Assessment of the ballistic impact response of Cor-Tuf UHPC concrete using the HJC constitutive model

Abstract

Concrete offers superior strength in compressive loadings and is implemented for many applications. The high compressive strengths enable concrete to resist high strain rate loading scenarios such as ballistic impacts. A variety of concrete denoted as Cor-Tuf, which is classified as ultra-high-performance concrete with a compressive strength of 210 MPa, is evaluated in this study. The response of this concrete is assessed through a finite element analysis under the high strain rate loadings of ballistic impacts. To capture the response of the concrete, a plasticity and damage constitutive model denoted as the HJC model is implemented. The parameters of this model are calibrated to the Cor-Tuf concrete using confined compression experiments, unconfined compression experiments, and shock experiments. The concrete target is impacted at speeds between 610 m/s through 1112 m/s, and the results are compared to existing experimental data. Our results show that the HJC model can predict the response of this impact to the Cor-Tuf concrete targets as an average error of 5.85% is found. The results of this study present parameters which can be implemented with the HJC concrete model for future studies to model the response of the Cor-Tuf UHPC.