Material modelling for transient dynamic analysis of reinforced concrete structures

Reinforced concrete is a composite structural material which has been the subject of extensive research since it was first used. When considering the rational properties, the research has mainly centred on the behaviour of the concrete, that of the reinforcing steel and the interaction between the steel and the surrounding concrete subject to static loading. The behaviour of reinforced concrete, and, in particular, that of the concrete itself when subject to dynamic loading has been less thoroughly studied. This paper proposes a material model for the concrete which includes the effect of high strain rate upon both the stiffness of the material and upon the crushing strength. It proposes expressions for the yield and failure surfaces of the concrete which account for the effects of high strain rate and then incorporates this material model into an existing finite element program to compare with a series of test results. The paper illustrates that this improved material model can now produce a displacement/time history for reinforced concrete elements which is very close to that observed in tests on elements which are far outside the elastic range.