• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.26 no.6
• /
• pp.719-731
• /
• 2018

Concrete filled steel tubular (CFST) laced columns have been widely used in high rise buildings in China. Compared to solid-web columns, this type of columns has a larger cross-section with less weight. In this paper, four concrete filled steel tubular laced columns consisting of 4 main steel-concrete tubes were tested under cyclic loading. Hysteresis and failure mechanisms were studied based on the results from the lateral cyclic loading tests. The influence of each design parameter on restoring forces was investigated, including axial compression ratio, slenderness ratio, and the size of lacing tubes. The test results show that all specimens fail in compression-bending-shear and/or compression-bending mode. Overall, the hysteresis curves appear in a full bow shape, indicating that the laced columns have a good seismic performance. The bearing capacity of the columns decreases with the increasing slenderness ratio, while increases with an increasing axial compression ratio. For the columns with a smaller axial compression ratio (< 0.3), their ductility is increased. Furthermore, with the increasing slenderness ratio, the yield displacement increases, the bending failure characteristic is more obvious, and the hysteretic loops become stouter. The results obtained from the numerical analyses were compared with the experimental results. It was found that the numerical analysis results agree well with the experimental results.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.26 no.6
• /
• pp.673-691
• /
• 2018

The main goal of this research is to examine the in-plane and out-of-plane forced vibration of a curved nanocomposite microbeam. The in-plane and out-of-plane displacements of the structure are considered based on the first order shear deformation theory (FSDT). The curved microbeam is reinforced by functionally graded carbon nanotubes (FG-CNTs) and thus the extended rule of mixture is employed to estimate the effective material properties of the structure. Also, the small scale effect is captured using the strain gradient theory. The structure is rested on a nonlinear orthotropic viscoelastic foundation and is subjected to concentrated transverse harmonic external force, thermal and magnetic loads. The derivation of the governing equations is performed using energy method and Hamilton's principle. Differential quadrature (DQ) method along with integral quadrature (IQ) and Newmark methods are employed to solve the problem. The effect of various parameters such as volume fraction and distribution type of CNTs, boundary conditions, elastic foundation, temperature changes, material length scale parameters, magnetic field, central angle and width to thickness ratio are studied on the frequency and force responses of the structure. The results indicate that the highest frequency and lowest vibration amplitude belongs to FGX distribution type while the inverse condition is observed for FGO distribution type. In addition, the hardening-type response of the structure with FGX distribution type is more intense with respect to the other distribution types.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.26 no.6
• /
• pp.745-757
• /
• 2018

The inclusion of a ductile steel bracing as means of repairing an earthquake-damaged bridge bent is evaluated and experimentally assessed for the purposes of restoring the damaged bent's strength and stiffness and further improving the energy dissipation capacity. The study is focused on substandard reinforced concrete multi-column bridge bents constructed in the 1950 to mid-1970 in the United States. These types of bents have numerous deficiencies making them susceptible to seismic damage. Large-scale experiments were used on a two-column reinforced concrete bent to impose considerable damage of the bent through increasing amplitude cyclic deformations. The damaged bent was then repaired by installing a ductile fuse steel brace in the form of a buckling-restrained brace in a diagonal configuration between the columns and using post-tensioned rods to strengthen the cap beam. The brace was secured to the bent using steel gusset plate brackets and post-installed adhesive anchors. The repaired bent was then subjected to increasing amplitude cyclic deformations to reassess the bent performance. A subassemblage test of a nominally identical steel brace was also conducted in an effort to quantify and isolate the ductile fuse behavior. The experimental data from these large-scale experiments were analyzed in terms of the hysteretic response, observed damage, internal member loads, as well as the overall stiffness and energy dissipation characteristics. The results of this study demonstrated the effectiveness of utilizing ductile steel bracing for restoring the bent and preventing further damage to the columns and cap beams while also improving the stiffness and energy dissipation characteristics.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.28 no.3
• /
• pp.309-318
• /
• 2018

Buckling Restrained Braced (BRB) frames have been widely used as an efficient seismic load resisting system in recent years mostly due to their symmetric and stable hysteretic behavior and significant energy dissipation capacity. In this study, to provide a better understanding of the behavior of BRB frames with various beam-column connections, a numerical study using non-linear finite element (FE) analysis is conducted. All models are implemented in the Abaqus software package following an explicit formulation. Initially, the results of the FE model are verified with experimental data. Then, diverse beam-column connections are modeled for the sake of comparison from the shear capacity, energy dissipation and frame hysteresis behavior points of view until appropriate performance is assessed. The considered connections are divided into three different categories: (1) simple beam-column connections including connection by web angle and connection by seat angle; (2) semi-rigid connection including connection by web and seat angles; and (3) rigid beam-column connections by upper-lower beam plates and beam connections with web and flange splices. Results of the non-linear FE analyses show that these types of beam-column connections have little effect on the maximum story drift and shear capacity of BRB frames. However, the connection type has a significant effect on the amount of energy dissipation and hysteresis behavior of BRB frames. Also, changes in length and thickness of the angles in simple and semi-rigid connections and changes in length and thickness of plates in rigid connections have slight effects (less than 4%) on the overall frame behavior.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.35 no.3
• /
• pp.415-437
• /
• 2020

Circular concrete filled steel tube (CFST) columns have an advantage over all other sections when they are used in compression members. This paper proposes a new approach for deriving a new empirical equation to predict the axial compressive capacity of circular CFST columns using the Artificial Neural Network (ANN). The developed ANN model uses 5 input parameters that include the diameter of circular steel tube, the length of the column, the thickness of steel tube, the steel yield strength and the compressive strength of concrete. The only output parameter is the axial compressive capacity. Training and testing the developed ANN model was carried out using 219 available sets of data collected from the experimental results in the literature. An empirical equation is then proposed as an important result of this study, which is practically used to predict the axial compressive capacity of a circular CFST column. To evaluate the performance of the developed ANN model and the proposed equation, the predicted results are compared with those of the empirical equations stated in the current design codes and other models. It is shown that the proposed equation can predict the axial compressive capacity of circular CFST columns more accurately than other methods. This is confirmed by the high accuracy of a large number of existing test results. Finally, the parametric study result is analyzed for the proposed ANN equation to consider the effect of the input parameters on axial compressive strength.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.35 no.3
• /
• pp.439-447
• /
• 2020

This paper presents two sets of full three-dimensional thermoelastic finite element analyses of superimposed thermo-mechanically loaded Spar Wingskin Joints made with laminated Graphite Fiber Reinforced Plastic composites. The study emphasizes the influence of residual thermal stresses and material anisotropy on the inter-laminar delamination behavior of the joint structure. The delamination has been pre-embedded at the most likely location, i.e., in resin layer between the top and next ply of the fiber reinforced plastic laminated wingskin and near the spar overlap end. Multi-Point Constraint finite elements have been made use of at the vicinity of the delamination fronts. This helps in simulating the growth of the embedded delamination at both ends. The inter-laminar thermoelastic peel and shear stresses responsible for causing delamination damage due to a combined thermal and a static loading have been evaluated. Strain energy release rate components corresponding to the Mode I (opening), Mode II (sliding) and Mode III (tearing) of delamination are determined using the principle of Virtual Crack Closure Technique. These are seen to be different and non-self-similar at the two fronts of the embedded delamination. Residual stresses developed due to the thermoelastic anisotropy of the laminae are found to strongly influence the delamination onset and propagation characteristics, which have been reflected by the asymmetries in the nature of energy release rate plots and their significant variation along the delamination front.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.36 no.5
• /
• pp.603-615
• /
• 2020

The present manuscript focuses on the flow and heat transfer of the dusty fluid along exponentially stretching cylinder. Enormous attempts are made for fluid flow along cylinder but the study of fluid behavior along exponentially stretching cylinder is discussed lately. Using appropriate transformations, the governing partial differential equations are converted to non-dimensional ordinary differential equations. The transformed equations are solved numerically using Shooting technique with Runge-Kutta method. The influence of the physical parameters on the velocity and temperature profiles as well as the skin fraction coefficient and the local Nusselt number are examined in detail. The essential observations are as the fluid velocity decreases but temperature grows with rise in particle interaction parameter, and both the fluid velocity and temperature fall with increase in mass concentration parameter, Reynold number, Particle interaction parameter for temperature and the Prandtl number.

• Polymer(Korea)
• /
• v.24 no.6
• /
• pp.860-868
• /
• 2000

In this work, the electro-magnetic interference (EMI) characteristics of PAN-based carbon fibers-reinforced composites are investigated with difference to manufactural parameters, i.e., fiber grade, fiber orientation angle, and laminating method. As a result, EMI shielding effectiveness (SE) of the composites greatly depends on a fiber orientation in composite angle. Especially, the fiber grade affects SE of composites in case of orientation angle of 0$^{\circ}$. Then the SE become greater as the change of electric character according to the arrangement directions, i.e., electrical anisotropy in the same constituent materials. This is due to the skin effect which is represented in the surface of electro-magnetic wave in high-frequency range. In all cases according to lamination methods, the composites represents SE of 83~98% over. Whereas, in symmetric and unsymmetric laminate structures, the SE decreases slightly as the laminate angles of composites increases. On the contrary. the repeating laminates structure shows the opposite tendency. Especially, 90$^{\circ}$ repeating laminate structure shows the SE more than 90% over the measuring frequency.

• Composites Research
• /
• v.14 no.2
• /
• pp.8-12
• /
• 2001

Filament Winding Process is a comparatively simple operation in which continuous reinforcements in the form of roving are wound over a rotating mandrel. It is well established and versatile method for storage tanks and pipes for the chemical and other industries. In this study, tensile strength of a filament wound ring specimens were evaluated by a split disk test fixture and a dress disk test fixture. The results obtained from experiments were compared with the theoretical values from the rule of mixtures. The purpose of this paper is the suggestion of an appropriate test method for the evaluation of tensile properties of filament wound structures. The tensile strength of a ring specimen tested by the dress disk test showed better agreement with the theoretical values than those tested by the split disk test because of higher stress concentration in edges of a split disk test fixture. The results showed that the tensile strength of a ring specimen was influenced by the geometry of test fixture, the continuity of fibers, fiber-tension, fiber-end and stress concentration in specimen.

• Composites Research
• /
• v.12 no.5
• /
• pp.54-64
• /
• 1999

This study investigated the impact behaviors of the stitched sandwich composites under the low energy impact by the use of drop weight impact tester. These sandwich composites condidted of the glass fabric faces with a urethane foam core. The upper face and the lower face were stitched to combinr through the core thickness direction using the polyester reinforcements. Four types of the stitched sandwich composites, each having a different core thickness, were tested to determine the effects of the core thickness. The impact conditions were changes with the variations of the mass and drop height of the impact tup. The test results showed that the core thickness and the impact condidtions such as the drop height and the mass of the impact tup affected the impact force, the contact time, and the strain behaviors of the stitched sandwich composites. The stitched sandwich composites are able to avert the damage and also maintain the structural integrity even thouth the presence of the damage owing to the through-the-thickness reinforcements. However, it is important to improve the wetting ability of the stitched reinforcements so that the conventional structures are substituted for the stitched sandwich composites effectively.