Research on the Application of the CEL Method to Reinforced Concrete Beams under a Close-Range Explosion Load

Abstract

This study used the coupled finite element algorithm (CEL) to numerically simulate the damage and displacement response of reinforced concrete beams subjected to close-range explosion loads with varying amounts of explosives (TNT). Five numerical simulations were performed and compared with the experimental data from the existing literature, and the comparison demonstrated a high level of consistency. Abaqus finite element software was used to create a three-dimensional solid model of the Eulerian region containing explosives and air. This model was used to validate the blast pressure wave and compare it with an empirical formula for blast pressure waves in an infinite domain, which confirmed the accuracy of the blast pressure wave values obtained using the CEL method. This study also highlighted the significant impact of the mesh size in the Eulerian region on the blast pressure wave values. The JH-2 constitutive parameters of C35 concrete were fitted to accurately replicate explosion experiments from the literature. A three-dimensional solid model of the reinforced concrete beam that corresponded to the experiment was developed, and the experimental explosion was successfully replicated. The numerical results indicate that the vertical displacement, damage length, damage depth, and damage area of the reinforced concrete beam closely align with empirical findings, which validates the scientific rigor and effectiveness of the numerical simulation approach. In addition, this study examined the impact of structural support systems on simulation accuracy. Constraint methods had minimal influence on the simulation outcomes of small components but significantly affected larger components. This paper introduces a novel research methodology for numerical simulations in explosion engineering and serves as a valuable reference for future engineering applications and response studies.