• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.85 no.5
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• pp.693-707
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• 2023

In order to deeply reveal the working mechanism of ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) filled steel tubular columns (UHPCFSTs) under cyclic loading, a three-dimension (3D) macro-mesoscale finite element (FE) model was established considering the randomness of steel fibers and the damage of UHPC. Model correctness and reliability were verified based on the experimental results. Next, the whole failure process of UHPC reinforced with steel fibers, passive confinement effect and internal force distribution laws were comprehensively analyzed and discussed. Finally, a simplified and practical method was proposed for predicting the ultimate bending strengths of UHPCFSTs. It was found that the non-uniform confinement effect of steel tube occurred when the drift ratio exceeded 0.5%, while the confining stress increased then decreased afterwards. There was preferable synergy between the steel tube and UHPC until failure. Compared with experimental results, the ultimate bending strengths of UHPCFSTs were undervalued by the current code provisions such as AISC360-10, EC4 and GB50936 with computed mean values (MVs) of 0.855, 0.880 and 0.836, respectively. The proposed practical method was highly accurate, as evidenced by a mean value of 1.058.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.55-62
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• 2015

An importance of infrastructures' protection against crash or blast loading has been an emerging issue as structures are becoming much bigger and population densities in downtown are growing up. However, there exists no such a standard to evaluate the protection performance of construction material itself. Prior to building standards for protection assessment techniques, this study performed gas-gun propelled projectile impact tests with series of contact-type monitoring systems to investigate the applicability of each sensing type. Through the impact tests, failure modes and protection performances of both normal concrete and UHPC (Ultra High Performance Concrete) reinforced by steel fibers were also evaluated. The results showed that LVDT could be applicable for the impact test among contact-type sensors and UHPC with fibers had a remarkable potential to improve protection against impact loading.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.11-22
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• 2023

In this study, a structural concrete square beam was developed using the centrifugal molding technique. In order to secure the bending stiffness of the cross section, the hollow rate of the cross section was set to 10% or less. Instead of using the current poor mixture of concrete, a special formwork for producing a centrifugal square beam was manufactured, and a concrete mixing ratio with a high slump (150-200) and a design strength of 100 MPa or more was developed and applied. The produced centrifugally formed rectangular beams were subjected to performance tests according to the standard bending and shear test standards for centrifugally formed members. The static load test results for the four specimens exceeded both the nominal bending strength and nominal shear strength, which are design values through structural design, proving the structural reliability of the ultra-high-strength centrifugally formed square beam.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.201-219
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• 2022

This paper firstly proposed high performance composite columns for cold-region infrastructures using ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) and ultra-high strength steel (UHSS) Q960E. Then, 24 square UHPC-filled UHSS tubes (UHSTCs) at low temperatures of -80, -60, -30, and 30℃ were performed under axial loads. The key influencing parameters on axial compression performance of UHSS were studied, i.e., temperature level and UHSS-tube wall thickness (t). In addition, mechanical properties of Q960E at low temperatures were also studied. Test results revealed low temperatures improved the yield/ultimate strength of Q960E. Axial compression tests on UHSTCs revealed that the dropping environmental temperature increased the compression strength and stiffness, but compromised the ductility of UHSTCs; increasing t significantly increased the strength, stiffness, and ductility of UHSTCs. This study developed numerical and theoretical models to reproduce axial compression performances of UHSTCs at low temperatures. Validations against 24 tests proved that both two methods provided reasonable simulations on axial compression performance of UHSTCs. Finally, simplified theoretical models (STMs) and modified prediction equations in AISC 360, ACI 318, and Eurocode 4 were developed to estimate the axial load capacity of UHSTCs at low temperatures.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.339-355
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• 2022

The high cost of ultra-high-performance engineered cementitious composite (UHP-ECC) is currently a crucial issue, especially in terms of the polyethylene (PE) fibers use. In this paper, cheap calcium carbonate whiskers (CW) were evaluated on the feasibility of hybrid with PE fibers. Diverse combinations of PE fibers and CW were employed to investigate the multi-scale enhancement on the UHP-ECC performance. A probabilistic-based UHP-ECC tensile strain reliability analysis approach was utilized, which was in general agreement with the experimental results. Furthermore, a multi-dimensional integrated representation was conducted for the comprehensive assessment of UHP-ECC. Results illustrated that CW improved the compressive strength and energy dissipation capacity of UHP-ECC owing to the microscopic strengthening mechanism. CW and PE fiber further promoted the saturated cracking of composite by multi-scale crack arresting effect. In particular, PE1.75-CW0.5 specimen possessed the best overall performance. The ultimate cracking width of PE1.75-CW0.5 group had 98 ㎛, which was 46.18% lower compared to PE2-CW0 group, the 28d compressive strength were slightly improved, the tensile strain capacity was comparable to that of PE2-CW0 group. The results above demonstrated that combinations of PE fiber and CW could significantly enhance the comprehensive performance of UHP-ECC, which was beneficial for large-scale engineering applications.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.857-873
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• 2014

Structural behaviors of a sustainable hybrid column with the ultra high performance cementitious composites (UHPCC) permanent form under compression and flexure were studied. Critical state and failure stage characters are analyzed for large and small eccentricity cases. A simplified theoretical model is proposed for engineering designs and unified formulas for loading capacity of the hybrid column under compression and flexure loads are derived, including axial force and moment. Non-linear numerical analysis is carried out to verify the theoretical predictions. The theoretical predictions agree well with the numerical results which are verified by the short hybrid column tests recursively. Compared with the traditional reinforced concrete (RC) column, the loading capacity of the sustainable hybrid column is improved significantly due to UHPCC confinements.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.931-951
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• 2015

To improve the durability and service life of reinforced concrete column such as bridge piers, an advanced composite column made of Ultra High Performance Cementitious Composites (UHPCC) permanent form is proposed. Based on elasticity plasticity theory, axial compression behavior of the composite column was studied theoretically. The first circumferential cracking load and ultimate limit loading capacity are derived for the composite column. Short composite column compression tests and numerical simulations using FEM method were carried out to justify the theoretical formula. The effects of UHPCC tube thickness on the axial compression behavior were studied. Using the established theoretical model and numerical simulation, the large dimension composite columns are calculated and analyzed with different UHPCC tube thickness. These studies may provide a reference for advanced composite column design and application.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.87-95
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• 2014

Experimental investigation on the structural behavior of steel fiber-reinforced ultra high performance concrete (UHPC) beams subjected to torsion are presented. Six tests carried out on square beams under torsional moment are presented. The experimental parameters were the volume fraction of the fibers and closed-stirrup ratio. The volume fraction of the fibers was 1.0% and 2.0%. The closed-stirrup ratio was 0, 0.35%, and 0.70%. The test results indicated that ultimate torsional strength increased with increasing fiber volume, and that ultimate torsional strength also increased with increasing the closed-stirrup ratio. In addition, predictive equations for evaluating the ultimate torsional strength of UHPC beams were proposed. The comparison between computed values and the experimentally observed values was shown to validate the proposed analytical equations. It was found that predictions by using proposed equation provides good agreement with test results of UHPC beams.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.139-148
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• 2015

The purpose of this paper is to induce the ductile behavior of the UHPFRC member after the peak load by using the bundle of longitudinal reinforcing bar as a substitute for steel fiber. Experiments on the flexural behavior of the Ultra High Performance Concrete rectangular beam with the combination of the steel fiber and longitudinal reinforcing bar were carried out. The volume fractions of steel fiber are 0%, 0.7%, 1%, 1.5%, 2% and the reinforcement ratios of longitudinal reinforcing bar which induce the ductile behavior are 0.0036, 0.016, 0.028 and 0.036. 15 UHPC beams were made with the combination of these test factors. Not only steel fiber but also bundle of longitudinal reinforcing bar has the effect to induce ductile behavior of UHPC structural member. The combination of 0.7% volume fraction of steel fiber and 0.028 reinforcement ratio showed the most economic combination. The relationship of load-deflection, strain variation of the concrete and the crack pattern indicate the usefulness of the bundle of the longitudinal bar which has small diameter with close arrangement each other.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.12-23
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• 2024

In this study, a structural concrete square beam was developed using the centrifugal molding technique. In order to secure the bending stiffness of the cross section, the hollow rate of the cross section was set to 10% or less. Instead of using the current poor mixture of concrete and a concrete mixing ratio with a high slump (150-200) and a design strength of 100 MPa or more was developed and applied. In order to investigate the durability of centrifugally formed PSC square beams to be used as the superstructure of the avalanch tunnel or ramen bridge, the durability performance of ultra-high-strength centrifugally formed concrete with a compressive strength of 100 MPa was evaluated in terms of deterioration and chemical resistance properties.Concrete durability tests, including chloride penetration resistance, accelerated carbonation, sulfate erosion resistance, freeze-thaw resistance, and scaling resistance, were performed on centrifugally formed square beam test specimens produced in 2022 and 2023. Considering the information verified in this study, the durability of centrifugally molded concrete, which has increased watertightness in the later manufacturing stage, was found to be superior to that of general concrete.