Masters Theses

Abstract

"Traditional reinforced concrete is one of the most commonly used materials for protective structures. However, conventional reinforced concrete (RC) is susceptible to significant spalling (small to medium sized chunks of concrete detaching from the original member) during blast events. The force of the blast turns spalled concrete into projectiles, resulting in secondary fragmentation. Furthermore, the concrete debris makes for difficult and uncertain footing. Both phenomena endanger personnel and complicate post-blast recovery efforts. Changes need to be made to conventional reinforced concrete structures to improve their blast and impact survivability and fragmentation resistance in order to protect personnel and facilitate post-blast consequence management efforts.

In this study, the researchers successfully developed a "long" carbon fiber with improved resiliency and dispersability that allows its use within conventional reinforce concrete, creating what is referred to as "long" carbon fiber reinforced concrete (LCFRC), resulting in significantly improved blast and impact resistance. In the past, attempts to use "long" fibers in concrete have failed due to "balling" (agglomeration) and poor dispersion of the fibers.

Full-scale blast testing revealed that this fiber significantly increased the spalling (fragmentation) resistance of the concrete. In terms of the amount of material lost during the blast, the LCFRC panels outperformed non-fiber concrete panels by nearly a factor of 10. This significant reduction in weight loss for the LCFRC panels translates into a substantial decrease in harmful, flying debris in a blast event, and a corresponding reduction in the lethality of a blast. The fibers also significantly reduced cracking associated with the concrete panels, which correlates to a significant increase in blast resistance for structures constructed with LCFRC"--Abstract, page iii.

Advisor(s)

Volz, Jeffery S.

Committee Member(s)

Myers, John
Baird, Jason, 1955-

Department(s)

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering

Degree Name

M.S. in Civil Engineering

Sponsor(s)

Leonard Wood Institute

Publisher

Missouri University of Science and Technology

Publication Date

2012

Pagination

xi, 192 pages

Note about bibliography

Includes bibliographical references (pages 189-191).

Rights

© 2012 Darwin Ishmael Keener, All rights reserved.

Document Type

Thesis - Open Access

File Type

text

Language

English

Subject Headings

Fiber-reinforced concrete -- TestingBlast effectCarbon fibers

Thesis Number

T 10556

Print OCLC #

903647588

Electronic OCLC #

908104928

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