IRIS 2010 – Part III: Numerical simulations of Meppen II-4 test and VTT-IRSN-CNSC punching tests

Abstract of the technical paper presented at: The 21st International Conference on Structural Mechanics in Reactor Technology (SMiRT-21)
New Delhi, India
November 6–11, 2011

Prepared by:
N. Orbovic, CNSC, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
F. Benboudjema, J.-B. Colliat, Y. Berthaud, ENS Cahan, France
F. Tarallo and J.-M. Rambach, IRSN, Fontenay aux Roses, France

Abstract

The benchmark IRIS-2010 is an exercise in the OECD/NEA/CSNI framework. IRIS is the acronym for the title of an activity initiated inside CSNI/IAGE working groups: Improving the Robustness assessments, methodologies for structures Impacted by missile. This paper is the third of a series of five companion papers that present the objectives, the experiments to be simulated, the simulations of tests with punching failure, the simulation of tests with bending failure and the lessons and recommendations.

The goal of this paper is to present two sets of numerical simulations: one set related to the tests on reinforced concrete slabs: a Meppen test and the other to thee repeated VTT punching tests. The Mappen test is one of the tests carried out in the Mappen test campaign in Germany during the 1980s. The test was performed with a 6.5m*6.0m*0.7m slab impacted by a soft missile with a velocity of 250 m/s. The Meppen test results were available to the participants in advance with the goal to calibrate the models. Three repeated VTT punching tests were performed with a 2.1m*2.1m*0.25m reinforced concrete slab impacted by a hard missile with the target velocity of 135 m/s. The results of three repeated VTT punching test were not available to the participants in advance. It was a blind prediction. Both tests were with dominant punching behavior. The Meppen test was punching combined with flexural behavior of the slab, without perforation. In the VTT tests were the slab was perforated. Three repeated tests were performed to assess the repeatability of the tests.

twenty-six teams simulated Mappen test and 24 teams VTT punching test. Although the modeling approached were adjusted using available Meppen test results, the scatter in VTT punching simulation was very important. This paper provides a summary of the results with a discussion regarding the main issues faced in these simulations. Special attention will be paid to the concrete erosion criterion. This criterion which is not related to mechanical properties of the slab/missile has a direct impact to the test results.

A comparison of the simulations of two tests will be carried out, taking into account that both tests are with dominant punching behavior. Recommendations are provided for the follow up of this benchmark.

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