In this paper the blast resistance of cracked steel structures repaired with fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite patch are investigated. The switch box which has been subjected to blast loading is chosen for a detailed study. For impulsively loaded structures, the structural damage and response depends on the impulse rather than the pressure pulse. In this regard, the blast wave is modelled as a uniform rectangular pressure pulse distributed over the sides of the switch box. The blast behaviour of a simple steel box is modelled using LS-DYNA software. The steel material is modelled using isotropic hardening model, pertaining to Von Mises yield condition with isotropic strain hardening, and strain rate-dependent dynamic yield stress based on the Cowper and Symonds model. Three different cracked structures are chosen to investigate their capability in dissipating the blast loading. To improve the blast resistance, the cracked steel structures are stiffened using carbon fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) composite patches. The repaired patches reduce the stress field around the crack as the stress is transferred from the cracked zone to them. This situation prevents the crack from growing and extends the service life of the steel structure. It will be shown that CFRP repairing can significantly increase the blast resistance of cracked steel structures.
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