Evaluation and comparison of concrete constitutive models in numerical simulation of reinforced concrete slabs under blast load

Numerical models have been used recently to analyze concrete structures subjected to high-impulsive loads. A material model that can well capture the mechanical behaviors is crucial to obtain reliable results. Present study, focused on reinforced concrete slab as a major load carrying element of the RC structures under blast loading. By performing several simulations in popular and powerful concrete constitutive models, including concrete damage R3, HJC, CSCM, and Winfrith the accuracy of these models was investigated. Maximum deflections have been compared with each other and expanded further to compare with experiments. Result showed all models have an acceptable accuracy in estimating maximum slab deflection. Concrete Damage R3 presented the highest accuracy. HJC has the second rank and CSCM and Winfrith have the third and the fourth places, respectively. HJC needed the minimum computation time. CSCM had minimum input parameters but includes maximum calculation time. Winfrith had the lowest accuracy, however this model presented very conservative results. Uniaxial compressive and tensile stress-strain curves showed that the models which presented higher values of strength, evaluated lower maximum values of deflection.