Modelling Air Blast and Surface Explosion (TNT) in Reinforced Concrete Bridges Using ABAQUS

This model provides requirements for the design and construction of reinforced concrete structures, including those subjected to blast loading as per American Concrete Institute (ACI) 318 Building Code and International building code (IBC).

The Concrete Damage Plasticity model is used to simulate the non-linear behavior of concrete materials, taking into account the damage caused by tensile and compressive stresses. On the other hand, the Ductile Damage Criteria is used to simulate the behavior of steel reinforcement under extreme loading conditions, taking into account the damage caused by the rupture of steel bars.

The simulation of the 50 kg TNT explosion on the surface and in the air is important to understand the effect of blast loading on reinforced concrete bridges, which are critical infrastructure elements. The results of this study can provide insights into how reinforced concrete bridges behave under extreme loading conditions and can help engineers and designers to develop more robust and resilient bridge designs.