• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.67-78
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• 2018

The application of rib stiffeners is common on steel connections, with regard to the stiffened angle connection, experimental results about the influence of stiffeners under monotonic and cyclic loading are very limited. Consequently, this paper presents the experimental investigation on four types angle connections with or without stiffener under static loading and another four type stiffened angle connections subjected to cyclic loading. The static experimental result showed that the rib stiffener weld in tension zone of the connection greatly enhanced its initial rotational stiffness and flexural strength. While a stiffener was applied to the compression zone of the connection, it had not obvious influences on the initial rotational stiffness, but increased its flexural strength. The moment-rotation curves, skeleton curves, ductility, energy dissipation and rigidity were evaluated under cyclic loading. Stiffened top-and-seat angle connections behaved as semi-rigid and partial strength, and rotation of all stiffened angle connections exceeded 0.04rad. The failure modes between monotonic and cyclic loading test were completely different and indicated certain robustness.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.705-716
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• 2017

The objective of this study is to investigate the actual behavior of studs in structures under earthquake load through laboratory tests and numerical simulation. A test program including eighteen specimens was devised with consideration of different concrete strengths and stud diameters. Six of specimens were subjected to monotonically increasing loading while the others were subjected to cyclic loading. Mechanical behavior including the failure mechanism, load-slip relationship, stiffness degradation, energy dissipation and the damage accumulation was obtained from the test results. An accurate numerical model based on the ABAQUS software was developed and validated against the test results. The results obtained from the finite element (FE) model matched well with the experimental results. Furthermore, based on the experimental and numerical data, the design formulas for expressing the skeleton curve were proposed and the simplified hysteretic model of load versus displacement was then established. It is demonstrated that the proposed formulas and simplified hysteretic model have a good match with the test results.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.199-212
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• 2019

This paper presents an investigation on seismic behavior of out-of-code Q690 circular high-strength concrete-filled thin-walled steel tubular (HCFTST) columns made up of high-strength (HS) steel tubes (yield strength $f_y{\geq}690MPa$). Eight Q690 circular HCFTST columns with various diameter-to-thickness (D/t) ratios, concrete cylinder compressive strengths ($f_c$) and axial compression ratios (n) were tested under the constant axial loading and reversed cyclic lateral loading. The obtained lateral load-displacement hysteretic curves, energy dissipation, skeleton curves and ductility, and stiffness degradation were analyzed in detail to reflect the influences of tested parameters. Subsequently, a simplified shear strength model was derived and validated by the test results. Finally, a finite element analysis (FEA) model incorporating a stress triaxiality dependent fracture criterion was established to simulate the seismic behavior. The systematic investigation indicates the following: compared to the D/t ratio and axial compression ratio, improving the concrete compressive strength (e.g., the HS thin-walled steel tube filled with HS concrete) had a slight influence on the ductility but an obvious enhancement of energy dissipation and peak load; the simplified shear strength model based on truss mechanism accurately predicted the shear-resisting capacity; and the established FEA model incorporating steel fracture criterion simulated well the seismic behavior (e.g., hysteretic curve, local buckling and fracture), which can be applied to the seismic analysis and design of Q690 circular HCFTST columns.

• Coupled systems mechanics
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.375-387
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• 2013

Soils consist of an assemblage of particles with different sizes and shapes which form a skeleton whose voids are filled with water and air. Hence, soil behaviour must be analyzed by incorporating the effects of the transient flow of the pore-fluid through the voids, and therefore requires a two-phase continuum formulation for saturated porous media. The present paper presents briefly the Biot's basic theory of dynamics of saturated porous media with u-P formulation to determine the responses of pore fluid and soil skeleton during cyclic loading. Kelvin elements are attached to transmitting boundary. The Pastor-Zienkiewicz-Chan model has been used to describe the inelastic behavior of soils under isotropic cyclic loadings. Newmark-Beta method is employed to discretize the time domain. The response of fluid-saturated porous media which are subjected to time dependent loads has been simulated numerically to predict the liquefaction potential of a semi-infinite saturated sandy layer using finite-infinite elements. A settlement of 17.1 cm is observed at top surface. It is also noticed that liquefaction occurs at shallow depth. The mathematical advantage of the coupled finite element analysis is that the excess pore pressure and displacement can be evaluated simultaneously without using any empirical relationship.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.1017-1038
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• 2015

This paper presents a strengthening method that involves the use of ferrocement jackets and chamfers to relocate plastic hinge for non-seismically designed reinforced concrete exterior beam-column joints. An experimental study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of the proposed strengthening method. Four half-scale beam-column joints, including one control specimen and three strengthened specimens, were prepared and tested under quasi-static cyclic loading. Strengthening schemes include ferrocement jackets with or without skeleton reinforcements and one or two chamfers. Experimental results have indicated that the proposed strengthening method is effective to move plastic hinge from the joint to the beam and enhance seismic performance of beam-column joints. Shear stress and distortion within the joint region are also reduced significantly in strengthened specimens. Skeleton reinforcements in ferrocement provide limited improvement, except on crack control. Specimen strengthened by ferrocement jackets with one chamfer exhibits slight decrease in peak strength and energy dissipation but with increase in ductility as compared with that of two chamfers. Finally, a method for estimating moment capacity at beam-column interface for strengthened specimen is developed. The proposed method gives reasonable prediction and can ensure formation of plastic hinge at predetermined location in the beam.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.95-112
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• 2012

In order to analyze the experimental hysteretic behavior of the in-plane loaded reinforced grouted multi-ribbed aerated concrete blocks masonry walls (RGMACBMW), we have carried out the pseudo static testing on the six specimens of RGMACBMW. Based on the test results and shear failure characteristics, the shear force hysteretic curves and displacement envelope curves of the models were obtained and discussed. On the basis of the hysteretic curves a general skeleton curve of the shear force and displacement was formed. The restoring model was adopted to analyze the seismic behavior and earthquake response of RGMACBMW. The deformation capacity of the specimens was discussed, and the formulas for calculating the lateral stiffness of the walls at different loading stages were proposed as well. The average lateral displacement ductility factor of RGMACBMW calculated based on the test results was 3.16. This value illustrates that if the walls are appropriately designed, it can fully meet the seismic requirement of the structures. The quadri-linear restoring models of the walls degradation by the test results accurately reflect the hysteretic behaviors and skeleton curves of the masonry walls. The restoring model can be applied to the RGMACBMW structure in earthquake response analysis.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.339-353
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• 2020

This study investigates the seismic performance of steel reinforced concrete (SRC) T-shaped columns under low cyclic loading tests. Based on test results of ten half-scale column specimens, failure patterns, hysteretic behavior, skeleton curves, ultimate strength, ductility, stiffness degradation and energy dissipation capacity were analyzed. The main variables included loading angles, axial compression ratios and steel ratios. The test results show that the average values of the ductility factor and the equivalent viscous damping coefficient with respect to the failure of the columns were 5.23 and 0.373, respectively, reflecting good seismic performance. The ductility decreased and the initial stiffness increased as the axial compression ratio of the columns increased. The strength increased with increasing steel ratio, as expected. The columns displaced along the web had higher strength and initial stiffness, while the columns displaced along the flange had better ductility and energy dissipation capacity. Based on the test and analysis results, a formula is proposed to calculate the effective stiffness of SRC T-shaped columns.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.449-461
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• 2024

The vertical reinforcement connection between the precast reinforced concrete shear wall and the cast-in-place reinforced concrete member is vital to the performance of shear walls under seismic loading. This paper investigated the structural behavior of three precast reinforced concrete shear walls, with different levels of connection (i.e., full connection, partial connection, and no connection), subjected to quasi-static lateral loading. The specimens were subjected to a constant vertical load, resulting in an axial load ratio of 0.4. The crack pattern, failure modes, load-displacement relationships, ductility, and energy dissipation characteristics are presented and discussed. The resultant seismic performances of the three tested specimens were compared in terms of skeleton curve, load-bearing capacity, stiffness, ductility, energy dissipation capacity, and viscous damping. The seismic performance of the partially connected shear wall was found to be comparable to that of the fully connected shear wall, exhibiting 1.7% and 3.5% higher yield and peak load capacities, 9.2% higher deformability, and similar variation in stiffness, energy dissipation capacity and viscous damping at increasing load levels. In comparison, the seismic performance of the non-connected shear wall was inferior, exhibiting 12.8% and 16.4% lower loads at the yield and peak load stages, 3.6% lower deformability, and significantly lower energy dissipation capacity at lower displacement and lower viscous damping.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.83 no.3
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• pp.305-326
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• 2022

To realize the recycling utilization of waste concrete and alleviate the shortage of resources, 11 specimens of steel reinforced recycled concrete (SRRC) filled circular steel tube columns were designed and manufactured in this study, and the cyclic loading tests on the specimens of columns were also carried out respectively. The hysteretic curves, skeleton curves and performance indicators of columns were obtained and analysed in detail. Besides, the finite element model of columns was established through OpenSees software, which considered the adverse effect of recycled coarse aggregate (RA) replacement rates and the constraint effect of circular steel tube on internal RAC. The numerical calculation curves of columns are in good agreement with the experimental curves, which shows that the numerical model is relatively reasonable. On this basis, a series of nonlinear parameters analysis on the hysteretic behaviors of columns were also investigated. The results are as follows: When the replacement rates of RA increases from 0 to 100%, the peak loads of columns decreases by 7.78% and the ductility decreases slightly. With the increase of axial compression ratio, the bearing capacity of columns increases first and then decreases, but the ductility of columns decreases rapidly. Increasing the wall thickness of circular steel tube is very profitable to improve the bearing capacity and ductility of columns. When the section steel ratio increases from 5.54% to 9.99%, although the bearing capacity of columns is improved, it has no obvious contribution to improve the ductility of columns. With the decrease of shear span ratio, the bearing capacity of columns increases obviously, but the ductility decreases, and the failure mode of columns develops into brittle shear failure. Therefore, in the engineering design of columns, the situation of small shear span ratio (i.e., short columns) should be avoided as far as possible. Based on this, the calculation model on the skeleton curves of columns was established by the theoretical analysis and fitting method, so as to determine the main characteristic points in the model. The effectiveness of skeleton curve model is verified by comparing with the test skeleton curves.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.665-680
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• 2016

This paper focuses on the study of seismic behavior of steel reinforced concrete special-shaped column-beam joints. Six specimens, which are designed according to the principle of strong-member and weak-joint core, are tested under low cyclic reversed load. Key parameters include the steel form in column section and the ratio of column limb height to thickness. The failure mode, load-displacement curves, ductility, stiffness degradations, energy dissipation capacity and shear deformation of joint core of the test subassemblies are analyzed. The results indicate that SRC special-shaped column-beam joints have good seismic behavior. All specimens failed due to the shear failure of the joint core, and the failure degree between the two sides of joint core is similar for the exterior joint but different for the corner joint. Compared to the joints with channel steel truss, the joints with solid web steel skeleton illustrate better ductility and energy dissipation capacity, but the loading capacity and stiffness are roughly close. With the increasing of the ratio of column limb height to thickness, the joints illustrate higher loading capacity and stiffness, better energy dissipation capacity, but worse ductility.