Blast Retrofit of Reinforced Concrete Slabs and Walls

Externally-bonded carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) retrofits were studied for enhancing the blast resistance of reinforced concrete slabs and walls. Companion sets of reinforced concrete wall and slab specimens were subjected to a total of sixty simulated explosions using a shock tube. Externally bonded FRP retrofits were an effective retrofit technique to improve the blast resistance of reinforced concrete structures, provided that debonding of the composite from the concrete substrate is prevented. The test results also indicated that FRP retrofitted reinforced concrete structures may survive initial inbound displacements, only to fail by moment reversals during the negative displacement phase.