Steel-Plate Composite Walls Subjected to Missile Impact: Experimental Evaluation of Local Damage

Abstract

This paper presents the results of an experimental program conducted to evaluate the local damage behavior of steel-plate composite (SC) walls subjected to missile impact. There is significant interest in the use of SC walls for protective structures particularly to resist impactive and impulsive loading. The behavior of SC walls subjected to these loads differs from that of reinforced concrete (RC) walls due to the placement of steel plates on the surfaces, which prevents concrete scabbing and enhances local perforation resistance. The results from the experimental program are used to demonstrate and explain progression of damage modes leading to local perforation, and to validate and quantify the conservatism of a recently developed design method. Laboratory-scale SC wall specimens were fabricated and tested in an indoor missile impact facility specially built and commissioned for this research....