Finite-Element Analysis of Reinforced-Concrete Box Girder Bridges under Close-In Detonations
Publication: Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities
Volume 27, Issue 6
Abstract
Localized spalling/cratering of concrete structures subjected to close-in detonations may lead to global structural failure. This paper presents the details and results of a numerical study conducted on posttensioned concrete box girder bridges under close-in detonations. A bomb explosion within or near the bridge deck may cause catastrophic damage to the bridge components. Blast causes highly dynamic loads much larger than the conventional design loads applied relatively locally. In contrast to the bridge superstructure, significant research has been performed on the response and retrofit of buildings under blast loads. The published research on the response prediction and protection of bridges under near-field blast loads are limited. This study focuses on the evaluation and assessment of box girder bridges under blast loads. The objective of this research is to develop a reliable numerical model to predict the damage (spalling/cratering) size in a concrete deck under blast loading and the corresponding dynamic response of the damaged bridge system. The key parameters evaluated were the charge weight, charge location, and concrete deck properties. The results of this study make finite-element (FE) modeling an attractive alternative when blast testing is not feasible such as in the case of bridges. The numerical model was verified using close-in detonations on concrete slabs. Verification of the numerical model results using blast field testing on bridge systems is still necessary before this study can be expanded for additional parametric studies and comprehensive design recommendations. The damage sizes of the RC box girder bridges were predicted and assessed using a nonlinear dynamic FE code. Nonlinear regression analyses were conducted and an equation to predict the damage size depending on the scaled distance was introduced.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
AASHTO. (2010). AASHTO LRFD bridge specifications, 5th Ed., Washington, DC.
American Concrete Institute (ACI). (1998). “State-of-the-art report on high-strength concrete.” ACI 363-92, Detroit.
Ansys. (2013). AUTODYN-3D user's manual, Canonsburg, PA.
Anwarul Islam, A. K. M. (2005). “Performance of AASHTO girder bridges under blast loading.” Ph.D. thesis, College of Engineering, Florida A&M Univ.-Florida State Univ. (FAMU-FSU), Tallahassee, FL.
Anwarul Islam, A. K. M., and Yazdani, N. (2008). “Performance of AASHTO girder bridges under blast loading.” Eng. Struct., 30(7), 1922–1937.
ASCE Task Committee. (1997). Design of blast resistant buildings in petrochemical facilities, ASCE, New York.
ASTM. (2010a). “Standard specification for high-strength low-alloy structural steel, up to 50 ksi [345 MPa] minimum yield point, with atmospheric corrosion resistance.” A588/A588M, West Conshohocken, PA.
ASTM. (2010b). “Standard specification for steel strand, uncoated seven-wire for pre-stressed concrete.” A416 /A416M, West Conshohocken, PA.
Baker, W. E. (1973). Explosions in air, University of Texas Press, Austin, TX.
Barker, R. M., and Puckett, J. A. (2008). Design of highway bridges, an LRFD approach, Wiley, Hoboken, NJ.
Baylot, J., Roy, J., and Hall, J. (2002). “Prediction method for response of steel bridge beams and girders to blast and fragment loads.” Transportation Research Record 1827, Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC, 69–74.
Broadhouse, B. J. (1995). “The Winfrith concrete model in LS-DYNA3D.” Rep. SPD/D(95)363, Structural Performance Dept., Atomic Energy Authority Technology, Winfrith Technology Centre, Dorchester, Dorset, U.K.
Cimo, R. (2007). “Analytical modeling to predict bridge performance under blast loading.” M.S. thesis, Univ. of Delaware, Newark, DE.
ConWep [Computer software]. Washington, DC, U.S. Army COE.
Cowper, G., and Symonds, P. (1957). “Strain-hardening and strain rate effects in the impact loading of cantilever beams.” Technical Rep. 28, Division of Applied Mathematics, Brown Univ., Providence, RI.
Department of Defense (DoD). (2008). “Unified facilities criteria (UFC). Structures to resist the effects of accidental explosions.” UFC 3-340-02, Washington, DC.
Hao, H., and Tang, E. K. C. (2010). “Numerical simulation of a cable-stayed bridge response to blast loads, Part II: Damage prediction and FRP strengthening.” Eng. Struct., 32(10), 3193–3205.
Ibrahim, A., Salim, H., and Flood, I. (2011). “Damage model of reinforced concrete slabs under near-field blast.” Int. J. Protective Struct., 2(3), 315–332.
LS-DYNA 971 [Computer software]. Livermore, CA, Livermore Software Technology Corp. (LSTC).
Marchand, K., Williamson, E. B., and Winget, D. G. (2004). “Analysis of blast loads on bridge substructures.” Structures under shock and impact VIII, Wessex Institute of Technology Press, Southampton, U.K.
McVay, M. K. (1988). “Spall damage of concrete structures.” Technical Rep. SL-88-22, U.S. Army COE, Waterways Experiment Station, Vicksburg, MS.
Mostofinjad, D., and Nozhati, M. (2005). “Prediction of the modulus of elasticity of high strength concrete.” Iran. J. Sci. Technol., Trans. B, Eng., 29(3), 311–321.
Ottosen, N. S. (1975). “Failure and elasticity of concrete.” Annual Rep. RISO-M1801, Risø National Laboratory for Sustainable Energy, Technical Univ. of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark.
Pelton, J. F. (1993). “Bridge inspections in Bosnia—Operation Grapple.” Royal Eng. J., 10(2).
Son, J. (2008). “Performance of cable supported bridge decks subjected to blast loads.” Ph.D. dissertation, Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA.
Tang, E. K. C., and Hao, H. (2010). “Numerical simulation of a cable-stayed bridge response to blast loads, Part I: Model development and response calculations.” Eng. Struct., 32(10), 3180–3192.
Tinsley, E. M. (2007). “Investigation of the high-volume fly ash-wood fiber material subjected to low-velocity impact and blast loads.” M.S. thesis, Univ. of Missouri-Rolla, Rolla, MO.
Vultisky, M., and Karniz, Z. (2002). “Ship structures subject to high explosive detonation.” Proc., 7th Int. LS-DYNA Users Conf., Livermore Software Technology Corporation and Engineering Technology Associates, Dearborn, MI.
Williamson, E. B., and Marchand, K. A. (2006).” Recommendations for blast-resistant design and retrofit of typical highway bridges.” Proc., Structure Congress, ASCE, Reston, VA.
Winget, D. G., Marchand, K. A., and Williamson, E. B. (2005). “Analysis and design of critical bridges subjected to blast loads.” J. Struct. Eng., 131(8), 1243–1255.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
© 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Nov 14, 2011
Accepted: Jul 23, 2012
Published online: Aug 8, 2012
Published in print: Dec 1, 2013
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.