BLAST-RESISTANT STRUCTURAL DESIGN AND DYNAMIC PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT OF REINFORCED CONCRETE BUILDINGS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS OF SHOCK WAVE PROPAGATION, ENERGY ABSORPTION MECHANISMS, AND ADVANCED NUMERICAL SIMULATION TECHNIQUES

Abstract

Blast-resistant design of reinforced concrete (RC) structures remains a critical challenge due to the complex interplay between shock wave propagation, energy dissipation, and material fragmentation. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed to synthesize the existing evidence on dynamic performance assessment of RC buildings subjected to blast loads, with a particular focus on shock wave propagation mechanisms, energy absorption strategies, and advanced numerical simulation techniques. A comprehensive literature search was conducted without language restrictions, and studies reporting quantitative outcomes such as breach occurrence and spall depth were considered for meta-analytic synthesis. After screening, a total of reports_included studies met the inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis of breach occurrence yielded a pooled log odds ratio of  (95% confidence interval: ), indicating a non-significant protective effect of fiber reinforcement against breach formation. A secondary analysis of spall depth reduction produced a mean effect size of  (standard error: 0.67), suggesting moderate variability across the included studies. Heterogeneity was substantial (), and subgroup analyses revealed that fiber type and charge weight significantly moderated the observed effects. Numerical simulation studies consistently demonstrated that finite element models incorporating strain-rate-dependent material properties and calibrated damage models provided the closest predictions to experimental data. We conclude that current design practices benefit from integrating fiber reinforcement and optimized member geometries, but that further standardization of testing protocols and validation frameworks is necessary to improve predictive reliability. This review provides a quantitative foundation for future research and practical guidelines for blast-resistant RC structural design