulated using the concrete damaged plasticity (CDP) model to evaluate the geometric parameters of cracks. The substitution of the tubes on the tension side only is found more effective in reducing the mid-span deflection, damage, and depth of transverse flexural cracks. Efforts have also been made to investigate the effectiveness of the aluminum foam as a shock absorber against the given level of the blast load. The use of two layers of the foam sandwiched with a thin steel sheet on the impact side of the slab only improves further the performance of the slab subjected to air-blast loading.