Effects of shear mechanisms on impact behavior of reinforced concrete beams

Abstract

A well-instrumented experimental program was undertaken to contribute to our understanding of the effects of shear mechanisms on the behavior of reinforced concrete (RC) structures under impact loads and to provide data for verification of methods developed for the impact analysis of such structures. Eight RC beam specimens, four pairs, were tested under free-falling drop-weights, impacting the specimens at the midspan. All specimens had identical longitudinal reinforcement, but varying shear reinforcement ratios, intended to investigate the effects of shear capacity on the impact behavior. A total of 20 impact tests were conducted, including multiple tests on each specimen. The test program was successful in providing a substantial amount of high-quality impact test data. The test results showed that the shear characteristics of the specimens played an important role in their overall behavior. All specimens, regardless of their shear capacity, developed severe diagonal shear cracks, forming a shear-plug under the impact point. © 2009, American Concrete Institute.