Transient response of doubly-curved bio-inspired composite shells resting on viscoelastic foundation subject to blast load using improved first-order shear theory and isogeometric approach

Investigating natural-inspired applications is a perennially appealing subject for scientists. The current increase in the speed of natural-origin structure growth may be linked to their superior mechanical properties and environmental resilience. Biological composite structures with helicoidal schemes and designs have remarkable capacities to absorb impact energy and withstand damage. However, there is a dearth of extensive study on the influence of fiber redirection and reorientation inside the matrix of a helicoid structure on its mechanical performance and reactivity. The present study aimed to explore the static and transient responses of a bio-inspired helicoid laminated composite(B-iHLC) shell under the influence of an explosive load using an isomorphic method. The structural integrity of the shell is maintained by a viscoelastic basis known as the Pasternak foundation, which encompasses two coefficients of stiffness and one coefficient of damping. The equilibrium equations governing shell dynamics are obtained by using Hamilton's principle and including the modified first-order shear theory,therefore obviating the need to employ a shear correction factor. The paper's model and approach are validated by doing numerical comparisons with respected publications. The findings of this study may be used in the construction of military and civilian infrastructure in situations when the structure is subjected to severe stresses that might potentially result in catastrophic collapse. The findings of this paper serve as the foundation for several other issues, including geometric optimization and the dynamic response of similar mechanical structures.

Determination method of mesh size for numerical simulation of blast load in near-ground detonation

In order to improve the overall resilience of the urban infrastructures, it is required to conduct blast resistant design for important building structures in the city. For complex terrain in the city, it is recommended to determine the blast load on the structures via numerical simulation. Since the mesh size of the numerical model highly depends on the explosion scenario, there is no generally applicable approach for the mesh size selection. An efficient method to determine the mesh size of the numerical model of near-ground detonation based on explosion scenarios is proposed in this study. The effect of mesh size on the propagation of blast wave under different explosive weights was studied, and the correlations between the mesh size effect and the charge weight or the scaled distance was described. Based on the principle of the finite element method and Hopkinson-Cranz scaling law, a mesh size measurement unit related to the explosive weight was proposed as the criterion for determining the mesh size in the numerical simulation. Finally, the applicability of the method proposed in this paper was verified by comparing the results from numerical simulation and the explosion tests and was verified in AUTODYN.

An isogeometric analysis approach for dynamic response of doubly-curved magneto electro elastic composite shallow shell subjected to blast loading

For the first time, the isogeometric analysis(IGA) approach is used to model and analyze free and forced vibrations of doubly-curved magneto-electro-elastic(MEE) composite shallow shell resting on the visco-Pasternak foundation in a hygro-temperature environment. The doubly-curved MEE shallow shell types include spherical shallow shell, cylindrical shallow shell, saddle shallow shell, and elliptical shallow shell subjected to blast load are investigated. The Maxwell equation and electromagnetic boundary conditions are used to determine the vary of the electric and magnetic potentials. The MEE shallow shell's equations of motion are derived from Hamilton's principle and refined higher-order shear theory. Then, the IGA method is used to derive the laws of natural frequencies and dynamic responses of the shell under various boundary conditions. The accuracy of the model and method is verified through reliable numerical comparisons. Aside from this, the impact of the input parameters on the free and forced vibration of the doubly-curved MEE shallow shell is examined in detail. These results may be useful in the design and manufacture of military structures such as warships, fighter aircraft, drones and missiles.

Transient responses of double-curved sandwich two-layer shells resting on Kerr's foundations with laminated three-phase polymer/GNP/fiber surface and auxetic honeycomb core subjected to the blast load

This work uses refined first-order shear theory to analyze the free vibration and transient responses of double-curved sandwich two-layer shells made of auxetic honeycomb core and laminated three-phase polymer/GNP/fiber surface subjected to the blast load.Each of the two layers that make up the double-curved shell structure is made up of an auxetic honeycomb core and two laminated sheets of three-phase polymer/GNP/fiber.The exterior is supported by a Kerr elastic foundation with three characteristics.The key innovation of the proposed theory is that the transverse shear stresses are zero at two free surfaces of each layer.In contrast to previous first-order shear deformation theories,no shear correction factor is required.Navier's exact solution was used to treat the double-curved shell problem with a single title boundary,while the finite element technique and an eight-node quadrilateral were used to address the other boundary requirements.To ensure the accuracy of these results,a thorough comparison technique is employed in conjunction with credible statements.The problem model's edge cases allow for this kind of analysis.The study's findings may be used in the post-construction evaluation of military and civil works structures for their ability to sustain explosive loads.In addition,this is also an important basis for the calculation and design of shell structures made of smart materials when subjected to shock waves or explosive loads.

Modeling the blast load induced by a close-in explosion considering cylindrical charge parameters

Structural damage is significantly influenced by the various parameters of a close-in explosion.To establish a close-in blast loading model for cylindrical charges according to these parameters,a series of field experiments and a systematic numerical analysis were conducted.A high-fidelity finite element model developed using AUTODYN was first validated using blast data collected from field tests conducted in this and previous studies.A quantitative analysis was then performed to determine the influence of the charge shape,aspect ratio(length to diameter),orientation,and detonation configuration on the characteristics and distributions of the blast loading(incident peak overpressure and impulse)according to scaled distance.The results revealed that the secondary peak overpressure generated by a cylindrical charge was mainly distributed along the axial direction and was smaller than the overpressure generated by an equivalent spherical charge.The effects of charge shape on the blast loading at 45°and 67.5°in the axial plane could be neglected at scaled distances greater than 2 m/kg^(1/3);the effect of aspect ratios greater than 2 on the peak overpressure in the 90°(radial)direction could be neglected at all scaled distances;and double-end detonation increased the radial blast loading by up to 60%compared to singleend detonation.Finally,an empirical cylindrical charge blast loading model was developed considering the influences of charge aspect ratio,orientation,and detonation configuration.The results obtained in this study can serve as a reference for the design of blast tests using cylindrical charges and aid engineers in the design of blast-resistant structures.

Sensitivity analysis and probability modelling of the structural response of a single-layer reticulated dome subjected to an external blast loading

The structural response of a single-layer reticulated dome to external explosions is shaped by many variables,and the associated uncertainties imply non-deterministic results.Existing deterministic methods for predicting the consequences of specific explosions do not account for these uncertainties.Therefore,the impact of the uncertainties associated with these input variables on the structures’response needs to be studied and quantified.In this study,a parametric uncertainty analysis was conducted first.Then,local and global sensitivity analyses were carried out to identify the drivers of the structural dynamic response.A probabilistic structural response model was established based on sensitive variables and a reasonable sample size.Furthermore,some deterministic empirical methods for explosion-resistance design,including the plane blast load model of CONWEP,the curved blast load model under the 50%assurance level,and the 20%mass-increased method,were used for evaluating their reliability.The results of the analyses revealed that the structural response of a single-layer reticulated dome to an external blast loading is lognormally distributed.Evidently,the MB0.5 method based on the curved reflector load model yielded results with a relatively stable assurance rate and reliability,but CONWEP did not;thus,the 1.2MB0.5 method can be used for making high-confidence simple predictions.In addition,the results indicated that the structural response is very sensitive to the explosion parameters.Based on these results,it is suggested that for explosion proofing,setting up a defensive barrier is more effective than structural strengthening.

Numerical Study on the Behaviour of Hybrid FRPs Reinforced RC Slabs Subjected to Blast Loads

The safety of civilian and military infrastructure is a concern due to an increase in explosive risks,which has led to a demand for high-strength civil infrastructure with improved energy absorption capacity.In this study,a Finite Element(FE)numerical model was developed to determine the effect of hybrid Fibre Reinforced Polymer(FRP)as a strengthening material on full-scale Reinforced Concrete(RC)slabs.The reinforcing materials under consideration were Carbon(CFRP)and Glass(GFRP)fibres,which were subjected to blast loads to determine the structural response.A laminated composite fabric material model was utilized to model the failure of composite,which facilitates the consideration of strain rate effects.The damaged area of the laminate is determined in the FE model,and it is in good agreement with the corresponding experimental results in the literature.Models containing different stacking sequences were built to demonstrate their efficiency in resisting blast loads.In general,the damaged area was reduced when a hybrid reinforcement with CFRP as the top layer was used.

Computational Fluid Dynamics Approach for Predicting Pipeline Response to Various Blast Scenarios: A Numerical Modeling Study

Recent industrial explosions globally have intensified the focus in mechanical engineering on designing infras-tructure systems and networks capable of withstanding blast loading.Initially centered on high-profile facilities such as embassies and petrochemical plants,this concern now extends to a wider array of infrastructures and facilities.Engineers and scholars increasingly prioritize structural safety against explosions,particularly to prevent disproportionate collapse and damage to nearby structures.Urbanization has further amplified the reliance on oil and gas pipelines,making them vital for urban life and prime targets for terrorist activities.Consequently,there is a growing imperative for computational engineering solutions to tackle blast loading on pipelines and mitigate associated risks to avert disasters.In this study,an empty pipe model was successfully validated under contact blast conditions using Abaqus software,a powerful tool in mechanical engineering for simulating blast effects on buried pipelines.Employing a Eulerian-Lagrangian computational fluid dynamics approach,the investigation extended to above-surface and below-surface blasts at standoff distances of 25 and 50 mm.Material descriptions in the numerical model relied on Abaqus’default mechanical models.Comparative analysis revealed varying pipe performance,with deformation decreasing as explosion-to-pipe distance increased.The explosion’s location relative to the pipe surface notably influenced deformation levels,a key finding highlighted in the study.Moreover,quantitative findings indicated varying ratios of plastic dissipation energy(PDE)for different blast scenarios compared to the contact blast(P0).Specifically,P1(25 mm subsurface blast)and P2(50 mm subsurface blast)showed approximately 24.07%and 14.77%of P0’s PDE,respectively,while P3(25 mm above-surface blast)and P4(50 mm above-surface blast)exhibited lower PDE values,accounting for about 18.08%and 9.67%of P0’s PDE,respectively.Utilising energy-absorbing materials such as thin coatings of ultra-high-strength concrete,metallic foams,carbon fiber-reinforced polymer wraps,and others on the pipeline to effectively mitigate blast damage is recommended.This research contributes to the advancement of mechanical engineering by providing insights and solutions crucial for enhancing the resilience and safety of underground pipelines in the face of blast events.

Blast waveform tailoring using controlled venting in blast simulators and shock tubes

A critical challenge of any blast simulation facility is in producing the widest possible pressure-impulse range for matching against equivalent high-explosive events.Shock tubes and blast simulators are often constrained with the lack of effective ways to control blast wave profiles and as a result have a limited performance range.Some wave shaping techniques employed in some facilities are reviewed but often necessitate extensive geometric modifications,inadvertently cause flow anomalies,and/or are only applicable under very specific configurations.This paper investigates controlled venting as an expedient way for waveforms to be tuned without requiring extensive modifications to the driver or existing geometry and could be widely applied by existing and future blast simulation and shock tube facilities.The use of controlled venting is demonstrated experimentally using the Advanced Blast Simulator(shock tube)at the Australian National Facility of Physical Blast Simulation and via numerical flow simulations with Computational Fluid Dynamics.Controlled venting is determined as an effective method for mitigating the impact of re-reflected waves within the blast simulator.This control method also allows for the adjustment of parameters such as tuning the peak overpressure,the positive phase duration,and modifying the magnitude of the negative phase and the secondary shock of the blast waves.This paper is concluded with an illustration of the potential expanded performance range of the Australian blast simulation facility when controlled venting for blast waveform tailoring as presented in this paper is applied.

Capacity of surface warship's protective bulkhead subjected to blast loading

The protective bulkhead of the large surface warship need to be designed working in the membrane mode. In this paper, a formula is derived for calculating the plastic deformation of the protective bulkhead subjected to blast loading by the energy method, and the ultimate capability of the protective bulkhead can be calculated. The design demand of the protective bulkhead is discussed. The calculation is compared with external experiments, which indicates that the formula is of great application value.

A Review of Current Researches on Blast Load Effects on Building Structures in China

The damages of building structures subjected to multifarious explosions cause huge losses of lives and property. It is the reason why the blast resistance and explosion protection of building structures become an important research topic in the civil engineering field all over the world. This paper provides an overview of the research work in China on blast loads effect on building structures. It includes modeling blast shock wave propagation and their effects, the dynamic responses of various building structures under blast loads and the measures to strengthen the building structures against blast loads. The paper also discusses the achievements and further work that needs be done for a better understanding of the blast loads' effects on building structures, and for deriving effective and economic techniques to design new or to strengthen existing structures.

Dynamic caustics test of blast load impact on neighboring different cross-section roadways

Using digital laser dynamic caustics experimental system and conducting simulation experiment researched the influence rule of blasting excavation of a new roadway on neighboring existed different cross-section roadways. The experimental results show that the influence of blast load on adjacent roadway has a good relationship with the cross-section of roadway. The expansion distance of precrack existed in circular, arch-wall, rectangular roadway is respectively 1.76, 1.61 and 0 cm under blast load.At the same time, the direct-blast side of rectangular roadway has more obvious damage compared with circular and arch-wall roadway. It explains that plane reflects more stress wave than arc, so that it exerts more tensile failure in the direct-blast side, which leads to less stress wave diffracting to the precrack in the back-blast side. When the precrack extends, higher value dynamic stress intensity factor in circular roadway works longer than that of arch-wall roadway. Indirectly, it explains that plane's weakening function on stress wave is significantly stronger than arc. Stress wave brings about self-evident influence on the upper and bottom endpoints of the rectangular roadway, and it respectively extends 1.03, 2.06 cm along the line link direction of the center of the blasthole and the upper and bottom endpoints on the right wall.

Numerical Modeling of Response and Damage of Masonry Walls to Blast Loading

To model the damage process of masonry walls under blast loading, a dynamic continuum damage material model is constructed for brick and mortar separately. The degradation of both the stiffness and strength are governed by a damage variable. By using the proposed material model, damage and fragmentation of a typical masonry wall under blast loading at different scaled distances is calculated. The hazard level of the masonry wall to blast loading is evaluated by analyzing the numerical results.

Numerical Analysis of Structural Progressive Collapse to Blast Loads

After the progressive collapse of Ronan Point apartment in UK in 1968, intensive research effort had been spent on developing guidelines for design of new or strengthening the existing structures to prevent progressive collapse. However, only very few building design codes provide some rather general guidance, no detailed design requirement is given. Progressive collapse of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal building in Oklahoma City and the World Trade Centre (WTC) sparked again tremendous research interest on progressive collapse of structures. Recently, US Department of Defence (DoD) and US General Service Administration (GSA) issued guidelines for structure progressive collapse analysis. These two guidelines are most commonly used, but their accuracy is not known. This paper presents numerical analysis of progressive collapse of an example frame structure to blast loads. The DoD and GSA procedures are also used to analyse the same example structure. Numerical results are compared and discussed. The accuracy and the applicability of the two design guidelines are evaluated.

Pressure-impulse diagram with multiple failure modes of one-way reinforced concrete slab under blast loading using SDOF method

Two loosely coupled single degree of freedom (SDOF) systems were used to model the flexural and direct shear responses of one-way reinforced concrete slabs subjected to explosive loading. Blast test results show that the SDOF systems are accurate in predicting the failure mode of the slab under blast loads by incorporating the effects of the strain rate effect caused by rapid load application. Based on different damage criteria, pressure-impulse (P-I) diagrams of the two failure modes were analyzed with the SDOF systems. The effects of span length, concrete strength, and reinforcement ratio of the slab on the P-I diagram were also investigated. Results indicate that a slab tends to fail in direct shear mode when it is of a smaller span length and tends to fail in flexure mode when it is of a larger span length. With the increase of the concrete strength or reinforced ratio, both the flexure and shear capacity increase. Based on numerical results, a simplified method and a semi analytical equation for deriving the P-I diagram are proposed for different failure modes and damage levels.

Numerical investigation on free air blast loads generated from center-initiated cylindrical charges with varied aspect ratio in arbitrary orientation

In current guidelines, the free air blast loads(overpressure and impulse) are determined by spherical charges, although most of ordnance devices are more nearly cylindrical than spherical in geometry. This may result in a great underestimation of blast loads in the near field and lead to an unsafe design.However, there is still a lack of systematic quantitative analysis of the blast loads generated from cylindrical charges. In this study, a numerical model is developed by using the hydrocode AUTODYN to investigate the influences of aspect ratio and orientation on the free air blast loads generated from center-initiated cylindrical charges. This is done by examining the pressure contours, the peak overpressures and impulses for various aspect ratios ranged from 1 to 8 and arbitrary orientation monitored along every azimuth angle with an interval of 5°. To characterize the distribution patterns of blast loads,three regions, i.e., the axial region, the vertex region and the radial region are identified, and the propagation of blast waves in each region is analyzed in detail. The complexity of blast loads of cylindrical charges is found to result from the bridge wave and its interaction with primary waves. Several empirical formulas are presented based on curve-fitting the numerical data, including the orientation where the maximum peak overpressure emerges, the critical scaled distance beyond which the charge shape effect could be neglected and blast loads with varied aspect ratio in arbitrary orientation, all of which are useful for blast-resistant design.

Numerical Analysis of Dynamic Behavior of RC Slabs Under Blast Loading

In order to reduce economic and life losses due to terrorism or accidental explosion threats, reinforced concrete （RC） slabs of buildings need to he designed or retrofitted to resist blast loading. In this paper the dynamic behavior of RC slabs under blast loading and its influencing factors are studied. The numerical model of an RC slab subjected to blast loading is established using the explicit dynamic analysis software. Both the strain rate effect and the damage accumulation are taken into account in the material model. The dynamic responses of the RC slab subjected to blast loading are analyzed, and the influence of concrete strength, thickness and reinforcement ratio on the behavior of the RC slab under blast loading is numerically investigated. Based on the numerical results, some principles for blast-resistant design and retrofitting are proposed to improve the behavior of the RC slab subjected to blast loading.

Methods for Progressive Collapse Analysis of Building Structures Under Blast and Impact Loads

Progressive collapse of building structures under blast and impact loads has attracted great attention all over the world. Progressive collapse analysis is essential for an economic and safe design of building structures against progressive collapse to blast and impact loads. Because of the catastrophic nature of progressive collapse and the potentially high cost of constructing or retrofitting buildings to resist it, it is imperative that the progressive collapse analysis methods be reliable. For engineers, their methodology to carry out progressive collapse evaluation need not only be accurate and concise, but also be easily used and works fast. Thus, many researchers have been spending lots of effort in developing reliable, efficient and straightforward progressive collapse analysis methods recently. In the present paper, current progressive collapse analysis methods available in the literature are reviewed. Their suitability, applicability and reliability are discussed. Our recent proposed new method for progressive collapse analysis of reinforced concrete frames under blast loads is also introduced.

Strength and Toughness of Steel Fibre Reinforced Reactive Powder Concrete Under Blast Loading

The blast resistance of structures used in buildings needs to be investigated due to the increased threat of a terrorist attack. The damage done by Composition B or Powergel to steel fibre reinforced reactive powder concrete （SFRPC） panels and ordinary reinforced concrete （RC） panels of equivalent static flexural strength is compared. A 0. 5 kg charge was detonated at a distance of 0. 1 m from the 1. 3 m × 1. 0 m × 0. 1 m （thick） panels, which were simply supported and spaning 1.3 m. Dynamic displacement measurements, high-speed video recording and visual examination of the panels for spall and breach were undertaken. The SFRPC panels withstood the bare charge blast better than the reinforced ordinary concrete panels. Neither type of panel was breached using a O. 5 kg charge, The RC panel exhibited more spalling when Composition B was used. Under successive Composition B loading conditions, the RC panel was breached. In comparison the SFRPC panel was not breached. Exposure to fragmenting charge loading conditions confirmed these performance differences between the SFRPC panel and the reinforced ordinary concrete panel.

Numerical Simulation of Dynamic Response and Collapse for Steel Frame Structures Subjected to Blast Load

The progressive collapse of steel frame structures under the blast load was investigated using LS-DYNA. The multi-material Eulerian and Lagrangian coupling algorithm was adopted. A flu-id-structure coupling finite element model was established which consists of Lagrange element for simulating steel frame structures and concrete ground, multiple ALE element for simulating air and TNT explosive material. Numerical simulations of the blast pressure wave propagation, struc-tural dynamic responses and deformation, and progressive collapse of a five-story steel frame structure in the event of an explosion near above ground were performed. The numerical analysis showed that the Lagrangian and Eulerian coupling algorithm gave good simulations of the shock wave propagation in the mediums and blast load effects on the structure. The columns subjected to blast load may collapse by shear yielding rather than by flexural deformation. The columns and joints of steel beam to column in the front steel frame structure generated enormous plastic defor-mation subjected to intensive blast waves, and columns lost carrying capacity, subsequently lead-ing to the collapse of the whole structure. The approach coupling influence between struc-tural deformation and fluid load well simulated the progressive collapse process of structures, and provided an effective tool for analyzing the collapse mechanism of the steel frame structure under blast load.