• International Journal of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.360-374
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• 2016

The present paper studies the ultimate torsional strength of stiffened box girders with large deck opening due to the influence of cracks. Three types of hull girders with different spans are provided for comparison. Potential parameters which may have effects on the torsional strength including the mesh refinement, initial deflection, material strain hardening, geometric properties of crack and stiffener are discussed. Two new concepts that play an significant role in the ultimate strength research of damaged box girders are introduced, one of which is the effective residual section (ERS), the other is the initial damage of the failure zone (IDFZ) for intact structures. New simple formulas for predicting the residual ultimate torsional strength of cracked stiffened box girders are derived on the basis of the two new concepts.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.395-414
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• 2013

The present study fundamentally investigated the mechanical performance of the rib-stiffened super-wide bridge deck with twin box girders in concrete, which is a very popular application to efficiently widen the bridges with normal span. The shear lag effects of the specific cross-sections were firstly studied. The spatial stress distribution and local stiffness of the bridge deck with twin box girders were then investigated under several typical wheel load conditions. Meanwhile, a comparative study for the bridge deck with and without stiffening ribs was also carried out during the investigation; thereby, a design optimization for the stiffening ribs was further suggested. Finally, aiming at the preliminary design, an approximate methodology to manually calculate the bending moments of the rib-stiffened bridge deck was analytically proposed for engineers to quickly assess its performance. This rib-stiffened bridge deck with twin box girders can be widely applied for concrete (especially concrete cable-stayed) bridges with normal span, however, requiring a super-wide bridge width due to the traffic flow.

• International Journal of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.705-719
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• 2017

Progressive Collapse Method (PCM) has been broadly applied to predict moment-carrying capacity of a hull girder, however accuracy of PCM has not been much studied. Accuracy of PCM is known to be dependent on how Load-Shortening and -Elongation (LSE) curve of a structural units are well predicted. This paper presents a new procedure to determine LSE datum based on box girder Finite Element Analyses (FEAs) instead of using finite element model of stiffened panels. To verify reliability of FEA results, the simple box girder collapse test results are compared with FEA results of same box girders. It reveals one frame-based box girder model is sufficiently accurate in terms of ultimate strengths of the box girders. After extracting LSE data from the box girders, PCM-based moment-carrying capacities are compared with those from FEAs of the box girders. PCM results are found to be equivalent to FEAs in terms of moment-carrying capacity if accurate LSE data are secured. The new procedure is applied to well-known 1/3 scaled frigate full section. Very excellent moment-carrying capacity of frigate hull section is obtained from PCM with LSE data from box girder FEAs.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.681-699
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• 2016

Steel box girders have two webs and two flanges on top that are usually connected with shear connectors to the concrete deck and are also known as tub girders. The end diaphragms of such bridges comprise of a stiffened steel plate welded to the inside of the girder at each end. The diaphragms play a major role in transferring vertical and lateral loads to the bearings and substructure. A review of literature shows that the cyclic behavior of diaphragms under earthquake loading has not been studied previously. This paper uses a nonlinear finite element model to study the behavior of the end diaphragms under gravity and seismic loads. Different bearing device and stiffener configurations have been considered. Affected areas of the diaphragm are distinguished.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.347-362
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• 2024

Controlling vibrations and noise in steel box girders is important for reducing noise pollution and avoiding discomfort to residents of dwellings along bridges. The fundamental approach to solving this problem involves first identifying the main path of transmission of the vibration energy and then cutting it off by using targeted measures. However, this requires an investigation of the characteristics of flow of vibration energy in the steel box girder, whereas most studies in the area have focused on analyzing its single-point frequency response and overall vibrations. To solve this problem, this study examines the transmission of vibrations through the segments of a steel box girder when it is subjected to harmonic loads through structural intensity analysis based on standard finite element software and a post-processing code created by the authors. We identified several frequencies that dominated the vibrations of the steel box girder as well as the factors that influenced their emergence. We also assessed the contributions of a variety of vibrational waves to power flow, and the results showed that bending waves were dominant in the top plate and in-plane waves in the vertical plate of the girder. Finally, we analyzed the effects of commonly used stiffened structures and steel-concrete composite structures on the flow of vibration energy in the girder, and verified their positive impacts on energy regionalization. In addition to providing an efficient tool for the relevant analyses, the work here informs research on optimizing steel box girders to reduce vibrations and noise in them.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 2001.04a
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• pp.325-332
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• 2001

Due to the rapidly developing computer technique, bridges can be modeled by using grillage method for analyzing the girder, or FEM for more accrute and detailed analysis. If the cells of multicellular decks are stiffened with diaphrams or cross-bracing at frequent intervals, to prevent them changing shape by distortion, the deck can be analysed like a beam if it is narrow, or like slab if it is wide. However it is often convenient and acceptable to use cellular structures and box-girders which do distort under shear and torsional loading, and it is then necessary to take account of the distortion in the method of calculation. But plane grillage method cannot cosider effect of distortion and FEM is non-economical because it is not easy to modeling and needs lots of time. So, this study suggests the Shear-flexible Grillage which reproduces the distortion behaviour of the cells.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.561-584
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• 2006

The paper presents results of parametric studies, and an overall approach for the design of a modular bridge system which incorporates a steel-reinforcement free concrete slab cast on top of carbon FRP stiffened deck panels which act as both structural formwork and flexural reinforcement, spanning between hollow box type FRP girders. Results of the parametric studies are highlighted to elucidate important relationships between critical configurational parameters and empirical equations based on numerical studies are presented. Results are discussed at the level of the individual deck and girder components, and as a slab-on-girder bridge system. An overall design methodology for the components and bridge system including critical performance checks is also presented.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.205-215
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• 2006

In this study 3-D shell FEM model was applied to analyze the behavior of curved steel box girders stiffened by diaphragms. The reliability of the analytical method has been proved by comparing with the existing results. It was also found from this analysis that main factors affecting a distortional stress are length of a girder, curvature of the girder, and spacing of diaphragms. A modelled bridge with 30m of span length and 40m of radius was analyzed to find an optimum spacing of diaphragm, and as a result of applying different spacings, 5m was found to be most appropriate to control the stress ratio regulated by specifications. In the effect of diaphragm shape, the rhamen-typed diaphragm is found to be more effective than the fully filled-up one in the range of opening ratio of 0.4 to 0.6. But, the fully filled-up diaphragm had more efficiency in terms of reducing the distortional stress than X-truss typed diaphragm.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.77-85
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• 2003

The lifting and lowering supports method makes up for the weak points in the classical method and provides makes construction economical effect to construction. The application of pre-compression to continuous steel box girder bridges makes it possible to reduce the amount of steel, the height of girders and consequently, the cost consequentlyof the bridges' construction by through the process of concrete filling- up and the lifting-lowering of the inner supports. The lifting and lowering supports method is apt to cause local buckling in the lower flange and web plates by due to the process of the lifting of the inner supports. Therefore iln this study, therefore, the possibility of local buckling could be decreased, in consideration of the lifting force and the buckling strength of stiffened plates, by increasing the number of longitudinal stiffeners and the installation of extended longitudinal stiffeners on the lower flange and the web plates in the range of positive moment.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.542-550
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• 2020

The use of high-strength aluminum alloys for ships and of shore structures has many benefits compared to carbon steels. Recently, high-strength aluminum alloys have been widely used in onshore and of shore industries, and they are widely used for the side shell structures of special-purpose ships. Their use in box girders of bridge structures and in the topside of fixed platforms is also becoming more widespread. Use of aluminum material can reduce fuel consumption by reducing the weight of the composite material through a weight composition ratio of 1/3 compared to carbon steel. The characteristics of the stress strain relationship of an aluminum structure are quite different from those of a steel structure, because of the influence of the welding[process heat affected zone (HAZ). The HAZ of aluminum is much wider than that of steel owing to its higher heat conductivity. In this study, by considering the HAZ generated by metal insert gas (MIG) welding, the buckling and final strength characteristics of an aluminum reinforcing plate against longitudinal compression loads were analyzed. MIG welding reduces both the buckling and ultimate strength, and the energy dissipation rate after initial yielding is high in the range of the HAZ being 15 mm, and then the difference is small when HAZ being 25 mm or more. Therefore, it is important to review and analyze the influence of the HAZ to estimate the structural behavior of the stiffened plate to which the aluminum alloy material is applied.