Chapter 14
Constitutive Modelling of UHPCC
Material Under Impact and Blast
Loadings
14.1 Introduction
Ultra-high performance cement based composite (UHPCC) is a relatively new cement
based composite with both prominent static and dynamic mechanical properties, such
as the ultra-high compressive strength, high elastic modulus and good durability.
Particularly, the incorporation of fibers can effectively hinder the propagation of
microcracks and significantly improve its toughness, ductility and energy absorption
capacity. These excellent performances make UHPCC a prospective material for
protective structures subjected to intensive loading conditions such as impact and
blast (Li et al. 2015b; Zhang et al. 2016; Verma et al. 2016; Wu et al. 2009).
Experiments on dynamic responses of UHPCC material and structures under
impact and blast loadings have been experimentally investigated in recent years
(Li et al. 2015b; Zhang et al. 2016; Verma et al. 2016; Wu et al. 2009, 2018; Ren
et al. 2018a). However, these experiments are usually time-consuming, expensive,
and sometimes difficult to perform, especially for parametric studies. With the rapid
development of computational power, numerical simulation plays an increasingly
important role in prediction of dynamic responses of UHPCC structures. Previous
numerical studies (Guo et al. 2017; Xu and Wille 2014; Othman and Marzouk 2018;
Xu et al. 2020) demonstrated that a sound material model and an accurate set of
parameters for UHPCC are crucial. Under the intensively dynamic loadings, UHPCC
material is subjected to a high strain-rate, high pressure and local failures including
compression-dominated crater and tension-dominated scab are frequently observed
at the frontal and rear surfaces of UHPCC structures, respectively (Fang and Wu
2017). Therefore, descriptions of the high strain-rate, equation of state (EoS) at high
pressure and dynamic tensile behavior in a material model are vital.
In recent decades, several concrete material models have been proposed and are
available in commercial hydrocodes, such as the Holmquist-Johnson-Cook model
(HJC model) (Holmquist et al. 1993) and its modified versions (Kong et al. 2016; Liu
et al. 2009), the Riedel-Hiermaier-Thoma model (RHT model) (AUTODYN 2013)
and its modified versions (Leppänen 2006; Tu and Lu 2010) and the Karagozian and
© Science Press 2021
Q. Fang et al., UHPCC Under Impact and Blast,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-6842-2_14
475
Constitutive Modelling of UHPCC
Material Under Impact and Blast
Loadings
14.1 Introduction
Ultra-high performance cement based composite (UHPCC) is a relatively new cement
based composite with both prominent static and dynamic mechanical properties, such
as the ultra-high compressive strength, high elastic modulus and good durability.
Particularly, the incorporation of fibers can effectively hinder the propagation of
microcracks and significantly improve its toughness, ductility and energy absorption
capacity. These excellent performances make UHPCC a prospective material for
protective structures subjected to intensive loading conditions such as impact and
blast (Li et al. 2015b; Zhang et al. 2016; Verma et al. 2016; Wu et al. 2009).
Experiments on dynamic responses of UHPCC material and structures under
impact and blast loadings have been experimentally investigated in recent years
(Li et al. 2015b; Zhang et al. 2016; Verma et al. 2016; Wu et al. 2009, 2018; Ren
et al. 2018a). However, these experiments are usually time-consuming, expensive,
and sometimes difficult to perform, especially for parametric studies. With the rapid
development of computational power, numerical simulation plays an increasingly
important role in prediction of dynamic responses of UHPCC structures. Previous
numerical studies (Guo et al. 2017; Xu and Wille 2014; Othman and Marzouk 2018;
Xu et al. 2020) demonstrated that a sound material model and an accurate set of
parameters for UHPCC are crucial. Under the intensively dynamic loadings, UHPCC
material is subjected to a high strain-rate, high pressure and local failures including
compression-dominated crater and tension-dominated scab are frequently observed
at the frontal and rear surfaces of UHPCC structures, respectively (Fang and Wu
2017). Therefore, descriptions of the high strain-rate, equation of state (EoS) at high
pressure and dynamic tensile behavior in a material model are vital.
In recent decades, several concrete material models have been proposed and are
available in commercial hydrocodes, such as the Holmquist-Johnson-Cook model
(HJC model) (Holmquist et al. 1993) and its modified versions (Kong et al. 2016; Liu
et al. 2009), the Riedel-Hiermaier-Thoma model (RHT model) (AUTODYN 2013)
and its modified versions (Leppänen 2006; Tu and Lu 2010) and the Karagozian and
© Science Press 2021
Q. Fang et al., UHPCC Under Impact and Blast,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-6842-2_14
475