• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.24 no.4
• /
• pp.463-478
• /
• 2006

The design of structural frameworks for buildings is constantly evolving and is dependent on regional issues such as loading and constructability. One of the most promising recent developments for low to medium rise construction in terms of efficiency of construction, robustness and aesthetic appearance utilises concrete-filled steel tubular sections as the columns in a moment-resisting frame. These are coupled to rigid or semi-rigid connections to composite steel-concrete beams. This paper includes the results of a pilot experimental programme leading towards the development of economical, reliable connections that are easily constructed for this type of frame. The connections must provide the requisite strength, stiffness and ductility to suit gravity loading conditions as well as gravity combined with the governing lateral wind or earthquake loading. The aim is to develop connections that are stiffer, less expensive and easier to construct than those in current use. A proposed fabricated T-stub connection is to be used to connect the beam flanges and the column. These T-stubs are connected to the column using "blind bolts" with extensions, allowing installation from the outside of the tube. In general, the use of the extensions results in a dramatic increase in the strength and stiffness of the T-stub to column connection in tension, since the load is shared between membrane action in the tube wall and the anchorage of the bolts through the extensions into the concrete.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
• /
• v.27 no.2
• /
• pp.185-193
• /
• 2015

Ultra high performance concrete (UHPC) has been developed to overcome the low tensile strengths and brittleness of conventional concrete. Considering that UHPC, owing to its composition and the use of steel fibers, develops a compressive strength of 180 MPa as well as high stiffness, the top flange of the steel girder may be superfluous in the composite beam combining a slab made of UHPC and the steel girder. In such composite beam, the steel girder takes the form of an inverted-T shaped structure without top flange in which the studs needed for the composition of the steel girder with the UHPC slab are disposed in the web of the steel girder. This study investigates experimentally and analytically the flexural behavior of this new type of composite beam to propose details like stud spacing and slab thickness for further design recommendations. To that goal, eight composite beams with varying stud spacing and slab thickness were fabricated and tested. The test results indicated that stud spacing running from 100 mm to 2 to 3 times the slab thickness can be recommended. In view of the relative characteristic slip limit of Eurocode-4, the results showed that the composite beam developed ductile behavior. Moreover, except for the members with thin slab and large stud spacing, most of the specimens exhibited results different to those predicted by AASHTO LRFD and Eurocode-4 because of the high performance developed by UHPC.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
• /
• v.26 no.6
• /
• pp.761-769
• /
• 2014

Ultra high performance concrete (UHPC) has been developed to overcome the low strengths and brittleness of conventional concrete. Considering that UHPC, owing to its composition and the use of steel fibers, develops a compressive strength of 180 MPa as well as high stiffness, the top flange of the steel girder may be superfluous in the composite beam combining a slab made of UHPC and the steel girder. In such composite beam, the steel girder takes the form of an inverted-T shaped structure without top flange in which the studs needed for the composition of the steel girder with the UHPC slab are disposed in the web of the steel girder. This study investigates experimentally and analytically the flexural behavior of this new type of composite beam to propose details like stud spacing and slab thickness for further design recommendations. To that goal, eight composite beams with varying stud spacing and slab thickness were fabricated and tested. The test results indicated that stud spacing running from 100 mm to 2 to 3 times the slab thickness can be recommended. In view of the relative characteristic slip limit of Eurocode-4, the results showed that the composite beam developed ductile behavior. Moreover, except for the members with thin slab and large stud spacing, most of the specimens exhibited results different to those predicted by AASHTO LRFD and Eurocode-4 because of the high performance developed by UHPC.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.11 no.3
• /
• pp.207-223
• /
• 2011

The results of an experimental investigation are presented in this paper for retrofitting of shear damaged reinforced concrete beams by using U shaped CFRP strips. The experimental program is consisted of seven shear deficient T cross sectioned 1/2 scale simply supported beam specimens. One beam was used as reference specimen, and the remaining six specimens were tested in two stages. At the first stage, specimens were shear damaged severely, and then were retrofitted by using CFRP strips with or without fan type anchorages. Finally, retrofitted beams were tested up to failure. Three different CFRP strip spacing were used such as 125 mm, 150 mm, and 200 mm. The effect of anchorages on shear strength and behavior of the retrofitted specimens is investigated. CFRP strips without anchorages improved the shear strength, but no flexural failure mode was observed. Specimens showed brittle shear failure due to peeling of CFRP strip from RC beam surface. Shear damaged specimens retrofitted with anchoraged CFRP strips showed improved shear strength and ductile flexural failure. Maximum strains at anchoraged strips were approximately 68% larger than that of strips without anchorages.

• Computers and Concrete
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.103-115
• /
• 2019

In this study, the strength and stiffness (EI) of wood-concrete composite beams for bridges with T-shaped cross section were evaluated. Two types of connectors were used: connectors bonded with epoxy adhesive and connectors attached to the wood just by pre-drilling (without adhesive). The connectors consisted of common steel bars with a diameter of 12.5 mm. Initially, the strength and stiffness (EI) of the beams were analyzed by bending tests with the load applied at the third point of the beam. Subsequently, the composite beams were evaluated by numerical simulation using ANSYS software with focus on the connection system. To make the composite beams, Eucalyptus citriodora wood and medium strength concrete were used. The slip modulus K and the ultimate strength values of each type of connector were obtained by direct shear tests performed on composite specimens. The results showed that the connector glued with epoxy adhesive resulted in better strength and stiffness (EI) for the composite beams when compared to the connector fixed by pre-drilling. The differences observed were up to 10%. The strength and stiffness (EI) values obtained analytically by $M{\ddot{o}}hler^{\prime}$ model were lower than the values obtained experimentally from the bending tests, and the differences were up to 25%. The numerical simulations allowed, with reasonable approximation, the evaluation of stress distributions in the composite beams tested experimentally.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
• /
• v.19 no.3
• /
• pp.323-333
• /
• 2007

This paper presents a study that attempted to improve the site applicability of profile sheets and check the effects of bending reinforcement in composite profiled beams, and consequently, to suggest an improved modular-type CB2 and two types of bending reinforcement methods. As a result of the reinforcing and reforming modular profiled beam experiment conducted, CBIIshowed an adequate deformation capacity as well as a sufficient plastic plateau at the maximum load and thereafter. For all the specimens, an insignificant modular slip occurred while linear relations were kept constant, at up to approximately 50% of the maximum load and at constant linear relations. The experimental values were very low. Probably, due to the small-scale experiment, the area of the concrete for the concrete filling and covering might have been insufficient, which might have led to the failure to improve the strength. Comparing the results with the standard design stress, all the specimens-except for T16 and B16-indicated more than 0.9. Based on the standard design stress, the reinforced modular profiled beam was consideredto have positive applicability.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.8 no.4
• /
• pp.265-280
• /
• 2008

An investigation on the combined effect of foundation type, foundation flexibility, axial load and PR (semi-rigid) connections on the natural frequencies of steel frames is presented. These effects were investigated using a suitable modified FE program for cases where the foundation flexibility, foundation connectivity, and semi-rigid connections could be treated as equivalent linear springs. The effect of axial load on the natural frequency of a structure was found to be significant for slender structures subjected to high axial loads. In general, if columns of medium slenderness are designed without consideration of axial load effects, the frequency of the structure will be overestimated. Studies on the 3-story Los Angeles PR SAC frame indicate that the assumption of rigid connections at beam-column and column-base interfaces, as well as the assumption of a rigid foundation, can lead to significant errors if simplified design procedures are used. These errors in an equivalent static analysis are expected to lead to even more serious problems when considering the effect of higher modes under a non-linear dynamic analysis.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.289-301
• /
• 2008

Double skin composite (DSC) wall is a structural wall that is filed with concrete between two steel plate skins connected by tie bars. This type of wall was developed to enhance the structural performance of wall, to reduce wall thickness, and to enhance constructibility, eliminating the use of formwork and re-bars. In this study, cyclic tests were performed to investigate the inelastic behavior and earthquake resistance of isolated and coupled DSC walls with rectangular and T-shapedcross-sections. The DSC walls showed stable cyclic behaviors, exhibiting excellent energy dissipation capacity. The te st specimens failed by the tensile fracture of welded joints at the wall base and coupling beam and by the severe local buckling of the steel plate. The deformation capacity of the walls varied with the connection details at the wall base and their cross-sectional shapes. The specimens with well-detailed connections at the wall base showed relatively god deformation capacity ranging from 2.0% to 3.7% drift ratio. The load-carrying capacities of the isolated and coupled wall specimens were evaluated considering their inelastic behavior. The results were compared with the test results.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
• /
• v.26 no.2
• /
• pp.151-157
• /
• 2014

Since recently developed Ultra-High-Performance-Concrete (UHPC) provides very high strength, stiffness, and durability, many studies have been made on the application of the UHPC to bridge decks. Due to high strength and stiffness of UHPC bridge deck, the structural contribution of top flange of steel girder composite to UHPC deck would be much lower than that of conventional concrete deck. At this point of view, this study proposes a inverted-T shaped steel girder composite to UHPC deck. This girder requires a new type of shear connector because conventional shear connectors are welded on top flange. This study also proposes three different types of shear connectors, and evaluate their ultimate strength via push-out static test. The first one is a stud shear connector welded directly to the web of the girder in the transverse direction. The second one is a puzzle-strip type shear connector developed by the European Commission, and the last one is the combination of the stud and the puzzle-strip shear connectors. Experimental results showed that the ultimate strength of the transverse stud was 26% larger than that given in the AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications, but a splitting crack observed in the UHPC deck was so severe that another measure needs to be developed to prevent the splitting crack. The ultimate strength of the puzzle-strip specimen was 40% larger than that evaluated by the equation of European Commission. The specimens combined with stud and puzzle-strip shear connectors provided less strength than arithmetical sum of those. Based on the experimental observations, there appears to be no advantage of combining transverse stud and puzzle-strip shear connectors.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.1 no.4
• /
• pp.459-480
• /
• 2001

The damage suffered by steel structures during the Northridge (1994) and Kobe (1995) earthquakes indicates that the fully restrained (FR) connections in steel frames did not behave as expected. Consequently, researchers began studying other possibilities, including making the connections more flexible, to reduce the risk of damage from seismic loading. Recent experimental and analytical investigations pointed out that the seismic response of steel frames with partially restrained (PR) connections might be superior to that of similar frames with FR connections since the energy dissipation at PR connections could be significant. This beneficial effect has not yet been fully quantified analytically. Thus, the dissipation of energy at PR connections needs to be considered in analytical evaluations, in addition to the dissipation of energy due to viscous damping and at plastic hinges (if they form). An algorithm is developed and verified by the authors to estimate the nonlinear time-domain dynamic response of steel frames with PR connections. The verified algorithm is then used to quantify the major sources of energy dissipation and their effect on the overall structural response in terms of the maximum base shear and the maximum top displacement. The results indicate that the dissipation of energy at PR connections is comparable to that dissipated by viscous damping and at plastic hinges. In general, the maximum total base shear significantly increases with an increase in the connection stiffness. On the other hand, the maximum top lateral displacement $U_{max}$ does not always increase as the connection stiffness decreases. Energy dissipation is considerably influenced by the stiffness of a connection, defined in terms of the T ratio, i.e., the ratio of the moment the connection would have to carry according to beam line theory (Disque 1964) and the fixed end moment of the girder. A connection with a T ratio of at least 0.9 is considered to be fully restrained. The energy dissipation behavior may be quite different for a frame with FR connections with a T ratio of 1.0 compared to when the T ratio is 0.9. Thus, for nonlinear seismic analysis, a T ratio of at least 0.9 should not be considered to be an FR connection. The study quantitatively confirms the general observations made in experimental results for frames with PR connections. Proper consideration of the PR connection stiffness and other dynamic properties are essential to predict dynamic behavior, no matter how difficult the analysis procedure becomes. Any simplified approach may need to be calibrated using this type of detailed analytical study.