• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.33 no.3
• /
• pp.347-356
• /
• 2019

Most of the recent studies have improved the efficiency of FRP jackets for increasing the compressive strength, shear strength, and ductility of reinforced concrete columns; however, the influence of FRP jackets on the flexural capacity is slight. Although new methods such as NSM (near surface mounted) are utilized to solve this problem, yet practical difficulties, behavior dependency on adhesives, and brittle failure necessitate finding better methods. This paper presents the results of an experimental study on the application of fiber-reinforced polymer fastened mechanically to the concrete columns to improve the flexural capacity of RC columns. For this purpose, mechanical fasteners were used to achieve the composite behavior of FRP and concrete columns. The experimental program included five reinforced concrete columns retrofitted by different methods using FRP subjected to constant axial compression and lateral cyclic loading. The experimental results showed that the use of the new method proposed in this paper increased the flexural strength and lateral load capacity of the columns significantly, and good composite action of FRP and RC column was achieved. Moreover, the experimental results were compared with the results obtained from the analytical study based on strain compatibility, and good proximity was reached.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.39 no.3
• /
• pp.337-352
• /
• 2021

The study presented experimental and numerical investigation on the seismic performance of steel reinforced concrete (SRC) L-shaped column- reinforced concrete (RC) beam joints. Various parameters described as steel configuration form, axial compressive ratio, loading angle, and the existence of slab were examined through 4 planar joints and 7 spatial joints. The characteristics of the load-displacement response included the bearing capacity, ductility, story drift ratio, energy-dissipating capacity, and stiffness degradation were analyzed. The results showed that shear failure and flexural failure in the beam tip were observed for planar joints and spatial joint, respectively. And RC joint with slab failed with the plastic hinge in the slab and bottom of the beam. The results indicated that hysteretic curves of spatial joints with solid-web steel were plumper than those with hollow-web specimens. The capacity of planar joints was higher than that of space joints, while the opposite was true for energy-dissipation capacity and ductility. The high compression ratio contributed to the increase in capacity and initial stiffness of the joint. The elastic and elastic-plastic story deformation capacity of L-shaped column frame joints satisfied the code requirement. A design formula of joint shear resistance based on the superposition theory and equilibrium plasticity truss model was proposed for engineering application.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.70 no.6
• /
• pp.781-791
• /
• 2019

Earthquakes most often induce damage to structures, resulting in the degradation or deterioration of integrity. In this paper, based on the experimental study on 5 RC frames with different span length and different layout of buckling-restrained braces, the seismic damage evaluation law of RC frame with buckling-restrained braces was analyzed, and then the seismic damage for different specimens was calculated using different damage models to study the damage evolution. By analyzing and comparing the observation in test and the calculated results, it could be found that, damage evolution models including Gosain model, Hwang model as well as Ou model could better simulate the development of damage during cyclic loading. Therefore, these 3 models were utilized to analyze the development of damage to better demonstrate the evolution law for structures with different layout of braces and under different axial compression ratios. The results showed that from all layouts of braces studied, the eccentrically braced frame behaved better under larger deformation with the damage growing slowly. It could be deduced that the link beam benefited the seismic performance of structure and alleviated the damage by absorbing high values of energy.

• Computers and Concrete
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.97-106
• /
• 2019

This paper describes the design of a new interlocking masonry system, the production of designed interlocking units and mechanical properties of interlocked masonry assemblages with mortar. In this proposed system, units have horizontal and vertical locks to integrate the units to the wall and have a channel to enable the use of horizontal reinforcements in the wall. Using these units, unfilled, filled or reinforced walls can be constructed with or without mortar. In the production of the interlocking units, it was decided to use foamed concrete. 12 trial productions have been carried out at different mix proportions to obtain the optimum concrete mix. At the end of the mentioned productions, the units were produced with foam concrete which is selected as the most suitable in terms of compressive strength and specific gravity. Then, axial compression, diagonal tension and bed joint shear tests were carried out to determine the mechanical properties of the interlocked masonry assemblages with mortar. Results from the tests showed that interlocks designed to strengthen the system against shear stresses by creating discontinuity throughout the joints have been successful to achieve their aim. Obtained data will enable structural analysis of walls to be constructed with these new units.

• Computers and Concrete
• /
• v.23 no.6
• /
• pp.377-398
• /
• 2019

Behavior of RC beam-column joint is very complex as the composite material behaves differently in elastic and inelastic range. The approaches generally used for predicting joint shear strength are either based on theoretical, strut-and-tie or empirical methods. These approaches are incapable of predicting the accurate response of the joint for entire range of loading. In the present study a new generalized RC beam-column joint shear strength model based on hybrid approach i.e. combined strut-and-tie and empirical approach has been proposed. The contribution of governing parameters affecting the joint shear strength under compression has been derived from compressive strut approach whereas; the governing parameters active under tension has been extracted from empirical approach. The proposed model is applicable for various conditions such as, joints reinforced either with or without shear reinforcement, joints with wide beam or wide column, joints with transverse beams and slab, joints reinforced with X-bars, different anchorage of beam bar, and column subjected to various axial loading conditions. The joint shear strength prediction of the proposed model has been compared with 435 experimental results and with eleven popular models from literature. In comparison to other eleven models the prediction of the proposed model is found closest to the experimental results. Moreover, from statistical analysis of the results, the proposed model has the least coefficient of variation. The proposed model is simple in application and can be effectively used by designers.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.21-27
• /
• 2019

Rockburst disasters pose serious threat to mining safety and underground excavation, especially in China, resulting in massive life-wealth loss and even compulsive closed-down of some coal mines. To investigate the mechanism of rockbursts that occur under a state of static forces, a stress model with sidewall as prototype was developed and verified by a group of laboratory experiments and numerical simulations. In this model, roadway sidewall was simplified as a square plate with axial compression and end (horizontal) restraints. The stress field was solved via the Airy stress function. To track the "closeness degree" of the stress state approaching the yield limit, an unbalanced force F was defined based on the Mohr-Coulomb yield criterion. The distribution of the unbalanced force in the plane model indicated that only the friction angle above a critical value could cause the first failure on the coal in the deeper of the sidewall, inducing the occurrence of rockbursts. The laboratory tests reproduced the rockburst process, which was similar to the prediction from the theoretical model, numerical simulation and some disaster scenes.

• Journal of Electrodiagnosis and Neuromuscular Diseases
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.130-134
• /
• 2018

A 36-year-old male patient developed diffuse low back pain. His past medical history was unremarkable and had no family history of neuromuscular disease. He had no bladder and bowel problems. Creatine kinase was 172 U/L (normal < 170). Other fluid and blood chemistry tests were normal. Manual muscle test grades of extremities and sensory examination were normal. Muscle stretch reflexes were normal. Fasciculations and myotonia were not detected. Straight leg raising test was negative. There was no spinal root compression, spinal stenosis, or signal intensity change of spinal cord on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Fatty change and atrophy of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar paraspinal muscles were noted on MRI. Nerve conduction studies were normal. Electromyography showed 1+ positive sharp waves in the lumbar paraspinal muscles. Electromyography of upper and lower extremity muscles revealed no abnormal spontaneous activity. We report a rare case of severe paraspinal muscle atrophy with fatty degeneration in a Young Adult.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.39 no.2
• /
• pp.189-200
• /
• 2021

The compressive strength of circular concrete filled steel tubular (C-CFST) stubs strengthened with carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) is studied theoretically. According to previous experimental results, the failure process and mechanism of circular CFRP-concrete filled steel tubular (C-CFRP-CFST) stubs is analyzed, and the loading process is divided into 3 stages, i.e., elastic stage, elasto-plastic stage and failure stage. Based on continuum mechanics, the theoretical model of C-CFRP-CFST stubs under axial compression is established based on the assumptions that steel tube and concrete are both in three-dimensional stress state and CFRP is in uniaxial tensile stress state. Equations for calculating the yield strength and the ultimate strength of C-CFRP-CFST stubs are deduced. Theoretical predictions from the presented equations are compared with existing experimental results. There are a total of 49 tested specimens, including 15 ones for comparison of yield strength and 44 ones for comparison of ultimate strength. It is found that the predicted results of most specimens are within an error limit of 10%. Finally, simplified equations for calculating both yield strength and ultimate strength of C-CFRP-CFST stubs are proposed.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.77 no.2
• /
• pp.261-272
• /
• 2021

The energy-saving block and invisible multi-ribbed frame composite wall (EBIMFCW) is a new type of load-bearing wall. The study of this paper focus on it is hysteresis rule under horizontal cyclic loading. Firstly, based on the experimental data of the twelve specimens under horizontal cyclic loading, the influence of two important parameters of axial compression ratio and shear-span ratio on the restoring force model was analyzed. Secondly, a tetra-linear restoring force model considering four feature points and the degradation law of unloading stiffness was established by combining theoretical analysis and regression analysis of experimental data, and the theoretical formula of the peak load of the EBIMFCW was derived. Finally, the hysteretic path of the restoring force model was determined by analyzing the hysteresis characteristics of the typical hysteresis loop. The results show that the curves calculated by the tetra-linear restoring force model in this paper agree well with the experimental curves, especially the calculated values of the peak load of the wall are very close to the experimental values, which can provide a reference for the elastic-plastic analysis of the EBIMFCW.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.38 no.2
• /
• pp.165-176
• /
• 2021

Existing research on confined concrete filled steel tubular (CCFT) columns has been mainly focused on static or cyclic loading. In this paper, square section CCFT and CFT columns were tested under both static and impact loading, using a 10,000 kN capacity compression test machine and a drop weight testing equipment. Research parameters included bonded and unbonded fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) wraps, with carbon, basalt and glass FRPs (or CFRP, BFRP, and GFRP), respectively. Time history curves for impact force and steel strain observed are discussed in detail. Experimental results show that the failure modes of specimens under impact testing were characterized by local buckling of the steel tube and cracking at the corners, for both CCFT and CFT columns, similar to those under static loading. For both static and impact loading, the FRP wraps could improve the behavior and increase the loading capacity. To analyze the dynamic behavior of the composite columns, a finite element, FE, model was established in LS-DYNA. A simplified method that is compared favorably with test results is also proposed to predict the impact load capacity of square CCFT columns.