• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 2006.11a
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• pp.337-340
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• 2006

The purpose of this study is to propose the stiffness reduction factor for flat plate slabs under lateral loads. Current design code (e.g., ACI 318-05) requires considering the effects of cracks for calculating slab stiffness under lateral loads. This study collected the test results of 20 interior slab-column connections, from which stiffness reduction in each test was estimated with respect to the ratio of applied moment to cracking moment ($M_a/M_{cr}$). Based on collected data, this study proposed equations for calculating stiffness reduction with respect to $M_a/M_{cr}$. To verify the proposed equations, this study conducted the experimental test of interior slab-column connections under quasi-static cyclic loading. From the test, load-deformation curve is compared to that obtained from effective beam width method with the proposed equation for the stiffness reduction. It is shown that the effective beam width method with the proposed equation for stiffness reduction predicts accurately the test results.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2005.03a
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• pp.529-536
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• 2005

Based on an estimating method for post-cyclic strength and stiffness with cyclic triaxial tests, Direct Simple Shear (DSS) tests were carried out to confirm whether the method can be adapted to DSS test on fine-grained soils: silty clay, plastic silt, and non-plastic silt. Results from post-cyclic DSS tests were interpreted by a modified method as adopted for post-cyclic triaxial tests. In particular, influence of plasticity index for fine-grained soils was emphasised. Findings obtained from the present study are: (i) the higher the plasticity index of fine-grained soils is, the less not stiffness ratio but strength ratio decreases with increment of a normalised excess pore water pressure; and (ii) post-cyclic strength and stiffness results from DSS tests agree well with those predicted by the method modified from a procedure used for triaxial test results.

• 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.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.487-495
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• 2003

Bearings at the obtuse corner are subjected to much larger vertical reactions than other bearings because of the geometric shape of skew bridges. The current relevant specifications require that additional bars should be disposed at the bottom of concrete deck slabs to deal with the large vertical reaction on bearings at the obtuse corner. In this study, new methods of reducing the magnitude of the vertical reaction on bearings at the obtuse corner by the stiffness adjustment of bearings were proposed. The basic concept of proposed methods was to redistribute support reactions by reducing the vertical stiffness of bearings at the obtuse corner showing a relatively large vertical reaction. For 45 simply supported skew bridges designed according to the current relevant specifications, the redistribution effect of vertical reactions by the stiffness adjustment of bearings was investigated. Parameters such as skew angle, girder spacing, and deck aspect ratio that affect the distribution of support reactions were considered. The results of the analyses show that the magnitude of the vertical reaction on bearings at the obtuse corner can be reduced to the levels of straight bridges by replacing the existing bearings at the obtuse corner with new ones having the value of 1/10 or 1/20 of the vertical stiffness of the existing bearings. The reduction effect of the vertical reaction on bearings at the obtuse corner increases as the girder spacing decreases and it is more pronounced when the deck aspect ratio is 2.0.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.106-114
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• 2006

This study proposed the applicability of inverse stiffness method on the seismic design for steel frame with buckling restrained braces and the design results were compared with former research's. The concept of this method is simple and efficient. Furthermore it is able to reflect the high mode's effect and control the ductility factors of each story individually. Design results using the proposed method showed that according to increase of the given target drift, the areas of brace generally decreased but partially increased in some stories of the tall structure with very large ductility. And the post yield stiffness ratio's variation had more effect on the design results in the small post yield stiffness ratio.

• Journal of Korean Association for Spatial Structures
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• v.3 no.2 s.8
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• pp.85-90
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• 2003

If we use a third order approximation for the displacement function of beam element in finite element methods, finite element solutions of beams yield nodal displacement values matching to beam theory results to have no connection with the number increasing of elements of beams. It is assumed that, as the member displacement value at beam nodes are correct, the calculation procedure of beam element stiffness matrix have no numerical errors. A the member forces are calculated by the equations of $\frac{-M}{EI}=\frac{{d^2}{\omega}}{dx^2}\;and\;\frac{dM}{dx}=V$, the member forces at nodes of beams have errors in a moment and a shear magnitudes in the case of smaller number of element. The nodal displacement value of plate subject to the lateral load converge to the exact values according to the increase of the number of the element. So it is assumed that the procedures of plate element stiffness matrix calculations has a error in the fundamental assumptions. The beam methods for the high accuracy ratio solution Is also applied to the plate analysis. The method of reducing a error ratio of member forces and element stiffness matrix in the finite element methods is studied. Results of study were as follows. 1. The matrixes of EI[B] and [K] in the equations of M(x)=EI[B]{q} and M(x) = [K]{q}+{Q} of beams are same. 2. The equations of $\frac{-M}{EI}=\frac{{d^2}{\omega}}{dx^2}\;and\;\frac{dM}{dx}=V$ for the member forces have a error ratio in a finite element method of uniformly loaded structures, so equilibrium node loads {Q} must be substituted in the equation of member forces as the numerical examples of this paper revealed.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.357-371
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• 2009

Test results of thirteen reinforced concrete corbels with shear span-to-depth ratio greater than unity are reported. The main variables studied were compressive strength of concrete, shear span-to-depth ratio and parameter of vertical stirrups. The test results indicate that the shear strengths of corbels increase with an increase in compressive strength of concrete and parameter of vertical stirrups. The shear strengths of corbels also increase with a decrease in shear span-to-depth ratio. The smaller the shear span-to-depth ratio of corbel, the larger the stiffness and the shear strength of corbel are. The higher the concrete strength of corbel, the higher the stiffness and the shear strength of corbel are. The larger the parameter of vertical stirrups, the larger the stiffness and the shear strength of corbel are. The softened strut-and-tie model for determining the shear strengths of reinforced concrete corbels is modified appropriately in this paper. The shear strengths predicted by the proposed model and the approach of ACI Code are compared with available test results. The comparison shows that the proposed model can predict more accurately the shear strengths of reinforced concrete corbels than the approach of ACI Code.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.189-198
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• 2019

This paper aims to study the mechanical performance of three-tower four-span suspension bridges with steel truss girders, including the static and dynamic characteristics of the bridge system, and more importantly, the influence of structural parameters including the side-main span ratio, sag-to-span ratio and the girder stiffness on key mechanical indices. For this purpose, the Oujiang River North Estuary Bridge which is a three-tower four-span suspension bridge with two main spans of 800m under construction in China is taken as an example in this study. This will be the first three-tower suspension bridge with steel truss girders in the world. The mechanical performance study and parametric analysis are conducted based on a validated three-dimensional spatial truss finite element model established for the Oujiang River North Estuary Bridge using MIDAS Civil. It is found that a relatively small side-main span ratio seems to be quite appropriate from the perspective of mechanical performance. And decreasing the sag-to-span ratio is an effective way to reduce the horizontal force subjected to the midtower and improve the antiskid safety of the main cable, while the vertical stiffness of the bridge will be reduced. However, the girder stiffness is shown to be of minimal significance on the mechanical performance. The findings from this paper can be used for design of three-tower suspension bridges with steel truss girders.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.185-199
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• 2019

Modular construction is an emerging technology to accommodate the increasing restrictions in terms of construction period, energy efficiency and environmental impacts, since each structural module is prefabricated offsite beforehand and assembled onsite using industrialized techniques. However, some innate structural drawbacks of this innovative method are also distinct, such as connection tying inaccessibility, column instability and system robustness. This study aims to explore the theoretical and numerical stability analysis of a tenon-connected square hollow section (SHS) steel column to address the tying and stability issue in modular construction. Due to the excellent performance of composite structures in fire resistance and buckling prevention, concrete-filled steel tube (CFST) columns are also taken into account in the analysis to evaluate the feasibility of adopting composite sections in modular buildings. Characteristic equations with three variables, i.e., the length ratio, the bending stiffness ratio and the rotational stiffness ratio, are generated from the fourth-order governing differential equations. The rotational stiffness ratio is recognized as the most significant factor, with interval analysis conducted for its mechanical significance and domain. Numerical analysis using ABAQUS is conducted for validation of characteristic equations. Recommendations and instructions in predicting the buckling performance of both SHS and CFST columns are then proposed.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.97-107
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• 2019

The frame structures investigated in this paper is composed of Concrete encased columns with L-shaped steel section and steel beams. The seismic behavior of this structural system is studied through experimental and numerical studies. A 2-bay, 3-story and 1/3 scaled frame specimen is tested under constant axial loading and cyclic lateral loading applied on the column top. The load-displacement hysteretic loops, ductility, energy dissipation, stiffness and strength degradation are investigated. A typical failure mode is observed in the test, and the experimental results show that this type of framed structure exhibit a high strength with good ductility and energy dissipation capacity. Furthermore, finite element analysis software Perform-3D was conducted to simulate the behavior of the frame. The calculating results agreed with the test ones well. Further analysis is conducted to investigate the effects of parameters including concrete strength, column axial compressive force and steel ratio on the seismic performance indexes, such as the elastic stiffness, the maximum strength, the ductility coefficient, the strength and stiffness degradation, and the equivalent viscous damping ratio. It can be concluded that with the axial compression ratio increasing, the load carrying capacity and ductility decreased. The load carrying capacity and ductility increased when increasing the steel ratio. Increasing the concrete grade can improve the ultimate bearing capacity of the structure, but the ductility of structure decreases slightly.