Author(s)

M. Abdel-Mooty & S. Shaaban

Abstract

The performance of reinforced concrete facade components such as beams or one-way slab panels to impact loads is examined in this paper. A building façade is the first line of defence against external shock and impact loads. The response of the building façade elements to such extreme loadings also influences the load transmitted to the main structural system of the building. This significantly affects the structural overall stability and integrity as well as the safety of the occupants. Nonlinear numerical simulation of the impact response of reinforced concrete beam is presented. The numerical model is developed using ANSYS/ LS-DYNA numerical code. The developed model is verified against the experimental results of a previous study carried out at AUC. The developed model is used to evaluate the effect of different factors such as mesh size, elements type, material models, and contact interface elements on the accuracy of the results. The effect of beam reinforcement, stiffness, damage, and the supporting element on the beam capacity to sustain impact load is examined. The effect of the studied parameters on the reaction forces transmitted to the supporting structure is also evaluated. Keywords: nonlinear behaviour, numerical modelling, impact load, RC panels.

Keywords

nonlinear behaviour, numerical modelling, impact load, RC panels