• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.441-464
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• 2017

The determination of the mixture parameters of stabilization has become a great concern in geotechnical applications. This paper presents an effort about the application of artificial intelligence (AI) techniques including radial basis neural network (RBNN), multi-layer perceptrons (MLP), generalized regression neural network (GRNN) and adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) in order to predict the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) of silty soil stabilized with bottom ash (BA), jute fiber (JF) and steel fiber (SF) under different freeze-thaw cycles (FTC). The dosages of the stabilizers and number of freeze-thaw cycles were employed as input (predictor) variables and the UCS values as output variable. For understanding the dominant parameter of the predictor variables on the UCS of stabilized soil, a sensitivity analysis has also been performed. The performance measures of root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE) and determination coefficient ($R^2$) were used for the evaluations of the prediction accuracy and applicability of the employed models. The results indicate that the predictions due to all AI techniques employed are significantly correlated with the measured UCS ($p{\leq}0.05$). They also perform better predictions than nonlinear regression (NLR) in terms of the performance measures. It is found from the model performances that RBNN approach within AI techniques yields the highest satisfactory results (RMSE = 55.4 kPa, MAE = 45.1 kPa, and $R^2=0.988$). The sensitivity analysis demonstrates that the JF inclusion within the input predictors is the most effective parameter on the UCS responses, followed by FTC.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.250-256
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• 2014

Polypropylene (PP) composites containing conductive multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWNT) and stainless steel short fiber (SSF) were manufactured using a twin screw extruder and characterized their surface resistivity and mechanical properties in this work. Surface resistivity measurements showed that the percolation threshold appeared at a lower MWNT loading when a small amount of SSF was added to PP/MWNT composites. Tensile modulus and strength of the composites increased but elongation-at-break decreased greatly compared to pure PP. Also, the effects of MWNT and SSF on storage modulus and tan ${\delta}$ from dynamic mechanical analysis for the composites were examined, and the morphologies of fractured surface and the fillers were observed using a scanning electron microscope.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2004.04a
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• pp.967-972
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• 2004

The role of transfer films formed during sliding of polymer composites against steel counterfaces was studied in terms of the tribological behaviors of composites. Four kinds of composites were included in this study: (1) unfilled PPS, (2) PPS+2%CuO, (3) PPS+2%CuO+5% carbon fiber (CF), and (4) PPS+2%CuO+15%Kevlar. The filler material CuO was in nanoscale particulate form and the reinforcing material was in the form of short fibers. The composites were prepared by compression molding at $310^{\circ}C$ and sliding tests were run in the pin-on-disk sliding configuration. The counterface was made of tool steel hardened to 55-60 HRC and finished to a surface roughness of 0.09-0.10 ${\mu}m$ Ra. Wear tests were run for 6 hrs at the sliding speed of 1 m/s and contact pressure of 0.65 MPa. Transfer films formed on the counterfaces during sliding were investigated using AFM and SEM. The results showed that as the transfer film became smooth and uniform, wear rate decreased. PPS+2%CuO+15%Kevlar composite showed the lowest steady state wear rate in this study and its transfer film showed the smoothest and the most uniform characteristics. The examination of worn surfaces of PPS+2%CuO composite using X-ray area scanning (dot mapping) showed back-transfer of steel counterface material to the polymer pin surface. This behavior is believed to strengthen the polymer pin surface during sliding thereby contributing to the decrease in wear rate.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.657-668
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• 2001

Fiber reinforced cementitious composites are nowadays widely applied in civil engineering. The postcracking performance of this material depends on the interaction between a steel fiber, which is obliquely across a crack, and its surrounding matrix. While the partly debonded steel fiber is subjected to pulling out from the matrix and simultaneously subjected to transverse force, it may be modelled as a Bernoulli-Euler beam partly supported on an elastic foundation with non-linearly varying modulus. The fiber bridging the crack may be cut into two parts to simplify the problem (Leung and Li 1992). To obtain the transverse displacement at the cut end of the fiber (Fig. 1), it is convenient to directly solve the corresponding differential equation. At the first glance, it is a classical beam on foundation problem. However, the differential equation is not analytically solvable due to the non-linear distribution of the foundation stiffness. Moreover, since the second order deformation effect is included, the boundary conditions become complex and hence conventional numerical tools such as the spline or difference methods may not be sufficient. In this study, moment equilibrium is the basis for formulation of the fundamental differential equation for the beam (Timoshenko 1956). For the cantilever part of the beam, direct integration is performed. For the non-linearly supported part, a transformation is carried out to reduce the higher order differential equation into one order simultaneous equations. The Runge-Kutta technique is employed for the solution within the boundary domain. Finally, multi-dimensional optimization approaches are carefully tested and applied to find the boundary values that are of interest. The numerical solution procedure is demonstrated to be stable and convergent.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Building Construction
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.273-280
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• 2015

In this study, tests were carried out to find out a method to ensure the fire resistance performance of high-performance non-refractory coating CFT columns. For the high performance concrete fabrication with 100MPa, blast furnace slag(BS) and steel and nylon fibers were used. It was found that the partial replacement with BS improved the fire resistance performance of the concrete. Based on the results of lab tests, the large fire test was conducted. For this test, the CFTs with the size of ${\phi}500{\times}4,200mm$ and the reinforcement of SS 400 steel were prepared and they were subjected to a loading condition. It was found that as the level of load increased, the level of fire resistance decreased. For example, In with the loading condition of 2000kN the CFT could resist the fire for over 240 minutes, whereas, with the loading condition of 3,000kN and 4000kN applying to equivalent CFTs, the resisting time against fire were 184 minutes, and 120 minutes, respectively.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.417-435
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• 2021

The optimal distribution of steel fibers over different layers of concrete can be considered as an appropriate method in improving the structural performance and reducing the cost of fiber-reinforced concrete members. In addition, the use of waste tire rubber in concrete mixes, as one of the practical ways to address environmental problems, is highly significant. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the flexural behavior of functionally graded steel fiber-reinforced concrete containing recycled tire crumb rubber, as a volume replacement of sand, after exposure to elevated temperatures. Little information is available in the literature regarding this subject. To achieve this goal, a set of 54 one-, two-, and three-layer concrete beam specimens with different fiber volume fractions (0, 0.25, 0.5, 1, and 1.25%), but the same overall fiber content, and different volume percentages of the waste tire rubber (0, 5, and 10%) were exposed to different temperatures (23, 300, and 600℃). Afterward, the parameters affecting the post-heating flexural performance of concrete, including flexural strength and stiffness, toughness, fracture energy, and load-deflection diagrams, along with the compressive strength and weight loss of concrete specimens, were evaluated. The results indicated that the flexural strength and stiffness of the three-layer concrete beams respectively increased by 10 and 7%, compared to the one-layer beam specimens with the same fiber content. However, the flexural performance of the two-layer beams was reduced relative to those with one layer and equal fiber content. Besides, the flexural strength, toughness, fracture energy, and stiffness were reduced by approximately 10% when a 10% of natural sand was replaced with tire rubber in the three-layer specimens compared to the corresponding beams without crumb rubber. Although the flexural properties of concrete specimens increased with increasing the temperature up to 300℃, these properties degraded significantly with elevating the temperature up to 600℃, leading to a sharp increase in the deflection at peak load.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.57-75
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• 2014

This paper presents an analysis of the results of an experimental program on the performance of a novel configuration of a hybrid FRP-concrete beam. The beam section consists of a GFRP pultruded profile, a CFRP laminate, and a concrete block all wrapped up using filament winding. It was found that the thickness of the concrete block and the confinement by the filament-wound wrapping had a profound effect on the energy dissipation behaviour of the beam. Using a shear punching model, and comparing the predicted results with the experimental ones, it was found that beyond a given value of the concrete block thickness, the deformational behaviour of the beam shifts from brittle to ductile. It was also found that the filament-wound wrap had many benefits such as providing a composite action between the concrete block and the GFRP box, improving the stiffness of the beam, and most importantly, enhancing the load carrying ability through induced confinement of the concrete.

• Proceedings of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea Conference
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• 2000.10a
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• pp.364-371
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• 2000

The pseudo dynamic test has been carried out so as to investigate the seismic performance of RC bridge piers strengthened with and without glass fiber sheets. The Lessons from severe demage of many infrastructures in Kobe(1995) and Northridge(1996) earthquakes have emphasized the need to develop the retrofit measures to enhance flexural strength, ductility and shear strength of RC bridge piers nonseismically designed before 1992. Therefore, the objective of this experimental research is to investigate the seismic behavior of circular reinforced concrete bridge piers by the pseudo dynamic test. and then to enhance the ductility of concrete piers strengthening with glass fiber sheets in the plastic hinge region. 7 circular RC bridge piers were made in a 1/3.4 scale. Important test parameters are confinement steel ratio, retrofitting. load pattern, etc. The seismic behavior of circular concrete piers under artificial ground motions has been evaluated through strength and stiffness degradation, energy dissipation. It can be concluded that existing bridge piers wrapped with glass fibers in the plastic hinge regions could have enough seismic performance.

• Journal of Construction Engineering and Project Management
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.41-46
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• 2014

RCC consumes large quantities of natural resources like gravel stone and steel, and there is a need to investigate on an innovative material that utilizes limited quantities of natural resources but should have good mechanical strength. This study deals with the experimental investigation of strength evaluation of cementitious composites reinforced with polyolefin fibers from 0% to 2.5% (with interval of 0.5%), namely Polyolefin Fiber Reinforced Cementitious Composites (PL-FRCC) and developing statistical regression models for compressive strength, splitting-tensile strength, flexural strength and impact strength of PL-FRCC. Paired t-tests (for each PL fiber percentage 0 to 2.5%) bring out that there is significant difference in compressive and splitting-tensile strength when curing periods (3, 7, 28 days) are varied. Also, a strong relationship exists between the compressive and flexural strength of PL-FRCC. The proposed mathematical models developed in this study will be helpful to ascertain the mechanical strength of FRCC, especially, when the fiber reinforcing index is varied.

• Journal of Industrial Technology
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• v.28 no.A
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• pp.89-96
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• 2008

An increase in the amount of cracking in repaired concrete bridge decks using VES-LMC(Very Early Strength - Latex Modified Concrete ; below VES-LMC) has been noticed by Yun et al(1). Literature indicates that indeed many concrete bridge decks develop transverse cracking, most developing at early ages(3~7 days), many right after construction. The purpose of this study was to establish prevention of map, transverse and longitudinal cracking in VES-LMC and to provide a control methods for minimizing the occurrence of cracks. The proposed prevention against map and transverse cracking was verified by field applications. VES cement was modified, the unit cement contents was reduced into $360kg/m^3$ from $390kg/m^3$, the maximum size of coarse aggregate was increase into 19mm from 13mm, wire mesh and steel fibers were incorporated in concrete mixture. A series of variable combinations were attempted. As a results, the proposed prevention against map and transverse cracking was verified because no crack were occurred until 90 days after overlay.