Novel steel-concrete-steel sandwich composite plates subject to impact and blast load

Abstract

This paper investigates the structural performance of steel-concrete-steel (SCS) sandwich composite system subject to impact and blast load. Novel J-hook shear connector was invented to prevent the separation of face plates from the concrete core. SCS sandwich specimens subject to 100 kg TNT blast a 5 m standoff distance were tested. The test results are reported and the factors affecting the blast resistance of SCS sandwich structures are discussed. Finite element analysis was carried out and the numerical results are verified against the blast test results. Parametric study of sandwich core strength and plate thickness is presented. Due to the superior impact performance of the proposed SCS sandwich structures, an ice caisson protective offshore structure is proposed based on the curved sandwich panel. The ultimate strength behavior of curved SCS sandwich panels is tested. The effect of arch effect is studied both experimentally and numerically.