- Title
- Spatial reliability analysis of reinforced concrete structures subject to explosive blast loading
- Creator
- Shi, Yufeng
- Relation
- University of Newcastle Research Higher Degree Thesis
- Resource Type
- thesis
- Date
- 2014
- Description
- Research Doctorate - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
- Description
- Accidental or malevolent explosions can cause serious damage to civilian and military infrastructure. The aim of this thesis is to predict the probability of damage of reinforced concrete structures due to explosive blast loading for both terrorist attack and targeted ordnance delivery scenarios. A probabilistic blast loading model developed by Netherton and Stewart (2010) is reviewed in which there is considerable uncertainty and variability associated with many parameters, such as: explosive mass, stand-off, net equivalent quantity, errors in predicting blast-load parameters, and so on. Based on this probabilistic blast load model, a modified model is proposed by considering the effects of charge shape (i.e. cylindrical explosives), through analysing the field tests data of blast parameters for non-spherical charges. A full description of developing finite element model of RC columns and wall panels to simulate the structural performance is discussed by using explicit finite element method (FEM) software LS-DYNA. The description includes information on the structural geometry and material model, strain rates effects on strength, and damage criteria. The results obtain from the FE model then are validated by the experiments. To represent the spatial variability, such as concrete compressive strength and cover depth, the random field is discussed and used. The method of discretisation for random field is discussed and the random field parameters of element size, scale of fluctuation and correlation function are described in relation to the analysis conducted in this research. Monte Carlo simulation and numerical methods are used to derive blast reliability curves for RC columns and wall panels under explosive loading for a number of blast scenarios. All deterministic, stochastic, spatial and non-spatial random variables are described. Statistical parameters and model errors are defined and a description of the modelling process is given for a RC column, a conventional RC wall panel, and a blast-resistant RC wall panel subjected to various blast scenarios. The analyses for both spatial and non-spatial model of these RC structures are conducted. The application of the spatial reliability model for RC columns and wall panels is presented. The probability of damage is predicted and the difference between spatial and non-spatial model is analysed. For the RC wall panel, the comparison between conventional and blast-resistant walls is also conducted. The comparisons between deterministic and probabilistic resistance for both columns and wall panels have been made, when subjected to W = 116 kg VBIED. The difference of probability of damage is small. This indicates that the probability of loads is critical when conducting reliability analysis of RC structures subjected to explosive blast loading. The reliability analysis allows Blast Reliability Curves (BRC) to be generated - these represent damage and collapse risks as a function of stand-off. If protective measures, such as bollards or other perimeter security measures, allow the stand-off to be increased, then BRCs obtained from structural reliability and probabilistic methods are used to assess risk reduction due to these protective measures. A decision analysis can then consider threat likelihood, cost of security measures, risk reduction and expected losses to compare the costs and benefits of security measures to decide which security measures are cost-effective, and which are not.
- Subject
- reinforced concrete structures; infrastructure; explosive blasts; damage analysis; explosions
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1055375
- Identifier
- uon:15873
- Rights
- Copyright 2014 Yufeng Shi
- Language
- eng
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| View Details Download | ATTACHMENT02 | Thesis | 3 MB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details Download |