Behavior of FRP-RC Slabs under Multiple Independent Air Blasts

Abstract

In some terrorist attacks, it is possible that RC structures might be subjected to more than a single explosion. RC structures designed without the consideration of blast effects tend to lose their capacity after the first explosion. The use of a fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) sheet has been proven to enhance the performance and resistance of an RC member under a single explosion test. However, there appears to have been no experimental programs conducted to assess the performance of FRP-strengthened RC members subjected to multiple explosions reported in the literature. This paper, therefore, presents experimental results for the behavior of RC slabs strengthened by an FRP sheet after undergoing single, double, and triple independent explosion testing. Results from these blast tests indicate that the FRP sandwich RC slab tested was able to sustain the subsequent second explosion of greater impact. A brittle shear failure with FRP debonding was observed following the third explosion on this FRP-strengthened RC slab.