• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.337-352
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• 2021

The study presented experimental and numerical investigation on the seismic performance of steel reinforced concrete (SRC) L-shaped column- reinforced concrete (RC) beam joints. Various parameters described as steel configuration form, axial compressive ratio, loading angle, and the existence of slab were examined through 4 planar joints and 7 spatial joints. The characteristics of the load-displacement response included the bearing capacity, ductility, story drift ratio, energy-dissipating capacity, and stiffness degradation were analyzed. The results showed that shear failure and flexural failure in the beam tip were observed for planar joints and spatial joint, respectively. And RC joint with slab failed with the plastic hinge in the slab and bottom of the beam. The results indicated that hysteretic curves of spatial joints with solid-web steel were plumper than those with hollow-web specimens. The capacity of planar joints was higher than that of space joints, while the opposite was true for energy-dissipation capacity and ductility. The high compression ratio contributed to the increase in capacity and initial stiffness of the joint. The elastic and elastic-plastic story deformation capacity of L-shaped column frame joints satisfied the code requirement. A design formula of joint shear resistance based on the superposition theory and equilibrium plasticity truss model was proposed for engineering application.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.69 no.1
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• pp.51-67
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• 2019

In this paper, the anisotropy of tensile behaviours of layered rocks consisting internal notch has been investigated using particle flow code. For this purpose, firstly calibration of PFC2D was performed using Brazilian tensile strength. Secondly Brazilian test models consisting bedding layer was simulated numerically. Thickness of layers was 10 mm and layered angularity was $90^{\circ}$, $75^{\circ}$, $60^{\circ}$, $45^{\circ}$, $30^{\circ}$, $15^{\circ}$ and $0^{\circ}$. The strength of bedding interface was too high. Each model was consisted of one internal notch. Notch length is 1 cm, 2 cm and 4 cm and notch angularities are $60^{\circ}$, $45^{\circ}$, $30^{\circ}$, $15^{\circ}$ and $0^{\circ}$. Totally, 90 model were tested. The results show that failure pattern was affected by notch orientation and notch length. It's to be noted that layer angle has not any effect on the failure pattern. Also, Brazilian tensile strength is affected by notch orientation and notch length.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.249-262
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• 2019

In this study, high strength aluminum alloys (AA) plates are proposed as a new construction material for strengthening reinforced concrete (RC) beams. The purpose of this investigation is to evaluate AA plate's suitability as externally bonded reinforcing (EBR) materials for retrofitting shear deficient beams. A total of twenty RC beams designed to fail in shear were strengthened with different spacing and orientations. The specimens were loaded with four-points loading till failure. The considered outcome parameters included load carrying capacity, deflection, strain in plates, and failure modes. The results of all tested beams showed an increase up to 37% in the load carrying capacity and also an increase in deflection compared to the control un-strengthened beams. This demonstrated the potential of adopting AA plates as EBR material. Finally, the shear contribution from the AA plates was predicted using the models available in the ACI440-08, TR55 and FIB14 design code for fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) plates. The predicted results were compared to experimental testing data with the ratio of the experimentally measured ultimate load to predicted load, range on the average, between 93% and 97%.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.50 no.8
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• pp.1234-1245
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• 2018

The risk of multi-unit nuclear power plants (NPPs) at a site has received considerable critical attention recently. However, current probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) procedures and computer code do not support multi-unit PSA because the traditional PSA structure is mostly used for the quantification of single-unit NPP risk. In this study, the main purpose is to develop a multi-unit Level 2 PSA method and apply it to full-power operating six-unit OPR1000. Multi-unit Level 2 PSA method consists of three steps: (1) development of single-unit Level 2 PSA; (2) extracting the mapping data from plant damage state to source term category; and (3) combining multi-unit Level 1 PSA results and mapping fractions. By applying developed multi-unit Level 2 PSA method into six-unit OPR1000, site containment failure probabilities in case of loss of ultimate heat sink, loss of off-site power, tsunami, and seismic event were quantified.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.484-497
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• 2021

This paper proposes an extended time uncertainty analysis approach in Level 2 human reliability analysis (HRA) considering severe accident management (SAM) strategies. The method is a time-based model that classifies two time distribution functions-time required and time available-to calculate human failure probabilities from delayed action when implementing SAM strategies. The time required function can be obtained by the combination of four time factors: 1) time for diagnosis and decision by the technical support center (TSC) for a given strategy, 2) time for strategy implementation mainly by the local emergency response organization (ERO), 3) time to verify the effectiveness of the strategy and 4) time for portable equipment transport and installation. This function can vary depending on the given scenario and includes a summation of lognormal distributions and a choice regarding shifting the distribution. The time available function can be obtained via thermal-hydraulic code simulation (MAAP 5.03). The proposed approach was applied to assess SAM strategies that use portable equipment and safety depressurization system valves in a total loss of component cooling water event that could cause reactor vessel failure. The results from the proposed method are more realistic (i.e., not conservative) than other existing methods in evaluating SAM strategies involving the use of portable equipment.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.85 no.5
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• pp.693-707
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• 2023

In order to deeply reveal the working mechanism of ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) filled steel tubular columns (UHPCFSTs) under cyclic loading, a three-dimension (3D) macro-mesoscale finite element (FE) model was established considering the randomness of steel fibers and the damage of UHPC. Model correctness and reliability were verified based on the experimental results. Next, the whole failure process of UHPC reinforced with steel fibers, passive confinement effect and internal force distribution laws were comprehensively analyzed and discussed. Finally, a simplified and practical method was proposed for predicting the ultimate bending strengths of UHPCFSTs. It was found that the non-uniform confinement effect of steel tube occurred when the drift ratio exceeded 0.5%, while the confining stress increased then decreased afterwards. There was preferable synergy between the steel tube and UHPC until failure. Compared with experimental results, the ultimate bending strengths of UHPCFSTs were undervalued by the current code provisions such as AISC360-10, EC4 and GB50936 with computed mean values (MVs) of 0.855, 0.880 and 0.836, respectively. The proposed practical method was highly accurate, as evidenced by a mean value of 1.058.

• Composites Research
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.18-23
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• 2009

Failure of Kevlar29/Phenolic composite plate under high velocity impact of FSP(Fragment Simulation Projectile) is investigated using a non-linear explicit finite element code, LS-DYNA. Composite laminate and impactor are idealized by solid element and interface between laminas are modeled by tied-break element in LS-DYNA. Interaction between impactor and laminate is simulated face-to-face eroding contact algorithm. When the stress level meets a failure criteria, the layer in the element is eroded. Numerical results are verified by existing test results.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.97-109
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• 2023

This experimental study investigates the effectiveness of applying carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) jackets for the retrofit of short reinforced concrete (RC) columns with inadequate transverse reinforcement and stirrup spacing to longitudinal rebar diameter equal to 12. RC columns scaled at 1/3, with round and square section, were subjected to axial compression up to failure. A damage scale is introduced for the assessment of the damage severity, which focusses on the extent of buckling of the longitudinal rebars. The damaged specimens were subsequently repaired with unidirectional CFRP jackets without any treatment of the buckled reinforcing bars and were finally re-tested to failure. Test results indicate that CFRP jackets may be effectively applied to rehabilitate RC columns (a) with inadequate transverse reinforcement constructed according to older practices so as to meet modern code requirements, and (b) with moderately buckled bars without the need of previously repairing the reinforcement bars, an application technique which may considerably facilitate the retrofit of earthquake damaged RC columns. Factors for the estimation of the reduced mechanical properties of the repaired specimens compared to the respective values for intact CFRP-jacketed specimens, in relation to the level of damage prior to retrofit, are proposed both for the compressive strength and the average modulus of elasticity. It was determined that the compressive strength of the retrofitted CFRP-jacketed columns is reduced by 90% to 65%, while the average modulus of elasticity is lower by 60% to 25% in respect to similar undamaged columns jacketed with the same layers of CFRP.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.745-757
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• 2023

In order to study the fatigue performance of the flat steel plate-lightweight aggregate concrete hollow composite bridge slab subjected to fatigue load, both static test on two specimens and fatigue test on six specimens were conducted. The effects of the arrangement of the steel pipes, the amplitude of the fatigue load and the upper limit as well as lower limit of fatigue load on failure performance were investigated. Besides, for specimens in fatigue test, strains of the concrete, residual deflection, bending stiffness, residual bearing capacity and dynamic response were analyzed. Test results showed that the specimens failed in the fracture of the bottom flat steel plate regardless of the arrangement of the steel pipes. Moreover, the fatigue loading cycles of composite slab were mainly controlled by the amplitude of the fatigue load, but the influences of upper limit and lower limit of fatigue load on fatigue life was slight. The fatigue life of the composite bridge slabs can be determined by the fatigue strength of bottom flat steel plate, which can be calculated by the method of allowable stress amplitude in steel structure design code.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.90 no.2
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• pp.127-142
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• 2024

In recent decades, pultruded glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) members including those of box sections have attracted the attention of researchers. Nevertheless, the lack of uniform and consistent material properties, simplified design methods, and practical design codes have so far been the main barrier for field applications. Consequently, this paper highlights the existing knowledge concerning the flexural behavior of pultruded GFRP profiles and their failure modes. In particulate, it reviews the most commonly accepted design expressions and code provisions addressing the flange local buckling of pultruded GFRP box beams as the most likely failure mode. In addition, the material characterization of GFRP sections is described in detail along with the standard test methods to quantify the material characterization of GFRP laminates. It is shown that the critical flange local buckling stresses of pultruded GFRP box beams can be predicted with reliable accuracy using the expressions promulgated by ASCE (1984) (in which the flange plates are considered simply-supported at web-flange junction) and EUR 27666. The expressions stipulated in ASCE (2010) highly overestimates the critical flange local buckling stresses of GFRP box beams resulting in unconservative predictions.