• Computers and Concrete
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.671-682
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• 2017

In this research, seismic response of pipes is examined by applying nanotechnology and piezoelectric materials. For this purpose, a pipe is considered which is reinforced by carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and covered with a piezoelectric layer. The structure is subjected to the dynamic loads caused by earthquake and the governing equations of the system are derived using mathematical model via cylindrical shell element and Mindlin theory. Navier-Stokes equation is employed to calculate the force due to the fluid in the pipe. Mori-Tanaka approach is used to estimate the equivalent material properties of the nanocomposite and to consider the effect of the CNTs agglomeration on the scismic response of the structure. Moreover, the dynamic displacement of the structure is extracted using harmonic differential quadrature method (HDQM) and Newmark method. The main goal of this research is the analysis of the seismic response using piezoelectric layer and nanotechnology. The results indicate that reinforcing the pipeline by CNTs leads to a reduction in the displacement of the structure during an earthquake. Also the negative voltage applied to the piezoelectric layer reduces the dynamic displacement.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.385-397
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• 2017

Currently, CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer) plate bonding is used quite extensively as a strengthening method. In this technique, a composite CFRP plate or sheet of relatively small thickness is bonded with an adhesion material to steel or concrete structure in order to improve its structural behavior and strength. The sheets or plates do not require much space and give a composite action between the adherents. In this study, the rotation capacity of CFRP-strengthened cold-formed steel (CFS) beams has been evaluated through numerical investigation. Studies on different structural levels have been performed. At the beam level, C-section has been adopted with different values of profile thickness, web height, and flange width. At the connection level, a web bolted moment resistant type of connection using through plate has been adopted. In web-bolted connections without CFRP strengthening, premature web buckling results in early loss of strength. Hence, CFRP sheets and plates with different mechanical properties and geometric configurations have been examined to delay web and flange buckling and to produce relatively high moment strength and rotation capacity. The numerical results reveal that CFRP strengthening may increase strength, initial stiffness, and rotation capacity when compared with the case without strengthening.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.307-314
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• 2021

Activated hwangtoh (ACT) is a natural resource abundant in South Korea, approximately 15.0% of soil. It is an efficient mineral admixture that has activated pozzolanic properties through high-temperature heating and rapid cooling. The purpose of this study is to improve a curb mixture that can reduce NOx outside and investigate durability performance. To this end, mortar curb specimens were manufactured by replacing OPC with ACT. The ACT substitution ratios of 0.0, 10.0, and 25.0% were considered, and mechanical and durability tests on the curb specimens were conducted at 28 and 91 days of age. Steam curing was carried out for three days for the production of curbs, which was very effective to strength development at early ages. The reduction in strength at early ages could be compensated through this process, and no significant performance degradation was evaluated in the tests on chloride attack, carbonation, and freezing and thawing. The mortar curb with an ACT of 10.0~25.0% replacement ratio exhibited clear NOx reduction through photocatalytic (TiO2) treatment. This is due to the increase in physical absorption through surface absorption and the photocatalyst-containing TiO2 coating. In this study, the reasonable range of the ACT replacement ratio for NOx reduction was quantitatively evaluated through a comprehensive analysis of each test.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.551-561
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• 2018

The percolation of interfacial transition zone (ITZ) in cementitious materials is of great importance to the transport properties and durability issues. This paper presents numerical simulation research on the ITZ percolation threshold of mortar specimens at meso-scale. To simulate the meso-scale model of mortar as realistically as possible, the aggregates are simplified as ellipsoids with arbitrary orientations. Major and minor aspect ratios are defined to represent the global shape characteristics of aggregates. Some algorithms such as the burning algorithm, Dijkstra's algorithm and Connected-Component Labeling (CCL) algorithm are adopted for identification of connected ITZ clusters and percolation detection. The effects of gradation and aspect ratios of aggregates on ITZ percolation threshold are quantitatively studied. The results show that (1) the ITZ percolation threshold is mainly affected by the specific surface area (SSA) of aggregates and shows a global decreasing tendency with an increasing SSA; (2) elongated ellipsoidal particles can effectively bridge isolated ITZ clusters and thus lower the ITZ percolation threshold; (3) as ITZ volume fraction increases, the bridging effect of elongated particles will be less significant, and has only a minor effect on ITZ percolation threshold; (4) it is the ITZ connectivity that is essentially responsible for ITZ percolation threshold, while other factors such as SSA and ITZ volume fraction are only the superficial reasons.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.69 no.2
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• pp.155-162
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• 2019

It is very common to find an empirical formulation in an earthquake design code to calculate fundamental vibration period of a structural system. Fundamental vibration period or frequency is a key parameter to provide adequate information pertinent to dynamic characteristics and performance assessment of a structure. This parameter enables to assess seismic demand of a structure. It is possible to find an empirical formulation related to reinforced concrete structures, masonry towers and slender masonry structures. Calculated natural vibration frequencies suggested by empirical formulation in the literatures has not suits in a high accuracy to the case of rest of the historical masonry bridges due to different construction techniques and wide variety of material properties. For the listed reasons, estimation of fundamental frequency gets harder. This paper aims to present an empirical formulation through Mean Square Error study to find ambient vibration frequency of historical masonry bridges by using a non-linear regression model. For this purpose, a series of data collected from literature especially focused on the finite element models of historical masonry bridges modelled in a full scale to get first global natural frequency, unit weight and elasticity modulus of used dominant material based on homogenization approach, length, height and width of the masonry bridge and main span length were considered to predict natural vibration frequency. An empirical formulation is proposed with 81% accuracy. Also, this study draw attention that this accuracy decreases to 35%, if the modulus of elasticity and unit weight are ignored.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.641-654
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• 2019

This paper investigates the seismic response of a typical non-navigable continuous girder bridge isolated with friction sliding bearings of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao link projects in China. The effectiveness of the friction pendulum system (FPS) and accuracy of the numerical model were evaluated by a 1/20 scaled bridge model using shaking table tests. Based on the hysteretic properties of friction pendulum system (FPS), double concave friction pendulum (DCFP), and triple friction pendulum system (TFPS), seismic response analyses of isolated bridges with the three sliding-type bearings are systematically carried out considering soil-pile interaction under offshore soft clay conditions. The fast nonlinear analysis (FNA) method and response spectrum are employed to investigate the seismic response of isolated offshore bridge structures. The numerical results show that the implementation of the three sliding-type bearings effectively reduce the base shear and bending moment of the reinforced concrete pier, at the cost of increasing the absolute displacement of the bridge superstructure. Furthermore, the TFPS and DCFP bearings show better isolation effect than FPS bearing for the example continuous girder bridge.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.361-376
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• 2019

In this research, bending analysis of a micro sandwich skew plate with isotropic core and piezoelectric composite face sheets reinforced by carbon nanotube on the elastic foundations are studied. The classical plate theory (CPT) are used to model micro sandwich skew plate and to apply size dependent effects based on modified strain gradient theory. Eshelby-Mori-Tanaka approach is considered for the effective mechanical properties of the nanocomposite face sheets. The governing equations of equilibrium are derived using minimum principle of total potential energy and then solved by extended Kantorovich method (EKM). The effects of width to thickness ratio and length to width of the sandwich plate, core-to-face sheet thickness ratio, the material length scale parameters, volume fraction of CNT, the angle of skew plate, different boundary conditions and types of cores on the deflection of micro sandwich skew plate are investigated. One of the most important results is the reduction of the deflection by increasing the angle of the micro sandwich skew plate and decreasing the deflection by decreasing the thickness of the structural core. The results of this research can be used in modern construction in the form of reinforced slabs or stiffened plates and also used in construction of bridges, the wing of airplane.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.175-181
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• 2019

Low-calcium fly ash (LCFA) were used to prepare cement/LCFA specimens in this study. The basic physical properties including water demand, fluidity, setting time, soundness and drying shrinkage of cement/LCFA paste were investigated. The effects of curing time, immersion time and wet-dry cycles in 3% $Na_2SO_4$ solution on the compressive strength and the microstructures of specimens were also discussed. The results show that LCFA increases the water demand, setting time, soundness of cement paste samples. 50% and 60% LCFA replacement ratio decrease the drying shrinkage of hardened cement paste. The compressive strength of plain cement specimens decreases at the later immersion stage in 3% $Na_2SO_4$ solution. The addition of LCFA can decrease this strength reduction of cement specimens. For all specimens with LCFA, the compressive strength increases with increasing immersion time. During the wet-dry cycles, the compressive strength of plain cement specimens decreases with increasing wet-dry cycles. However, the pores in the specimens with 30% and 40% LCFA at early ages could be large enough for the crystal of sodium sulfate, which leads to the compressive strength increase with the increase of wet-dry cycles in 3% $Na_2SO_4$ solution. The microstructures of cement/LCFA specimens are in good agreement with the compressive strength.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
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• 2019.11a
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• pp.155-156
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• 2019

Recently, the use of selective crushed aggregates is increasing due to the supply and demand shortage of aggregates. In the case of selective crushed aggregates, aggregates are produced using soil, rocks, etc., mainly generated at construction sites as raw materials. As a result, the quality of the raw material may not be uniform and may contain a large amount of soil. In the case of using such a bad aggregate shortens the life of the structure, there is a fear that adversely affect the overall performance, such as the strength and durability of the concrete. Therefore, this study analyzes the effect of aggregate soil on mortar in the low-strength mortar and ultimately proposes the regulation value of clay content in the soil content of crushed aggregates such as crushed aggregates.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.73-80
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• 2021

Rice Husk Ash (RHA) geopolymer paste activated by sodium aluminate were characterized by X-ray diffractogram (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersion X-Ray analysis (EDAX)and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Five series of RHA geopolymer specimens were prepared by varying the Si/Al ratio as 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0 and 3.5. The paper focuses on the correlation of microstructure with hardened state parameters like bulk density, apparent porosity, sorptivity, water absorption and compressive strength. XRD analysis peaks indicates quartz, cristobalite and gibbsite for raw RHA and new peaks corresponding to Zeolite A in geopolymer specimens. In general, SEM micrographs show interconnected pores and loosely packed geopolymer matrix except for specimens made with Si/Al of 2.0 which exhibited comparatively better matrix. Incorporation of Al from sodium aluminate were confirmed with the stretching and bending vibration of Si-O-Si and O-Si-O observations from the FTIR analysis of geopolymer specimen. The dense microstructure of SA2.0 correlate into better performance in terms of 28 days maximum compressive strength of 16.96 MPa and minimum for porosity, absorption and sorptivity among the specimens. However, due to the higher water demand to make the paste workable, the value of porosity, absorption and sorptivity were reportedly higher as compared with other geopolymer systems. Correlation regression equations were proposed to validate the interrelation between physical parameters and mechanical strength. RHA geopolymer shows comparatively lower compressive strength as compared to Fly ash geopolymer.