Investigation on the aircraft impact resistance of Steel-concrete construction

Many commercial modular/pre-cast types of construction do not satisfy seismic ductility requirements and are not aligned with Relevant Good Practice (RGP) in the nuclear regulated sector. Steel-Concrete (SC) composite construction offers potential benefits to significantly reduce the construction period of the site works and allows mechanical attachments and cable trays/pipes to be welded directly to the steel face. However, due to SC's relative novelty within the nuclear industry, further research is required to determine the advantages and disadvantages when compared to traditional construction forms. This paper investigates the performance of SC construction, including the bespoke Steel Bricks product, against a large commercial aircraft impact threat relevant to nuclear facilities. The research employs state-of-the-art finite element modelling to generate the aircraft impact threat and to apply the associated impact forces and pressures to the structures. The objective of the research is to complete a performance comparison of the SC and Steel Bricks against a traditional RC structure to determine potential benefits. In addition, sensitivity analysis is employed on the SC and Steel Bricks options to provide further information for future assessment and design.