IMPACT LOAD RESPONSE OF CONCRETE BEAM REINFORCED WITH SHAPE MEMORY ALLOY REBAR

Designing some RC structures for impact loading is in order to let the structural member to mitigate or withstand the effect of a great intensity loading, which takes place within a short duration. Total or partial collapse of building structural members like beams and columns exposed to extreme loadings such as impact, blast and dynamic loading have caused extensive economic and human losses around the world. Such a hazardous failure is not acceptable and must be prevented in design. After a strong impact or explosion a structural member will experiences excessive deformation, hence to keep the structural element functional as before there must be a mechanism to improve the load bearing capacity in addition to midspan deflection and crack reduction.
Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs) are a relatively new group of alloys that have emerged as new approach to potential alternative reinforcement as replacement of steel in concrete structures. This research work has investigated the impact load response of concrete beam reinforced with Shape Memory Alloy rebar. To achieve this objective, successful finite element modeling and an economical tool is utilized to evaluate the behavior of the shape memory alloy reinforced concrete beam.
Non-linear finite element software LSDYNA is used for 3D model development and validation. An experimental results of beam reinforced with conventional rebar from literature is used to validate developed finite element models. Next, conventional longitudinal and transverse steel rebar is replaced with shape memory alloys and further parametric studies considering elastic modulus, yield stress, concrete compressive strength and temperature are conducted using validated beam model, then analysis results are obtained and discussed