• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.599-615
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• 2021

The ultimate strength behaviour of sandwich composite beams with J-hooks and normal weight concrete (SCSSBJNs) are studied through two-point loading tests on ten full-scale SCSSBJNs. The test results show that the SCSSBJN with different parameters under two-point loads exhibits three types of failure modes, i.e., flexure, shear, and combined shear and flexure mode. SCSSBJN failed in different failure modes exhibits different load-deflection behaviours, and the main difference of these three types of behaviours exist in their last working stages. The influences of thickness of steel faceplate, shear span ratio, concrete core strength, and spacing of J-hooks on structural behaviours of SCSSBJN are discussed and analysed. These test results show that the failure mode of SCSSBJN was sensitive to the thickness of steel faceplate, shear span ratio, and concrete core strength. Theoretical models are developed to estimate the cracking, yielding, and ultimate bending resistance of SCSSBJN as well as its transverse cross-sectional shear resistance. The validations of predictions by these theoretical models proved that they are capable of estimating strengths of novel SCSSBJNs.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.77 no.6
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• pp.753-763
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• 2021

Feasibility studies of a reinforced concrete (RC) deep pile foundation system with the compressed air energy storage (CAES) technology were conducted in previous studies. However, those studies showed some technical limitations in its serviceability and durability performances. To overcome such drawbacks of the conventional RC energy pile system, various steel-concrete composite pile foundations are addressed in this study to be utilized as a dual functional system for an energy storage medium and load-resistant foundation. This study conducts finite element analyses to examine the applicability of various composite energy pile foundation systems considering the combined effects of structural loading, soil boundary forces, and internal air pressures induced by the thermos-dynamic cycle of compressed air. On this basis, it was clearly confirmed that the role of inner and outer tubes is essential in terms of reliable storage tank and better constructability of pile, respectively, and the steel tubes in the composite pile foundation can also ensure improved serviceability and durability performances compared to the conventional RC pile system.

• Coupled systems mechanics
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.167-198
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• 2022

In this paper we deal with classical instability problems of heterogeneous Euler beam under conservative loading. It is chosen as the model problem to systematically present several possible solution methods from simplest deterministic to more complex stochastic approach, both of which that can handle more complex engineering problems. We first present classical analytic solution along with rigorous definition of the classical Euler buckling problem starting from homogeneous beam with either simplified linearized theory or the most general geometrically exact beam theory. We then present the numerical solution to this problem by using reduced model constructed by discrete approximation based upon the weak form of the instability problem featuring von Karman (virtual) strain combined with the finite element method. We explain how such numerical approach can easily be adapted to solving instability problems much more complex than classical Euler's beam and in particular for heterogeneous beam, where analytic solution is not readily available. We finally present the stochastic approach making use of the Duffing oscillator, as the corresponding reduced model for heterogeneous Euler's beam within the dynamics framework. We show that such an approach allows computing probability density function quantifying all possible solutions to this instability problem. We conclude that increased computational cost of the stochastic framework is more than compensated by its ability to take into account beam material heterogeneities described in terms of fast oscillating stochastic process, which is typical of time evolution of internal variables describing plasticity and damage.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.52 no.12
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• pp.2918-2927
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• 2020

This paper proposes a simplified elastic-plastic analysis procedure using the penalty factors presented in the Code Case N-779 for strain-based fatigue assessment of nuclear safety class 1 components under severe seismic loads such as safety shutdown earthquake and beyond design-basis earthquake. First, a simplified elastic-plastic analysis procedure for strain-based fatigue assessment of nuclear safety class 1 components under the severe seismic loads was proposed based on the analysis result for the simplified elastic-plastic analysis procedure in the Code Case N-779 and the stress categories corresponding to normal operation and seismic loads. Second, total strain amplitude was calculated directly by performing finite element cyclic elastic-plastic seismic analysis for a hot leg nozzle in pressurizer surge line subject to combined loading including deadweight, pressure, seismic inertia load, and seismic anchor motion, as well as was derived indirectly by applying the proposed analysis procedure to the finite element elastic stress analysis result for each load. Third, strain-based fatigue assessment was implemented by applying the strain-based fatigue acceptance criteria in the ASME B&PV Code, Sec. III, Subsec. NB, Article NB-3200 and by using the total strain amplitude values calculated. Last, the total strain amplitude and the fatigue assessment result corresponding to the simplified elastic-plastic analysis were compared with those using the finite element elastic-plastic seismic analysis results. As a result of the comparison, it was identified that the proposed analysis procedure can derive reasonable and conservative results.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.5
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• pp.1712-1725
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• 2022

For improving the seismic performance of the nuclear power plant (NPP) piping system, attempts have been made to apply a dynamic absorber (DA). However, the current piping DA design method is limited because it cannot provide the globally optimum values for the target design seismic loading. Therefore, this study proposes a seismic time history analysis-based DA optimal design method for piping. To this end, the Kriging approach is introduced to reduce the numerical cost required for seismic time history analyses. The appropriate design of the experiment method is used to increase the efficiency in securing response data. A gradient-based method is used to efficiently deal with the multi-dimensional unconstrained optimization problem of the DA optimal design. As a result, the proposed method showed an excellent response reduction effect in several responses compared to other optimal design methods. The proposed method showed that the average response reduction rate was about 9% less at the maximum acceleration, about 5% less at the maximum value of the response spectrum, about 9% less at the maximum relative displacement, and about 4% less at the maximum combined stress compared to existing optimal design methods. Therefore, the proposed method enables an effective optimal DA design method for mitigating seismic response in NPP piping in the future.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.1071-1084
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• 2022

The present study aims to investigate the dynamic properties of a novel isolation system composed of separate rubber and wire isolators. The testing program comprised pure compressive, pure-shear, compressive-stress dependence, and shear-strain dependence tests that used full-scale test specimens according to ISO 22762-1. A total of 22 test specimens were fabricated and investigated. Among the tests, the pure compressive test was a destructive test that reached up to the failure stage, whereas the others were nondestructive tests before the failure stage. Similar to the pure-shear test, at each compressive-stress level in the compressive dependence test or at each shear-strain level in the shear-strain dependence test, the cyclic loading was conducted for three cycles. In the nondestructive tests, examination of the dynamic shear properties in the X-direction was independent of the Y-direction. The test results revealed that the increase in the shear strain increased the energy dissipation but decreased the damping ratio, whereas the increase in the compressive stress increased the damping ratio. In addition, a macro model was developed to simulate the load-displacement response of the isolation systems, and the prediction results were consistent with the experimental results.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.87 no.6
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• pp.615-624
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• 2023

The focus of this study is on the structural behaviour of reinforced concrete beams in which basalt fiber and SBR latex were added and the cement was partially replaced with 10% of hypo sludge. Eight different mixes of reinforced beam specimens were tested under static loading behaviour. The experiments showed, the structural behaviour with features such as load-deflection relationships, crack pattern, crack propagation, number of crack, crack spacing and moment curvature. A stress-strain relationship to represent the overall behavior of reinforced concrete in tension, which includes the combined effects of cracking and mode of failure along the reinforcement, is proposed. The structural behaviour results of reinforced concrete beams with various types of mix were tested at the age of 28 days. The investigation revealed that the flexural behaviors of hypo sludge reinforced concrete beams with addition of basalt fiber and SBR latex was higher than that of control concrete reinforced beam. The specimen (LHSBFC) with 10% hypo sludge, 0.25% Basalt fiber and 10% SBR latex showed an increase of 5.08% load carrying capacity, 7.6% stiffness, 3.97% ductility, 31.29% energy dissipation when compared to the control concrete beam. The analytical investigation using FEM shows that it was in good agreement with the experimental investigation.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.883-898
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• 2022

A hollow-core partially-encased composite beam, named HPEC beam, is investigated in this paper. HPEC beam comprises I-beam, longitudinal reinforcement, stirrup, foam formwork, and cementitious grout. The foam formwork is located on both sides of the web, and cementitious grout is cast within the steel flange. To investigate the shear performance of HPEC beams, static loading tests of six HPEC beams and three control beams were conducted. The shear span ratio and the number of studs on the shear behavior of the HPECspecimens were studied. The failure mechanism was studied by analyzing the curves of shear force versus both deflection and strain. Based on the shear span ratio (𝜆), two typical shear failure modes were observed: shear compression failure when 1.6 ≤ 𝜆 ≤ 2; and diagonal compression failure when 𝜆 ≤ 1.15. Shear studs welded on the flange can significantly increase the shear capacity and integrity of HPEC beams. Flange welded shear studs are suggested. Based on the deformation coordination theory and superposition method, combined with the simplified modified compression field model and the Truss-arch model, Modified Deformation Coordination Truss-arch (M.D.C.T.) model was proposed. Compared with the shear capacity from YB9038-2006 and JGJ138-2016, the calculation results from M.D.C.T. model could provide reasonable predictions.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.503-516
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• 2023

A transfer cask serves as the container for transporting and handling canisters loaded with spent nuclear fuels from light water reactors. This study focuses on a cylindrical transfer cask, standing at 5,300 mm with an external diameter of 2,170 mm, featuring impact limiters on the top and bottom sides. The base of the cask body has an openable/closable lid for loading canisters with storage modules. The transfer cask houses a canister containing spent nuclear fuels from lightweight reactors, serving as the confinement boundary while the cask itself lacks the confinement structure. The objective of this study was to conduct a structural analysis evaluation of the transfer cask, currently under development in Korea, ensuring its safety. This evaluation encompasses analyses of loads under normal, off-normal, and accident conditions, adhering to NUREG-2215. Structural integrity was assessed by comparing combined results for each load against stress limits. The results confirm that the transfer cask meets stress limits across normal, off-normal, and accident conditions, establishing its structural safety.

• Journal of Wind Energy
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.13-20
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• 2023

A self-climbing crane (SCC) system is under development for the installation and maintenance of wind turbines. It can move vertically along the wind turbine tower by itself. One of the key components of the SCC system is the clamping pad to maintain a safe position on the wind turbine tower. The SCC system can maintain its position on the tower from the frictional force generated between the surfaces of the clamping pads and the tower. If the frictional force provided by the clamping pads are insufficient, the SCC system cannot stay in the vertical position on the tower. Therefore, the development of clamping pads with sufficient frictional force is very important for the SCC system. At the same time, the operation of the SCC system should not damage the paint coating of the wind turbine tower. In order to verify that the frictional force is sufficient and that frictional and compressive forces do not cause damage to the paint, a number of combined compression and shear loading tests were conducted using a test device prepared for this study. The details regarding the test specimens, test procedure, and test results are summarized in this paper.