• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.971-983
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• 2015

To promote greater acceptance and use of composite RCS systems, a two-bay two-story frame specimen with improved composite RCS joint details was tested in the laboratory under reversed cyclic loading. The test revealed superior seismic performance with stable load versus story drift response and excellent deformation capacity for an inter-story drift ratio up to 1/25. It was found that the failure process of the frame meets the strong-column weak-beam criterion. Furthermore, cracking inter-story drift ratio and ultimate inter-story drift ratio both satisfy the limitation prescribed by the design code. Additionally, inter-story drift ratios at yielding and peak load stage provide reference data for Performance-Based Seismic Design (PBSD) approaches for composite RCS frames. An advantage over conventional reinforced concrete and steel moment frame systems is that the displacement ductility coefficient of the RCS frame system is much larger. To conclude, the test results prove that composite RCS frame systems perform satisfactorily under simulated earthquake action, which further validates the reliability of this innovative system. Based on the test result, some suggestions are presented for the design of composite RCS frame systems.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.385-403
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• 2011

Continuous deep girders which transmit the gravity load from the upper wall to the lower columns have frequently long end shear spans between the boundary of the upper wall and the face of the lower column. This paper presents the results of tests and analyses performed on three 1:2.5 scale specimens with long end shear spans, (the ratios of shear-span/total depth: 1.8 < a/h < 2.5): one designed by the conventional approach using the beam theory and two by the strut-and-tie approach. The conclusions are as follows: (1) the yielding strength of the continuous RC deep girders is controlled by the tensile yielding of the bottom longitudinal reinforcements, being much larger than the nominal strength predicted by using the section analysis of the girder section only or using the strut-and-tie model based on elastic-analysis stress distribution. (2) The ultimate strengths are 22% to 26% larger than the yielding strength. This additional strength derives from the strain hardening of yielded reinforcements and the shear resistance due to continuity with the adjacent span. (3) The pattern of shear force flow and failure mode in shear zone varies depending on the amount of vertical shear reinforcement. And (4) it is necessary to take into account the existence of the upper wall in the analysis and design of the deep continuous transfer girders that support the upper wall with a long end shear span.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.349-359
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• 2011

Input excitation and output response of structure are needed in conventional modal analysis methods. However, input excitation is often difficult to be obtained in the dynamic load test of bridge structures. Therefore, what attracts engineers' attention is how to get dynamic parameters from the output response. In this paper, a structural experimental modal analysis method is introduced, which can be used to conveniently obtain dynamic parameters of the structure from the free decay response. With known damping coefficients, this analysis method can be used to identify the natural frequencies and the mode shapes of MDOF structures. Based on the modal analysis theory, the mathematical relationship of damping ratio and frequency is obtained. By using this mathematical relationship to improve the previous method, an improved experimental modal analysis method is proposed in this paper. This improved method can overcome the deficiencies of the previous method, which can not identify damping ratios and requires damping coefficients in advance. Additionally, this improved method can also identify the natural frequencies, mode shapes and damping ratios of the bridge only from the free decay response, and ensure the stability of identification process by using modern mathematical means. Finally, the feasibility and effectiveness of this method are demonstrated by a numerical example of a simply supported reinforced concrete beam.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.185-193
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• 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
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.761-769
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• 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.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.162-171
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• 2023

In this study, The details for a seismic adapter designed to easily connect concrete structures and reinforcement materials for the in-plane reinforcement of aged structures were proposed. Proposed seismic adapter was tested for performance using a dynamic simulation on a 2-story column-beam structure, scaled to half of the real size. The experimental results showed that the reinforced test specimens using the seismic adapter improved their energy dissipation capacity by 3.5 times compared to the non-reinforced specimens. It was confirmed that the seismic adapter experienced no damage within its general usage range, thus proving its effectiveness. Subsequently, upon loading until the limit of deformation (a deformation angle of 3.3%), it was observed that one of the M10 bolts connecting the adapter and the reinforcement at the lower part of the first floor broke. Considering this finding, when applying seismic retrofitting in real situations, emphasis should be placed on the design of the bolts and anchors connecting the seismic adapter. This aspect warrants further research for validation.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.671-679
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• 2008

The near surface mounted (NSM) FRP strengthening method has been conventionally applied for strengthening the deteriorated concrete structures. The NSM strengthening method, however, has been issued with the problem of limitation of the cutting depth which is usually considered as concrete cover depth. This may be related with degradation of bonding performance in long-term service state. To improve the debonding problem, in this study, the Stirrup partial-cutting NSM (SCNSM) strengthening method using CFRP plate was newly developed. SCNSM strengthening method can be effectively applied to the deteriorated concrete structure without any troubles of insufficient cutting depth. To experimentally verify the structural behavior, the flexural test of the concrete beam by using the SCNSM strengthening method was conducted with the test variable as the strengthening length (32%, 48%, 70%, 80%, 96% of span length). In the result of the test, the NSM and SCNSM strengthened specimen showed similar structural behavior with load-deflection, mode of failure. Additionally, there was no apparent structural degradation by the stirrup partial-cutting. Consequently, it was evaluated that the SCNSM strengthening method can be useful for seriously damaged concrete structures that is hard to apply the conventional NSM strengthening method for increasing the structural capacity.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.677-684
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• 2007

This study investigates the failure mechanism of RC beams strengthened with GFRP (glass fiber reinforced polymer) sheets. After analyzing failure mechanisms, the various methods to prevent the debonding failures, such as increasing bonded length of GFRP sheets, U-shape wrappings and epoxy shear keys are examined. The bonded length of GFRP sheets are calculated based on the assumed bond strengths of epoxy resin. The U-shape wrappings are either adopted at the end or center of the CFRP sheets bonded to the beam soft. The epoxy shear keys are embedded to the beam soft to provide sufficient bond strength. The end U-wrappings and the center U-wrappings are conventional, while epoxy shear keys are new details developed in this study. A total six half-scale RC beams have been constructed and tested to investigate the effectiveness of each methods to prevent debonding failure of GFRP sheets. From the experimental results, it was found that increasing bonded length or end U-wrappings do not prevent debonding failure. On the other hand, the beams with center U-wrappings and shear keys reached an ultimate state with their sufficient performance. The center U-wrappings tended to control debonding of the longitudinal GFRP sheets because the growth of the longitudinal cracks along the edges of the composites was delayed. In the case of shear keys, it was sufficient to prevent debonding and the beam was failed by GFRP sheets rupture.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.47-59
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• 2008

Application of mechanically stabilized earth wall (MSEW) abutment has been rapidly increasing in United States of America, Pennsylvania since 2002. MSEW is effective for reducing construction cost and period compared to general concrete reinforced wall. In the paper, theoretical background and conventional criterion of MSEW abutment that is widely used abroad are analyzed. Based on the results, application of suitable MSEW abutment to domestic bridge type is examined. For the application of MSEW abutment in Korea, load interacting with upper shoe in domestic bridge types and structural analyses of beam seat and pile are investigated. As a result, all applications are possible except for PSC BOX Bridge that has heavy self-weight of girder. Through two and three dimensional numerical analyses, horizontal behaviour mechanisms between pile and MSEW were analyzed and field tests are also carried out for seven piles behind earth walls. From results of field tests, it is confirmed that an angle of internal friction of backfill material needs to be greater than 34 degree to use H-Pile as foundation of MSEW.