Synopsis Much effort is being deployed in maintaining electricity generation from the UK’s fleet of nuclear power stations with safety being a prime consideration. Up-to-date safety standards demand resistance to hazards which normally include seismic and blast loading, yet many stations were built before such considerations became mandatory. To extend the generating life of older nuclear power...

Abstract Blast loading and its interaction with structures is a complex phenomenon even in the simplest of cases and modelling its effects is a non-trivial task. This complexity is increased when dealing with long duration blast due to the drag loads associated with the dynamic pressure. This paper establishes a scientific benchmark for the debris distribution modelling of masonry panels as the...

In the building construction, framed structures are frequently used due to ease of construction and rapid progress of work. Masonry infill panels have been widely used as interior and exterior partition walls for aesthetic reasons and functional needs. When infill walls are omitted in a particular storey, a soft storey is formed compared to much stiffer other stories. The masonry infill has bee...

Haiti is not alone amongst developing nations that have suffered losses due to the poor construction of concrete and masonry structures in an earthquake. In the wake of the disaster, a considerable amount of public sympathy and substantial funding was raised that supported short term, front line activities. However, there is little recognition of the need for adequately funded systems of organi...

9 1 TMS Member/Assistant Professor of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, University of MissouriRolla, Rolla, MO 65401 2 TMS Member/Professor of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, Univ. of Missouri-Rolla, Rolla, MO 65401 3 Former Graduate Research Assistant, University of Missouri-Rolla, Rolla, MO 65401 Blast Resistance of Frp Retrofitted Un-Reinforced Masonry...

Masonry workers face some of the highest physical demands in the construction industry where large bags of masonry material weighing 42.7 kg are commonly handled by mason tenders who mix the mortar, distribute mortar and bricks/blocks, and erect/dismantle scaffolding throughout the day. The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of using half-weight bags (21.4 kg) on reducin...

1 Strength, durability and health monitoring aspects of composite overlays on civil engineering structures are discussed. The perspective and benefits of the repair, upgrade, retrofit, and rehabilitation of US civil infrastructure using composite overlays is briefly reviewed. Bond strength, durability, and in-service health monitoring are identified as critical issues blocking the wide acceptan...

In recent years, even if Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composites have been widely used for strengthening of civil buildings, a new generation of materials has been studied and proposed for historical masonry construction. These buildings, mainly made of stone work, are common in many areas of Europe and Asia and recent earthquakes has been the cause of many catastrophic failures. The brittlen...