• Computers and Concrete
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.293-302
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• 2020

Connections play a significant role in strength of structures against earthquake-induced loads. According to the post-seismic reports, connection failure is a cause of overall failure in reinforced concrete (RC) structures. Connection failure results in a sudden increase in inter-story drift, followed by early and progressive failure across the entire structure. This article investigated the cyclic performance and behavioral improvement of shape-memory alloy-based connections (SMA-based connections). The novelty of the present work is focused on the effect of shape memory alloy bars is damage reduction, strain recoverability, and cracking distribution of the stated material in RC moment frames under seismic loads using 3D nonlinear static analyses. The present numerical study was verified using two experimental connections. Then, the performance of connections was studied using 14 models with different reinforcement details on a scale of 3:4. The response parameters under study included moment-rotation, secant stiffness, energy dissipation, strain of bar, and moment-curvature of the connection. The connections were simulated using LS-DYNA environment. The models with longitudinal SMA-based bars, as the main bars, could eliminate residual plastic rotations and thus reduce the demand for post-earthquake structural repairs. The flag-shaped stress-strain curve of SMA-based materials resulted in a very slight residual drift in such connections.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.539-562
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• 2016

The seismic behavior of a ${\frac{1}{2}}$ scaled, three-story three-bay RC frame with masonry infill walls was studied experimentally and numerically. Pseudo-dynamic test results showed that despite following the column design provisions of modern seismic codes and neglecting the presence of infill walls, shear induced damage is unavoidable in the boundary columns. A finite element model was validated by using the results of available one-story one-bay frame tests in the literature. Simulations of the examined test frame demonstrated that boundary columns are subjected to shear demands in excess of their shear capacity. Seismic assessment of the test frame was conducted by using ASCE/SEI 41-06 (2006) guidelines and the obtained results were compared with the damage observed during experiment. ASCE/SEI 41-06 method for the assessment of boundary columns was found unsatisfactory in estimating the observed damage. Damage estimations were improved when the strain limits were used within the plastic hinge zone instead of column full height.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.165-181
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• 2014

In the past decade, different types of underreamed ground anchors have been developed for substructures requiring uplift resistance. This article introduces a new type of umbrella-shaped anchor. The uplift behavior of this ground anchor in clay is studied through a series of laboratory and field uplift tests. The test results show that the umbrella-shaped anchor has higher uplift capacity than conventional anchors. The failure mode of the umbrella-shaped anchor in a large embedment depth can be characterized by an arc failure surface and the dimension of the plastic zone depends on the anchor diameter. The anchor diameter and embedment depth have significant influence on the uplift behavior. A finite element model is established to simulate the pullout of the ground anchor. A parametric study using this model is conducted to study the effects of the elastic modulus, cohesion, and friction angle of soils on the load-displacement relationship of the ground anchor. It is found that the larger the elastic modulus and the shear strength parameters, the higher the uplift capacity of the ground anchor. It is suggested that in engineering design, the soil with stiffer modulus and higher shear strength should be selected as the bearing stratum of this type of anchor.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.9
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• pp.3112-3121
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• 2021

One of the major factors affecting the life span of a Reactor Pressure Vessel (RPV) is the Pressurised Thermal Shock (PTS). PTS is a thermo-mechanical load on the RPV wall due to steep temperature gradients and structural load created by internal pressure of the fluid within the RPV. Safe operating life of a nuclear power plant is ensured by carrying out fracture analysis of the RPV against thermal shock. Carrying out fracture tests on RPV/large scale components is not always feasible. Hence, studies on laboratory level specimens are necessary to validate and supplement the prototype results. This paper aims to study the fracture behaviour of standard Compact Tension [C(T)] specimens, made of RPV steel 20MnMoNi55, subjected to thermal shock through experimental and numerical investigations. Fracture tests have been carried out on the C(T) specimens subjected to thermal transient load and tensile load to quantify the effect of thermal shock. Crack resistance curves are obtained from the fracture tests as per ASTM E1820 and compared with those obtained numerically using XFEM and a good agreement was found. A quantitative study on the crack tip plastic zone, computed using cohesive segment approach, from the numerical analyses justified the experimental crack initiation toughness.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.51 no.7
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• pp.1805-1815
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• 2019

While nickel-based alloys have been widely used for power plants due to corrosion resistance and good mechanical properties, during the last couple of decades, failures of nuclear components increased gradually. One of main degradation mechanisms was primary water stress corrosion cracking at dissimilar metal welds of piping and reactor head penetrations. In this context, precise estimation of welding effects became an important issue for ensuring reliability of them. The present study deals with a series of finite element analyses and crack growth rate evaluation of Alloys 690/152. Firstly, variation of residual stresses and equivalent plastic strains was simulated taking into account welding of a cylindrical block. Subsequently, extraction and pre-cracking of compact tension (CT) specimens were considered from different locations of the block. Finally, crack growth curves of the alloys and heat affected zone were developed based on analyses results combined with experimental data in references. Characteristics of crack growth behaviors were also discussed in relation to mechanical and fracture parameters.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.435-445
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• 2019

The collapses of curved bridges are mainly caused by the damaged columns, subjected to the combined loadings of axial load, shear force, flexural moment and torsional moment, under earthquakes. However, these combined loadings have not been fully investigated. This paper firstly investigated the mechanical characteristics of the bending-torsion coupling effects, based on the seismic response spectrum analysis of 24 curved bridge models. And then 9 reinforced concrete (RC) and circular column specimens were tested, by changing the bending-tortion ratio (M/T), axial compression ratio, longitudinal reinforcement ratio and spiral reinforcement ratio, respectively. The results show that the bending-torsion coupling effects of piers are more significant, along with the decrease of girder curvature and the increase of pier height. The M/T ratio ranges from 6 to 15 for common cases, and influences the crack distribution, plastic zone and hysteretic curve of piers. And these seismic characteristics are also influenced by the compression ratio, longitudinal reinforcement ratio and spiral reinforcement ratios of piers.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.171-177
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• 2021

This paper is concerned with the surface hardness measurement of NiP-coated AA7050 using different loads from 10 to 100 g. The surface hardness was observed to increase from 180 to 600 H_v with increasing NiP layer thickness, depending on the load applied for indentation. When NiP coating thickness is thinner than 2 ㎛, the surface hardness of NiP-coated AA7050 was mainly determined by AA7050 substrate, while it was significantly increased by NiP coating layer when NiP coating thickness is thicker than 2 ㎛. Hardness of AA7050 substrate itself was not dependent on the applied load but the hardness of NiP-coated AA7050 was largely influenced by the load applied for indentation. The largest difference of hardness between 10 g and 100g of applied loads, was obtained at the NiP thickness of about 8 ㎛ above which the measured hardness at 10 g reached a maximum value of about 600 H_v. It was also observed that indentation-induced plastic deformation next to the indented zone occurs when NiP layer is 5.64 times thicker than the depth of impression formed by indentation.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.484-490
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• 2021

Instrumented indentation testing has been widely used for residual stress measurement. The Knoop indentation is mainly selected for determining anisotropic mechanical properties and non-equibiaxial residual stress. However, the measurement of equibiaxial stress state and compressive residual stress on a specimen surface using Knoop indentation is neither fully comprehended nor unavailable. In this study, we investigated stress conversion factors for measuring Knoop indentation on equibiaxial stress state through indentation depth using finite element analysis. Knoop indentation was conducted for specimens to determine tensile and compressive equibiaxial residual stress. Both were found to be increased proportionally according to indentation depth. The stress field beneath the indenter during each indentation test was also analyzed. Compressive residual stress suppressed the in-plane expansion of stress field during indentation. In contrast, stress fields beneath the indenter developed diagonally downward for tensile residual stress. Furthermore, differences between trends of stress fields at long and short axes of Knoop indenter were observed due to difference in indenting angles and the projected area of plastic zone that was exposed to residual stress.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.23 no.12
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• pp.33-39
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• 2022

This paper presents the long-term behavior of tunnel considering the degradation of concrete lining and surrounding soil. Tunnel is a composite structure which has supporting elements (shotcrete, lining, and rockbolt) and surrounding soils. These supporting elements and surrounding soils undergo the degradation as time goes. A proposed degradation function which has two parameters which control the residual strength and degradation shape was applied to the numerical analysis. The results showed the plastic zone was spread around tunnel due to the degradation leading to the increase in unstability of tunnel.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.11
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• pp.4112-4119
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• 2023

This study employs the microshear test method to examine the local mechanical properties of narrow-gap welded joints, revealing the mechanical inhomogeneity by evaluating the microshear strength, stress-strain curves, and failure strain. On this basis, the influence of weld joints micromechanical inhomogeneity on the crack tip opening displacement (CTOD) fracture toughness is investigated. From the root weld layer to the cover weld layer, the fracture toughness at the center of the weld seam demonstrates an increasing trend, with the experimental and calculated CTOD values showing a good correspondence. The microproperties of the welded joints significantly impact the load-bearing capacity and fracture toughness. During the deformation process of the "low-matching" microregions, the plastic zone expansion is hindered by the surrounding microregion strength constraints, thus reducing the fracture toughness. In contrast, during the deformation of the "high-matching" microregions, the surrounding microregions absorb some of the loading energy, partially releasing the concentrated stress at the crack tip, which in turn increases the fracture toughness.