A New Macromodel of Beam-Column Joints for Progressive Collapse Analysis of Reinforced Concrete Structures Under Blast Loading

The macromodel, by which the beam and column are simulated by fiber beam elements, has been extensively used in the progressive collapse analysis of reinforced concrete (RC) frames due to its high computing efficiency as compared to the solid element model. However, there exist some problems that need to be solved to improve the accuracy of the macromodel. One typical issue is to develop an accurate beam-column joint model. In current practice, the beam-column joint is as part of the rectangular frame with rigid elements, neglecting the shear damage and bending moment distribution in the core region of the joint, although they are crucial to progressive collapse analysis. In this paper, a new macromodel that considers the shear damage and bending moment distribution in the core region of the beam-column joint is developed for the progressive collapse analysis of RC frame structures under blast loads. Nonlinear springs are used in the joint connection interfaces to consider the force transfers from the beams or columns to the joint. Also, nonlinear shear springs are used in the core region of the joint, whose characteristics are derived based on the actual force-deformation relationship of the sub-assemblage due to joint shear distortion, to model the shear damage of the joint under blast loading. The proposed beam-column joint macromodel is validated with the available test data in the literature. The results indicated that the proposed macromodel for beam-column joints is more accurate than the traditional beam-column joint macromodel, while the computing efficiency remains almost unchanged in progressive collapse analysis of RC structures, especially when the RC frame structures are seriously damaged or collapse under blast loadings.

Numerical Study about the Influence of Superimposed Hydrostatic Pressure on Shear Damage Mechanism in Sheet Metals

It is generally accepted that the superimposed hydrostatic pressure increases fracture strain in sheet metal and mode of fracture changes with applying pressure. Void growth is delayed or completely eliminated under pressure and the shear damage mechanism becomes the dominant mode of fracture. In this study, the effect of superimposed hydrostatic pressure on the ductility of sheet metal under tension is investigated using the finite element (FE) method employing the modified Gurson–Tvergaard–Needleman (GTN) model. The shear damage mechanism is considered as an increment in the total void volume fraction and the model is implemented using the VUMAT subroutine in the ABAQUS/Explicit. It is shown that ductility and fracture strain increase significantly by imposing hydrostatic pressure as it suppresses the damage mechanisms of microvoid growth and shear damage. When hydrostatic pressure is applied, it is observed that although the shear damage mechanism is delayed, the shear damage mechanism is dominant over the growth of microvoids. These numerical findings are consistent with those experimental results published in the previous studies about the effect of superimposed hydrostatic pressure on fracture strain. The numerical results clearly show that the dominant mode of failure changes from microvoid growth to shear damage under pressure. Numerical studies in the literature explain the effect of pressure on fracture strain using the conventional GTN model available in the ABAQUS material behavior library when the mode of fracture does not change. However, in this study, the shear modified GTN model is used to understand the effect of pressure on the shear damage mechanism as one of the individual void volume fraction increments and change in mode of fracture is explained numerically.

Mechanical Mechanism of Hydraulic Fracturing Effect Caused by Water Inrush in Tunnel Excavation by Blasting

When the deep tunnel is excavated, the pressure of the confined water is relatively high, causing the water inrush to have a hydraulic fracturing effect. The method of theoretical analysis was adopted to study this effect. A mechanical model for fracturing water inrush under blasting excavation conditions was established. The water inrush under this condition is the result of the combined action of static load (water pressure and in situ stress) and dynamic load (explosive stress wave). According to whether the normal stress on the hydraulic crack surface was tensile stress or compressive stress, two types of water inrush were proposed: water inrush caused by tensile-shear damage and water inrush caused by compression-shear damage. These two types of critical water pressures were calculated separately. The relationship between critical water pressure, in situ stress, and blasting disturbance load was given, and a pore water pressure splitting factor was introduced in the calculation process. The theoretically obtained critical water pressure had been verified in the case of water inrush in a deep-buried tunnel. The established theory can guide field practice well.

Analysis on Damaging Mechanism of Sand-Mud Interbedded Strata Type Perilous Rock

Aiming at the sand-mud interbedded strata type perilous rock, this paper comprehensively analyzes the reason of formation of perilous rock and its structural characteristics, builds the physical and mechanical mode of the sand-mud interbedded strata type perilous rock, puts forward the base retreat mechanism that the mudstone’s softening, compression and deformation induce the tension damage of thin layer sandstone, explains slip-shear damage mode and dump-fall damage mode of perilous rock, and proposes mechanical criteria of two damage modes. According to the results of case analysis, the base retreat of perilous rock in Leijiagou conforms to the mechanical mechanisms of the tension and damage of thin layer sandstone induced by the softening, compression and deformation. Under current situations, there will be no slip-shear damage or dump-fall damage for the Leijiagou Perilous Rock. According to preliminary projections, the Leijiagou Perilous Rock will lose its stability after 15.2 years, with the damage mode being dump-fall damage and the critical depth of cavity being 4.1m.