• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.501-516
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• 2010

This paper is aiming to study the performances of reinforced high-strength concrete (HSC) short columns confined with aramid fibre-reinforced polymer (AFRP) sheets. An experimental program, which involved 45 confined columns and nine unconfined columns, was carried out in this study. All the columns were circular in cross section and tested under axial compressive load. The considered parameters included the concrete strength, amount of AFRP layers, and ratio of hoop reinforcements. Based on the experimental results, a prediction model for the axial stress-strain curves of the confined columns was proposed. It was observed from the experiment that there was a great increment in the compressive strength of the columns when the amount of AFRP layers increases, similar as the ultimate strain. However, these increments were reduced as the concrete strength increasing. Comparisons with other existing prediction models present that the proposed model can provide more accurate predictions.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.517-533
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• 2014

Experimental results of 39 specimens including concrete columns, RC columns, hollow steel tube columns, concrete filled steel tubular (CFT) columns, and reinforced concrete filled steel tubular (RCFT) columns are presented. Based on the experimental results, the load-carrying capacity, confined effect, ductility, and failure mode of test columns are investigated. The effects of the main factors such as width-thickness ratio (the ratio of external diameter and wall thickness for steel tubes), concrete strength, steel tube with or without rib, and arrangement of reinforcing bars on the mechanical characteristics of columns are discussed as well. The differences between CFT and RCFT are compared. As a result, it is thought that strength, rigidity and ductility of RCFT are improved; especially strength and ductility are improved after the peak of load-displacement curve.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.389-400
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• 2008

In this work we simulate explicitly the dynamic fracture propagation in reinforced concrete beams. In particular, adopting cohesive theories of fracture with the direct simulation of fracture and fragmentation, we represent the concrete matrix, the steel re-bars and the interface between the two materials explicitly. Therefore the crack nucleation within the concrete matrix, through and along the re-bars, the deterioration of the concrete-steel interface are modeled explicitly. The numerical simulations are validated against experiments of three-point-bend beams loaded dynamically under various strain rates. By extracting the crack-tip positions and the crack mouth opening displacement history, a two-stage crack propagation, marked by the attainment of the peak load, is observed. The first stage corresponds to the stable crack advance, the second one, the unstable collapse of the beam.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.401-416
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• 2008

The paper presents a methodology to model three-dimensional reinforced concrete members by means of embedded discontinuity elements based on the Continuum Strong Discontinuous Approach (CSDA). Mixture theory concepts are used to model reinforced concrete as a 3D composite material constituted of concrete with long fibers (rebars) bundles oriented in different directions embedded in it. The effects of the rebars are modeled by phenomenological constitutive models devised to reproduce the axial non-linear behavior, as well as the bond-slip and dowel action. The paper presents the constitutive models assumed for the components and the compatibility conditions chosen to constitute the composite. Numerical analyses of existing experimental reinforced concrete members are presented, illustrating the applicability of the proposed methodology.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.5 no.6
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• pp.559-572
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• 2008

The effects of fly ash and superplasticizer (SP) on workability of concrete are quite difficult to predict because they are dependent on other concrete ingredients. Because of high complexity of the relations between workability and concrete compositions, conventional regression analysis could be not sufficient to build an accurate model. In this study, a workability model has been built using artificial neural networks (ANN). In this model, the workability is a function of the content of all concrete ingredients, including cement, fly ash, blast furnace slag, water, superplasticizer, coarse aggregate, and fine aggregate. The effects of water/binder ratio (w/b), fly ash-binder ratio (fa/b), superplasticizer-binder ratio (SP/b), and water content on slump were explored by the trained ANN. This study led to the following conclusions: (1) ANN can build a more accurate workability model than polynomial regression. (2) Although the water content and SP/b were kept constant, a change in w/b and fa/b had a distinct effect on the workability properties. (3) An increasing content of fly ash decreased the workability, while raised the slump upper limit that can be obtained.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.111-123
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• 2011

Severe element distortion problem is observed in finite element mesh while performing numerical simulations of high velocity steel projectiles penetration/perforation of concrete targets using finite element method (FEM). This problem of element distortion in Lagrangian formulation of FEM can be resolved by using element erosion methodology. Element erosion approach is applied in the finite element program by defining failure parameters as a condition for element elimination. In this study strain parameters for both compression and tension at failure are used as failure criteria. Since no direct method exists to determine these values, a calibration approach is used to establish suitable failure strain values while performing numerical simulations of ogive-nose steel projectile penetration/perforation into concrete target. A range of erosion parameters is suggested and adopted in concrete penetration/perforation tests to validate the suggested values. Good agreement between the numerical and field data is observed.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.59-70
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• 2011

A theoretical model known as the modified rotating-angle softened-truss model (MRA-STM), which is a modification of Rotating-Angle Softened-Truss Model and Modified Compression Field Theory, is presented for the analysis of reinforced concrete membranes in shear. As an application, shear strength and behaviour of reinforced concrete exterior beam-column joints are analysed using the MRA-STM combining with the deep beam analogy. The joints are considered as RC panels and subjected to vertical and horizontal shear stresses from adjacent columns and beams. The strut and truss actions in a beam-column joint are represented by the effective transverse compression stresses and a softened concrete truss in the proposed model. The theoretical predictions of shear strength of reinforced concrete exterior beam-column joints from the proposed model show good agreement with the experimental results.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.357-369
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• 2011

In this study, effect of steel fibers on toughness and some mechanical properties of concrete were investigated. Hooked-end steel fibers were used in concrete samples with three volume fractions (${\nu}_f$) of 0.5%, 0.75% and 1% and for two aspect ratios (l/d) of 45 and 65. Compressive and flexural tensile strength and modulus of elasticity of concrete were determined for cylindrical, cubic and prismatic samples at the age of 7 and 28 days. The stress-strain curves of standard cylindrical specimens were studied to determine the effect of steel fibers on toughness of steel-fiber-reinforced concrete (SFRC). In addition, the relationship between compressive strength and the flexural tensile strength of SFRC were reported. Finally, a simple model was proposed to generate the stress-strain curves for SFRC based on strains corresponding to the peak compressive strength and 60% of peak compressive stress. The proposed model was shown to provide results in good correlation with the experimental results.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.563-575
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• 2014

Concrete which is a composite material is frequently used in construction works. Properties and behavior of concrete are significant under the effect of different loading cases. Impact loading which is a sudden dynamic one may have destructive effects on structures. Testing apparatuses are designed to investigate the impact effect on test members. Artificial Neural Network (ANN) is a computational model that is inspired by the structure or functional aspects of biological neural networks. It can be defined as an emulation of biological neural system. In this study, impact parameters as acceleration and impact force values of a reinforced concrete slab are obtained by using a testing apparatus and essential test devices. Afterwards, ANN analysis which is used to model different physical dynamic processes depending on several variables is performed in the numerical part of the study. Finally, test and predicted results are compared and it's seen that ANN analysis is an alternative way to predict the results successfully.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.241-260
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• 2002

The effect of shear coupled with axial force variation on the inelastic seismic behaviour of reinforced concrete bridge piers is investigated in this paper. For this purpose, a hysteretic axial-shear interaction model was developed and implemented in a nonlinear finite element analysis program. Thus, flexure-shear-axial interaction is simulated under variable amplitude reversed actions. Comparative studies for shear-dominated reinforced concrete columns indicated that a conventional FE model based on flexure-axial interaction only gave wholly inadequate results and was therefore incapable of predicting the behaviour of such members. Analysis of a reinforced concrete bridge damaged during the Northridge (California 1994) earthquake demonstrated the importance of shear modelling. The contribution of shear deformation to total displacement was considerable, leading to increased ductility demand. Moreover, the effect of shear with axial force variation can significantly affect strength, stiffness and energy dissipation capacity of reinforced concrete members. It is concluded that flexure-shear-axial interaction should be taken into account in assessing the behaviour of reinforced concrete bridge columns, especially in the presence of high vertical ground motion.