• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.601-615
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• 2019

In cold-formed steel (CFS) structures, such as trusses, wall frames and columns, the use of back-to-back built-up CFS angle sections are becoming increasingly popular. In such an arrangement, intermediate fasteners are required at discrete points along the length, preventing the angle-sections from buckling independently. Limited research is available in the literature on the axial strength of back-to-back built-up CFS angle sections. The issue is addressed herein. This paper presents the results of 16 experimental tests, conducted on back-to-back built-up CFS screw fastened angle sections under axial compression. A nonlinear finite element model is then described, which includes material non-linearity, geometric imperfections and explicit modelling of the intermediate fasteners. The finite element model was validated against the experimental test results. The validated finite element model was then used for the purpose of a parametric study comprising 66 models. The effect of fastener spacing on axial strength was investigated. Four different cross-sections and two different thicknesses were analyzed in the parametric study, varying the slenderness ratio of the built-up columns from 20 to 120. Axial strengths obtained from the experimental tests and finite element analysis were used to assess the performance of the current design guidelines as per the Direct Strength Method (DSM); obtained comparison showed that the DSM is over-conservative by 13% on average. This paper has therefore proposed improved design rules for the DSM and verified their accuracy against the finite element and test results of back-to-back built-up CFS angle sections under axial compression.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.247-270
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• 2019

Wind-resistant design of existing cooling tower structures overlooks the impacts of rainfall. However, rainstorm will influence aerodynamic force on the tower surface directly. Under this circumstance, the structural response of the super-large cooling tower (SLCT) will become more complicated, and then the stability and safety of SLCT will receive significant impact. In this paper, surrounding wind fields of the world highest (210 m) cooling tower in Northwest China underthree typical wind velocities were simulated based on the wind-rain two-way coupling algorithm. Next, wind-rain coupling synchronous iteration calculations were conducted under 9 different wind speed-rainfall intensity combinations by adding the discrete phase model (DPM). On this basis, the influencing laws of different wind speed-rainfall intensity combinations on wind-driving rain, adhesive force of rain drops and rain pressure coefficients were discussed. The acting mechanisms of speed line, turbulence energy strength as well as running speed and trajectory of rain drops on structural surface in the wind-rain coupling field were disclosed. Moreover, the fitting formula of wind-rain coupling equivalent pressure coefficient of the cooling tower was proposed. A systematic contrast analysis on its 3D distribution pattern was carried out. Finally, coupling model of SLCT under different working conditions was constructed by combining the finite element method. Structural response, buckling stability and local stability of SLCT under different wind velocities and wind speed-rainfall intensity combinations were compared and analyzed. Major research conclusions can provide references to determine loads of similar SLCT accurately under extremely complicated working conditions.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.681-695
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• 2021

Many existing transmission or communication towers designed several decades ago have undergone nonreversible performance degradation, making it hardly meet the additional requirements from upgrades in wind load design codes and extra services of electricity and communication. Therefore, a new-type non-destructive reinforcement method was proposed to reduce the on-site operation of drilling and welding for improving the quality and efficiency of reinforcement. Six built-up steel angle members were tested under compression to examine the reinforcement performance. Subsequently, the cyclic loading test was conducted on a pair of steel angle tower sub-structures to investigate the reinforcement effect, and a simplified prediction method was finally established for calculating the buckling bearing capacity of those new-type retrofitted built-up steel angles. The results indicates that: no apparent difference exists in the initial stiffness for the built-up specimens compared to the unreinforced steel angles; retrofitting the steel angles by single-bolt clamps can guarantee a relatively reasonable reinforcement effect and is suggested for the reduced additional weight and higher construction efficiency; for the substructure test, the latticed substructure retrofitted by the proposed reinforcement method significantly improves the lateral stiffness, the non-deformability and energy dissipation capacity; moreover, an apparent pinching behavior exists in the hysteretic loops, and there is no obvious yield plateau in the skeleton curves; finally, the accuracy validation result indicates that the proposed theoretical model achieves a reasonable agreement with the test results. Accordingly, this study can provide valuable references for the design and application of the non-destructive upgrading project of steel angle towers.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.497-512
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• 2023

Using light weight concrete as infill material in conventional cold-formed steel (CFS) shear wall systems can considerably increase their load bearing capacity, ductility, integrity and fire resistance. The compressive strength of the filler concrete is a key factor affecting the structural behaviour of the composite wall systems, and therefore, achieving maximum compressive strength in lightweight concrete while maintaining its lightweight properties is of significant importance. In this study a new type of optimum polystyrene lightweight concrete (OPLC) with high compressive strength is developed for infill material in composite CFS shear wall systems. To study the seismic behaviour of the OPLC-filled CFS shear wall systems, two full scale wall specimens are tested under cyclic loading condition. The effects of OPLC on load-bearing capacity, failure mode, ductility, energy dissipation capacity, and stiffness degradation of the walls are investigated. It is shown that the use of OPLC as infill in CFS shear walls can considerably improve their seismic performance by: (i) preventing the premature buckling of the stud members, and (ii) changing the dominant failure mode from brittle to ductile thanks to the bond-slip behaviour between OPLC and CFS studs. It is also shown that the design equations proposed by EC8 and ACI 318-14 standards overestimate the shear force capacity of OPLC-filled CFS shear wall systems by up to 80%. This shows it is necessary to propose methods with higher efficiency to predict the capacity of these systems for practical applications.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.319-332
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• 2004

Due to their high strength to weight ratios and excellent durability, fiber reinforced polymer(FRP) is widely used in construction industries. In this paper, a shape optimum design of FRP bridge decks haying pultruded cellular cross-section is presented. In the problem formulation, an objective function is selected to minimize the volumes. The cross-sectional dimensions and material properties of the deck of FRP bridges are used as the design variables. On the other hand, deflection limits in the design code, material failure criteria, buckling load, minimum height, and stress are selected as the design constraints to enhance the structural performance of FRP decks. In order to efficiently treat the optimization process, the cross-sectional shape of bridge decks is assumed to be a tube shape. The optimization process utilizes an improved Genetic Algorithms incorporating indexing technique. For the structural analysis using a three-dimensional finite element, a commercial package(ABAQUS) is used. Using a computer program coded for this study, an example problem is solved and the results are presented with sensitivity analysis. The bridge consists of a deck width of 12.14m and is supported by five 40m long steel girders spaced at 2.5m. The bridge is designed to carry a standard DB-24 truck loading according to the Standard Specifications for Highway Bridges in Korea. Based on the optimum design, viable cross-sectional dimensions for FRP decks, suitable for pultrusion process are proposed.

• Design & Manufacturing
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.23-29
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• 2021

The specific strength of magnesium alloy is four times that of iron and 1.5 times that of aluminum. For this reason, its use is increasing in the transportation industry which is promoting weight reduction. At room temperature, magnesium alloy has low formability due to Hexagonal closed packed (HCP) structure with relatively little slip plane. However, as the molding temperature increases, the formability of the magnesium alloy is greatly improved due to the activation of other additional slip systems, and the flow stress and elongation vary greatly depending on the temperature. In addition, magnesium alloys exhibit asymmetrical behavior, which is different from tensile and compression behavior. In this study, a jig was developed that can measure the plane deformation behavior on the surface of a material in tensile and compression tests of magnesium alloys in warm temperature. A jig was designed to prevent buckling occurring in the compression test by applying a certain pressure to apply it to the tensile and compression tests. And the tensile and compressive behavior of magnesium at each temperature was investigated with the developed jig and DIC equipment. In each experiment, the strain rate condition was set to a quasi-static strain rate of 0.01/s. The transformation temperature is room temperature, 100℃. 150℃, 200℃, 250℃. As a result of the experiment, the flow stress tended to decrease as the temperature increased. The maximum stress decreased by 60% at 250 degrees compared to room temperature. Particularly, work softening occurred above 150 degrees, which is the recrystallization temperature of the magnesium alloy. The elongation also tended to increase as the deformation temperature increased and increased by 60% at 250 degrees compared to room temperature. In the compression experiment, it was confirmed that the maximum stress decreased as the temperature increased.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.705-714
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• 2012

Precast reinforced concrete bridge columns with hollow rectangular section were tested under cyclic lateral load with constant axial force to investigate its seismic performance. After all the precast column segments were erected, longitudinal reinforcement was inserted in the sheath prefabricated in the segments, which were then mortar grouted. Main variables of the test series were column aspect ratio, longitudinal reinforcement ratio, amount of lateral reinforcement, and location of segment joints. The aspect ratios were 4.5 and 2.5, and the longitudinal steel ratios were 1.15% and 3.07%. The amount of lateral reinforcement were 95%, 55%, 50%, and 27% of the minimum amount for full ductility design requirements in the Korean Bridge Design Code. The locations of segment joints in plastic hinge region were 0.5 and 1.0 times of the section depth from the bottom column end. The test results of cracking and failure mode, axial-flexural strength, lateral load-displacement relationship, and displacement ductility are presented. Then, safety of the ductility demand based seismic design in the Korean Bridge Design Code is discussed. The column specimens showed larger ductility than expected, because buckling of longitudinal reinforcing bar was prevented due to confinement developed not only by transverse steel but also by sheath and infilling mortar.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.18 no.6 s.96
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• pp.749-757
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• 2006

Many losses of life and extensive damage of social infrastructures have occurred due to moderate and strong earthquakes all over the world. In this research various design parameters have been evaluated to develop a rational seismic design code of rectangular reinforced concrete(RC) bridge piers. It was confirmed from this study that the axial force ratio and longitudinal steel ratio were most influencing design parameters on the seismic displacement ductility from experimental results of 54 rectangular RC bridge piers, which were tested at domestic and foregin countries. However, these important parameters are not considered in the confinement steel ratio of Korea Highway Bridge Design Specification(KHBDS). The objective of this study is to propose a rational design provision for the transverse reinforcement of rectangular RC bridge piers. New confinement steel ratio is proposed by reflecting the effect of the axial force and longitudinal steel into the current code of KHBDS. furthermore, minimum transverse confinement steel ratio is also proposed to avoid a probable buckling of longitudinal reinforcing steels of RC bridge piers with a relatively low axial force. New practical code can alleviate the rebar congestion in the plastic hinge region of RC bridge pier, which contributes to construct RC bridge piers in a simple and economic way.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.383-390
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• 2019

A helideck is one of the essential structures in offshore platforms for the transportation of goods and operating personnel between land and offshore sites. As such, it should be carefully designed and installed for the safety of the offshore platform. In this study, a structural design optimization method for a lightweight offshore helideck is developed based on a genetic algorithm and an attainable design set concept. A helideck consists of several types of structural members such as plates, girders, stiffeners, trusses, and support elements, and the dimensions of these members are typically pre-defined by manufacturers. Therefore, design sets are defined by collecting the standard section data for these members from the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), and integer section labels are assigned as design variables in the genetic algorithm. The objective is to minimize the total weight of the offshore helideck while satisfying the maximum allowable stress criterion under various loading conditions including self-weight, wind direction, landing position, and landing condition. In addition, the unity check process is also utilized for additional verification of structural safety against buckling failure of the helideck.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.503-514
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• 2011

In this research, the seismic connection details for two concrete-filled U-shape steel beam-to-H columns were proposed and cyclically tested under a full-scale cruciform configuration. The key connecting components included the U-shape steel section (450 and 550 mm deep for specimens A and B, respectively), a concrete floor slab with a ribbed deck (165 mm deep for both specimens), welded couplers and rebars for negative moment transfer, and shear studs for full composite action and strengthening plates. Considering the unique constructional nature of the proposed connection, the critical limit states, such as the weld fracture, anchorage failure of the welded coupler, local buckling, concrete crushing, and rebar buckling, were carefully addressed in the specimen design. The test results showed that the connection details and design methods proposed in this study can well control the critical limit states mentioned above. Especially, the proposed connection according to the strengthening strategy successfully pushed the plastic hinge to the tip of the strengthened zone, as intended in the design, and was very effective in protecting the more vulnerable beam-to-column welded joint. The maximum story drift capacities of 6.0 and 6.8% radians were achieved in specimens A and B, respectively, thus far exceeding the minimumlimit of 4% radians required of special moment frames. Low-cycle fatigue fracture across the beam bottom flange at a 6% drift level was the final failure mode of specimen A. Specimen B failed through the fracture of the top splice plate of the bolted splice at a very high drift ratio of 8.0% radian.