• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제65권6호
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• pp.751-760
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• 2018

Damages in concrete structures due to aging and other factors could be a serious and immense matter. Making the best selection of the most viable and practical repairing and strengthening techniques are relatively difficult tasks using traditional methods of structural analyses. This is due to the fact that the traditional methods used for assessing aging structure are not fully capable when considering the randomness in strength, loads and cost. This paper presents a reliability-based methodology for assessing reinforced concrete members. The methodology of this study is based on probabilistic analysis, using statistics of the random variables in the performance function equations. Principles of reliability updating are used in the assessment process, as new information is taken into account and combined with prior probabilistic models. The methodology can result in a reliability index ${\beta}$ that can be used to assess the structural component by comparing its value with a standard value. In addition, these methods result in partial safety factor values that can be used for the purpose of strengthening the R/C elements of the existing structure. Calculations and computations of the reliability indices and the partial safety factors values are conducted using the First-order Reliability Method and Monte Carlo simulation.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• 제10권4호
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• pp.289-299
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• 2020

A reliability analysis of the axial compressive load bearing capacity of postfire reinforced concrete (RC) columns strengthened with carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) sheets was presented. A 3D finite element (FE) model was built for heat transfer analysis using software ABAQUS. Based on the temperature distribution obtained from the FE analysis, the residual axial compressive load bearing capacity of RC columns was worked out using the section method. Formulas for calculating the residual axial compressive load bearing capacity of the columns after fire exposure and the axial compressive load bearing capacity of postfire columns retrofitted with CFRP sheets were developed. Then the Monte Carlo method was used to analyze the reliability of the axial compressive load bearing capacity of the RC columns retrofitted with CFRP sheets using a code developed in MATLAB. The effects of fire exposure time, load ratio, number of CFRP layers, concrete cover thickness, and longitudinal reinforcement ratio on the reliability of the axial compressive load bearing capacity of the columns after fire were investigated. The results show that within 60 minutes of fire exposure time, the reliability index of the RC columns after retrofitting with two layers of CFRPs can meet the requirements of Chinese code GB 50068 (GB 2001) for safety level II. This method is effective and accurate for the reliability analysis of the axial load bearing capacity of postfire reinforced concrete columns retrofitted with CFRP.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제66권4호
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• pp.423-438
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• 2018

This pioneer study focuses on finite element modeling and numerical modeling of three types of Reinforced Concrete Haunched Beams (RCHBs). Firstly, twenty RCHBs, consisting of three types, and four prismatic beams which had been tested experimentally were modeled via a nonlinear finite element method (NFEM) based software named as, ATENA. The modeling results were compared with experimental results including load capacity, deflection, crack pattern and mode of failure. The comparison showed a good agreement between the results and thus the model used can be effectively used for further studies of RCHB with high accuracy. Afterwards, new mechanism modes and design code equations were proposed to improve the shear design equation of ACI-318 and to predict the critical effective depth. These equations are the first comprehensive formulas in the literature involving all types of RCHBs. The statistical analysis showed the superiority of the proposed equation to their predecessors where the correlation coefficient, $R^2$ was found to be 0.89 for the proposed equation. Moreover, the new equation was validated using parametric and reliability analyses. The parametric analysis of both experimental and predicted results shows that the inclination angle and the compressive strength were the most influential parameters on the shear strength. The reliability analysis indicates that the accuracy of the new formulation is significantly higher as compared to available design equations and its reliability index is within acceptable limits.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• 제2권4호
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• pp.261-280
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• 2014

In many parts of the world, reinforced concrete (RC) buildings, designed and built in accordance with older codes, have suffered severe damage or even collapse as a result of recent near-fault earthquakes. This is particularly due to the deficiencies of most of the older (and even some of the recent) codes in dealing with near fault events. In this study, a tested three-storey frame designed for gravity loads only was selected to represent those deficient buildings. Nonlinear time history analyses were performed, followed by damage assessment procedures. The results were compared with experimental observation of the same frame showing a good match. Damage and fragility analyses of the frame subjected to 204 pulse-type motions were then performed using a selected damage model and inter-storey drifts. The results showed that the frame located in near-fault regions is extremely vulnerable to ground motions. The results also showed that the damage model better captures the damage distribution in the frame than inter-storey drifts. The first storey was identified as the most fragile and the inner columns of the first storey suffered most damage as indicated by the damage index. The findings would be helpful in the decision making process prior to the strengthening of buildings in near-fault regions.

• Computers and Concrete
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• 제15권2호
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• pp.215-229
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• 2015

The emerging technology of self compacting concrete, fiber reinforcement together reduces vibration and substitute conventional reinforcement which help in improving the economic efficiency of the construction. The objective of this work is to find the regression model to determine the response surface of mix proportioning Steel Fiber Reinforced Self Compacting Concrete (SFSCC) using statistical investigation. A total of 30 mixtures were designed and analyzed based on Design of Experiment (DOE). The fresh properties of SCC and mechanical properties of concrete were studied using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The results were analyzed by limited proportion of fly ash, fiber, volume combination ratio of two steel fibers with aspect ratio of 50/35: 60/30 and super plasticizer (SP) dosage. The center composite designs (CCD) have selected to produce the response in quadratic equation. The model responses included in the primary stage were flowing ability, filling ability, passing ability and segregation index whereas in harden stage of concrete, compressive strength, split tensile strength and flexural strength at 28 days were tested. In this paper, the regression model and the response surface plots have been discussed, and optimal results were found for all the responses.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제52권3호
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• pp.559-572
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• 2014

This paper presents the results of an experimental investigation on the flexural behavior of doubly reinforced lightweight concrete (R.L.C.) beams tested under cyclic loading. A total of 20 beam specimens were tested. Test results are presented in terms of ductility index, the degradation of strength and stiffness, and energy dissipation. The flexural properties of R.L.C. beam were compared to those of normal concrete (R.C.) beams. Test results show that R.L.C. beam with low and medium concrete strength (20, 40MPa) performed displacement ductility similar to the R.C. beam. The ductility can be improved by enhancing the concrete strength or decreasing the tension reinforcement ratio. Using lightweight aggregate in concrete is advantageous to the dynamic stiffness of R.L.C. beam. Enhancement of concrete strength and increase of reinforcement ratio will lead to increase of the stiffness degradation of beam. The energy dissipation of R.L.C beam, similar to R.C. beam, increase with the increase of tension reinforcement ratio. The energy dissipation of unit load cycle for smaller tension reinforcement ratio is relatively less than that of beam with higher reinforcement ratio.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제51권4호
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• pp.663-683
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• 2014

In order to study the dynamic failure mechanism and aseismic measure for high concrete gravity dam under earthquake, the comparative models experiment on the shaking table was conducted to investigate the dynamic damage response of concrete gravity dam with and without the presence of reinforcement and evaluate the effectiveness of the strengthening measure. A new model concrete was proposed and applied for maintaining similitude with the prototype. A kind of extra fine wires as a substitute for rebar was embedded in four-points bending specimens of the model concrete to make of reinforced model concrete. The simulation of reinforcement concrete of the weak zones of high dam by the reinforced model concrete meets the similitude requirements. A tank filled with water is mounted at the upstream of the dam models to simulate the reservoir. The Peak Ground Acceleration (PGA) that induces the first tensile crack at the head of dam is applied as the basic index for estimating the overload capacity of high concrete dams. For the two model dams with and without strengthening tested, vulnerable parts of them are the necks near the crests. The results also indicate that the reinforcement is beneficial for improving the seismic-resistant capacity of the gravity dam.

• Advances in nano research
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• 제11권6호
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• pp.621-640
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• 2021

Effect of thickness stretching on mechanical behavior of functionally graded (FG) carbon nanotubes reinforced composite (CNTRC) laminated nanoplates resting on elastic foundation is analyzed in this paper using a novel quasi 3D higher-order shear deformation theory. The key feature of this theoretical formulation is that, in addition to considering the thickness stretching effect, the number of unknowns of the displacement field is reduced to four, and which is more than five in the other models. Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) are the reinforced elements and are distributed with four power-law functions which are, uniform distribution, V-distribution, O-distribution and X-distribution. To cover various boundary conditions, an analytical solution is developed based on Galerkin method to solve the governing equilibrium equations by considering the nonlocal strain gradient theory. A modified two-dimensional variable Winkler elastic foundation is proposed in this study for the first time. A parametric study is executed to determine the influence of the reinforcement patterns, power-law index, nonlocal parameter, length scale parameter, thickness and aspect ratios, elastic foundation, thermal environments, and various boundary conditions on stresses, displacements, buckling loads and frequencies of the CNTRC laminated nanoplate.

• 한국안전학회지
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• 제38권2호
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• pp.36-43
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• 2023

In this study, a four-point bending test was conducted to assess and detect the damage to reinforced concrete structures using the acoustic emission (AE) technique. Based on the crack investigation results, flexural failure was classified into four stages and compared with the characteristic analysis results of AE parameters. The parametric characterization indicated that the activity of the primary AE signal was high in the early stage, and that of the second signal increased after the flexural cracks stabilized. Because the secondary AE signal included noise generated by friction, parameter-based analysis for damage assessment was performed using the primary signal; the secondary signal was used as complement. The activity analyses of the primary and secondary signals effectively classified crack propagation; however, determining the macrocracks and yielding of reinforcing bars had certain limitations. Nevertheless, applying the damage index with cumulative AE energy is a complementary technique for detecting and assessing structure damage that well detects the occurrence of macrocracks.

• Computers and Concrete
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• 제34권2호
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• pp.137-149
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• 2024

In order to study the triaxial mechanical behavior of steel fiber reinforced high performance concrete (SFRHPC), the standard triaxial compression tests with four different confining pressures are performed on the cylindrical specimens. Three different steel fiber volumes (0, 1% and 2%) are added in the specimens with diameter of 50 mm and height of 100 mm. Test results show that the triaxial compressive strength and peak strain increase with the increasing of fiber content at the same confining pressure. At the same steel fiber content, the triaxial compressive strength and peak strain increases with the confining pressure. The compressive strength growth rate declines as the confining pressure and steel fiber content increases. Longitudinal cracks are dominant in specimens with or without steel fiber under uniaxial compression loading. While with the confining pressure increases, diagonal crack due to shear is obvious. The Mohr-Coulomb criterion is illustrated can be used to describe the failure behavior, and the cohesive force increases as steel fiber content increases. Finally, the numerical model is built by using the PFC3D software. In the numerical model a index is introduced to reflect the effect of steel fiber content on the triaxial compressive behavior. The simulating stress-strain curve and failure mode of SFRHPC are agree well with the experimental results.