ABSTRACT
Here Δm is the average mass lost by the bars to corrosion, and m is the original mass of the bars.
2.3 Falling-weight impact test procedure
The experimental program, carried out at Hunan University Structural Laboratories, consisted of two phases: falling-weight impact tests and static tests. Impact tests were conducted by dropping a 198 kg
steel weight, along the guide rails from 400 mm height onto the mid-span of the specimen using the impact test apparatus, as shown in Fig. 3. The drop-weight, manufactured with a flat and circular bottom of radius of r = 96 mm was equipped with a load cell for measuring the impact load. The specimens, simply supported at the bottom with heavy steel pedestals, were clamped at each end using cross beams to prevent them from lifting off. The reaction forces were measured using two load cells equipped on the supports. A displacement meter was attached at the bottom surface of the specimens to measure mid-span displacement. A laser velocimeter was used to measure the impact velocity. The behavior of the specimens under the impact loading was captured using a high-speed camera with a performance of 1000 frames per second.
