Experimental study on blast damage of RC T-beam bridge

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the explosive performance and explosion damage mechanism of T-beam bridge structure.

Design/methodology/approach

On the basis of the existing specification, two T-beam bridge models were designed and fabricated. Test specimens of different explosive dosage and different blast height were carried out. The mechanical process, failure mode, blast damage model, damage identification mechanism and blast evolution law and quantitative evaluation were taken into account.

Findings

The results revealed that the web plate fracture failure is the key to the unstable failure of the whole T-beam bridge. The explosion failure phenomenon and blast damage evaluation criterion of RC T-beam bridge was divided into five stages: the original cracks stage of concrete material (D = 0 ∼ 0.1), the fractures initiation stage of concrete material (D = 0.1 ∼ 0.3), the stable expansion stage of cracks in concrete material (D = 0.3 ∼ 0.55), the unstable expansion stage of cracks in concrete material (D = 0.55 ∼ 0.8), the explosion fracture of steel bars and the overall instability and damage of the bridge (D = 0.8 ∼ 1.0), which can also be described as basically intact, slight damage, moderate damage, severe damage and collapsed.

Social implications

The research result will provide basis for the antiknock evaluation and damage repair technical specifications of the RC T-beam bridge.

Originality/value

The research results of damage evaluation serve as a basis for damage repair and reinforcement of bridge structures after explosion.

Citation

Peng, S., Cai, L.-j., Jiang, T.-h. and Kai, X. (2021), "Experimental study on blast damage of RC T-beam bridge", Sensor Review, Vol. 41 No. 4, pp. 397-405. https://doi.org/10.1108/SR-03-2021-0086