• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
• /
• v.12 no.3
• /
• pp.353-362
• /
• 1999

This study is aimed to obtain the critical crack lengthes of the concrete gravity dam and to investigate variation of the effective stress intensity factors at the crack tips of multiple cracks. Applied loads are dynamic load composed of blast vibration and hydrodynamic pressure which can be considered in case of the blast work at near construction site, in addition to static load composed of hydrostatic pressure, crack pressure, and gravity load of the dam. The critical crack lengthes were calculated according to the crack locations, directions, and magnitudes of blast vibration. Also variation of the effective stress intensity factors with respect to the multiple crack shapes and distances between the crack tips was investigated.

• Earthquakes and Structures
• /
• v.8 no.1
• /
• pp.19-35
• /
• 2015

This study compares the seismic performances of two reinforced concrete frame specimens tested by the pseudo-dynamic procedure. The pair of 3-storey, 3-bay frames specimens are constructed with typical characteristics of older construction which is lacking seismic design. One of the specimens is a bare frame while the other is infilled with low-strength autoclave aerated concrete (AAC) block masonry. The focus of this study is to investigate the influence of low strength masonry infill walls on the seismic response of older RC frames designed for gravity loads. It is found that the presence of weak infill walls considerably reduce deformations and damage in the upper stories while their influence at the critical ground story is not all that positive. Infill walls tend to localize damage at the critical story due to a peculiar frame-infill interaction, and impose larger internal force and deformation demands on the columns and beams bounding the infills. Therefore the general belief in earthquake engineering that infills develop a second line of defence against lateral forces in seismically deficient frames is nullified in case of low-strength infill walls in the presented experimental research.

• Computers and Concrete
• /
• v.31 no.1
• /
• pp.23-32
• /
• 2023

Reinforced concrete flat slab (RCFS) with columns is a standard gravity floor system for tall buildings in North America. Typically, RCFS-column connections are designed to resist gravity loads, and their contribution to resisting seismic forces is ignored. However, past experimental research has shown that RCFS-column connections have some strength and ductility, which may not be ignored. Advanced numerical models have been developed in the past to determine the nonlinear cyclic behavior of RCFS-column connections. However, these models are either too complicated for nonlinear dynamic analysis of an entire building or not developed to model the behavior of modern RCFS-column connections. This paper proposes a new nonlinear model suitable for modern RCFS-column connections. The numerical model is verified using experimental data of specimens with various material and reinforcement properties. A 40-story RC shear wall building was designed and analyzed to investigate the influence of RCFS on the global response of tall concrete buildings. The seismic responses of the building with and without the RCFS were modelled and compared. The results show that the modelling of RCFS has a significant impact on the inter-story drifts and force demands on both the seismic force-resisting and gravity elements.

• Earthquakes and Structures
• /
• v.26 no.1
• /
• pp.59-75
• /
• 2024

This paper presents a dam-reservoir interaction model that includes, water compressibility, sloshing of surface water, and radiation damping at the far-end reservoir, to investigate the influence of concrete deterioration on seismic behavior along with seismic performance of gravity dams. Investigations on seismic performance of the dam body have been conducted using the linear time-history responses obtained under six real and 0.3 g normalized earthquake records with time durations from 10 sec to 80 sec. The deterioration of concrete is assumed to develop due to mechanical and chemical actions over the dam lifespan. Several computer programs have been developed in FORTRAN 90 and MATLAB programming languages to analyze the coupled problem considering two-dimensional (2D) plane-strain condition. According to the results obtained from this study, the dam structure shows critical responses at the later ages (75 years) that could cause disastrous consequences; the critical effects of some earthquake loads such as Chi-Chi with 36.5% damage and Loma with 56.2% damage at the later ages of the selected dam body cannot be negligible; and therefore, the deterioration of concrete along with its effects on the dam response should be considered in analysis and design.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.38 no.2
• /
• pp.74-85
• /
• 2024

Offshore wind turbines are supported by various foundations, each with its considerations in design and construction. Gravity, monopile, and suction bucket foundations encounter geotechnical issues, while jacket and tripod foundations face fatigue problems. Considering this, a gravity foundation based on a steel skirt was developed, and a monopile foundation was analyzed for Pile-Soil Interaction using the p-y curve and 3D finite element method (3D FEM). In addition, for suction bucket foundations, the effects of lateral and vertical loads were analyzed using 3D FEM and centrifuge tests. Fatigue analysis for jacket and tripod foundations was conducted using a hotspot stress approach. Some hybrid foundations and shape optimization techniques that change the shape to complement the problems of each foundation described above were assessed. Hybrid foundations could increase lateral resistance compared to existing foundations because of the combined appendages, and optimization techniques could reduce costs by maximizing the efficiency of the structure or by reducing costs and weight. This paper presents the characteristics and research directions of the foundation through various studies on the foundation. In addition, the optimal design method is presented by explaining the problems of the foundation and suggesting ways to supplement them.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.51 no.5
• /
• pp.563-573
• /
• 2024

This research experimentally evaluated the local stress distribution along the cross-section of composite beams under both positive and negative moments. The experiment utilized a large-scale, two-story, two-by-three bay steel gravity frame with a concrete on metal deck floor system. The composite shear connections, which are nominally assumed to be pinned under gravity loading, can develop non-negligible moment-resisting capacity when subjected to lateral loads. This paper discusses the local stress distribution, orshear lag effects, observed near the beam-to-column connections when subjected to combined gravity and lateral loading. Strain gauges were used for measurements along the beam depth at varying distances from the connection. The experimental data showed amplified shear lag effects near the unconnected region of the beam web and bottom flange under the applied loading conditions. These results indicate that strain does not vary linearly across the beam cross-section adjacent to the connection components. This insight has implications for the use of experimental strain gauge data in estimating beam demands near the connections. These findings can be beneficial in informing instrumentation plans for future experimental studies on composite beams.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
• /
• 1993.10a
• /
• pp.333-338
• /
• 1993

In this paper, we introduce an industrial three degree of freedom manipulator which loads/unloads various freight on an AGV(automated Guided Vehicle). We design and implement the industrial controller for the manipulator with P-I) gain variation method. Since this battery-powered manipulator is opten driven in an instufficient power condition, the gravity effects on the robot joints can be a significant problem. The objectives of this paper are twofold : the presentation of a PI)-controller which can compensate the gravity effects, and the design and implementation of an industrial three degree of freedom manipulator for loading/unloading.

• Wind and Structures
• /
• v.12 no.5
• /
• pp.425-439
• /
• 2009

The expediency of revising universal rules for the combination of gravity and lateral actions of wind force-resisting steel structures recommended by the Standards EN 1990 and ASCE/SEI 7-05 is discussed. Extreme wind forces, gravity actions and their combinations for the limit state design of structures are considered. The effect of statistical uncertainties of extreme wind pressure and steel yield strength on the structural safety of beam-column joints of wind force-resisting multistory steel frames designed by the partial factor design (PFD) and the load and resistance factor design (LRFD) methods is demonstrated. The limit state criterion and the performance process of steel frame joints are presented and considered. Their long-term survival probability analysis is based on the unsophisticated method of transformed conditional probabilities. A numerical example illustrates some discrepancies in international design standards and the necessity to revise the rule of universal combinations of loads in wind and structural engineering.

• Structural Monitoring and Maintenance
• /
• v.3 no.2
• /
• pp.129-144
• /
• 2016

We present a methodology to validate with monitoring data finite element models of existing concrete dams: numerical analyses are performed to assess the structural response under the effects of seasonal loading conditions, represented by hydrostatic pressure on the upstream-downstream dam surfaces and thermal variations as recorded by a thermometers network. We show that the stiffness effect of the rock foundation and the surface degradation of concrete due to aging are crucial aspects to be accounted for a correct interpretation of the real behavior. This work summarizes some general procedures developed by this research group at Politecnico di Milano on traditional static monitoring systems and two significant case studies: a buttress gravity and an arch-gravity dam.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.69-83
• /
• 2005

In many cases, underground structures are built using conventional above-grade structural systems to carry gravity load. This paper proposes the use of underground arches, termed "buried arches", to support gravity loads, wherein the horizontal thrust of the arch is equilibrated by soil pressure. Because the horizontal soil pressure increases with depth, the depth of the arch may be reduced as the depth below grade increases. Critical to the success of such an approach is a proper accounting of creep and shrinkage for arches made of reinforced concrete. This paper addresses the influence of equilibrium, creep, and shrinkage as they affect the design of the arch from a theoretical perspective. Several examples illustrate the use of buried arches for the design of underground parking structures.