• Composites Research
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.1-8
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• 2003

Densification occurs by the inelastic flow of the matrix materials during the consolidation processes at high temperature for MMCs, and the results depend on many process conditions such as applied pressure, temperature and volume fraction of fiber and matrix materials. This is particularly important in titanium matrix composites since material failure may occur by either the applied conditions or microstructural parameters through the processes, and thus a generic model based on micro-mechanical approaches enabling the evolution of density over time to be predicted has been developed. The mode developed is then implemented into FEM so that practical process simulation has been carried out. Further the experimental investigation of the consolidation behavior of SiC/Ti-6Al-4V composites using vacuum hot pressing has been performed, and the results obtained are compared with the model predictions.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.60 no.6
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• pp.1063-1077
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• 2016

Components manufactured from composite materials are frequently subjected to superimposed mechanical and thermal loadings during their operating service. Both types of loadings may cause fracture and failure of composite structures. When composite cross-ply laminates of type [$0_m/90_n]_s$ are subjected to uni-axial tensile loading, different types of damage are set-up and developed such as matrix cracking: transverse and longitudinal cracks, delamination between disoriented layers and broken fibers. The development of these modes of damage can be detrimental for the stiffness of the laminates. From the experimental point of view, transverse cracking is known as the first mode of damage. In this regard, the objective of the present paper is to investigate the effect of transverse cracking in cross-ply laminate under thermo-mechanical degradation. A Finite Element (FE) simulation of damage evolution in composite crossply laminates of type [$0_m/90_n]_s$ subjected to uni-axial tensile loading is carried out. The effect of transverse cracking on the cross-ply laminate strength under thermo-mechanical degradation is investigated numerically. The results obtained by prediction of the numerical model developed in this investigation demonstrate the influence of the transverse cracking on the bearing capacity and resistance to damage as well as its effects on the variation of the mechanical properties such as Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio and coefficient of thermal expansion. The results obtained are in good agreement with those predicted by the Shear-lag analytical model as well as with the obtained experimental results available in the literature.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.181-190
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• 2019

Light-frame wood structures have the ability to carry gravity loads. However, their performance during severe wind storms has indicated weakness with respect to resisting uplift wind loads exerted on the roofs of residential houses. A common failure mode observed during almost all main hurricane events initiates at the roof-to-wall connections (RTWCs). The toe-nail connections typically used at these locations are weak with regard to resisting uplift loading. This issue has been investigated at the Insurance Research Lab for Better Homes, where full-scale testing was conducted of a house under appropriate simulated uplift wind loads. This paper describes the detailed and sophisticated numerical simulation performed for this full-scale test, following which the numerical predictions were compared with the experimental results. In the numerical model, the nonlinear behavior is concentrated at the RTWCs, which is simulated with the use of a multi-linear plastic element. The analysis was conducted on four sets of uplift loads applied during the physical testing: 30 m/sincreased by 5 m/sincrements to 45 m/s. At this level of uplift loading, the connections exhibited inelastic behavior. A comparison with the experimental results revealed the ability of the sophisticated numerical model to predict the nonlinear response of the roof under wind uplift loads that vary both in time and space. A further component of the study was an evaluation of the load sharing among the trusses under realistic, uniform, and code pressures. Both the numerical model and the tributary area method were used for the load-sharing calculations.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.175-183
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• 2022

To study the working mechanism and size effect of an innovative dovetail UHPC joint originated from the 5th Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge, a large-scale testing subject to negative bending moment was conducted and compared with the previous scaled specimens. The static responses, i.e., the crack pattern, failure mode, ductility and stiffness degradation were analyzed. It was found that the scaled specimens presented similar working stages and working mechanism with the large-scale ones. However, the post-cracking ductility and relative stiffness degradation all decrease with the enlarged length/scale, apart from the relative stiffness after flexural cracking. The slab stiffness at the flexural cracking stage is 90% of the initial stiffness while only 24% of the initial stiffness reserved in the ultimate stage. Finite element model (FEM) was established and compared with the experiments to verify its effectiveness in exploring the working mechanism of the innovative joint. Based on this effective method, a series of FEMs were established to further study the influence of material strength, pre-stressing level and ratio of reinforcement on its deflection-load relationship. It is found that the ratio of reinforcement can significantly improve its load-carrying capacity among the three major-influenced factors.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.407-426
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• 2022

Superior to traditional welded studs, high strength friction-grip bolted shear connectors facilitate the assembling and demounting of the composite members, which maximizes the potential for efficiency in the construction and retrofitting of new and old structures respectively. Hence, it is necessary to investigate the structural properties of high strength friction-grip bolts used in steel concrete composite beams. By means of push-out tests, an experimental study was conducted on post-installed high strength friction-grip bolts, considering the effects of different bolt size, concrete strength, bolt tensile strength and bolt pretension. The test results showed that bolt shear fracture was the dominant failure mode of all specimens. Based on the load-slip curves, uplifting curves and bolt tensile force curves between the precast concrete slab and steel beam obtained by push-out tests, the anti-slip performance of steel-concrete interface and shear behavior of bolt shank were studied, including the quantitative analysis of anti-slip load, and anti-slip stiffness, frictional coefficient, shear stiffness of bolt shank and ultimate shear capacity. Meanwhile, the interfacial anti-slip stiffness and shear stiffness of bolt shank were defined reasonably. In addition, a total of 56 push-out finite element models verified by the experimental results were also developed, and used to conduct parametric analyses for investigating the shear behavior of high-strength bolted shear connectors in steel-concrete composite beams. Finally, on ground of the test results and finite element simulation analysis, a new design formula for predicting shear capacity was proposed by nonlinear fitting, considering the bolt diameter, concrete strength and bolt tensile strength. Comparison of the calculated value from proposed formula and test results given in the relevant references indicated that the proposed formulas can give a reasonable prediction.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.265-281
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• 2022

A set of slurry shield test system capable of cutter cutting and slurry automatic circulation is used to investigate the deformation characteristics, the evolution characteristics of support resistance and the distribution and evolution process of earth pressure during excavating and collapsing of slurry shield tunneling in circular-gravel layer. The influence of cover-span ratio on surface subsidence, support resistance and failure mode of excavation face is also discussed. Three-dimensional numerical calculations are performed to verify the reliability of the test results. The results show that, with the decrease of the supporting force of the excavation face, the surface subsidence goes through four stages: insensitivity, slow growth, rapid growth and stability. The influence of shield excavation on the axial earth pressure of the front soil is greater than that of the vertical earth pressure. When the support resistance of the excavation face decreases to the critical value, the soil in front of the excavation face collapses. The shape of the collapse is similar to that of a bucket. The ultimate support resistance increase with the increase of the cover-span ratio, however, the angle between the bottom of the collapsed body and the direction of the tunnel excavation axis when the excavation face is damaged increase first and then becomes stable. The surface settlement value and the range of settlement trough decrease with the increase of cover-span ratio. The numerical results are basically consistent with the model test results.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.8
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• pp.3017-3029
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• 2023

In the late in-vessel phase of a nuclear reactor severe accident, the internal heat transfer and crust evolution during the debris bed melting process have important effects on the thermal load distribution along the vessel wall, and further affect the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) failure mode and the state of melt during leakage. This study coupled the phase change model and large eddy simulation to investigate the variations of the temperature, melt liquid fraction, crust and heat flux distributions during the debris bed melting process in the hypothetical severe accident of HPR1000. The results indicated that the heat flow towards the vessel wall and upper surface were similar at the beginning stage of debris melting, but the upward heat flow increased significantly as the development of the molten pool. The maximum heat flux towards the vessel wall reached 0.4 MW/m². The thickness of lower crust decreased as the debris melting. It was much thicker at the bottom region with the azimuthal angle below 20° and decreased rapidly at the azimuthal angle around 20-50°. The maximum and minimum thicknesses were 2 and 90 mm, respectively. By contrast, the distribution of upper crust was uniform and reached stable state much earlier than the lower crust, with the thickness of about 10 mm. Moreover, the sensitivity analysis of initial condition indicated that as the decrease of time interval from reactor scram to debris bed dried-out, the maximum debris temperature and melt fraction became larger, the lower crust thickness became thinner, but the upper crust had no significant change. The sensitivity analysis of in-vessel retention (IVR) strategies indicated that the passive and active external reactor vessel cooling (ERVC) had little effect on the internal heat transfer and crust evolution. In the case not considering the internal reactor vessel cooling (IRVC), the upper crust was not obvious.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.28 no.2A
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• pp.207-214
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• 2008

This study presents a way to validate the quality level of the proposed connection type and verify the experimental test, and performs a 3D nonlinear analysis corresponding to the experimental test. Two mixed-structure beams were cast and tested under a four-point static loading. Force-displacement relation, force-strain relation, force-opening width, and failure mode were observed from comparing the numerical results of the adopted FE model. Nonlinear analysis of mixed structures was carried out by utilizing the contact elements of a general purpose structural analysis computer program (ABAQUS). The results of numerical and experimental simulation show that the proposed L-shaped connection has greater stiffness under flexural loading and better structural performance with regard to the connection.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.87 no.2
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• pp.137-149
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• 2023

In this study, to explore the working performance of the CFST split spherical node wind power tower, two groups of CFST split spherical joint plane towers with different web wall thicknesses and a set of space systems were analyzed. The tower was subjected to a low-cycle repeated load test, and the hysteresis and skeleton curves were analyzed. ABAQUS finite element simulation was used for verification and comparison, and on this basis parameter expansion analysis was carried out. The results show that the failure mode of the wind power tower was divided into weld tear damage between belly bar, high strength bolt thread damage and belly rod flexion damage. In addition, increasing the wall thickness of the web member could render the hysteresis curve fuller. Finally, the bearing capacity of the separated spherical node wind power tower was high, but its plastic deformation ability was poor. The ultimate bearing capacity and ductility coefficient of the simulated specimens are positively correlated with web diameter ratio and web column stiffness ratio. When the diameter ratio of the web member was greater than 0.13, or the stiffness ratio γ of the web member to the column was greater than 0.022, the increase of the ultimate bearing capacity and ductility coefficient decreased significantly. In order to maximize the overall mechanical performance of the tower and improve its economy, it was suggested that the diameter ratio of the ventral rod be 0.11-0.13, while the stiffness ratio γ should be 0.02-0.022.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.381-395
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• 2024

With the wide application of urban subway tunnels, the foundation pits of new stations and existing subway tunnels are becoming increasingly close, and even zero-distance close-fitting construction has taken place. To optimize the construction support scheme, the existing tunnel's vertical displacement is theoretically analyzed using the two-stage analysis method to understand the action mechanism of the construction of zero-distance deep large foundation pits on both sides of the existing stations; a three-dimensional numerical calculation is also performed for further analysis. First, the additional stress field on the existing tunnel caused by the unloading of zero-distance foundation pits on both sides of the tunnel is derived based on the Mindlin stress solution of a semi-infinite elastic body under internal load. Then, considering the existing subway tunnel's joints, shear stiffness, and shear soil deformation effect, the tunnel is regarded as a Timoshenko beam placed on the Kerr foundation; a sixth-order differential control equation of the tunnel under the action of additional stress is subsequently established for solving the vertical displacement of the tunnel. These theoretical calculation results are then compared with the numerical simulation results and monitoring data. Finally, an optimized foundation pit support scheme is obtained considering the pit corner effect and external corner failure mode. The research shows a high consistency between the monitoring data,analytical and numerical solution, and the closer the tunnel is to the foundation pit, the more uplift deformation will occur. The internal corner of the foundation pit can restrain the deformation of the tunnel and the retaining structure, while the external corner can cause local stress concentration on the diaphragm wall. The proposed optimization scheme can effectively reduce construction costs while meeting the safety requirements of foundation pit support structures.