• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.93-106
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• 2021

In general, segment lining tunnel refers to a tunnel formed by connecting precast concrete segments as a ring and connecting such rings to each other in the longitudinal direction of the tunnel. As the structural properties of the segment lining is highly dependent on the behavior of the segment joints, thus correct modelling of joint behavior is crucial to understand and design the segment tunnel lining. When the tunnel is subjected to ground loads, the segment joint behaves like a hinge that resists rotation, and when the induced moment exceeds a certain limit of the rotation then it may enter into non-linear field. In understanding the effect of the segment joint on the lining behavior, a moment-rotation relationship of the segment joint was explored based on the Japanese practice and Janssen's approach commonly used in the actual design. This study also presents a method to determine the rotational stiffness of joint refer to the bearing strength. The rotation of the segment joint was estimated in virtual design conditions based on the existing models and the proposed method. And the sectional force of the segment lining and joint were calculated along with the estimated rotation. As the rotation at the segment joint increases, the joint contact area decreases, so the designer have to verify the segment joint for bearing strength as well. This paper suggests a consistent method to determine the rotational stiffness and bearing strength of joints.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.689-699
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• 2017

An energy-based approach for determining earthquake safety of reinforced concrete frame structures is presented. The developed approach is based on comparison of plastic energy capacities of the structures with plastic energy demands obtained for selected earthquake records. Plastic energy capacities of the selected reinforced concrete frames are determined graphically by analyzing plastic hinge regions with the developed equations. Seven earthquake records are chosen to perform the nonlinear time history analyses. Earthquake plastic energy demands are determined from nonlinear time history analyses and hysteretic behavior of earthquakes is converted to monotonic behavior by using nonlinear moment-rotation relations of plastic hinges and plastic axial deformations in columns. Earthquake safety of selected reinforced concrete frames is assessed by using plastic energy capacity graphs and earthquake plastic energy demands. The plastic energy dissipation capacities of the frame structures are examined whether these capacities can withstand the plastic energy demands for selected earthquakes or not. The displacements correspond to the mean plastic energy demands are obtained quite close to the displacements determined by using the procedures given in different seismic design codes.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.60 no.3
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• pp.507-527
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• 2016

The use of shape memory alloys (SMAs) has been seriously considered in seismic engineering due to their capabilities, such as the ability to tolerate cyclic deformations and dissipate energy. Five 3-D extended end-plate connection models have been created, including one conventional connection and four connections with Nitinol bolts of four different prestress forces. Their cyclic behaviors have been investigated using the finite element method software ANSYS. Subsequently, the moment-rotation responses of the connections have been derived by subjecting them to cyclic loading based on SAC protocol. The results obtained in this research indicate that the conventional connections show residual deformations despite their high ductility and very good energy dissipation; therefore, they cannot be repaired after loading. However, while having good energy dissipation and high ductility, the connections equipped with Nitinol bolts have good recentering capability. Moreover, a connection with the mentioned specifications has been modeled, except that only the external bolts replaced with SMA bolts and assessed for seismic loading. The suggested connection shows high ductility, medium energy dissipation and very good recentering. The main objective of this research is to concentrate the deformations caused by cyclic loading on the connection in order to form super-elastic hinge in the connection by the deformations of the shape memory alloy bolts.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.679-703
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• 2013

This paper presents experimental investigations of the fundamental behavior of concrete filled steel tube (CFT) beam-columns under fire loading. A total of thirteen specimens were tested to determine the axial force-moment-curvature-temperature behavior of CFT beam-columns. The experimental approach involved the use of: (a) innovative heating and control equipment to apply thermal loading and (b) digital image correlation with close-range photogrammetry to measure the deformations (e.g., curvature) of the heated region. Each specimen was sequentially subjected to: (i) constant axial loading; (ii) thermal loading in the expected plastic hinge region following the ASTM E119 temperature-time T-t curve; and (iii) monotonically increasing flexural loading. The effects of various parameters on the strength and stiffness of CFT beam-columns were evaluated. The parameters considered were the steel tube width, width-tothickness ratio, concrete strength, maximum surface temperature of the steel tube, and the axial load level on the composite CFT section. The experimental results provide knowledge of the fundamental behavior of composite CFT beam-columns, and can be used to calibrate analytical models or macro finite element models developed for predicting behavior of CFT members and frames under fire loading.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.5 no.5
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• pp.565-585
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• 2009

Superelastic Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs) are gaining acceptance for use as reinforcing bars in concrete structures. The seismic behaviour of concrete frames reinforced with SMAs is being assessed in this study. Two eight-storey concrete frames, one of which is reinforced with regular steel and the other with SMAs at the plastic hinge regions of beams and regular steel elsewhere, are designed and analyzed using 10 different ground motion records. Both frames are located in the highly seismic region of Western Canada and are designed and detailed according to current seismic design standards. The validation of a finite element (FE) program that was conducted previously at the element level is extended to the structure level in this paper using the results of a shake table test of a three-storey moment resisting steel RC frame. The ten accelerograms that are chosen for analyzing the designed RC frames are scaled based on the spectral ordinate at the fundamental periods of the frames. The behaviour of both frames under scaled seismic excitations is compared in terms of maximum inter-storey drift, top-storey drift, inter-storey residual drift, and residual top-storey drift. The results show that SMA-RC frames are able to recover most of its post-yield deformation, even after a strong earthquake.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.37-57
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• 2012

The behavior of beam-column joints in moment resisting frame structures is susceptible to damage caused by seismic effects due to poor performance of the joints. A good number of researches were carried out to understand the complex mechanism of RC joints considered in current seismic design codes. The traditional construction detailing of transverse reinforcement has resulted in serious joint failures during earthquakes. This paper introduces a new design philosophy involving the use of additional diagonal bars within the joint particularly suitable for low to medium seismic effects in earthquake zones. In this study, ten full-scale interior beam-column specimens were constructed with various additional reinforcement details and configurations. The results of the experiment showed that adding additional bars is a promising approach in reinforced concrete structures where earthquakes are eminent. In terms of overall cracking observation during the test, the specimens with additional bars (diagonal and straight) compared with the ones without them showed fewer cracks in the column. Furthermore, concrete confinement is certainly an important design measure as recommended by most international codes.

• Advances in aircraft and spacecraft science
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.69-91
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• 2014

Numerical investigations are presented, which show that a back-flow flap can improve the dynamic stall characteristics of oscillating airfoils. The flap was able to weaken the stall vortex and therefore to reduce the peak in the pitching moment. This paper gives a brief insight into the method of function of a back-flow flap. Initial wind tunnel experiments were performed to define the structural requirements for a detailed experimental wind tunnel characterization. A structural integration concept and two different actuation mechanisms of a back-flow flap for a helicopter rotor blade are presented. First a piezoelectric actuation system was investigated, but the analytical model to estimate the performance showed that the displacement generated is too low to enable reliable operation. The seond actuation mechanism is based on magnetic forces to generate an impulse that initiates the opening of the flap. A concept based on two permanent magnets is further detailed and characterized, and this mechanism is shown to generate sufficient impulse for reliable operation in the wind tunnel.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.315-326
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• 2018

This paper presents a novel time-domain method for the identification of plastic rotations and stiffness parameters of single-bay frames with nonlinear plastic hinges. Each plastic hinge is modelled as a pseudo-semi-rigid connection with nonlinear hysteretic moment-curvature characteristics at an element end. Through the comparison of the identified end rotations of members that are connected together, the plastic rotation that furnishes information of the locations and plasticity degrees of plastic hinges can be identified. The force consideration of the frame members may be used to relate the stiffness parameters to the elastic rotations and the excitation. The damped-least-squares method and damped-and-weighted-least-squares method are adopted to estimate the stiffness parameters of frames. A noise-removal strategy employing a de-noising technique based on wavelet packets with a smoothing process is used to filter out the noise for the parameter estimation. The numerical examples show that the proposed method can identify the plastic rotations and the stiffness parameters using measurements with reasonable level of noise. The unknown excitation can also be estimated with acceptable accuracy. The advantages and disadvantages of both parameter estimation methods are discussed.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.289-304
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• 2000

This study discusses on the experimental and analytical results of the global buckling tests, carried out on aluminum alloy double layer space grids composed of tubular members, ball joints and connecting bolts at the member ends, with the purpose of demonstrating the effectiveness of a simplified analysis method using an equivalent slenderness ratio for the members. Because very few experiments have been carried out on this type of aluminum space grids, the buckling behavior is investigated experimentally over the post buckling regions using several space grid specimen with various values for the member slenderness ratio. The observed behavior duping the experiments is compared with the analytically obtained results. The comparison is made based on two different schemes; one on the plastic hinge method considering a bending moment-axial force interaction for members and the other on a method using an equivalent slenderness ratio. It is confirmed that the equivalent slenderness method can be effectively applied, even in the post buckling regions, once the effects of the rotational rigidity at the ball joints are appropriately evaluated, because the rigidity controls the buckling behavior. The effectiveness of the equivalent slenderness method will be widely utilized for estimation of the ultimate strength, even in post buckling regions for large span aluminum space grids composed of an extreme large number of nodes and members.

• Journal of the Society of Naval Architects of Korea
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.93-102
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• 1992

In this paper presented is the reliability analysis of a double skinned hull structure against the ultimate bending moment and fatigue strength under longitudinal bending. The ultimate bending strength is obtained through the beam-column approach in which the load-end shortening curves(stress-strain curves) of stiffened plates under mini-axial compression are derived using the concept of plastic hinge collapse. The fatigue damage only is considered as fatigue failure for which the Miner's damage rule is employed. Assessed are fatigue reliability for the possible joint types found at deck structure. Also included is the reliability analysis of a series system of which elements are ultimate and fatigue failure.