• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.74 no.3
• /
• pp.313-323
• /
• 2020

Non-destructive tests are commonly used in construction industry to access the quality and strength of concrete. However, till date there is no non-destructive testing method that can be adopted to evaluate the bond condition of reinforced concrete beams. In this regard, the presented research work details the use of ultra-sonic pulse velocity test method to evaluate the bond condition of reinforced concrete beam. A detailed experimental research was conducted by testing four identical reinforced concrete beam samples. The samples were loaded in equal increments till failure and ultra-sonic pulse velocity readings were recorded along the length of the beam element. It was observed from experimentation that as the cracks developed in the sample, the ultra-sonic wave velocity reduced for the same path length. This reduction in wave velocity was used to identify the initiation, development and propagation of internal micro-cracks along the length of reinforcement. Using the developed experimental methodology, researchers were able to identify weak spots in bond along the length of the specimen. The proposed method can be adopted by engineers to access the quality of bond for steel reinforcement in beam members. This allows engineers to carryout localized repairs thereby resulting in reduction of time, cost and labor needed for strengthening. Furthermore, the methodology to apply the proposed technique in real-world along with various challenges associated with its application have also been highlighted.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
• /
• v.19 no.6
• /
• pp.1013-1028
• /
• 2017

This paper presents key findings obtained from the numerical experiment investigating into the use of the cylindrical cavity for rock splitting operations. The stress and strain path analyses were carried out in order to provide a better insight into the crack formation. The principal stress analysis carried out along the crack line using the results obtained from these numerical analyses allowed the failure of the brittle material and the crack propagation to be investigated. This paper also suggested possible reasons for the change in crack direction observed during the rock splitting operations using the results obtained.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.19-19
• /
• 1991

Fracture of Al2O3 tubes for different loading path under combined tension/torsion was investigated. Macroscopic directions of crack propagation agreed well with the maximum principal stress criterion, independent of the loading path. However, fracture strength from the proportional loading test(τ/σ= constant) showed either strengthening or weakening compared to that from uniaxial tension, depending on the ratio τ/σ. The Weibull theory was capable to predict the strengthening of fracture strength in pure torsion, but not the weakening in the proportional loading condition. The strengthening or weakening of fracture strength in the proportional loading condition was explained by the effect of shear stresses in the plane of randomly oriented microdefects. Finally, a new empirical fracture criterion was proposed. This criterion is based on a mixed mode fracture criterion and experimental data for fracture of Al2O3 tubes under combined tension/torsion. The proposed fracture criterion agreed well with experimental data for both macroscopic directions of crack propagation and fracture strengths.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.47-56
• /
• 2019

Crossing (X-type) flaws are commonly encountered in rock mass. However, the crack coalescence and failure mechanisms of rock mass with X-type flaws remain unclear. In this study, we investigate the compressive failure process of rock-like specimens containing two X-type flaws aligned in the loading direction. For comparison purposes, compressive failure behavior of specimens containing two aligned single flaws is also studied. By examining the crack coalescence behavior, two characteristics for the aligned X-type flaws under uniaxial compression are revealed. The flaws tend to coalesce by cracks emanating from flaw tips along a potential path that is parallel to the maximum compressive stress direction. The flaws are more likely to coalesce along the coalescence path linked by flaw tips with greater maximum circumferential stress if there are several potential coalescence paths almost parallel to the maximum compressive stress direction. In addition, we find that some of the specimens containing two aligned X-type flaws exhibit higher strengths than that of the specimens containing two single parallel flaws. The two underlying reasons that may influence the strengths of specimens containing two aligned X-type flaws are the values of flaw tips maximum circumferential stresses and maximum shear stresses, as well as the shear crack propagation tendencies of some secondary flaws. The research reported here provides increased understanding of the fundamental nature of rock/rock-like material failure in uniaxial compression.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
• /
• v.29 no.5
• /
• pp.405-414
• /
• 2009

This paper proposed a methodology based on ultrasonic diffraction technique to inspect the depth of a crack initiated from a notch of CT specimen by fatigue test, and its usefulness was verified by experiments. Especially, in order to identify accurately the diffractive waves from the crack tip in the situation where there are extra diffractive elements such as a notch, we have tried imaging by transducer scan and analyzed the propagation path of diffracted wave. Two specimens with and without a crack were experimented. Higher frequency and larger refractive angle of transducer showed a tendency to decrease the error in the measurements, and the measured crack depth showed an error less than 0.38 mm in case of 4 MHz $60^{\circ}-60^{\circ}$. The proposed methodology is applicable to weak diffractive sources, and so that it would be useful to inspect micro cracks and for their depth sizing.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
• /
• v.17 no.4
• /
• pp.323-331
• /
• 2019

The presence of defects in nature changes the physical parameters of the rock. In this paper, by studying the rock-like specimens with conjugated fractures, the horizontal angle and length are changed, and the physical parameters and failure modes of the specimens under uniaxial compression test are analyzed and compared with the results of simulation analysis. The experimental results show that the peak strength and failure mode of the rock-like specimens are closely related to the horizontal angle. When the horizontal angle is $45^{\circ}$, the maximum value is reached and the tensile failure mode is obtained. The fracture length affects the germination and propagation path of the cracks. It is of great significance to study the failure modes and mechanical properties of conjugated fracture rock-like specimens to guide the support of fractured rock on site.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.13 no.3B
• /
• pp.73-82
• /
• 1999

In this research, an experimental study is presented to check the possibilities of offshore structures monitoring using AE techniques. The underwater transducer and preamplifier are fabricated. And, it is proved that this unit can be used for the detection of AE in offshore structures. Wave propagation studies have shown that supplementary attenuations due to seawater are significantly reducing the detection range of the sensors. It excludes the possibility of offshore structures monitoring with a small number of sensors. We conclude that AE waves would be correctly detected for a path of about 3m. Tubular joints have been tested in air and underwater using simulated elastic wave. Ability of AE techniques to detect and locate cracks early in their evolution has been demonstrated. Several parameters of AE generation have been set in evidence. It has also been shown that crack development goes with an increase of AE parameter. Conclusively, it is shown that AE techniques can provide practical alternatives to present methods being used for inspection of deep-water offshore structures undergoing structural degradation due to fatigue crack growth.

• Carbon letters
• /
• v.6 no.1
• /
• pp.6-14
• /
• 2005

The study of mechanical properties and fracture behaviour of carbon/carbon composites is significant to its application and development. These are dependent on microstructure and properties of reinforcing fibers and matrix, fiber/matrix interface and porosity/cracks present in the composites. In the present studies high-density carbon/carbon composites have been prepared using PAN and various pitch based carbon fibers as reinforcements and pitch as matrix with repeated densification cycles using high-pressure impregnation and carbonization technique. Scanning electron microscopy has been used to study the fracture behaviour of the highly dense composites and correlated with structure of the composites. The geometry of reinforcement and presence of unfilled voids/cracks was found to influence the path of crack propagation and thereby the strength of composites. The type of stresses (tensile or compressive) accumulated also plays an important role in fracture of composites.

• Bulletin of the Society of Naval Architects of Korea
• /
• v.9 no.2
• /
• pp.33-42
• /
• 1972

This paper was studied on the behavior, crack formation and propagation of slip bands on low carbon steel which was heat-treated in three conditions in order to change metallic structure. The specimens were tested by rotating bending fatigue testing machine and also observed the variations of grains by microscope. From the test results it was clear that fatigue endurance limit and life of low carbon steel were more increased in contrast with the case that the grain size of specimen was more decreased. Slip bands developed at oil-quenched specimen and furnace-cooled specimen. Formed cracks in the first one or two grains below the surface were approximately "planar" type, there after they followed "wavy" type. It was also found that cracks at 30% higher stress than fatigue limit were usually developed inter-granular, and cracks at 12% higher stress than fatigue limit were propagated meandering path, partly trans- and partly inter-grandular.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
• /
• v.42 no.8 s.279
• /
• pp.582-587
• /
• 2005

AlN-BN ceramic composites were fabricated and their mechanical properties were investigated. The relative density of hot-pressed composites decreased with increasing BN content, but over $99\%$ could be obtained with 30 $vol\%$ BN in AlN. YAG was formed in the composites and monolithic AlN as a second phase by the reaction between $Y_2O_3$, added as sintering aid, and $Al_2O_3$. As expected, Vickers hardness and Young's modulus decreased with increasing BN content. The three-point flexural strength also showed similar behavior decreasing from 500 MPa of monolith down to 250 MPa by the addition 30 $vol\%$ BN. However, interestingly, the standard deviation of the strength values decreased significantly as BN was added to AlN. As a result, the Weibull modulus of the AlN-30 $vol\% BN composite was 21.3, which was extremely high. Fractography and crack path studies revealed that BN platelets induced grain pull-out and crack bridging in a bigger scale during crack propagation. Consequently, fracture toughness increased as more BN was added, reaching 4.5 $MPa\sqrt{m}$ at 40 $vol\%$ BN.