ABSTRACT
Structures may be exposed to accidental dynamic loadings during their service lives even though most of them had not been designed to resist such loadings. Under high-rate loading conditions, structural response significantly differs from that under static loading. In this research, conventionally designed Reinforced Concrete (RC) members were examined experimentally under static loading and drop weight impact tests. It was observed that by increasing the loading rate, the failure mode of axially loaded RC members under low elevation impact changes from flexural into a more brittle character dominated by shear. Aramid Fiber Reinforced Polymer (AFRP) wrapping can then be used to enhance the performance of RC members under impact loads.
