• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.83 no.6
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• pp.799-810
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• 2022

This study investigated the effect of the strengthening efficiency of unbonded steel-bar truss system on the out-of-plane behavior of perforated masonry walls. Four full-scale unreinforced masonry (URM) walls with two different planes were prepared using the unbonded steel-bar truss system and a URM walls without strengthening. All masonry walls were tested under constant axial and cyclic lateral loads. The obtained test results indicated that the pinching effect in the out-plane behavior of masonry walls tends to decrease in the in- and out-of-plane strengthened URM walls using the unbonded steel-bar truss system with the higher prestressing force ratio (R_p) of vertical reinforcing bars in the unbonded steel-bar truss system, regardless of the perforated type of the masonry wall. Consequently, the highest maximum shear resistance and cumulative dissipated energy at peak load in the post-peak behavior were observed in the in- and out-plane strengthened URM walls with the highest R_p values, which are 2.7 and 6.0 times higher than those of URM. In particular, the strengthening efficiency of the unbonded steel-bar truss system was primarily attributed to the vertical prestressed steel-bars rather than the diagonal steel-bars, which indicates that the strains in the vertical prestressed steel-bars at the peak load were approximately 1.6 times higher than those in the diagonal steel-bars.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.459-469
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• 2020

An external prestressed steel-bar truss unit was developed as a new strengthening technology to enhance the seismic performance of an in-plane masonry wall structure while taking advantage of the benefits of a prestressed system. The presented method consists of six steel bars: two prestressed vertical bars to introduce a prestressing force on the masonry wall, two diagonal bars to resist shear deformation, and two horizontal bars to maintain the configuration. To evaluate the effects of this new technique, four full-scale specimens, including a control specimen, were tested under combined loadings that included constant-gravity axial loads and cyclic lateral loads. The experimental results were analyzed in terms of the shear strength, initial stiffness, dissipated energy, and strain history. The efficiency of the external prestressed steel-bar truss unit was validated. In particular, a retrofitted specimen with an axial load level of 0.024 exhibited a more stable post behavior and higher energy dissipation than a control specimen with an observed complete sliding failure. The four vertical bars of the adjacent retrofitting units created a virtual column, and their strain values did not change until they reached the peak shear strength. The shear capacity of the masonry wall structure with external prestressed steel-bar truss units could be predicted using the model suggested by Yang et al.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.577-589
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• 2019

In this study, on-site testing was carried out to investigate the vibration performance of a composite steel-bar truss slab with steel girder system. Ambient vibration was performed to capture the primary vibration parameters (natural frequencies, damping ratios, and mode shapes). The composite floor possesses low frequency (< 10 Hz) and damping (< 2%). Based on experimental, theoretical, and numerical analyses on natural frequencies and mode shapes, the boundary condition of SCSC (i.e., two opposite edges simply-supported and the other two edges clamped) is deemed more reasonable for the composite floor. Walking excitations by one person (single excitation), two persons (dual excitation), and three persons (triple excitation) were considered to evaluate the vibration serviceability of the composite floor. The measured acceleration results show a satisfactory vibration perceptibility. For design convenience and safety, a crest factor ${\beta}_{rp}$ describing the ratio of peak acceleration to root-mean-square acceleration induced from the walking excitations is proposed. The comparisons of the modal parameters determined by ambient vibration and walking tests reveal the interaction effect between the human excitation and the composite floor.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.1-9
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• 2022

In this study, the in-plane and out-of-plane seismic performance of the masonry wall strengthened using the steel bar truss system proposed by Hwang et al. (2021a, 2021b) or using FRP sheets were compared and evaluated. The maximum strength of the masonry wall reinforced with FRP sheets for the in-plane and out-of-plane loading was 71% and 85%, respectively, of that of the non-reinforced masonry wall. Meanwhile, the maximum strength of the masonry wall reinforced with the steel bar truss system was approximately 1.8 times higher than that of the non-reinforced masonry wall. Compared with the FRP sheet method, the steel bar truss system was excellent at improving the maximum load capacity, rigidity, and energy dissipation capacity. However, in the case of a masonry wall reinforced with FRP sheets, the masonry wall was overstrengthened with the FRP sheets covering the entire masonry wall, and it is considered that the overstrengthened specimen experienced sliding failure, resulting in a lower strength than the other specimens. A follow-up study is needed to compare the seismic performance of the specimen involving only a part of the masonry wall reinforced with the FRP sheets and the specimen reinforced using the steel bar truss system.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.15-26
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• 2009

Push-out tests were performed to evaluate the shear capacity of a composite steel truss deck slab system, called an automatic prefabrication bar-mesh system, using lightweight concrete. The six specimens were classified into three groups: DP, NDP, and Solid, according to the variations between the bar mesh and the zinc plate automatic prefabrications. This paper focused on the failure behaviors, load-displacement characteristics, and a performance comparison based on design codes.

• Journal of The Korean Digital Architecture Interior Association
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.57-64
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• 2008

There are many problems in present truss-deck slab system for example welding defect, segregation, water leakage, rust and tarnish etc. These problems may be caused by spot welding thin galvanized steel plate and lattice bar. The TOX Joining Systems is to join metal sheets of different material and thickness with and without coating or painting without adding heat or a joining part. Newly developed TOX-deck slab system using non-welding joint is free from above mentioned problems. The objects of this study are suggestion of design strength of TOX joint by experimental and statistical analyses and development of window based program to design the TOX-deck slab system.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.197-208
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• 2010

An under-tension system is frequently employed for large-span structures to reduce the deflection and member size. In this study, a microgenetic algorithm was used to find the optimum cross-section of truss structures with an undertension cable under transverse loading. Maximum deflection, allowable stress, and buckling were considered constraints. The proposed approach was verified using a 10-bar truss sample that shows good agreement with the previous results. In the numerical results, minimum-weight design of the under-tension structure was performed for various magnitudes of pretension.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.20-27
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• 2021

The present study presents a nonlinear finite element analysis (FEA) approach using the general program of Abaqus to evaluate the seismic response of unreinforced masonry walls strengthened with the steel bar truss system developed in the previous investigation. For finite element models of masonry walls, the concrete damaged plasticity (CDP) and meso-scale methods were considered on the basis of the stress-strain relationships under compression and tension and shear friction-slip relationship of masonry prisms proposed by Yang et al. in order to formulate the interface characteristics between brick elements and mortars. The predictions obtained from the FEA approach were compared with test results under different design parameters; as a result, a good agreement could be observed with respect to the crack propagation, failure mode, rocking strength, peak strength, and lateral load-displacement relationship of masonry walls. Thus, it can be stated that the proposed FEA approach shows a good potential for designing the seismic strengthening of masonry walls.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.74 no.5
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• pp.711-722
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• 2020

In this study, on-site testing was carried out to investigate the vibration serviceability of a composite steel-bar truss slab with steel girder system. Impulse excitations (heel-drop and jumping) and steady-state motion (walking and running) were performed to capture the primary vibration parameters (natural frequency and damping ratio) and distribution of peak acceleration. The composite floor possesses low frequency (<8.3Hz) and damping ratio (<2.47%). Based on experimental, theoretical, and numerical analyses on fundamental natural frequency, the boundary condition of SCSS (i.e., three edges simply supported and one edge clamped) is deemed more comparable substitutive for the investigated composite floor. Walking and running excitations by one person (single excitation) were considered to evaluate the vibration serviceability of the composite floor. The measured acceleration results show a satisfactory vibration perceptibility. For design convenience and safety, a crest factor β_rp describing the ratio of peak acceleration to root-mean-square acceleration induced from the walking and running excitations is proposed. The comparisons of the modal parameters determined by walking and running tests reveal the interaction effect between the human excitation and the composite floor.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.9 no.3 s.32
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• pp.457-465
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• 1997

The Shape optimization makes it possible to reduce the weight of structure and cost then member sizing optimization. A vast amount of imprecise information is existed in constraints of the optimum design. It is very difficult and sometimes confusing to describe and to deal with the several criteria which contain fuzzy degrees of relatives importance. This paper proposed weighting strategies in the multiobjective shape optimization of fuzzy structural system by ${\alpha}$-cut approach. The algorithm in this research is numerically tested for 2-bar truss structure. The result show that. the user can choose the one optimum solution in practices as obtaining the optimum solutions according to the ${\alpha}$-cut approach, weight of volume and displacement.