Modern day structures are reaching higher, spanning longer and undergoing new design methods. In addition to regular loads, it is becoming increasingly important to consider the potential risks of intentional and accidental explosions on structures. In the case of reinforced concrete buildings, critical elements such as beams and columns must de designed with sufficient strength and ductility to mitigate against the effects of blast loads to safekeep the public and prevent progressive structural collapse. Recent advancements in structural materials have led to the development of ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) with high compressive strength, tensile resistance, toughness and energy absorption capacity, properties which are ideal for blast protection of structures. Combining UHPC with high-performance steels, such as and high strength reinforcement is another potential solution to enhance the blast resilience of structures. This experimental and analytical research program investigates the advantages of combining high performance materials to increase the blast capacity of reinforced concrete beams. The experimental program includes tests on 21 beam specimens, fourteen of which are subjected to extreme blast loading using the University of Ottawa shock-tube, with seven companion specimens tested statically. Parameters investigated include: effect of concrete type (NSC vs. UHPC), effect of steel reinforcement type (NSR vs. HSR), effect of longitudinal reinforcement ratio, effect of fiber type/content and effect of transverse reinforcement on structural performance under static and dynamic loads. The experimental study includes three series having specified material combinations as follows: series 1 (NSC & NSR), series 2 (UHPC & NSR) and series 3 (UHPC & HSR). Each dynamically tested beam specimen is subjected to gradually increasing blast shockwaves until reaching failure. Performance assessment criteria included; maximum and residual displacements, overall blast resistance and resistance to secondary fragmentation. Results show that the specimens detailed with UHPC can resist greater blast loads with reduced mid-span displacement and debris generation when compared to beams built with conventional concrete. The combination of UHPC and high strength reinforcement further enhances blast performance and delays failure as both high strength materials balance themselves for optimum efficiency. Similarly, for specimens subjected to static loading, the use of UHPC increased the maximum load resisted by the beams, although failure mode alters from concrete crushing to rebar rupture. The combination of UHPC and high strength reinforcement further heightens beam resistance, at the expense of reduced specimen ductility. The analytical component of this thesis presents an analysis program called UO Resistance which is capable of predicting structural element resistance curves and conducting a dynamic inelastic single degree of freedom (SDOF) analysis of members subjected to blast loads. Resistance curves generated using UO Resistance were compared to data obtained through static testing and were found to effectively predict specimen response. Similarly, dynamic analysis methods implemented in UO Resistance prove to be effective at predicting specimen response under blast load. Additionally, a sensitivity analysis was performed to evaluate the effect of various modeling parameters on the static and SDOF dynamic predictions of specimen response.

The single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) transformation factors as tabulated in John Biggs’ textbook (Biggs 1964) are accepted as the equivalent factors for simplifying and analyzing a component's response to blast. The study validates the stiffness and mass transformation factors through multi-degree-of-freedom (MDOF) numerical methods. After validating the transformation factors, the MDOF numerical method is used to create new stiffness and mass transformation factors for loading cases not already included in Biggs’ textbook. The validated factors, as well as the newly developed factors are used in SDOF analyses. The deflections from the SDOF responses accurately predict the MDOF responses as long as the component behaves elastically; however, the deflections diverge when inelastic behavior is involved. The diverged deflections indicate that the SDOF inelastic response analysis method can be improved.

Reinforced Concrete (RC) bridge piers, RC columns along exterior of buildings or those located in parking garages are designed to support large compressive axial loads but are vulnerable to transverse out-of-plane loadings, such as those arising from impacts or explosions. To address a lack of understanding regarding blast and impact response of RC members and the need for retrofit techniques to address deficiencies in existing structures, a multi-disciplinary team including various institutes of the National Research Council and the University of Ottawa has initiated work towards developing a fibre reinforced polymer composite protection system for RC columns subjected to extreme shocks. This thesis will focus on the impact program of the aforementioned project. An extensive literature review was conducted to gain a better understanding of: impact loading and associated dynamic effects; experimental testing of RC members subjected to impact; experimental testing of axially loaded members; and retrofit methods for the protection of RC under impact loading. Five half-scale RC columns were constructed and tested using a drop-weight impact machine and two additional specimens were tested under static loading. Deflections, strain distributions within the columns, impact loads and reaction loads were measured during the testing of the built RC members. Comparisons of experimental datum were established between members with differing levels of axial load and between a retrofitted and a non-retrofitted member. Single-degree-of-freedom analysis was used to obtain the predicted response of certain columns under impact loading allowing for comparisons with experimental data.

Reinforced Concrete (RC) bridge piers, RC columns along exterior of buildings or those located in parking garages are designed to support large compressive axial loads but are vulnerable to transverse out-of-plane loadings, such as those arising from impacts or explosions. To address a lack of understanding regarding blast and impact response of RC members and the need for retrofit techniques to address deficiencies in existing structures, a multi-disciplinary team including various institutes of the National Research Council and the University of Ottawa has initiated work towards developing a fibre reinforced polymer composite protection system for RC columns subjected to extreme shocks. This thesis will focus on the impact program of the aforementioned project. An extensive literature review was conducted to gain a better understanding of: impact loading and associated dynamic effects; experimental testing of RC members subjected to impact; experimental testing of axially loaded members; and retrofit methods for the protection of RC under impact loading. Five half-scale RC columns were constructed and tested using a drop-weight impact machine and two additional specimens were tested under static loading. Deflections, strain distributions within the columns, impact loads and reaction loads were measured during the testing of the built RC members. Comparisons of experimental datum were established between members with differing levels of axial load and between a retrofitted and a non-retrofitted member. Single-degree-of-freedom analysis was used to obtain the predicted response of certain columns under impact loading allowing for comparisons with experimental data.

Reinforced Concrete (RC) bridge piers, RC columns along exterior of buildings or those located in parking garages are designed to support large compressive axial loads but are vulnerable to transverse out-of-plane loadings, such as those arising from impacts or explosions. To address a lack of understanding regarding blast and impact response of RC members and the need for retrofit techniques to address deficiencies in existing structures, a multi-disciplinary team including various institutes of the National Research Council and the University of Ottawa has initiated work towards developing a fibre reinforced polymer composite protection system for RC columns subjected to extreme shocks. This thesis will focus on the impact program of the aforementioned project. An extensive literature review was conducted to gain a better understanding of: impact loading and associated dynamic effects; experimental testing of RC members subjected to impact; experimental testing of axially loaded members; and retrofit methods for the protection of RC under impact loading. Five half-scale RC columns were constructed and tested using a drop-weight impact machine and two additional specimens were tested under static loading. Deflections, strain distributions within the columns, impact loads and reaction loads were measured during the testing of the built RC members. Comparisons of experimental datum were established between members with differing levels of axial load and between a retrofitted and a non-retrofitted member. Single-degree-of-freedom analysis was used to obtain the predicted response of certain columns under impact loading allowing for comparisons with experimental data.

I detta examensarbete undersöks hur ett gantrysystem konstruerat i stål påverkas hållfasthets- och vibrationsmässigt av en längre räckvidd, samt hur en lösning skulle kunna konstrueras i ett alternativt material för ovanstående goda egenskaper. Arbetet är utfört på ett företag, vilket är världsledande inom tillverkning av industrirobotar samt el- och servomotorer. Gantrysystemet är ett system som har i uppgift att förlänga en svetsrobots arbetsområde i upp till tre dimensioner. Svetsroboten monteras på gantrysystemets ena axel och kan med dess hjälp förflyttas och arbeta kring svetsobjektet. Gantrysystemet har idag en begränsad räckvidd som önskas förlängas med 1m i ena riktningen, kallad x-riktningen. Balken som önskas förlängas kallas för x-balken. Dagens konstruktion har problem med vibrationer som uppstår under drift, vilka främst uppkommer vid hastiga inbromsningar. Vibrationerna medför väntetider för svetsroboten, då vibrationerna måste dämpas ut så att svetsroboten är i stabilt tillstånd då den fortsätter att svetsa. Syftet med detta examensarbete är att ge gantrysystemet en ökad prestanda genom att möjliggöra ett större arbetsområde för svetsroboten och alternativt i framtiden en högre transporthastighet. Dagens gantrysystem är en stålkonstruktion men önskas kunna konstrueras i ett alternativt material för att bredda konstruktions- och designmöjligheterna. För att besvara examensarbetets problemformulering har statiska FEM-analyser och frekvensanalyser utförts i Solidworks, samt enklare modellering i form av Single Degree of freedom system. Kompositmaterial har studerats som alternativt material, då materialtypen var ett önskemål från företagets sida samt utefter undersökningar har ansetts som lämpligt för sitt ändamål. Två kompositkoncept har resulterats, vilka har använts för att besvara problemformuleringen. Slutsatser från arbetet är att en förlängd x-balk i stål förvärrar vibrationsproblemen i olika grad beroende på studerat system medan hållfastheten inte försämras i någon större skala. En kompositbalk anses ha potential att uppnå hög hållfasthet och god vibrationsdämpning. Dock har inte kompositkoncepten visat sig vara lika styva som stålbalkarna och därmed har inte en förbättring av vibrationsmotståndet kunnat säkerhetsställas genom metoderna använda i detta arbete. Författaren av detta examensarbete rekommenderar därmed att läsaren ser detta arbete som en förundersökning och förordar i och med det vidare utveckling med slutsatserna från detta examensarbete som grund.

Recent interest in sustainable design has resulted in timber products being considered for a variety of construction projects. This has especially been the case for engineered wood products (EWPs), such as glue-laminated timber (glulam) and cross-laminated timber (CLT). Research into the performance of these massive timber products has been ongoing, where the methodology employed has generally favoured experimental approaches on undamaged members, combined with simplified analytical methods. Relatively little attention has been given to more sophisticated numerical methodologies and to the effects of repeated loadings on the same specimen. This study intends to contribute to the literature by investigating the viability of full-scale finite element models to simulate the behaviour of timber elements at high strain rates and proposing a generalized structure for dynamic models that is capable of adequately recreating realistic failure modes. Three glulam specimens and three CLT specimens were subjected to simulated blast loads under four-point bending with simply supported boundary conditions using the University of Ottawa Shock Tube Test Facility. The behaviour of the glulam specimens during the dynamic testing was consistently linear-elastic until flexural failure was reached. Conversely, the failure behaviour of CLT panels was more complex and included flexural failure, rolling shear failure, or a combined behaviour where both modes developed simultaneously. Single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) and finite element analysis (FEA) methodologies were used to predict the behaviour in terms of displacement-time histories and failure modes. The inputs for the analytical methods relied on values sourced from literature or manufacturer data. A finite element (FE) material model was implemented into ABAQUS/Explicit through a dynamic user subroutine (VUMAT). The model used continuum damage mechanics to alter the material stiffness matrix once the elastic strengths were exceeded. SDOF analysis was shown to effectively predict the maximum mid-span displacement of glulam members subjected to blast loads, within a 20% error margin. However, the model was found to be incapable of consistently predicting the displacement and time of failure, especially for CLT panels, where up to 50% error was observed. This degree of error was attributed to the model’s inability to account for multiple failure modes, namely rolling shear and flexural failure. The resistance curves implemented in the SDOF models generally agreed with experimental results, particularly with regard to initial stiffness, and were deemed sufficiently accurate from the perspective of design. The finite element models simulated specimen ultimate behaviour reasonably well. Relatively accurate analytical predictions were also obtained for both maximum mid-span displacements and corresponding times. However, computational issues with damage transfer prevented the modeling of repeated tests on CLT panels. The FE model was capable of producing resistance-displacement relationships which correlated well to experimental results, despite the presence of numerical fluctuations. This is a significant outcome for the potential application of FEA to blast behaviour of timber components, since SDOF models require resistance curves as input and are unable to predict the force-displacement response of members.

No description available.

Corrosion of reinforcing steel embedded in concrete due to the presence of moisture, aggressive chemicals, inadequate cover, and other factors can lead to deterioration that substantially reduces the strength and serviceability of the affected structure. Accounting for corrosion degradation is critical for evaluation and assessment of the load carrying capacity of existing reinforced concrete (RC) structures. However, little is known about the relationship between high strain rate blast loading and the degradation effects that govern corrosion damaged structures such as concrete cover cracking, reduction in reinforcement areas, and deterioration of bond between concrete and steel. Ten identical RC beams were constructed and tested, half under blast loading conditions produced using the Virginia Tech Shock Tube Research Facility and the other half under quasi-static loading. The blast tests were conducted to investigate how increasing blast pressure and impulse affect the global displacement response and damage modes of beams subjected to blast loads. The quasi-static tests were performed to establish fundamental data on the load-deflection characteristics of corroded RC beams. One beam from each testing group served as a control specimen and was not corroded while the remaining beams were subjected to varying levels of corrosion (5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%) of the longitudinal reinforcement along the midspan region. The specimens were corroded using an accelerated corrosion technique in a tank of 3% sodium chloride solution and a constant electrical current, creating a controlled environment for varying levels of corrosion. An analytical model was also created using a single degree of freedom (SDOF) approach which predicted the performance of corroded RC beams under blast loading. The results of the quasi-static tests revealed that as corrosion levels increased, the load to cause yielding decreased, the yield displacements decreased, and failure occurred earlier for all specimens. This was accompanied by increased damage to the concrete cover and the addition of longitudinal corrosion induced cracking. For the blast loaded specimens, the results demonstrated that the maximum displacements and residual displacements increased beyond the expected response limits for corrosion levels greater than 5%, but at corrosion levels less than 5% there was no significant change in displacements. Damage levels increased by one or more categories with the introduction of even small levels of corrosion of less than 5%. At corrosion levels greater than 5%, before loading was applied, the specimens exhibited moderate damage due to the introduction of corrosion induced cracking. After loading, the specimens sustained hazardous damage at progressively lower blast volumes. The failure mode changed from ductile to sudden and brittle failure at corrosion levels greater than 5% but remained ductile with flexural failures at low corrosion levels below 5%. The experimental results could be predicted with a high level of accuracy using the SDOF approach, provided that the degraded strength of corroded concrete cover, degraded mechanical properties of corroded steel, length of the corroded region, and determination of either uniform or pitting corrosion are accounted for. Overall, the introduction of corrosion to an RC beam subjected to blast loading resulted in decreased strength and ductility across all specimens but with most disastrous effects occurring at corrosion levels of 5% or greater. A recommendation is made to adjust the response limits in ASCE/SEI 59 to account for corrosion in RC beams. / Master of Science / The threat of blast loads, resulting from either terrorist attacks or accidental explosions, poses a significant threat to the structural integrity of buildings, life safety of occupants, and the functionality of the structure. Corrosion of reinforcing steel embedded in concrete, due to the presence of moisture, aggressive chemicals, and other factors, can lead to deterioration that substantially weakens the affected structure. Accounting for corrosion degradation is critical for evaluation and assessment of the strength of existing reinforced concrete structures. However, little is known about the effects of blast loading on the adverse nature that governs corrosion damaged structures. Ten identical reinforced concrete beams were constructed and tested, half under blast loading and the other half under quasi-static loading. The blast loaded beams were subjected to a series of increasing blast volumes until failure was reached. Five identical beams were tested under quasi-static loading to provide a baseline comparison against the blast loaded beams. One beam from each testing group served as a control specimen and was not corroded while the remaining beams were subjected to varying levels of corrosion of the steel reinforcement. An analytical model was also created to predict the performance of corroded reinforced concrete beams under blast loading. The results of the study showed that as corrosion levels increased, the displacements increased beyond the expected response limits. Damage levels became increasingly more severe with the introduction of corrosion at all levels. The behavior changed from ductile to brittle at corrosion levels greater than 5% but remained ductile with flexural failures at corrosion levels below 5%. Overall, the introduction of corrosion to a concrete beam subjected to blast loading resulted in decreased strength and ductility across all specimens but with most disastrous effects occurring at corrosion levels of 5% or greater. A recommendation is made to adjust the response the limits in the code to account for corrosion in reinforced concrete beams.

Underground coal mine explosions pose a significant threat to infrastructure such as mine seals and refuge alternative chambers. After a mine seal failed in the Sago mine disaster, which took the life of 12 miners, design requirements were reexamined and improved. However, most research being completed on the analysis of mine structures during an explosive event focuses solely on peak pressure values, while ignoring the impact of pressure duration. This study investigates the impact pressure duration, waveform shape, and impulse have on structural displacement, while also exploring what pressures and duration can be expected during a mine explosion. Additionally, the use of high explosives to simulation conditions experienced during a mine explosion is examined. Results from this study are produced through experimental testing using a scaled shock tube and theoretical studies using finite element analysis.