• Computers and Concrete
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.683-701
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• 2015

When approached using nonlinear finite element (FE) techniques, structural analyses generate, for real RC structures, large complex numerical problems. Damage is a major part of concrete behavior, and the discretization technique is critical to limiting the size of the problem. Based on previous work, the ${\mu}$ damage model has been designed to activate the various damage effects correlated with monotonic and cyclic loading, including unilateral effects. Assumptions are formulated to simplify constitutive relationships while still allowing for a correct description of the main nonlinear effects. After presenting classical 2D finite element applications on structural elements, an enhanced simplified FE description including a damage description and based on the use of multi-fiber beam elements is provided. Improvements to this description are introduced both to prevent dependency on mesh size as damage evolves and to take into account specific phenomena (permanent strains and damping, steel-concrete debonding). Applications on RC structures subjected to cyclic loads are discussed, and results lead to justifying the various concepts and assumptions explained.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.73-88
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• 2015

Following previous studies, the current paper describes the results of an experimental program concerning the repair of reinforced concrete columns by thixotropic pseudo plastic mortar, preformed to analyze and quantify the influence of initial construction damage to the behavior of the repaired element. Five columns (section scale 1:2) were designed according to the minimum requirements of reinforcement of ductility orientated codes' design with variables the percentages of initial construction damages. All were tested in axial compression with repeated cycles up to failure. For comparison reasons, another one of the same characteristics, yet healthy, was constructed and tested as a reference specimen. A numerical study (Finite Element Analysis) was conducted for further investigation of the behavior of the thixotropic mortar as repair material. The results indicate that: a) surpassing a specific amount of damage, columns even suitably repaired present lower strain capacity, b) finite element analysis present the same way of deboning of the repaired material taking into consideration the buckling of the reinforcement bars.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.295-302
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• 2019

Evolutionary algorithms based on conventional statistical methods such as regression and classification have been widely used in data mining applications. This work involves application of gene expression programming (GEP) for predicting compressive strength of fly ash geopolymer concrete, which is gaining increasing interest as an environmentally friendly alternative of Portland cement concrete. Based on 56 test results from the existing literature, a model was obtained relating the compressive strength of fly ash geopolymer concrete with the significantly influencing mix design parameters. The predictions of the model in training and validation were evaluated. The coefficient of determination ($R^2$), mean (${\mu}$) and standard deviation (${\sigma}$) were 0.89, 1.0 and 0.12 respectively, for the training set, and 0.89, 0.99 and 0.13 respectively, for the validation set. The error of prediction by the model was also evaluated and found to be very low. This indicates that the predictions of GEP model are in close agreement with the experimental results suggesting this as a promising method for compressive strength prediction of fly ash geopolymer concrete.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.831-848
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• 2016

This study aims to characterize the multiple cracking behavior of HTPP-ECC (High tenacity polypropylene fiber reinforced engineered cementitious composites) by Digital Image Correlation (DIC) Method. Digital images have been captured from a dogbone shaped HTPP-ECC specimen exhibiting 3.1% tensile ductility under loading. Images analyzed by VIC-2D software and ${\varepsilon}_{xx}$ strain maps have been obtained. Crack widths were computed from the ${\varepsilon}_{xx}$ strain maps and crack width distributions were determined throughout the specimen. The strain values from real LVDTs were also compared with virtual LVDTs digitally attached on digital images. Results confirmed that it is possible to accurately monitor the initiation and propagation of any single crack or multiple cracks by DIC at the whole interval of testing. Although the analysis require some post-processing operations, DIC based crack analysis methodology can be used as a promising and versatile tool for quality control of HTPP-ECC and other strain hardening composites.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.35-47
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• 2012

The ideal gradating curve is used in this study to estimate densified aggregate blended ratio and total surface area of aggregate, there by under assigned paste amount of concrete, and coating paste thickness can then be deduced. Four groups of concrete mixtures were prepared and the corresponding concrete properties, such as workability, compression strength, ultrasonic velocity, surface resistivity and chloride ion penetration, were measured and finally the results are interpreted in terms of "coating thickness". The result shows as the coating thickness of the concrete is higher than critical one, the coating thickness on aggregate does affect the workability, and whatever workability is required the superplasticizer can be adjusted to achieve the demand workability. Under a fixed paste quality at the same age, coating paste thickness is inversely proportional to the concrete properties, especially as the coating thickness gets thinner.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.219-229
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• 2012

Carbonation is a widespread degradation of concrete and may be coupled with more severe degradations. An experimental investigation was carried out to study the effect of carbonation on chloride ion diffusion of concrete. The characteristic of concrete after carbonation was measured, such as carbonation depth, strength and pore structure. Results indicated that carbonation depth has a good linear relation with square root of carbonate time, and carbonation can improve compressive strength, but lower flexural strength. Results about pore structure of concrete before and after carbonation have shown that carbonation could cause a redistribution of the pore sizes and increase the proportion of small pores. It also can decrease porosities, most probable pore size and average pore diameters. Chloride ion diffusion of concrete after carbonation was studied through natural diffusion method and steady state migration testing method respectively. It is supposed that the chloride ion concentration of carbonation region is higher than that of the sound region because of the separation of fixed salts, and chloride ion diffusion coefficient was increased due to carbonation action evidently.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.679-694
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• 2014

The selected carrier systems of reinforced concrete frame buildings are quite important on structural damages. In this study are examined comparatively nonlinear behaviours of reinforced concrete frames which having different stiffening members under a horizontal load. In that respect, the study consists of six parametric models. With this purpose, nonlinear structural analyses of reinforced concrete frames which having different stiffening members were carried out with LUSAS which uses the finite element method. Thus, some conclusions and recommendations to mitigate the damage of reinforced concrete buildings in the future designs are aimed to present. The obtained results revealed that in terms of performance, the x-shaped diagonal elements can be used as an option to shear walls. In addition, it was found that frame-2, frame-3 and frame-4 showed a better performance than traditional frame system (frame-1).

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.171-188
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• 2019

This study proposed a new and efficient 2D damage-plasticity model within the framework of Isogeometric analysis (IGA) for the geometrically nonlinear damage analysis of concrete. Since concrete exhibits complicated material properties, two internal variables are introduced to measure the hardening/softening behavior of concrete in tension and compression, and an implicit gradient-enhanced formulation is adopted to restore the well-posedness of the boundary value problem. The numerical results calculated by the model is compared with the experimental data of three benchmark problems of plain concrete (three-point and four-point bending single-notched beams and four-point bending double-notched beam) to illustrate the geometrical flexibility, accuracy, and robustness of the proposed approach. In addition, the influence of the characteristic length on the numerical results of each problem is investigated.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.255-265
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• 2019

The potential of using genetic programming to predict engineering data has caught the attention of researchers in recent years. The present paper utilized weighted genetic programming (WGP), a derivative model of genetic programming (GP), to model the compressive strength of concrete. The calculation results of Abrams' laws, which are used as the design codes for calculating the compressive strength of concrete, were treated as the inputs for the genetic programming model. Therefore, knowledge of the Abrams' laws, which is not a factor of influence on common data-based learning approaches, was considered to be a potential factor affecting genetic programming models. Significant outcomes of this work include: 1) the employed design codes positively affected the prediction accuracy of modeling the compressive strength of concrete; 2) a new equation was suggested to replace the design code for predicting concrete strength; and 3) common data-based learning approaches were evolved into knowledge-based learning approaches using historical data and design codes.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.41-54
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• 2021

This paper introduced three new strengthening systems for isolated footings: BFRP wrapping system, CFRP wrapping system, and steel jacketing system. The proposed systems are more practical than the current traditional methods, which involves installing many dowel bars and splicing reinforcing steels to join new and old concrete segments. In the proposed three new systems, BFRP wraps, CFRP wraps, or steel jackets are installed on the exterior surface of the enlarged footing, with construction adhesive or a few steel dowels being applied to the contact surfaces. To investigate the effectiveness of three systems, forty-four models were constructed in ABAQUS, with different parameters being considered. All footings investigated failed in punching shear, including original and retrofitted footings. According to FEA results and parametric studies, the three strengthening systems were capable of improving the punching shear resistance of footings. By introducing a new factor η, the punching shear equation in Eurocode 2 was modified to predict the punching shear resistances of the strengthened footings. A linear formula was developed to present the relationship between the new factor η and the investigated parameters.