• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.1 no.3
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• pp.239-252
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• 2013

Mortar microstructure is considered as a three-phase composite material, which is cement paste, fine aggregate and interfacial transition zone. Interfacial transition zone is the weakest link between the cement paste and fine aggregate, so it has a significant role to determine the properties of cementitious composites. In this study, specimens (w/c = 0.35, 0.45, 0.55) with various volume fractions of fine aggregate ($V_f$ = 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3 and 0.4) were cast and tested. To predict the equivalent migration coefficient ($M_e$) and migration coefficient of interfacial transition zone ($M_{itz}$), double-inclusion method and Mori-Tanaka theory were used to estimate. There are two stages to estimate and calculate the thickness of interfacial transition zone (h) and migration coefficient of interfacial transition zone ($M_{itz}$). The first stage, the data of experimental chloride ion migration coefficient ($M_s$) was used to calculate the equivalent migration coefficient of fine aggregate with interfacial transition zone ($M_e$) by Mori-Tanaka theory. The second stage, the thickness of interfacial transition zone (h) and migration coefficient of interfacial transition zone ($M_{itz}$) was calculated by Hori and Nemat-Nasser's double inclusion model. Between the theoretical and experimental data a comparison was conducted to investigate the behavior of interfacial transition zone in mortar and the effect of interfacial transition zone on the chloride migration coefficient, the results indicated that the numerical simulations is derived to the $M_{itz}/M_m$ ratio is 2.11~8.28. Additionally, thickness of interfacial transition zone is predicted from $10{\mu}m$, 60 to $80{\mu}m$, 70 to $100{\mu}m$ and 90 to $130{\mu}m$ for SM30, M35, M45 and M55, respectively.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.1444-1450
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• 2019

The fast-neutron shielding behaviour (FNSB) of two clay-materials (Ball clay and Kaolin)of Southwestern Nigeria ($7.49^{\circ}N$, $4.55^{\circ}E$) have been investigated using effective removal cross section, ${\Sigma}_R(cm^{-1})$, mass removal cross section, ${\Sigma}_{R/{\rho}}(cm^2g^{-1})$ and Mean free path, ${\lambda}$ (cm). These parameters decide neutron shielding behaviour of any material. A computer program - WinNC-Toolkit has been used for computation of these parameters. The toolkit evaluates these parameters by using elemental compositions and densities of samples. The proficiency of WinNC-Toolkit code was probe by using MCNPX and GEANT4 to model fast neutron transmission of the samples under narrow beam geometry, intending to represent the actual experimental setup. Direct calculation of effective removal cross section ($cm^{-1}$) of the samples was also carried out. The results from each of the methods for each types of the studied clay-materials (Ball clay and Kaolin) shows similar trend. The trend might be the fingerprint of water content retained in each of the samples being baked at different temperature. The compositions of each sample have been obtained by Particle-Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) technique (Tandem Pelletron Accelerator: 1.7 MV, Model 5SDH). The FNSB of the selected clay-materials have been compared with standard concrete. The cognizance of various factors such as availability, thermo-chemical stability and water retaining ability by the clay-samples can be analyzed for efficacy of the material for their FNSB.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.239-248
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• 2019

In this study, the out-of-plane seismic resistance of lightly-reinforced existing walls strengthened with thick RC jacket was investigated. The thick RC jacket with a thickness of 500 mm was placed at one side of the thin existing wall with a thickness of 150 mm. At the interface between the wall and RC jacket, a tee-shaped steel section with a number of anchor bolts and dowel bars was used as the shear connector. To investigate the connection performance and strengthening effects, the cyclic loading tests of four jacketed wall specimens were performed. The tests showed that the flexural strength of the jacketed walls under out-of-plane loading was significantly increased. During the initial behavior, the tee shear connector transferred forces successfully at the interface without slip. However, as the cracking, spalling, and crushing of the concrete increased in the exiting walls, the connection performance at the interface was significantly degraded and, consequently, the strength of the jacketed walls was significantly decreased. The flexural strength of the jacketed walls with tee shear connector was estimated considering the full and partial composite actions of the tee shear connector.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.25-32
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• 2021

For developing the durable eco-concrete, water-repellent and hydrophobic emulsion were prepared by stirring and mixing polymethyl hydrosiloxane and polyvinyl alcohol. After adding the PMHS emulsion cement paste, the hydration reaction characteristics and the change in chemical composition were analyzed through BSE and EDS analysis, and the micropores were evaluated by MIP test. Cement mixed with PMHS emulsion was analyzed to increase the hydration reactivity and to decrease the capillary porosity, but it was found that the capillary porosity varies depending on the degree of dispersion of the emulsion in the cement paste. In the case of the emulsion containing metakaolin, there was little difference in hydration degree and porosity from the case of using only the PMHS emulsion. However, when the cement surface was coated with PMHS emulsion, the contact angle was found to increase significantly compared to OPC, and it was analyzed that especially when PVA fiber was used together, it changed to a hypohydrophobic surface.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.501-511
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• 2022

Earthquake Resistant Design Philosophy seeks (a) no damage, (b) no significant structural damage, and (c) significant structural damage but no collapse of normal buildings, under minor, moderate and severe levels of earthquake shaking, respectively. A procedure is proposed for seismic design of low-rise reinforced concrete special moment frame buildings, which is consistent with this philosophy; buildings are designed to be ductile through appropriate sizing and reinforcement detailing, such that they resist severe level of earthquake shaking without collapse. Nonlinear analyses of study buildings are used to determine quantitatively (a) ranges of design parameters required to assure the required deformability in normal buildings to resist the severe level of earthquake shaking, (b) four specific limit states that represent the start of different structural damage states, and (c) levels of minor and moderate earthquake shakings stated in the philosophy along with an extreme level of earthquake shaking associated with the structural damage state of no collapse. The four limits of structural damage states and the three levels of earthquake shaking identified are shown to be consistent with the performance-based design guidelines available in literature. Finally, nonlinear analyses results are used to confirm the efficacy of the proposed procedure.

• Journal of the Korean Recycled Construction Resources Institute
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.514-522
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• 2022

In this study, as part of a study to improve the self-healing performance of concrete structures by applying self-healing capsules made of cementitious materials to cement composite materials, the engineering characteristics of mortars according to PCC(Powder Compacted Capsule) size and mixing ratio were compared and analyzed. For this, fluidity, compressive strength, reload test, carbonation, ultrasonic velocity, and water permeability characteristics were measured according to PCC size and mixing ratio of mortar. As a result of the measurement, the fluidity and compressive strength increased as the mixing ratio of PCC increased, and in the case of the load reload test, the healing ratio increased as the mixing ratio of PCC increased in the 03PC formulation. In the case of water permeability test, it was found that when PCC was used, the reduction ratio of water flow was up to 35 % higher than that of Plain, and when PCC with a size of 0.3 to 0.6 mm was mixed with 15 %, it was found to be effective in improving the crack healing ratio of the mortar.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.437-450
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• 2022

When the vertical load-bearing members in high-rise structures fail locally, the beam-column joints play an important role in the redistribution of the internal forces. In this paper, a static laboratory test of three full-scale flush flange beam-reinforced connections with side and cover plates (CP-FBSP connection) with double half-span steel beams and single L-shaped columns composed of concrete-filled steel tubes (L-CFST columns) was conducted. The influence of the side plate width and cover plate thickness on the progressive collapse resistance of the substructure was thoroughly analyzed. The failure mode, vertical force-displacement curves, strain variation, reaction force of the pin support and development of internal force in the section with the assumed plastic hinge were discussed. Then, through the verified finite element model, the corresponding analyses of the thickness and length of the side plates, the connecting length between the steel beam flange and cover plate, and the vertical-force eccentricity were carried out. The results show that the failure of all the specimens occurred through the cracking of the beam flange or the cover plate, and the beam chord rotations measured by the test were all greater than 0.085 rad. Increasing the length, thickness and width of the side plates slightly reduced the progressive collapse resistance of the substructures. The vertical-force eccentricity along the beam length reduced the progressive collapse resistance of the substructure. An increase in the connecting length between the beam flange and cover plate can significantly improve the progressive collapse resistance of substructures.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.599-614
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• 2022

One of the methods of stabilizing retaining walls, embankments, and deep excavations is the implementation of plate anchors (like the Geolock wall anchor systems). Back-to-back Mechanically Stabilized Earth (BBMSE) walls are common stabilized earth structures that can be used for bridge ramps. But so far, the analysis of the interactive behavior of two back-to-back anchored walls (BBAW) by double-plates anchors (constructed closely from each other and subjected to the limited-breadth vertical loading) including interference of their failure and sliding surfaces has not been the subject of comprehensive studies. Indeed, in this compound system, the interaction of sliding wedges of these two back-to-back walls considering the shear failure wedge of the foundation, significantly impresses on the foundation bearing capacity, adjacent walls displacements and deformations, and their stability. In this study, the effect of horizontal distance between two walls (W), breadth of loading plate (B), and position of vertical loading was investigated experimentally. In addition, the comparison of using single and equivalent double-plate anchors was evaluated. The loading plate bearing capacity and displacements, and deformations of BBAW were measured and the results are presented. To evaluate the shape, form, and how the critical failure surfaces of the soil behind the walls and beneath the foundation intersect with one another, the Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) technique was applied. The experimental tests results showed that in this composite system (two adjacent-loaded BBAW) the effective distance of walls is about W = 2.5*H (H: height of walls) and the foundation effective breadth is about B = H, concerning foundation bearing capacity, walls horizontal displacements and their deformations. For more amounts of W and B, the foundation and walls can be designed and analyzed individually. Besides, in this compound system, the foundation bearing capacity is an exponential function of the System Geometry Variable (SGV) whereas walls displacements are a quadratic function of it. Finally, as an important achievement, doubling the plates of anchors can facilitate using concrete walls, which have limitations in tolerating curvature.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.367-383
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• 2023

A coupled wall consists of two or more reinforced concrete (RC) shear walls (SWs) connected by RC coupling beams (CBs) or steel CBs (hybrid-coupled walls). To fill the gap in the literature on the plastic hinge length of coupled walls, including coupled and hybrid-coupled shear walls, a parametric study using experimentally validated numerical models was conducted considering the axial stress ratio (ASR) and coupling ratio (CR) as the study variables. A total of sixty numerical models, including both coupled and hybrid-coupled SWs, have been developed by varying the ASR and CR within the ranges of 0.027-0.25 and 0.2-0.5, respectively. A detailed analysis was conducted in order to estimate the ultimate drift, ultimate capacity, curvature profile, yielding height, and plastic hinge length of the models. Compared to hybrid-coupled SWs, coupled SWs possess a relatively higher capacity and curvature. Moreover, increasing the ASR changes the walls' behavior to a column-like member which decreases the walls' ultimate drift, ductility, curvature, and plastic hinge length. Increasing the CR of the coupled SWs increases the walls' capacity and the risk of abrupt shear failure but decreases the walls' ductility, ultimate drift and plastic hinge length. However, CR has a negligible effect on hybrid-coupled walls' ultimate drift and moment, curvature profile, yielding height and plastic hinge length. Lastly, using the obtained results two equations were derived as a function of CR and ASR for calculating the plastic hinge length of coupled and hybrid-coupled SWs.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.461-473
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• 2022

Energy-saving block and invisible multiribbed frame composite wall (EBIMFCW) is an important shear wall, which is composed of energy-saving blocks, steel bars and concrete. This paper conducted seismic performance tests on six 1/2-scale EBIMFCW specimens, analyzed their failure process under horizontal reciprocating load, and studied the effect of axial compression ratio on the wall's hysteresis curve and skeleton curve, ductility, energy dissipation capacity, stiffness degradation, bearing capacity degradation. A formula for calculating the peak bearing capacity of such walls was proposed. Results showed that the EBIMFCW had experienced a long time deformation from cracking to failure and exhibited signs of failure. The three seismic fortification lines of the energy-saving block, internal multiribbed frame, and outer multiribbed frame sequentially played important roles. With the increase in axial compression ratio, the peak bearing capacity and ductility of the wall increased, whereas the initial stiffness decreased. The change in axial compression ratio had a small effect on the energy dissipation capacity of the wall. In the early stage of loading, the influence of axial compression ratio on wall stiffness and strength degradation was unremarkable. In the later stage of loading, the stiffness and strength degradation of walls with high axial compression ratio were low. The displacement ductility coefficients of the wall under vertical pressure were more than 3.0 indicating that this wall type has good deformation ability. The limit values of elastic displacement angle under weak earthquake and elastic-plastic displacement angle under strong earthquake of the EBIMFCW were1/800 and 1/80, respectively.