• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.1126-1139
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• 2016

In this research, for the first time, a new optimization method, i.e., strength Pareto evolutionary algorithm II (SPEA-II), is developed for the burnable poison placement (BPP) optimization of a nuclear reactor core. In the BPP problem, an optimized placement map of fuel assemblies with burnable poison is searched for a given core loading pattern according to defined objectives. In this work, SPEA-II coupled with a nodal expansion code is used for solving the BPP problem of Kraftwerk Union AG (KWU) pressurized water reactor. Our optimization goal for the BPP is to achieve a greater multiplication factor ($K_{eff}$) for gaining possible longer operation cycles along with more flattening of fuel assembly relative power distribution, considering a safety constraint on the radial power peaking factor. For appraising the proposed methodology, the basic approach, i.e., SPEA, is also developed in order to compare obtained results. In general, results reveal the acceptance performance and high strength of SPEA, particularly its new version, i.e., SPEA-II, in achieving a semioptimized loading pattern for the BPP optimization of KWU pressurized water reactor.

• Geotechnical Engineering
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.55-66
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• 1986

Considering the effects of confining pressure, initial shear stress, cyclic stress ratio and number of loading cycles, cyclic triaxial tests are carried out to clarify the soil dynamic properties such as shear modulus and value of material damping of clay under undrained cyclic loading conditions. The results show that no obvious dependency on initial shear stress and effective confining stress are recognized in the shear modulus and damping ratio plotted versus strain. However, the shear modulus decreases and the damping ratio increases with increasing axial strain. When compared with others, it is also revealed that the shear moduli are distributed within the range curves obtained using empirical equations derived by Marcuson et al. (3) and Kokusho et al. (4), and damping ratios are distributed between the curves obtained by Kokusho et al. (4) and Ishihara et al. (9).

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2004.04a
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• pp.114-119
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• 2004

Endbeam is an important structural member of freight bogie for the support of service loading. In general, more than 25 years' durability is necessary. However, endbeam occur fatigue fracture in dynamic stress concentration location because comparatively strength and stiffness are low. Therefore, structure analysis is performed to evaluate structural problem of endbeam and local strain range as durability analysis. The number of cycles is extracted concerning the bogie in operation by measurement dynamic stress time history on critical part which is crack initiation in actual fact. At this time rainflow cycle counting is used to consider change of stress for operating condition. Based on the fatigue life curves and the stress analysis, the fatigue life of the endbeam is predicted and compared with the experimentally determined fatigue life, resulting in a fairly good correlation.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.847-866
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• 2011

The objective of this study was to experimentally investigate the bond-related tension stiffening behavior of flexural reinforced concrete (RC) beams made with lightweight aggregate concrete (LWAC) under various high-cycle fatigue loading conditions. Based on strain measurements of tensile steel in the RC beams, fatigue-induced degradation of tension stiffening effects was evaluated and was, compared to reinforced normal weight concrete (NWC) beams with equal concrete compressive strengths (40 MPa). According to applied load-mean steel strain relationships, the mean steel strain that developed under loading cycles was divided into elastic and plastic strain components. The experimental results showed that, in the high-cycle fatigue regime, the tension stiffening behavior of LWAC beams was different from that of NWC beams; LWAC beams had a lesser reduction in tension stiffening due to a better bond between steel and concrete. This was reflected in the stability of the elastic mean steel strains and in the higher degree of local plasticity that developed at the primary flexural cracks.

• International Journal of Aeronautical and Space Sciences
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.436-449
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• 2017

In this paper, the damage and failure behavior of triaxially braided textile composites was studied using progressive failure analysis. The analysis was performed at both micro and meso-scales through iterative cycles. Stress based failure criteria were used to define the failure states at both micro- and meso-scale models. The stress-strain curve under uniaxial tensile loading was drawn based on the load-displacement curve from the progressive failure analysis and compared to those by test and computational results from reference for verification. Then, the detailed failure initiation and propagation was studied using the verified model for both tensile and compression loading cases. The failure modes of each part of the model were assessed at different stages of failure. Effect of ply stacking and number of unit cells considered were then investigated using the resulting stress-strain curves and damage patterns. Finally, the effect of matrix plasticity was examined for the compressive failure behavior of the same model using elastic, elastic - perfectly plastic and multi-linear elastic-plastic matrix properties.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.183-193
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• 2022

Structural health monitoring and structural vibration control are multidisciplinary and frontier research directions of civil engineering. As intelligent materials that integrate sensing and actuation capabilities, shape memory alloys (SMAs) exhibit multiple excellent characteristics, such as shape memory effect, superelasticity, corrosion resistance, fatigue resistance, and high energy density. Moreover, SMAs possess excellent resistance sensing properties and large deformation ability. Superfine NiTi SMA wires have potential applications in structural health monitoring and micro-drive system. In this study, the mechanical properties and electrical resistance sensing characteristics of superfine NiTi SMA wires were experimentally investigated. The mechanical parameters such as residual strain, hysteretic energy, secant stiffness, and equivalent damping ratio were analyzed at different training strain amplitudes and numbers of loading-unloading cycles. The results demonstrate that the detwinning process shortened with increasing training amplitude, while austenitic mechanical properties were not affected. In addition, superfine SMA wires showed good strain-resistance linear correlation, and the loading rate had little effect on their mechanical properties and electrical resistance sensing characteristics. This study aims to provide an experimental basis for the application of superfine SMA wires in engineering.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.87 no.4
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• pp.333-346
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• 2023

This paper presents findings from an experimental study that was focused on evaluating the use of Forta-Ferro (FF) and Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) fibers on the response of moderate and special ductility beams under load cycles. For this reason, eight full-scale specimens, identical in geometry, were subjected to gradual cyclic loading. The specimens included two plain concrete beams with medium and special ductility, three beams with medium ductility and stirrup spacing of one-quarter the effective depth (d/4) and three beams with special ductility, and stirrup spacing of one-half the effective depth (d/2), strengthened with FF and PVA fibers separately. The use of fibers was aimed at reducing the amount of shear reinforcement in flexural members. Here, the variation of parameters including the maximum strength, ultimate strength, stiffness, ductility, damage index, energy dissipation, and equivalent damping was studied. Utilizing FF and PVA fibers improved the performance in beams with moderate ductility when compared to those beams with special ductility. Therefore, in special ductility beams, fibers can be used instead of crossties and in moderate ductility beams, fibers can be added to reduce the ratio of shear reinforcement. Furthermore, increasing the stirrup spacing in the moderate ductility beams from d/4 to d/2 and adding 0.6% FF or 1.5% PVA fibers resulted in behavior similar to those of the moderate ductility beam.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.26 no.2A
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• pp.351-361
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• 2006

In this study, nonlinear finite element analysis procedures are presented for the seismic performance assessment of circular reinforced concrete bridge piers with confinement steel. This paper defines a damage index based on the predicted hysteretic behavior of a circular reinforced concrete bridge pier. Damage indices aim to provide a means of quantifying numerically the damage in circular reinforced concrete bridge piers sustained under earthquake loading. The proposed numerical method is applied to circular reinforced concrete bridge piers with confinement steel tested by the authors. The proposed numerical method gives a realistic prediction of seismic performance throughout the loading cycles for several test specimens investigated.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.359-370
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• 2024

The primary goal of this study is to evaluate the migration of fine granular materials into overlying layers under cyclic loading using a modified large-scale triaxial system as a physical model test. Samples prepared for the modified large-scale triaxial system comprised a 60 mm thick gravel layer overlying a 120 mm thick subgrade layer, which could be either tailings or railway sand. A quantitative analysis of the migration of fine granular materials was based on the mass percentage and grain size of migrated materials collected in the gravel. In addition, the cyclic characteristics, i.e., accumulated axial strain and excess pore water pressure, were evaluated. As a result, the total migration rate of the railway sand sample was found to be small. However, the total migration rate of the sample containing tailings in the subgrade layer was much higher than that of the railway sand sample. In addition, the migration analysis revealed that finer tailings particles tended to be migrated into the upper gravel layer easier than coarser tailings particles under cyclic loading. This could be involved in significant increases in excess pore water pressure at the last cycles of the physical model test.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.179-186
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• 2010

The bond between steel and concrete in reinforced concrete members is essential to resist external load, but the bond mechanism in reinforced concrete beams deteriorated by steel corrosion has not been clearly known yet. Most existing researches have dealt with the bond behavior of corroded steel under monotonic loading, but scarce are researches dealing with bond behavior of corroded steel under repeated loading. This study includes the experimental investigation on the bond behavior with respect to the various degrees of steel corrosion under repeated loading. According to the test results, the bond strength of corroded steel under monotonic loading increases as the rate of steel corrosion increases unless the splitting crack occurs. The slip versus number of load cycles relation was found to be approximately linear in double logarithmic scale, not only in specimens without steel corrosion but also in specimens with steel corrosion. The test results also show that the steel corrosion does not negatively affect the bond strength of corroded steel after repeated loading unless the splitting crack occurs. But the fatigue life decreases sharply after splitting crack occurs. This research will be helpful for the realistic durability design and condition assessment of reinforced concrete structures.