Experimental and Numerical Investigation on the High-Velocity Impact Performance of Textile Reinforced Concrete (TRC) Panels

Throughout their service life, concrete structural elements may be exposed to a wide range of loading events, from low strain rates associated resulting dead and live loads to extreme dynamic loads like blast explosions and earthquakes. Most cement-based components lack the necessary strength, toughness, and ductility to maintain their integrity when subjected to impact and other dynamic loads. Consequently, concrete structures are prone to significant damage from high-velocity impact loads. The present study aims at evaluating the enhancement to the impact performance of concrete panels under high-velocity projectile impact loads associated with the use of textile fibres as a reinforcing material. Control and TRC panels with dimensions 280 mm × 280 mm × 25 mm reinforced with steel and carbon textiles were prepared and tested under high-velocity impact loading. All panels were subjected to high-velocity impact loads from a hemispherical steel projectile with weight of 68 g fired from a compressed air gun, with impact velocities ranging from 60 m/s to 90 m/s. The high-velocity impact loading test was simulated numerically and compared with the corresponding experimental results. The numerical findings generally align well with the test results. In comparison with the control panels, both the numerical and experimental outcomes from the tests indicate that the steel textile significantly improves the panels’ impact resistance by reducing crack propagation, local damage, and penetration depth by 80%, 60%, and 8% at impact velocities of 60, 80, and 90 m/s respectively.