• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.887-898
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• 2021

This paper presents a simplified model to capture the nonlinear behavior of steel frames depending on the spread of plasticity method. New interaction formulae were derived to evaluate the plastic strength for I-shaped steel sections under uniaxial bending moment and axial compression load. Also, new empirical formulae were derived to evaluate the tangent stiffness modulus of steel I-shaped cross-sections considering the effect of the residual stresses suggested by the specifications in European Convention for Construction Steelworks (ECCS). The secant stiffness which depends on the tangent modulus is used to evaluate the internal forces. Based on stiffness matrix method, a finite element analysis program was developed for the nonlinear analysis of space steel frames using the derived formulae. Comparison between the proposed model results with those given by the fiber model shows very good agreement. Numerical examples were introduced to verify, check the accuracy, and evaluate the efficiency of the proposed model. The analysis results show that the new proposed model is accurate and able to minimize the solution time.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.625-637
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• 2022

Axial compression capacity (P_u) is a significant yet complex parameter of concrete-filled steel tube (CFST) columns. This study offers a novel ensemble tool, adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) supervised by equilibrium optimization (EO), for accurately predicting this parameter. Moreover, grey wolf optimization (GWO) and Harris hawk optimizer (HHO) are considered as comparative supervisors. The used data is taken from earlier literature provided by finite element analysis. ANFIS is trained by several population sizes of the EO, GWO, and HHO to detect the best configurations. At a glance, the results showed the competency of such ensembles for learning and reproducing the P_u behavior. In details, respective mean absolute errors along with correlation values of 4.1809% and 0.99564, 10.5947% and 0.98006, and 4.8947% and 0.99462 obtained for the EO-ANFIS, GWO-ANFIS, and HHO-ANFIS, respectively, indicated that the proposed EO-ANFIS can analyze and predict the behavior of CFST columns with the highest accuracy. Considering both time and accuracy, the EO provides the most efficient optimization of ANFIS and can be a nice substitute for experimental approaches.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.535-547
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• 2022

Failure patterns of rock specimens represent valuable information about the mechanical properties and crack evolution mechanism of rock. Several kinds of research have been conducted regarding the failure mechanism of brittle material, however; the influence of brittleness on the failure mechanism of rock specimens has not been precisely considered. In the present study, experimental and numerical examinations have been made to evaluate the physical and mechanical phenomena associated with rock failure mechanisms through the uniaxial compression test. In the experimental part, Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS) tests equipped with Acoustic Emission (AE) have been conducted on rock samples with three different brittleness. Then, the numerical models have been calibrated based on experimental test results for further investigation and comparing the micro-cracking process in experimental and numerical models. It can be perceived that the failure mode of specimens with high brittleness is tensile axial splitting, based on the experimental evidence of rock specimens with different brittleness. Also, the crack growth mechanism of the rock specimens with various brittleness using discrete element modeling in the numerical part suggested that the specimens with more brittleness contain more tensile fracture during the loading sequences.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.649-661
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• 2021

This paper presents experimental and analytical studies to understand the behavior of crumb rubber concrete (CRC)-filled fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) and steel tube double skin column (DSC) and beam (DSB) members under cyclic loading. The main test variable was the percentage of rubber which ranged from 0 to 40%. For column members, different heights corresponding to different aspect ratios were examined to understand the to understand the effect of DSCs' slenderness on the cyclic response of the columns. the. The behavior of the specimens in terms of failure mode, strain development, energy dissipation, load-displacement response were presented and compared. The ability of the current provisions of the Australian codes to predict the capacity of such double skin members was also evaluated based on the test results. This study concluded that the reduction in the concrete strength was more severe at the material level compared to structural level. Also, as the load changed from axial compression in columns to pure moment in beams the negative effect of rubber percentage on the strength became less significant.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.83 no.4
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• pp.563-576
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• 2022

This study aimed to evaluate the progressive collapse potential of buildings designed using conventional design codes for the merchant occupancy classification and subjected to a sudden column failure. For this purpose, three reinforced concrete buildings having different story numbers were designed according to the seismic design recommendations of TSCB-2019. Later on, the buildings were analyzed using the GSA-2016 and UFC 4-023-03 to observe their progressive collapse responses. Three columns were removed independently in the structures from different locations. Nonlinear dynamic analysis method for the alternate path direct design approach was implemented for the design evaluation. The plasticity of the structural members was simulated by using nonlinear fiber hinges. The moment, axial, and shear force interaction on the hinges was considered by the Modified Compression Field Theory. Moreover, an existing experimental study investigating the progressive collapse behavior of reinforced concrete structures was used to observe the validation of nonlinear fiber hinges and the applied analysis methodology. The study results deduce that a limited local collapse disproportionately more extensive than the initial failure was experienced on the buildings designed according to TSCB-2019. The mercantile structures designed according to current seismic codes require additional direct design considerations to improve their progressive collapse resistance against the risk of a sudden column loss.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.681-691
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• 2023

Stainless steels are commonly employed in engineering applications since they have superior properties such as low maintenance cost, and high temperature and corrosion resistance. These features allow them to be preferred in cylindrical shell structures as well. The behavior of a cylindrical shell structure made of stainless steel can be quite different from that made of carbon steel, as the material properties differ from each other. This paper deals with buckling behavior of axially loaded cylindrical shells made of stainless-steel. For this purpose, a combined experimental and numerical study was carried out. The experimental study comprised of testing of 18 cylindrical specimens. Following the experimental study, a numerical study was first conducted to validate test results. The comparisons show that finite element models provide good agreement with test results. Then, a numerical parametric study consisting of 450 models was performed to develop more generalized design recommendations for axially compressed cylindrical shell structures made of stainless steel. A simple formula was proposed for the practical design purposes. In other words, buckling strength curve equation is developed for three different fabrication quality.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.485-498
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• 2023

The need for carbon neutrality in the world strives the construction industry to reduce the use of construction materials. Aiming to this, recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) could be used as it reduces the carbon dioxide emissions. Currently, RAC is mainly used in non-structural members of civil constructions, seldom used in structural members. To broaden its structural use, a new type of composite column, i.e., the square and rectangular RAC filled FRP tubes (CFFTs), has been concerned in this study. The investigation on their axial compressive behavior through physical test and numerical analysis demonstrated that the load-carrying capacity of such column is reduced with the increase of replacement ratio of recycled aggregate and aspect ratio of section but can be improved by the increase of FRP confining stiffness and corner radius, said capacity can be equivalent to their steel reinforced concrete counterparts. At failure, the hoop strain at corner of tube is unexpectedly smaller than that at flat side of the tube although the FRP tube ruptured at its corner first, revealing a premature failure. Besides, a design-oriented stress-strain model of concrete and an analysis-oriented finite element model are proposed to predict the load-strain response of square and rectangular CFFT columns, which facilitates the engineering use of RAC in load-carrying structural members.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.19-36
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• 2023

An experimental study of eleven PVC-FRP Confined Concrete (PFCC) column-Reinforced Concrete (RC) beam joints reinforced with Core Steel Tube (CST) under axial compression is carried out. All specimens are designed in accordance with the principle of "weak column and strong joint". The influences of FRP strips spacing, length and steel ratio of CST, height and stirrup ratio of joint on mechanical behavior are investigated. As the design anticipated, all specimens are destroyed by column failure. The failure mode of PFCC column-RC beam joint reinforced with CST is the yielding of longitudinal steel bars, CST and stirrups of column as well as the fracture of FRP strips and PVC tube. The ultimate bearing capacity decreases as FRP strips spacing or joint height increases. The effects of other three studied parameters on ultimate bearing capacity are not obvious. The strain development rules of longitudinal steel bars, PVC tube, FRP strips, column stirrups and CST are revealed. The effects of various studied parameters on stiffness are also examined. Additionally, an influence coefficient of joint height is introduced based on the regression analysis of test data, a theoretical formula for predicting bearing capacity is proposed and it agrees well with test data.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.180-190
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• 2023

This study deals with residual stress prediction and hardness evaluation within cross ball grooved inner race fabricated by cold upsetting process consisted of upsetting and ejection steps. A raw workpiece material of AISI 5120H (SCr420H) is first spheroidized and annealed, then phosphophyllite coated to form solid lubricant layer on its outer surface. To investigate influences of the heat treatment, uni-axial compression tests and Vickers micro-hardness measurements are conducted. Three-dimensional elasto-plastic FE simulations on the upsetting step and the ejection one are performed to visualize the residual stress and the ductile (plastic deformation) damage. External feature of the fabricated inner race is fully captured by using an optical 3D scanner, and the micro-hardness is measured on internal cross-sections. Consequently, the dimensional compatibility between the simulated inner race and the fabricated one is ensured with a difference of under 0.243mm that satisfied permissible error range of ±0.50mm on the grooved surface, and the predicted residual stress is verified to have similar distribution tendency with the measured Vickers micro-hardness.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.211-220
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• 2023

Welded hollow spherical joints are commonly used joints in space grid structures. An internal stiffener is generally adopted to strengthen the joints when large hollow spheres are used. To further strengthen it, external stiffeners can be used at the same time. In this study, axial compression tests are conducted on four full-scale 550 mm spherical joints. The failure modes and strengths of the tested joints are investigated. It shows that the external stiffeners are able to increase the strength of the joint up to 25%. A numerical model for large spherical joints with stiffeners is established and verified against the experimental results. Parametric studies are executed considering six main design factors using the verified model. It is found that the strength of the spherical joint increases as the thickness, height and number of the external stiffeners increase, and the hollow sphere's diameter has a neglectable effect on the enhancement caused by the external stiffeners. Based on the experimental and numerical results, a practical formula for the compressive bearing capacity of large welded hollow spherical joints with both internal and external stiffeners is proposed. The proposed formula gives a conservative prediction on the compressive capacity of large welded hollow spherical joints with both internal and external stiffeners.