Analysis of the direct shear failure mode for elastic structural member under external blasts

Abstract

Pressure impulse (PI) diagrams have widely been used for preliminary design of structural numbers against blast loads. Considerable research has been conducted to derive PI diagrams for flexure modes of structural members using single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) systems. However, little research has been done for derivation of PI diagrams for structural members against shear failure. In this SDOF theory is used to investigate the shear response of elastic structural members under external loads. Theoretical solutions of shear response of elastic structural members resulted from the external explosions are derived using the SDOF approach. These solutions are then used to generate a family of P-I curves based on the shear resistance capability of the structural members to withstand the explosions. Pressure-impulse diagrams are also generated to distinguish the failure of the RC slab dominated by the directs shear or flexure force.