Effect of blast load on the structural integrity of steel arch bridge slab

In order to know the safety margins and the critical zone of an important infrastructure such as a bridge, the response of the construction typology to extreme forces must be investigated. In this sense, in the literature, few numerical and experimetal data are available concerning the response of steel bridgs under explosive loads. The purpose of this work is to develop a coherent model, using the finite element analysis method, to verify the behaviour of such a structure and to focus of the collapse mechanism. As a case study, a typical network arch bridge was defined and meshed. Information about stresses, strains and displacement were collected as a function of the position and intensity of the slab damage, Finally, some useful observations were collected regarding the slab response, damage mechanisms and the role of the concrete class.