• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.65 no.6
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• pp.679-687
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• 2018

In composite materials technology, the fiber-reinforced polymers (FRP) have opened up new horizons in infrastructural engineering field for strengthening existing structures and components of structure. The Carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) sheets are well suited for RC columns to this application because of their high strength to weight ratio, good fatigue properties and excellent resistance to corrosion. The main focus of present experimental work is to investigate effect of shapes on axial behavior of CFRP wrapped RC columns having same cross-sectional area and slenderness ratio. The CFRP volumetric ratio and percentage of steel are also adopted constant for all the test specimens. A total of 18 RC columns with slenderness ratio four were cast. Nine columns were control and the rest of nine columns were strengthened with one layer of CFRP wrap having 35 mm of corner radius. Columns confined with CFRP wrap were designed using IS: 456:2000 and ACI 440.2R.08 provisions. All the test specimens were loaded for axial compression up to failure and failure pattern for each shaped column was investigated. All the experimental results were compared with analytical values calculated as per the ACI-440.2R-08 code. The test results clearly demonstrated that the axial behavior of CFRP confined RC columns is affected with the change in shapes. The axial deformation is higher in CFRP wrapped RC circular column as compared to square and rectangular columns. Stress-strain behaviour revealed that the yield strength gained from CFRP confinement was significant for circular columns as compare to square and rectangular columns. This behaviour may be credited due to effect of shape on lateral deformation in case of CFRP wrapped circular columns at effective confinement action.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.65 no.3
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• pp.315-325
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• 2018

This paper predicts the flexural behaviour of reinforced concrete (RC) beams strengthened with a precast strip of ultra-high performance fiber-reinforced concrete (UHPFRC). In the first phase, ultimate load capacity of preloaded and strengthened RC beams by UHPFRC was predicted by using various analytical models available in the literature. RC beams were preloaded under static loading approximately to 70%, 80% and 90% of ultimate load of control beams. The models such as modified Kaar and sectional analysis predicted the ultimate load in close agreement to the corresponding experimental observations. In the second phase, the famous fatigue life models such as Papakonstantinou model and Ferrier model were employed to predict the number of cycles to failure and the corresponding deflection. The models were used to predict the life of the (i) strengthened RC beams after subjecting them to different pre-loadings (70%, 80% and 90% of ultimate load) under static loading and (ii) strengthened RC beams after subjecting them to different preloading cycles under fatigue loading. In both the cases precast UHPFRC strip of 10 mm thickness is attached on the tension face. It is found that both the models predicted the number of cycles to failure and the corresponding deflection very close to the experimental values. It can be concluded that the models are found to be robust and reliable for cement based strengthening systems also. Further, the Wang model which is based on Palmgren-Miner's rule is employed to predict the no. of cycles to failure and it is found that the predicted values are in very good agreement with the corresponding experimental observations.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.1-22
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• 2022

In cold-formed steel (CFS) structures, such as trusses, transmission towers and portal frames, the use of back-to-back built-up CFS unequal angle sections are becoming increasingly popular. In such an arrangement, intermediate welds or screw fasteners are required at discrete points along the length, preventing the angle sections from buckling independently. Limited research is available in the literature on axial strength of back-to-back built-up CFS unequal angle sections. The issue is addressed herein. This paper presents an experimental investigation reported by the authors on back-to-back built-up CFS unequal angle sections with intermediate stiffeners under axial compression. The load-axial shortening behaviour along with the deformed shapes at failure are reported. A nonlinear finite element (FE) model was then developed, which includes material non-linearity, geometric imperfections and modelling of intermediate fasteners. The FE model was validated against the experimental test results, which showed good agreement, both in terms of failure loads and deformed shapes at failure. The validated finite element model was then used for the purpose of a parametric study comprising 96 models to investigate the effect of longer to shorter leg ratios, stiffener provided in the longer leg, thicknesses and lengths on axial strength of back-to-back built-up CFS unequal angle sections. Four different thicknesses and seven different lengths (stub to slender columns) with three overall widths to the overall depth (B/D) ratios were investigated in the parametric study. Axial strengths obtained from the experimental tests and FE analyses were used to assess the performance of the current design guidelines as per the Direct Strength Method (DSM); obtained comparisons show that the current DSM is conservative by only 7% and 5% on average, while predicting the axial strengths of back-to-back built-up CFS unequal angle sections with and without the stiffener, respectively.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.165-182
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• 2024

Grouted sleeve splice (GSS) is an effective type of connection applied in the precast concrete structures as it has the advantages of rapidly assembly and reliable strength. To decrease the weight and cost of vertical rebar connection in precast shear walls, a light-weight sleeve is designed according to the thick-cylinder theory. Mechanical behaviour of the light-weighted GSS is investigated through experimental analysis. Two failure modes, such as rebar fracture failure and rebar pull-out failure, are found. The load-displacement curves exhibit four different stages: elastic stage, yield stage, strengthening stage, and necking stage. The bond strength between the rebar and the grout increases gradually from outer position to inner position of the sleeve, and it reaches the maximum value at the centre of the anchorage length. A finite element model predicting the mechanical properties of the light-weighted GSS is developed based on the Concrete Damage Plasticity (CDP) model and the Brittle Cracking (BC) model. The effect of the rebar anchorage length is significant, while the increase of the thickness of sleeve and the grout strength are not very effective. A model for estimating ultimate load, including factors of inner diameter of sleeves, anchorage length, and rebar diameter, is proposed. The proposed model shows good agreement with various test data.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.211-234
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• 2016

A total of 99 full-scale field load tests at 22 sites were compiled for this study to elucidate several issues related to the load-displacement behaviour of belled piers under axial uplift loading, including (1) interpretation criteria to define various elastic, inelastic, and "failure" states for each load test from the load-displacement curve; (2) generalized correlations among these states and determinations to the predicted ultimate uplift resistances; (3) uncertainty in the resistance model factor statistics required for reliability-based ultimate limit state (ULS) design; (4) uncertainty associated with the normalized load-displacement curves and the resulting model factor statistics required for reliability-based serviceability limit state (SLS) design; and (5) variations of the combined ULS and SLS model factor statistics for reliability-based limit state designs. The approaches discussed in this study are practical and grounded realistically on the load tests of belled piers with minimal assumptions. The results on the characterization and uncertainty of uplift load-displacement behaviour of belled piers could be served as to extend the early contributions for reliability-based ULS and SLS designs.

• Korea-Australia Rheology Journal
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.9-17
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• 2003

The rheological behaviour of anatase $TiO_2$ with organic coating has been investigated extensively in this study. The yield stress was measured over a wide range of solids concentration and pH using stress-controlled and speed-controlled rheometers. The organic treatment leads to a shift of the isoelectric point (IEP) from around pH 5.5 to pH 2.4. A maximum yield stress occurs in the vicinity of the isoelectric point determined by electrokinetic measurements. The transition of rheological behaviour between elastic solid and viscous liquid is represented by a stress plateau in a plot of stress against strain. It is hypothesised that the slope of the stress plateau reflects the uniformity of the structure, and hence the distribution of bond strength. Altering the concentration and the surface chemistry can vary the bond strength and its distribution. therefore, resulting in different type of failure: "ductile-type" or "brittle-type". pH and volume fraction dependence of yield stress could be described quantitatively using existing models with reasonable agreement.easonable agreement.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.159-165
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• 2018

In electric agricultural machine a reduction gear is needed to convert the high speed rotation motion generated by DC motor to lower speed rotation motion used by the vehicle. The reduction gear consists of several spur gears. Spur gears are the most easily visualized gears that transmit motion between two parallel shafts and easy to produce. The modelling and simulation of spur gears in DC motor reduction gear is important to predict the actual motion behaviour. A pair of spur gear tooth in action is generally subjected to two types of cyclic stress: contact stress and bending stress. The stress may not attain their maximum values at the same point of contact fatigue. These types of failure can be minimized by analysis of the problem during the design stage and creating proper tooth surface profile with proper manufacturing methods. To improve its life expectation in this study modal and stress analysis of reduction gear is simulated using ANSYS workbench based on finite element method (FEM). The modal analysis was done to understand reduction gear deformation behaviour when vibration occurs. FEM static stress analysis is also simulated on reduction gear to simulate the gear teeth bending stress and contact stress behaviour.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.325-343
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• 2016

A total stress-based bounding surface model is developed to predict the undrained behaviour of saturated soft clays under cyclic loads based on the anisotropic hardening modulus field and bounding-surface theories. A new hardening rule is developed based on a new interpolation function of the hardening modulus that has simple mathematic expression and fewer model parameters. The evolution of hardening modulus field is described in the deviatoric stress space. It is assumed that the stress reverse points are the mapping centre points and the mapping centre moves with the variation of loading and unloading paths to describe the cyclic stress-strain hysteresis curve. In addition, by introducing a model parameter that reflects the accumulation rate and level of shear strain to the interpolation function, the cyclic shakedown and failure behaviour of soil elements with different combinations of initial and cyclic stresses can be captured. The methods to determine the model parameters using cyclic triaxial compression tests are also studied. Finally, the cyclic triaxial extension and torsional shear tests are performed. By comparing the predictions with the test results, the model can be used to describe undrained cyclic stress-strain responses of elements with different stress states for the tested clays.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.171-194
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• 2002

In this paper, the behaviour of axially loaded partially encased composite columns made with light welded H steel shapes is examined using ABAQUS finite element modelling. The results of the numerical simulations are compared to the response observed in previous experimental studies on that column system. The steel shape of the specimens has transverse links attached to the flanges to improve its local buckling capacity and concrete is poured between the flanges only. The test specimens included 14 stubcolumns with a square cross section ranging from 300 mm to 600 mm in depth. The transverse link spacing varied from 0.5 to 1 times the depth and the width-to-thickness ratio of the flanges ranged from 23 to 35. The numerical model accounted for nonlinear stress-strain behaviour of materials, residual stresses in the steel shape, initial local imperfections of the flanges, and allowed for large rotations in the solution. A Riks displacement controlled strategy was used to carry out the analysis. Plastic analyses on the composite models reproduced accurately the capacity of the specimens, the failure mode, the axial strain at peak load, the transverse stresses in the web, and the axial stresses in the transverse links. The influence of applying a typical construction loading sequence could also be reproduced numerically. A design equation is proposed to determine the axial capacity of this type of column.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.243-264
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• 2008

This paper details a testing facility ("NATURAL FIRE FACILITY") that allows closely-controlled experimental testing on full-scale sub-frames while reproducing the spatially transient temperature conditions measured in real fires. Using this test facility, an experimental investigation of six steel sub-frames under a natural fire was carried out at the Department of Civil Engineering of the University of Coimbra. The main objective of these tests was to provide insight into the influence of these connection types on the behaviour of steel sub-structures under fire. The experimental layout is defined by two thermally insulated HEA300 columns and an unprotected IPE300 beam with 5.7 m span, supporting a composite concrete slab. Beam-to-column connections are representative of the most common joint type used on buildings: welded joints and extended, flush and partial depth plate. Finally, the available results are presented and discussed: evolution of the steel temperature; development of displacements and local deformations and failure modes on the joints zone.