Tensile High Strain-Rate Behavior of Reinforcing Steel from an Existing Bridge

As part of a research project focusing on the blast assessment of bridges, a dynamic characterization was carried out on reinforcing steel belonging to an existing structure. The steel was from a reinforced concrete (RC) arch bridge, namely, the Tenza Bridge, built in the 1960s in southern Italy. The behavior of both concrete and reinforcing steel under dynamic loading rates was investigated; the results of a test campaign on reinforcing steel are presented herein. Tensile failure tests were performed on steel specimens at different strain rates using a modified Hopkinson bar device. Data from the tests were processed to obtain stress-strain relationships under different strain-rate conditions, and the results were compared with existing formulations, providing the dynamic properties of reinforcing steel.