• Computers and Concrete
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.161-169
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• 2017

Chloride induced reinforcement corrosion is widely accepted to be the most frequent mechanism causing premature degradation of reinforced concrete structures. The electrochemical impedance of reinforcing steel in diatomite- and zeolite-containing concrete exposed to sodium chloride was assessed. Chemical, physical and mineralogical properties of three concrete samples (20% diatomite, 20% zeolite, and a reference containing neither) were correlated with corrosion investigations. The steel-reinforced samples were exposed to 3.5% NaCl solution for 500 days, and measured every 15 days via EIS method. Results indicated that porosity and capillary spaces increase the diffusion rate of water and electrolytes throughout the concrete, making it more susceptible to cracking. Reinforcement in the reference concrete was the most corroded compare to the zeolite and the diatomite samples.

• Coupled systems mechanics
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.281-287
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• 2020

Nanotechnology is an upcoming technology that can provide solution for combating pollution by controlling shape and size of materials at the nanoscale. This review provides comprehensive information regarding the role of nanotechnology in pollution control at concrete structures. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles are a good item for concrete structures for diminishing the air polluting affect by gasses of exhaust. In this article, the mixture rule is presented for the effect of nanoparticles in environmental pollution reduction in concrete structures. The compressive strength, elastic modulus and reduction of steel bars in the concrete structures are studied. The Results show that TiO2 nanoparticles have significant effect on the reduction of environmental pollution and increase of stiffness in the concrete structures. In addition, the nanoparticles can reduce the use of steel bars in the concrete structure.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.567-580
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• 2005

Numerous tests on concrete structure members under local pressure demonstrated that the compressive strength of concrete at the loaded surface is increased by the confinement effect provided by the enveloping concrete. Even though most design codes propose specific criteria for preventing bearing failure, they do not take into consideration size effect which is an important phenomenon in the fracture mechanics of concrete/reinforced concrete. In this paper, six series of square prism concrete blocks with three different depths (size range = 1:4) and two different height/depth ratios of 2 and 3 are tested under concentrated load. Ultimate loads obtained from the test results are analysed by means of the modified size effect law (MSEL). Then, a prediction formula, which considers effect of both depth and height on size effect, is proposed. The developed formula is compared with experimental data existing in the literature. It is concluded that the observed size effect is in good agreement with the MSEL.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.337-355
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• 2016

Steel coupling beam in reinforced concrete (RC) coupled shear wall system is a proper substitute for deep concrete coupling beam. Previous studies have shown that RC coupled walls with steel or concrete coupling beam designed with strength-based design approach, may not guarantee a ductile behavior of a coupled shear wall system. Therefore, seismic performance evaluation of RC coupled shear wall with steel or concrete coupling beam designed based on a strength-based design approach is essential. In this paper first, buildings with 7, 14 and 21 stories containing RC coupled shear wall system with concrete and steel coupling beams were designed with strength-based design approach, then performance level of these buildings were evaluated under two spectrum; Design Basis Earthquake (DBE) and Maximum Considered Earthquake (MCE). The performance level of LS and CP of all buildings were satisfied under DBE and MCE respectively. In spite of the steel coupling beam, concrete coupling beam in RC coupled shear wall acts like a fuse under strong ground motion.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.351-364
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• 2013

This paper presents results from an analytical investigation of the behavior of steel reinforced concrete circular column sections with additional Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymers (GFRP) bars. The primary application of this composite section is to relocate the plastic hinge region from the column-footing joint where repair is difficult and expensive. Mainly, the study focuses on the development of the full nominal moment-axial load (M-P) interaction diagrams for hybrid concrete sections, reinforced with steel bars as primary reinforcement, and GFRP as auxiliary control bars. A large parametric study of circular steel reinforced concrete members were undertaken using a purpose-built MATLAB(c) code. The parameters considered were amount, location, dimensions and mechanical properties of steel, GFRP and concrete. The results indicate that the plastic hinge was indeed shifted to a less critical and congested region, thus facilitating cost-effective repair. Moreover, the reinforced concrete steel-GFRP section exhibited high strength and good ductility.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.703-721
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• 2016

A novel approach to modeling concrete behavior at the stage of its maturing is presented in this paper. This approach assumes that at any point in the structure, concrete is composed of a set of layers that are activated in time layer by layer, based on amount of released heat that is produced during process of the concrete's maturing. This allows one to assume that each newly created layer has nominal stiffness moduli and tensile/compressive strengths. Hence introduction of explicit stiffness moduli and tensile/compressive strength dependencies on time, or equivalent time state parameter, is not needed. Analysis of plain concrete (PC) and reinforced concrete (RC) structures, especially massive ones, subjected to any kind of straining in their early stage of existence, mostly due to external loads but especially by thermal loading and shrinkage, is the goal of the approach. In this article a simple elasto-plastic softening model with creep is used for each layer and a general layered model behavior is illustrated on one-dimensional (1D) examples.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.815-829
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• 2016

This study has been carried out to investigate the effect of the surface properties of Portland cement, diatomite and zeolite on the performance of concrete composites. In this context, to describe the materials used in this study and determine the properties of them, chemical, physical, mineralogical, molecular, thermal, and zeta potential analysis have been applied. In the study, reference (Portland cement), 10%-20% diatomite, 10%-20% zeolite, 5+5%-10+10% diatomite and zeolite were substituted for Portland cement, a total of 7 different cements were obtained. Ultrasonic pulse velocity, capillary water absorption and compressive strength tests were performed on the hardened concrete specimens. Hardened concrete tests have been done on seven different types of concrete, for 28, 56 and 90 days. As a result of experiments it has been identified that both the zeolite and diatomite substitution has a positive effect on the performance of concrete.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 2011

The response of concrete to transient dynamic loading has received extensive attention for both civil and military applications. Accordingly, thoroughly understanding the response and failure modes of concrete subjected to impact or explosive loading is vital to the protection provided by fortifications. Reactive powder concrete (RPC), as developed by Richard and Cheyrezy (1995) in recent years, is a unique mixture that is cured such that it has an ultra-high compressive strength. In this work, the concrete cylinders with different steel fiber volume fractions were subjected to repeated impact loading by a split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) device. Experimental results indicate that the ability of repeated impact resistance of ultra-high-strength concrete was markedly superior to that of other specimens. Additionally, the rate of damage was decelerated and the energy absorption of ultra-high-strength concrete improved as the steel fiber volume fraction increased.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.35-47
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• 2012

The ideal gradating curve is used in this study to estimate densified aggregate blended ratio and total surface area of aggregate, there by under assigned paste amount of concrete, and coating paste thickness can then be deduced. Four groups of concrete mixtures were prepared and the corresponding concrete properties, such as workability, compression strength, ultrasonic velocity, surface resistivity and chloride ion penetration, were measured and finally the results are interpreted in terms of "coating thickness". The result shows as the coating thickness of the concrete is higher than critical one, the coating thickness on aggregate does affect the workability, and whatever workability is required the superplasticizer can be adjusted to achieve the demand workability. Under a fixed paste quality at the same age, coating paste thickness is inversely proportional to the concrete properties, especially as the coating thickness gets thinner.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.219-229
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• 2012

Carbonation is a widespread degradation of concrete and may be coupled with more severe degradations. An experimental investigation was carried out to study the effect of carbonation on chloride ion diffusion of concrete. The characteristic of concrete after carbonation was measured, such as carbonation depth, strength and pore structure. Results indicated that carbonation depth has a good linear relation with square root of carbonate time, and carbonation can improve compressive strength, but lower flexural strength. Results about pore structure of concrete before and after carbonation have shown that carbonation could cause a redistribution of the pore sizes and increase the proportion of small pores. It also can decrease porosities, most probable pore size and average pore diameters. Chloride ion diffusion of concrete after carbonation was studied through natural diffusion method and steady state migration testing method respectively. It is supposed that the chloride ion concentration of carbonation region is higher than that of the sound region because of the separation of fixed salts, and chloride ion diffusion coefficient was increased due to carbonation action evidently.