• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 2001.10a
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• pp.269-276
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• 2001

Tubular structures are widely used for offshore platforms and truss type structures. In this paper, nonlinear finite element analysis is used to assess the static strength of stiffened tubular T-joints subjected to compressive brace loading. This joints was modelled with and without internal ring stiffener According to variation of ring geometries, the effect of ring stiffener for T-joints are investigated. Internal ring stiffener is found to be efficient improving ultimate strength of tubular joints. Relations of ring thickness and axial strength are observed considering geometric parameters of ring stiffeners.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.1045-1062
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• 2015

Concrete-filled circular t steel tubular joints (CFSTJs) in practice are frequently subjected to fluctuated loadings caused by wind, earthquake and so on. As fatigue crack is sensitive to such cyclic loadings, assessment on performance of CFSTJs with crack-like defect attracts more concerns because both high stress concentration at the brace/chord intersection and welding residual stresses along weld toe cause the materials in the region around the intersection to be more brittle. Once crack initiates and propagates along the weld toe, tri-axial stresses in high gradient around the crack front exist, which may bring brittle fracture failure. Additionally, the stiffness and the load carrying capacity of the CFSTJs with crack may decrease due to the weakened connection at the intersection. To study the behaviour of CFSTJs with initial crack, experimental tests have been carried out on three full-scale CFCST T-joints with same configuration. The three specimens include one uncracked joint and two corresponding cracked joints. Load-displacement and load-deformation curves, failure mode and crack propagation are obtained from the experiment measurement. According to the experimental results, it can be found that he load carrying capacity of the cracked joints is decreased by more than 10% compared with the uncracked joint. The effect of crack depth on the load carrying capacity of CFCST T-joints seems to be slight. The failure mode of the cracked CFCST T-joints represents as plastic yielding rather than brittle fracture through experimental observation.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.107-116
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• 2022

This paper presents results of numerical studies completed on unreinforced and doubler plate reinforced Elliptical Hollow Section (EHS) T-joints subjected to axial compressive loading on the brace member. Non-linear finite element (FE) models were developed using the finite element code, ABAQUS. Available test data in literature was used to validate the FE models. Subsequently, a parametric study was carried out to investigate the effects of various geometrical parameters of main members and reinforcement plates on the ultimate capacity of reinforced EHS T-joints. The parametric study found that the reinforcing plate significantly increases the ultimate capacity of EHS T-joints up to twice the capacity of the corresponding unreinforced joint. The thickness and length of the reinforcing plate have a positive effect on the ultimate capacity of Type 1 joints. This study, however, found that the capacity of Type 1 orientation is not dependent on the brace-to-chord diameter ratio. As for type 2 orientations, the thickness and length of the reinforcement have a minimal effect on the ultimate capacity. A new design method is introduced to predict the capacity of the reinforced EHS T-joints Type 1 and 2 based on the multiple linear regression analyses.

• Proceedings of the Korea Committee for Ocean Resources and Engineering Conference
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• 2002.05a
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• pp.145-150
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• 2002

Tubular joints having a large diameter in the offshore structure are reinforced using internal ring stiffener in order to increase the load carrying capacity. In this study, the static strengths of internally ring-stiffened tubular T-joints subjected to compressive brace loading are assessed. Nonlinear finite element analyses are used to compute the behavior of unstiffened and ring-stiffened T-joints. From the numerical results, internal ring stiffener is found to efficient in improving the ultimate capacity, and reinforcement effect are calculated. The influence of geometric parameters for members and ring is evaluated. Based on the FE results, regression analysis is performed considering practical sizes of ring stiffener, finally strength estimation formulae for ring-stiffened T-joints are proposed.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.533-540
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• 2002

Tubular joints having a large diameter are reinforced using internal ring stiffener in order to increase the load carrying capacity. In this study, the static strengths of Internally ring-stiffened tubular T-joints subjected to compressive brace loading are assessed. Nonlinear finite element analyses are used to compute the behavior of unstiffened and ring-stiffened T-joints. From the numerical results, Internal ring stiffener is found to efficient in improving the ultimate capacity, and reinforcement effect are calculated. The influence of geometric parameters for members and ring is evaluated. Based on the FE results, regression analysis is performed considering practical sizes of ring stiffener, finally strength estimation formulae for ring-stiffened T-joints are proposed.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.18 no.6 s.61
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• pp.70-78
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• 2004

In order to increase the load carrying capacity of tubular structures, the joints of tubular members are usually reinforced with various reinforcement system. A stiffening method with internal ring stiffeners is effectively used for the steel tubular joint with a large diameter. In this study, the behavior of internally ring-stiffened tubular T-joints subjected to axial loading is assessed. For the parametric study, nonlinear finite element analyses are used to compute the static strength on non-stiffened and ring-stiffened T-joints. Based on the numerical results, an internal ring stiffener is found to be efficient in improving the static strength. The influence of geometric parameters has been determined, and the reinforcement effect are evaluated. Based on the FE results, regression analises are performed considering the practical size of ring stiffener. Finally strength estimation formulas for ring-stiffened tubular T-joints are proposed.

• Ocean Systems Engineering
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.43-55
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• 2023

In this study, the SCFs in tubular T-joints stiffened with external ring under axial load are studied and discussed. After verification of the present numerical model with the results of several available experimental tests, 156 FE models were generated and analyzed to parametrically evaluate the effect of the joint geometry and the ring geometry on the SCFs. Results indicated that the SCF of the stiffened T-joints at crown point can be down to 24% of the SCF of the corresponding un-reinforced joint at the same point. Also, the effect of the ring on the SCF at saddle point is more remarkable than the effect of the ring on the SCF at crown point. Moreover, against un-reinforced joints under axial load, the SCF at saddle point of the stiffened joint is smaller than the SCF at crown point of that stiffened joint. The ring results in the redistribution of stresses in the ring and metal substrate. Also, the effect of the ring thickness on the decrease of the SCFs is slight and can be ignored. In final step, the geometric parameters affecting the SCFs of the stiffened T-joints are analyzed by multiple nonlinear regression analyses. An accurate formula is proposed for determining the SCFs.

• Ocean Systems Engineering
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.151-167
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• 2014

It is common that analyses of offshore platforms being carried out with the assumption of rigid tubular joints. However, many researches have concluded that it is necessary that local joint flexibility (LJF) of tubular joints should be taken into account. Meanwhile, advanced analysis of old offshore platforms considering local joint flexibility leads to more accurate results. This paper presents an extensive finite-element (FE) based study on the flexibility of uni-planner multi-brace tubular Y-T and K-joints commonly found in offshore platforms. A wide range of geometric parameters of Y-T and K-joints in offshore practice is covered to generate reliable parametric equations for flexibility matrices. The formulas are obtained by non-linear regression analyses on the database. The proposed equations are verified against existing analytical and experimental formulations. The equations can be used reliably in global analyses of offshore structures to account for the LJF effects on overall behavior of the structure.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.25 no.9
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• pp.1325-1333
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• 2001

Critical defects in pressure vessels and pipes are generally found in the form of a semi-elliptical surface crack, and the analysis of which is consequently an important problem in engineering fracture mechanics. Furthermore, in addition to the traditional single parameter K or J-integral, the second parameter like T-stress should be measured to quantify the constraint effect. In this work, the validity of the line-spring finite element is investigated by comparing line-spring J-T solutions to the reference 3D finite element J-T solutions. A full 3D-mesh generating program for semi-elliptical surface cracks is employed to provide such reference 3D solutions. Then some structural characteristics of the surface-cracked T and L-joints are studied by mixed mode line-spring finite element. Negative T-stresses observed in T and L-joints indicate the necessity of J-T two parameter approach for analyses of surface-cracked T and L-joints.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.141-150
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• 1994

In designing, the strength of tubular joint has been an important problem for integrity of steel structures in which many tubular members are used. This paper presents the results of FEM analysis on stress concentration and fatigue crack initiation life for two types of tubular joints. One is circular and rectangular T type joints which consist of circular brace and rectangular chord. Another is circular and circular T type joints which consist of circular brace and circular chord. FEM analyses were performed under the axial load and in-plane bending moment. The fatigue crack initiation life can be estimated by using $\varepsilon$-N curve and by applying the Palmgren-Miner linear damage rule. According to the results, the stress concentration factor(SCF) of circular and rectangular joints is higher than that of circular and circular joints. The fatigue crack initiation lives of circular-circular joints and circular-rectangular joints were calculated.