Extreme loads can arise from accidents such as vehicle collisions or airplane crashes, as well as deliberate acts of terrorism or military attacks involving blasts and fragmentation. Blast overpressure can also occur accidentally, for example, from explosions of hazardous materials such as gas. Distinguishing between accidental and deliberate loads is crucial for designing appropriate protection measures. The repercussions of extreme loading events can be devastating, leading to injuries, loss of life, economic setbacks, and significant social disruption. These consequences result not only from the direct effects of impacts or explosions, but also from secondary factors such as structural collapse, which is particularly concerning due to its potential for widespread devastation and substantial losses. Efforts to enhance the protection of concrete structures have focused on understanding the properties of construction materials and how structures respond to impact and blast loads. This document presents a comprehensive overview of RILEM TC 288-IEC, aiming to provide essential guidance for designing concrete structures to withstand extreme dynamic loads. This emphasizes the importance of a thorough understanding and accurate modelling of loading scenarios and material behaviour. By implementing the strategies outlined in this document, engineers can enhance the safety and resilience of structures facing such challenges.

Concrete, as the most widely used construction material, is associated with a high environmental impact. Within the present study, structural optimization is the method of choice to counter this issue. The entire process, from optimization, to design, experiments and numerical simulation is outlined. Embedded in the framework of a design competition (Concrete Girder Optimization Competition 2021), a bridge between structural engineering and mathematical optimization is demonstrated. Two design concepts for optimized concrete girders, one with internal and one with external reinforcement, yet both based on strut-and-tie modeling, were investigated. Within the boundaries of the competition, several conclusions can be drawn: The results indicate the importance of an adequate structural interpretation of topology optimization results to obtain satisfying structural performance. The environmental evaluation outlines that the reinforcement mass has a substantial share in the total Global Warming Potential. A successful numerical re-simulation of selected girders can serve as a modeling base for other researchers. Compared to a conventionally designed girder an increase in resource efficiency, measured by load-carrying capacity versus environmental impact, of more than 30% was achieved.