• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.559-573
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• 2019

Spiral spacing effect on axial compressive behavior of reinforced concrete filled steel tube (RCFST) stub column is experimentally investigated in this paper. A total of twenty specimens including sixteen square RCFST columns and four benchmarked conventional square concrete filled steel tube (CFST) columns are fabricated and tested. Test variables include spiral spacing (spiral ratio) and concrete strength. The failure modes, load versus displacement curves, compressive rigidity, axial compressive strength, and ductility of the specimens are obtained and analyzed. Especially, the effect of spiral spacing on axial compressive strength and ductility is investigated and discussed in detail. Test results show that heavily arranged spirals considerably increase the ultimate compressive strength but lightly arranged spirals have no obvious effect on the ultimate strength. In practical design, the effect of spirals on RCFST column strength should be considered only when spirals are heavily arranged. Spiral spacing has a considerable effect on increasing the post-peak ductility of RCFST columns. Decreasing of the spiral spacing considerably increases the post-peak ductility of the RCFSTs. When the concrete strength increases, ultimate strength increases but the ductility decreases, due to the brittleness of the higher strength concrete. Arranging spirals, even with a rather small amount of spirals, is an economical and easy solution for improving the ductility of RCFST columns with high-strength concrete. Ultimate compressive strengths of the columns are calculated according to the codes EC4 (2004), GB 50936 (2014), AIJ (2008), and ACI 318 (2014). The ultimate strength of RCFST stub columns can be most precisely evaluated using standard GB 50936 (2014) considering the effect of spiral confinement on core concrete.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.265-277
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• 2019

Framed masonry wall structures represent a typical high-rise structural system that are also seismically vulnerable. During ground motions, they are excited in both in-plane and out-of-plane terms. The interaction between the frame and the infill during ground motion is a highly investigated phenomenon in the field of seismic engineering. This paper presents a numerical investigation of two distinct static out-of-plane loading methods for framed masonry wall models. The first and most common method is uniformly loaded infill. The load is generally induced by the airbag. The other method is similar to in-plane push-over method, involves loading of the frame directly, not the infill. Consequently, different openings with the same areas and various placements were examined. The numerical model is based on calibrated in-plane bare frame models and on calibrated wall models subjected to OoP bending. Both methods produced widely divergent results in terms of load bearing capabilities, failure modes, damage states etc. Summarily, uniform load on the panel causes more damage to the infill than to the frame; openings do influence structures behavior; three hinged arching action is developed; and greater resistance and deformations are obtained in comparison to the frame loading method. Loading the frame causes the infill to bear significantly greater damage than the infill; infill and openings only influence the behavior after reaching the peak load; infill does not influence initial stiffness; models with opening fail at same inter-storey drift ratio as the bare frame model.

• The Journal of Advanced Prosthodontics
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.408-414
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• 2018

PURPOSE. This study aimed to assess the effect of non-thermal plasma on the shear bond strength of resin cements to polyetherketoneketone (PEKK) in comparison to other surface treatment methods. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Eighty PEKK discs were subjected to different surface treatments: (1) Untreated (UT); (2) Non-thermal plasma (NTP); (3) Sandblasting with $50{\mu}m$ $Al_2O_3$ particles (SB); and (4) Sandblasting + Non-thermal plasma (SB+NTP). After each surface treatment, the contact angle was measured. Surface conditioning with Visio.Link was applied in all groups after pre-treatment. RelyX Unicem resin cement was bonded onto the PEKK specimens. After fabrication of the specimens, half of each group (n=10) was initially tested, while the other half was subjected to thermocycling ($5^{\circ}C$ to $55^{\circ}C$ at 10,000 cycles). Shear bond strength (SBS) testing was performed using a universal testing machine, and failure modes were assessed using stereomicroscopy. The SBS results were analyzed statistically using one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's post hoc test. Independent t-test was used to examine the effect of thermocycling (P<.05). RESULTS. The highest SBS values with or without thermocycling were observed with PEKK specimens that were treated with SB+NTP followed by the SB group. The lowest SBS results were observed in the UT groups. CONCLUSION. The shear bond strength between PEKK and resin cements was improved using non-thermal plasma treatment in combination with sandblasting.

• The Journal of Advanced Prosthodontics
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.187-192
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• 2019

PURPOSE. The purpose of this in vitro study was to investigate the fracture loads and modes of failure for the full range of natural teeth under simulated occlusal loading. MATERIALS AND METHODS. One hundred and forty natural teeth were taken from mandibles and maxillas of patients. There were 14 groups of teeth with 10 teeth in each group (5 males and 5 females). Each specimen was embedded in resin and mounted on a positioning jig, with the long axis of the tooth at an inclined angle of 30 degrees. A universal testing machine was used to measure the compression load at which fracture of the tooth specimen occurred; loads were applied on the incisal edge and/or functional cusp. RESULTS. The mean fracture load for the mandibular first premolar was the highest (2002 N) of all the types of teeth, while the mean fracture load for the maxillary first premolar was the lowest (525 N). Mean fracture loads for the mandibular and maxillary incisors, and the first and second maxillary premolars, had significantly lower values compared to the other types of teeth. The mean fracture load for the teeth from males was significantly greater than that for the teeth from females. There was an inverse relationship between age and mean fracture load, in which older teeth had lower fracture loads compared to younger teeth. CONCLUSION. The mean fracture loads for natural teeth were significantly different, with dependence on tooth position and the sex and age of the individual.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.72 no.3
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• pp.383-393
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• 2019

Horizontal openings in reinforced concrete (RC) beams are quite often used to accommodate service pipelines. Several research papers are available in the literature describing their effect. RC beams with vertical openings are commonly used to accommodate service lines in residential buildings in Kuwait. However, there are lack of design guidelines and best practices reported in the literature for RC beams with vertical openings, whereas the detailed guidelines are available for beams with horizontal openings. In the present paper, laboratory experiments are conducted on nine RC beams with and without vertical openings. Parametric study has been carried out using nonlinear finite element analysis (FEA) with changes in the diameter of the opening, various positions of the opening along the length and width of the beam, edge distance, etc. 50 finite element simulations were conducted. The FEA results are verified using the results from the laboratory experiments. The study showed that the load carrying capacity of the beam is reduced by 20% for the RC beam with vertical openings placed near the center of the beam compared to a solid beam without an opening. Significant reduction in load carrying capacity is observed for beams with an opening near the support (${\approx}15%$). The overall stiffness of the beam, crack pattern and failure modes were not affected due to the presence of the vertical opening. Furthermore, an artificial neural network (ANN) analysis is carried out using the FEA generated data. The results and observations from the ANN and FEA are in good agreement with experimental results.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.99-112
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• 2019

Semi-rigid joints have been widely studied in literature in recent decades because they affect greatly the structural response of frames. In literature, the behavior of semi-rigid joints is commonly assumed to be identical under positive and negative moments which are obviously incorrect in many cases where joint details such as bolt arrangement or placement of haunch are vertically asymmetrical. This paper evaluates two common types of steel frames with asymmetrical beam-to-column joints by Direct Analysis allowing for plasticity. A refined design method of steel frames using a proposed simple forth order curved-quartic element with an integrated joint model allowing for asymmetrical geometric joint properties is presented. Furthermore, the ultimate behavior of six types of asymmetrical end-plate connections under positive and negative moment is examined by the Finite Element Method (FEM). The FEM results are further applied to the proposed design method with the curved-quartic element for Direct Analysis of two types of steel frames under dominant gravity or wind load. The ultimate frame behavior under the two different scenarios are examined with respect to their failure modes and considerably different structural performances of the frames were observed when compared with the identical frames designed with the traditional method where symmetrical joints characteristics were assumed. The finding of this research contributes to the design of steel frames as their asymmetrical beam-to-column joints lead to different frame behavior when under positive and negative moment and this aspect should be incorporated in the design and analysis of steel frames. This consideration of asymmetrical joint behavior is recommended to be highlighted in future design codes.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2019

Steel-concrete composite walls have been proposed and developed for applications in various types of structures. The double-skin profiled composite walls, as a natural development of composite flooring, provide structural and architectural merits. However, adequate intermediate fasteners between profiled steel plates and concrete core are required to fully mobilize the composite action and to improve the structural behavior of the wall. In this research, two new types of fasteners (i.e., threaded rods and vertical plates) were proposed and three specimens with different fastener types or fastener arrangements were tested under axial compression. The experimental results were evaluated in terms of failure modes, axial load versus axial displacement response, strength index, ductility index, and load-strain relationship. It was found that specimen with symmetrically arranged thread rods sustained more stable axial strain than that with staggered arranged threaded rods. Meanwhile, vertical plates are more suitable for practical use since they provide stronger confinement to profiled steel plate and effectively prevent the steel plate from early local buckling, which eventually enhance the composite action and increase the axial compressive capacity of the wall. The calculation methods were then proposed and good agreement was observed between the test results and the predicted results.

• Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.298-305
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• 2018

In this study, we investigated the tensile bond characteristics of underwater coating materials, in order to obtain useful information in support of repair work for marine and coastal concrete structures. Test variables included type of underwater coating, surface conditions of the concrete substrate, and environmental conditions. Pull-off tensile bond strength was measured at 24 h after applying underwater coatings to concrete substrates, in compliance with the procedures specified in ASTM C1583. Failure modes (coating, interface, and parent concrete) for each coating were identified through visual inspection, and comparisons were made based on measured bond strength. The tensile bond strength decreased underwater compared to that under dry conditions, while no significant effect of surface roughness on the measured bond strength was observed in underwater tests. Key aspects that need to be considered regarding selection and use of underwater coating materials for marine and coastal concrete structures were discussed.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.383-399
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• 2021

In the study, three 1:3-scale unequal span steel-concrete composite substructures with top-seat angle and double web angle connection were designed and identified as specimens GTSDWA-0.6, GTSDWA-1.0, and GTSDWA-1.4. Pseudo-static tests and refined numerical model analysis were conducted to examine the anti-progressive collapse performance of a semi-rigid steel-concrete composite substructure. The results indicated that the failure modes of the three specimens revealed that the fracture occurred in the root of the long leg of the top/seat angle in tension at the connection. With increases in the span ratio of the left and right composite beams, the bearing capacities of the composite substructures decreased, and the corresponding displacement increased. With respect to GTSDWA-0.6 and GTSDWA-1.4, the resistance due to the short composite beam corresponded to 62% and 60%, respectively, and the total resistance provided by the short composite beam exceeded that of the long composite beam. With respect to GTSDWA-1.0, the resistance due to the left and right composite beams was similar. All three specimens underwent the flexure mechanism and flexure-axial mixed mechanism stages. They resisted the external load mainly via the flexure mechanism. Moreover, the addition of stiffeners on both sides of the top and seat angles is advantageous in terms of improving the collapse resistance and ductility of unequal span composite substructures.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.429-445
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• 2021

With regard to economic efficiency, composite fix beams are widely used to pass longitudinal shear forces across the interface. The current knowledge of the composite beam load-slip activity and shear capability are restricted to data from measurements of push-off. Modelling and analysis of the composite beams based on Euro-code 4 regarding to shear, bending, and deflection under differing loads were carried out using Finite Element through an efficient computer simulation and the final loading and sections capacity based on the failure modes was analysed. In bending, the section potential was increased by an improvement of the strength in both steel and concrete, but the flexural and compressive resistance growth is very weak (3.2% 3.1% and 3.0%), while the strength of the concrete has increased respectively from 25 N/mm² to 30, 35, and 40 N/mm² compared to the increment of steel strength by 27% and 21% when it was raised from 275 to 355 and 460 N/mm², respectively. It was found that the final flexural load capacity of fix beams was declined with increase in the fix beam span for both three steel strength. The shear capacity of sections was remained unchanged at constant steel strength and different length, but raised with final yield strength increment of steel sections by 29%, and 67% when it was raised from 275 N/mm² to 355 N/mm² and 460 N/mm², respectively.