Adaptive FEM-DEM simulation of a soft missile impact on a reinforced concrete slab

Modeling the behavior of reinforced concrete (RC) structures under the action of destructive loads, considering the non-linear material properties and the strain-rate effects, are prescribed according to the requirements of The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in the design of buildings and structures of Nuclear Power Plants (NPP) [1]. A soft impact of a body imitating an aircraft engine missile is considered according to experiments [2]. Such a study can determine the ability of RC structures to withstand the impact of an engine or other large aircraft fragment. The paper describes an approach to solving such a problem, especially for a large-thickness under-reinforced slab made of low-quality concrete. Such a combination of design parameters may prove challenging for FE modeling due to significant mesh distortions and the need to model material erosion.