Shock Wave Phenomena in Concrete - Impact Tests and Mesomechanical Simulations

All impact and penetration tests into concrete are influenced by its behaviour under shock loads. Although being an inhomogeneous material, it is in most cases regarded for shock propagation as a homogeneous material. The papaer tries to make a link between measured shock properties of aggregate and mortar and the properties of plain concrete. To achieve this, plate impact experiments were done both on single constituents and the composed material. Measured free surface velocity signals and derived Hugoniot data are compared. By numerically analysing impact test results with hydrocodes, the observed phenomena are explained. The model uses a mesomechanical approach representing individual stones within the continuous mortar phase and tracks the shock wave propagation in this discontinuous geometry of the concrete sample. The simulation illustrates the link betwwn shock data of full concrete and data of its components.