Civil and Environmental Engineering

 

ORCID IDs

Daniel Linzell

Date of this Version

6-2015

Citation

Report Submitted to THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY In Association with Research, Development, Testing and Evaluation (RDT&E) of Vehicle Anti- Ram Barriers, DSPPSP-10-CA-WHA-052110 , a project funded by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security, Physical Security Division, Office of Physical Security Programs, June 2015

Comments

Copyright (c) 2015 Bernard A. Frankl, Daniel Linzell, & Peter Hilsabeck.

Abstract

A series of tests were performed at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln on 100 kN (22 kip) BRUbelt, produced by the Brugg Group1. As stated on the BRUbelt website, this product consists of a series of small diameter steel cords encased in a viscoelastic material consisting of a surface that is in contact with the cords and a non-abrasive outer layer. This outer layer is predominantly used to provide corrosion protection. BRUbelt was identified as a possible candidate for implementation into various protective barrier systems being studied by the Pennsylvania State University in affiliation with the United States Department of State. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln was contracted by Penn State to ascertain mechanical properties of 100 kN (22 kip) BRUbelt with and without connecting elements in place under static and dynamic loads. These tests were intended to ascertain capacities under demands that mimicked possible conditions encountered in various protective barrier systems in the field and to provide constitutive property data to the Pennsylvania State University for possible implementation into computational models used to ascertain protective barrier system performance. Tests included static tension tests of BRUbelt specimens with and without connecting elements, static bending BRUbelt specimen tests and, based on findings during the test program, dynamic tension tests of BRUbelt specimens with and without connecting elements. Static tension tests showed consistent material properties, with the material largely failing in a brittle fashion and with a mean static tensile capacity of 112 kN (25 kips), an ultimate strength of 2316 MPa (336 ksi) and an elastic modulus of 18047 MPa (2618 ksi). BRUbelt with and without connecting elements displayed identical behavior under static loads, which indicated that the examined connecting elements did not adversely degrade specimen strength or stiffness. Static out-of-plane tests showed minimal flexural stiffness but did show that local bearing effects can affect the strength under tight radius bearing points. Dynamic testing exhibited similar properties to the specimens under static loads and showed that there were minimal, if any, rate effects on behavior. Results with and without connecting elements displayed statistical identical behavior showing the connecting element does not affect the strength or stiffness.

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