Dynamic response of bridge components under explosive effects

Buildings of critical transport infrastructure, such as tunnels and bridges, often reside on special load-bearing members and conditions. The vulnerability concerning terroristic threats and the criticality for such buildings are the focus of the described study. In order to evaluate the criticality of different possible detonation scenarios, several components of infrastructural buildings are analyzed using different state-of-the-art methods. Reinforced concrete components under contact and close-in detonation loading are examined using validated engineering tools. The presented evaluation processes enable thereby the definition of criticality of different loading scenarios in relation to different reinforced concrete components. Global failure mechanisms are investigated by a combination of partly newly developed engineering tools, which facilitate a confirmed appraisal for internal detonation scenarios too. For the bridge cables a stepwise analysis procedure including mesomechanical simulation of cables, scaled validation experiments and different types of prestress descriptions in finite-element simulations are presented. The observed influences on the response and extend of damage are highlighted. The above mentioned constructions and components are not comparable to office buildings of critical infrastructure (embassies, administrations and ministries, tower buildings) such as reinforced concrete walls, columns and masonry. Therefore, they require new analysis and classification approaches, which are addressed and summarized in the proposed paper.