Blast testing of ultra-high performance fibre and FRP-retrofitted concrete slabs

A series of tests was conducted to investigate the blast resistances of slabs constructed with both plain ultra-high performance fibre concrete (UHPFC) and reinforced ultra-high performance fibre concrete (RUHPFC), and slabs reinforced with externally bonded (EB) fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) plates. Normal reinforced concrete (NRC) slabs were tested as control specimens. LVDTs and pressure transducers were used to record deflection histories, and pressure sensors located at the centre and one edge of the slabs measured airblast pressure histories. The measured pressures at the centre and edge of the slabs were significantly different from those estimated using traditional procedures such as those in TM5-1300. Tests indicated that the plain UHPFC slab had a similar blast resistance to the NRC slab and that the RUHPFC slab was superior to both. The addition of EB carbon FRP plates to the compression face of a reinforced concrete slab increased its ductility and blast resistance. Test results were compared with the maximum energy absorptions predicted from layered capacity analyses of the NRC, retrofitted, plain UHPFC, and RUHPFC specimens.