A finite-element comparison of the behavior of solid, ribbed, and cellular constructions in the blast-resistant design of non-load-bearing reinforced concrete walls

This thesis comprises a general study of how to optimize the dynamic behavior of a non-load-bearing, reinforced concrete wall subjected to a laterally-applied external blast loading in order to maximize its resistance to collapse, which is a major cause of serious injuries and deaths due to explosions. Several reinforced concrete designs of equal weight for a sample wall panel of typical dimensions are developed employing solid plate, ribbed, and cellular constructions, and are analyzed dynamically by computer using the finite-element method. The responses of each model to blast loads over a spectrum of impulse durations are used to develop a general description of blast-response characteristics including a blast-response spectrum, and the peak dynamic deflections of the three wall configurations are compared to determine whether ribbed and/or cellular constructions significantly improve the strength of a wall. Variations of the cellular concept are also considered in order to better understand how a cellular microstructure improves wall strength.;Comparison of the data shows that, given a consistent type and quantity of concrete, both cellular and ribbed wall configurations consistently deform substantially less than solid plate walls. The ribbed wall is found to behave slightly better, but the cellular scheme is recommended based on a number of other considerations, e.g. cellular construction provides the most efficient distribution of bending stresses due to lateral loading. It is determined that the use of thin microelements (i.e. cover slabs and cell walls) in a cellular wall improves the behavior, assuming the strength of the individual microelements is not compromised. The results also seem to indicate that, for any given material or construction scheme, the total wall thickness may have the greatest influence on strength.