• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.55-60
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• 2010

The honeycomb composite joint structure designed for application to a tilting KTX railroad car body is subjected to bending loads of a cantilever type. Honeycomb sandwich composite panel-joint attached in the real tilting car body was fabricated and sectioned as several beam-joint specimens for the bending test. The fracture behaviors of these specimens under static loads were different from those under cyclic loads. Static bending loads caused shear deformation and fracture in the honeycomb core region, while fatigue cyclic bend loading caused delamination along the interface between the composite skin and the honeycomb core, and/or caused a fracture in the welded part jointed with the steel under-frame. These fracture behaviors could occur in other industrial honeycomb composite joints with similar sub-structures, and be used for improving design parameters of a honeycomb composite joint structure.

• Composites Research
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.8-14
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• 2010

Three types of glass woven fabrics (plain, balanced twill, and unbalanced twill) having various sample sizes and aspect ratios were tested using the bias-extension tests. Real-time deformation images, force, and displacement data were collected. For the bias-extension test, the shear angle of the fabrics from the equation based on the crosshead displacement and fabric size was compared with direct manual measurements of the warp and weft angles as well as the optical measurement software. To determine the shear force, an analytical equation was introduced considering the kinematics of the bias-extension test. The obtained shear behaviors were further compared with the results by the trellis-frame test. The optical measurement methods showed that the mathematical method was reasonable before the shear angle of the fabrics reaches $30^{\circ}$ in the bias-extension tests. Also, the bias-extension test gave consistent behaviors with the trellis-frame test only for isotropic and homogeneous fabrics such as balanced plain and twill weaves.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.381-395
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• 2009

This paper presents the details of an advanced Finite Element (FE) analysis of a plane steel portal frame with semi-rigid beam-to-column connections subjected cyclic loading. In spite of several component models on cyclic behaviour of connections presented in the literature, works on numerical investigations on cyclic behaviour of full scale frames are rather scarce. This paper presents the evolution of an FE model which deals comprehensively with the issues related to cyclic behaviour of full scale steel frames using ABAQUS software. In the material modeling, combined kinematic/isotropic hardening model and isotropic hardening model along with Von Mises criteria are used. Connection non-linearity is also considered in the analysis. The bolt slip which happens in friction grip connection is modeled. The bolt load variation during loading, which is a pivotal issue in reality, has been taken care in the present model. This aspect, according to the knowledge of the authors, has been first time reported in the literature. The numerically predicted results using the methodology evolved in the present study, for the cyclic behaviour of a cantilever beam and a rigid frame, are validated with experimental results available in the literature. The moment-rotation and deflection responses of the evolved model, match well with experimental results. This proves that the methodology for evolving the steel frame and connection model presented in this paper is closer to real frame behaviour as evident from the good comparison and hence paves the way for further parametric studies on cyclic behaviour of flexibly connected frames.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.253-267
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• 2023

The bearing capacities resisted by the two-bay beams of multi-story planar frames with unequal spans under column removal scenarios differ considerably owing to the asymmetric stress on the left and right beams connected to the failed column and cause the potential for beams with larger span-to-depth ratios to be unable to exert effectively, which is disadvantageous for resisting the vertical load in unequal-span frame structures. To address this problem, the structural measure of adding braces to the weak bays of multi-story unequal-span frames was proposed, with the objective of achieving a coordinated stress state in two-bay beams with unequal spans, thereby improving the collapse resistance of unequal-span frame structures. Before conducting the numerical simulation, the modeling methods were verified by previous experimental results of two multi-story planar frames with and without steel braces. Thereafter, the effects of the tensile and compressive braces on the collapse behavior of the frame structures were elucidated. Then, based on the mechanical action laws of the braces throughout the collapse process, a detailed design method for improving the collapse resistance of unequal-span frame structures was proposed. Finally, the proposed design method was verified by using sufficient example models, and the results demonstrated that the design method has good application prospects and high practical value.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.83-100
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• 2022

Timber is one of the few natural, renewable building materials and glulam is a type of engineering wood product. In the present work, timber-based braces are applied for retrofitting midrise Special Moment Resisting Frame (SMRF) using two types of timber base braces (Timber base glulam, and hybrid Timber-Steel-BRB) as alternatives for retrofitting by traditional steel bracings. The improving effects of adding the bracings to the SMRF on seismic characteristics of the frame are evaluated using load-bearing capacity, energy dissipation, and story drifts of the frame. For evaluating the retrofitting effects on the seismic performance of SMRF, a five-story SMRF is considered unretofitted and retrofitted with steel-hollow structural section (HSS) brace, Glued Laminated Timber (Glulam) brace, and hybrid Timber-Steel BRB. Using OpenSees structural analyzer, the performance are investigated under pushover, cyclic, and incremental loading. Results showed that steel-HSS, timber base Glulam, and hybrid timber-steel BRB braces have more significant roles in energy dissipation, increasing stiffness, changing capacity curves, reducing inter-story drifts, and reducing the weight of the frames, compared by steel bracing. Results showed that Hybrid BRB counteract the negative post-yield stiffness, so their use is more beneficial on buildings where P-Delta effects are more critical. It is found that the repair costs of the buildings with hybrid BRB will be less due to lower residual drifts. As a result, timber steel-BRB has the best energy dissipation and seismic performance due to symmetrical and stable hysteresis curves of buckling restrained braces that can experience the same capacities in tension and compression.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.357-377
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• 2013

In order to study the degradation and damage behaviors of steel frame welded connections, two series of tests in references with different connection constructions were carried out subjected to various cyclic loading patterns. Hysteretic curves, degradation and damage behaviours and fatigue properties of specimens were firstly studied. Typical failure modes and probable damage reasons were discussed. Then, various damage index models with variables of dissipative energy, cumulative displacement and combined energy and displacement were summarized and applied for all experimental specimens. The damage developing curves of ten damage index models for each connection were obtained. Finally, the predicted and evaluated capacities of damage index models were compared in order to describe the degraded performance and failure modes. The characteristics of each damage index model were discussed in depth, and then their distributive laws were summarized. The tests and analysis results showed that the loading histories significantly affected the distributive shapes of damage index models. Different models had their own ranges of application. The selected parameters of damage index models had great effect on the developing trends of damage curves. The model with only displacement variable was recommended because of a more simple form and no integral calculation, which was easier to be formulated and embedded in application programs.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.231-242
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• 2018

As a lateral load resisting component, buckling restrained steel plate shear walls (BRW) have excellent energy dissipating capacity. Similar to thin steel plate shear walls, the mechanical behavior of BRWs depends on the boundary elements (adjacent beams and columns) which need adequate strength and stiffness to ensure the complete yielding of BRWs and the emergence of expected plastic collapse mechanism of frame. This paper presents a theoretical approach to estimate the design forces for boundary elements of beam-connected BRW (i.e., The BRW is only connected to beams at its top and bottom, without connections to columns) using a fundamental plastic collapse mechanism of frame, a force transferring model of beam-connected BRW and linear beam and column analysis. Furthermore, the design method of boundary beams and columns is presented. The proposed approach does not involve nonlinear analyses, which can be easily and efficiently used to estimate the design forces of beams and columns in a frame with BRWs. The predicted design forces of boundary elements are compared with those from nonlinear finite element analyses, and a good agreement is achieved.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.53-83
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• 2008

A rational and efficient seismic design methodology for irregular space steel frames using advanced methods of analysis in the framework of Eurocodes 8 and 3 is presented. This design methodology employs an advanced static or dynamic finite element method of analysis that takes into account geometrical and material non-linearities and member and frame imperfections. The inelastic static analysis (pushover) is employed with multimodal load along the height of the building combining the first few modes. The inelastic dynamic method in the time domain is employed with accelerograms taken from real earthquakes scaled so as to be compatible with the elastic design spectrum of Eurocode 8. The design procedure starts with assumed member sections, continues with the checking of the damage and ultimate limit states requirements, the serviceability requirements and ends with the adjustment of member sizes. Thus it can sufficiently capture the limit states of displacements, rotations, strength, stability and damage of the structure and its individual members so that separate member capacity checks through the interaction equations of Eurocode 3 or the usage of the conservative and crude q-factor suggested in Eurocode 8 are not required. Two numerical examples dealing with the seismic design of irregular space steel moment resisting frames are presented to illustrate the proposed method and demonstrate its advantages. The first considers a seven storey geometrically regular frame with in-plan eccentricities, while the second a six storey frame with a setback.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.635-647
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• 2018

In order to improve the efficiency of the Reinforced Concrete, RC, structures against progressive collapse, this paper proposes a procedure using alternate path and specific local resistance method to resist progressive collapse in intermediate RC frame structures. Cap truss consists of multiple trusses above a suddenly removed structural element to restrain excessive collapse and provide an alternate path. Steel strut is used as a brace to resist compressive axial forces. It is similar to knee braces in the geometry, responsible for enhancing ductility and preventing shear force localization around the column. In this paper, column removals in the critical position at the first story of two 5 and 10-story regular buildings strengthened using steel strut or cap truss are studied. Based on nonlinear dynamic analysis results, steel strut can only decrease vertical displacement due to sudden removal of the column at the first story about 23%. Cap truss can reduce the average vertical displacement and column axial force transferred to adjacent columns for the studied buildings about 56% and 61%, respectively due to sudden removal of the column. In other words, using cap truss, the axial force in the removed column transfers through an alternate path to adjacent columns to prevent local or general failure or to delay the progressive collapse occurrence.

• International Journal of Fuzzy Logic and Intelligent Systems
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.263-269
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• 2012

The ability to characterize feature objects from radar readings is often limited by simply looking at their still frame reflectivity, differential reflectivity and differential phase data. In many cases, time-series study of these objects' reflectivity profile is required to properly characterize features objects of interest. This paper introduces a novel technique to automatically track multiple 3D radar structures in C,S-band in real-time using Doppler radar and profile their characteristic reflectivity distribution in time series. The extraction of reflectivity profile from different radar cluster structures is done in three stages: 1. static frame (zone-linkage) clustering, 2. dynamic frame (evolution-linkage) clustering and 3. characterization of clusters through time series profile of reflectivity distribution. The two clustering schemes proposed here are applied on composite multi-layers CAPPI (Constant Altitude Plan Position Indicator) radar data which covers altitude range of 0.25 to 10 km and an area spanning over hundreds of thousands $km^2$. Discrete numerical simulations show the validity of the proposed technique and that fast and accurate profiling of time series reflectivity distribution for deformable 3D radar structures is achievable.