Dynamic Fragmentation of an Ultra-High Strength Concrete during Edge-On Impact Tests

To understand and model damage generated during impact by a penetrator of ultra-high strength concrete targets, edge-on impact tests are performed with the so-called Ductal concrete, which is unreinforced or reinforced with short fibers. Two edge–on impact configurations are designed with a dynamic confinement system. The first configuration uses aluminum projectiles and allows us to study the dynamic fragmentation that spreads out within the tile without any confined damage close to the impact point. The fragmentation process is composed of numerous oriented millimetric cracks. In the second configuration, steel projectiles are used with a higher impact velocity. Damaged zones are visualized by using an ultra-high speed camera and a sarcophagus configuration designed to prevent the fragments from moving. The post-mortem studies of impacted tiles enable us to observe an intense fragmentation of the targets and confined damage close to the impact point if steel projectiles are used. Simulations are performed with an anisotropic damage model coupled with a concrete plasticity model. Orientation and crack density are compared with postmortem observations. CE Database Subject Headings: Cracking, Damage patterns, Dynamic test, Probabilistic models. ha l-0 03 22 19 3, v er si on 1 16 S ep 2 00 8