Subject matter

In the DAC meeting in Chennai, as DAC expert member, I suggested to promote an action aimed at developing a stronger link between the experimental labs which have specific devices, often not fully used.

This action could contribute to revitalize RILEM association as “Labs link” and not only as “Experts link” as it appears nowadays, fully rediscovering its original mission.

In the framework of impact and explosion there are a lot of specific experimental devices all over the world, which were never significantly compared and connected, where a lot of doubts about their effectiveness could suggest the scientific community to fix some firm points in the in progress knowledge of this specific fields.

In the same time, as fib member of TG10.1, the commission involved in the preparation of the Model Code 2020, I took in charge the chapter on Impact and Explosion and the idea is that to introduce new specific topics which could help the designer to quantify the structure resistance to the specific loadings. For this reason, I suggest to start with a jointed committee Rilem – fib.

The main objectives of the committee are:

1. to coordinate a database of the special devices oriented to investigate Impact and Explo-sion effects on materials and structures;
2. to introduce the state of the art knowledge in the specific Model Code 2020 chapter aimed at guiding the designers to quantify the bearing capacity of conventional structures to these specific actions;
3. to propose and compare test methods to determine the parameters characterizing the high strain behavior of materials depending of the specific strain rate;
4. to analyze the variables which more affects the structural effects when subjected to these actions;
5. to develop new practical recommendations and design criteria for when an item is subject to these phenomena.

In summary, the aim is to collect all available information and knowledge, to create a stable connection between the labs as well as to coordinate on-going research efforts, and to ultimately produce a state-of-the-art report, which will include recommendations. The conclusions of the TC are expected within 4 working years.

Terms of reference

The scope of the TC is new. At present, there is no interaction between activities by national, regional and international associations (fib, ACI, etc).

The members to be recruited for the TC will be recognized experts in the domain. In order to take into account the different practices and standards in the world as well as their respective spheres of influence, including ISO, EN and ASTM standards, the TC will include representatives from the world regions.

Detailed working programme

The work of the TC will initially focus on bringing together the expertise and knowledge of all participating members finalized on the first two main objectives. On this basis, the TC will simultaneously address the following:

Activities of the committee will include:

Preparation of a first meeting in Milan by the end of May in order to discuss the index of Model Code 2020 and to distribute the chapters among the participants in order to have a first draft of the new chapter 7.4.2 by the end of 2018. The meeting will be also the occasion to discuss the format of the database for the experimental device and the best platform on which it will be introduced to reach the best diffusion in Rilem framework.

In the second year of activities the working group will be aimed at the preparation of a RILEM/fib/aci Workshop which could converge in the 7^th workshop organized by Nemy Banthia in Vancouver. The objective is to prepare a document / publication that collects the updated research group on the specific subject. At the same time it will be organized a jointed meeting in Vancouver to finalize the chapter 7.4.2 of Model Code 2020.

In the two following years the Committee will achieve the last three main objectives.