• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.21-38
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• 2011

This study examines the influence of curved, steel, I-girder bridge configuration on girder end reactions and cross frame member forces during seismic events. Simply-supported bridge finite element models were created and examined under seismic events mimicking what could be experienced in AASHTO Seismic Zone 2. Bridges were analyzed using practical ranges of: radius of curvature; girder and cross frame spacings; and lateral bracing configuration. Results from the study indicated that: (1) radius of curvature had the greatest influence on seismic response; (2) interior (lowest radius) girder reactions were heavily influenced by parameter variations and, in certain instances, uplift at their bearings could be a concern; (3) vertical excitation more heavily influenced bearing and cross frame seismic response; and (4) lateral bracing helped reduce seismic effects but using bracing along the entire span did not provide additional benefit over placing bracing only in bays adjacent to the supports.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Railway
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.41-50
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• 2005

Steel -Concrete Composite two girder railway bridges applying high performance steel with extra thick plate have economic and aesthetic advantages due to the simplification of manufacturing and construction process. However, steel bridges are seldom adopted in domestic railway bridge, since steel bridges are not efficient as R.C bridges considering dynamic characteristics and noise, etc. While highway bridges do not have lower horizontal bracing and larger interval of diaphragm cross beam, railway bridges install lower horizontal bracings to control the torsion due to heavy eccentrical line load. Accurate finite element analysis were performed with the parameters of existence of bracing and bracing shape, with the cross beam interval and stiffness, etc. To find out the effects of secondary members such as horizontal bracings and diaphragms, static md dynamic analysis have been performed by using finite element method. In this study, few member plate-girder bridges are analyzed with variable span lengths to examine the dynamic behavior and limits of damping. And though lateral bracings are members against torsion, but lateral bracing's absence is no big problem. Time history analysis using mode superposition method makes proof of this result.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.245-252
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• 2022

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the abdominal muscle activity difference while performing the abdominal bracing technique focusing on inspiration (abdominal bracing group), the general abdominal bracing technique (general bracing group), and the abdominal hollowing technique (abdominal hallowing group) Design: A cross-sectional study design. Methods: Thirty-three healthy participants were recruited for this study. The participants were allocated to 3 different groups; Abdominal bracing group, general bracing group, and abdominal hallowing group. The surface electromyography was placed over the rectus abdominis, external oblique, and internal oblique muscles to collect the activation of abdominal muscles during the trial. Results: The muscle activity of the abdominal bracing group and general bracing groups was significantly higher in all abdominal muscles than in the abdominal hollowing group (p<0.05) Both rectus abdominis and external oblique muscles showed higher muscle activations in the abdominal bracing group over the general bracing group (p<0.05). However, the ratio of bilateral external obliques and rectus abdominis to bilateral internal obliques was highest when the hollowing technique was applied (p<0.05). Conclusions: The results of study showed the abdominal bracing technique that emphasized inhalation rather than the abdominal hollowing technique or general abdominal bracing technique increased the activity of the abdominal muscles. Therefore, this study is considered to be a data for effective training if the abdominal bracing technique that emphasizes inhalation is applied as a method to increase the activation of the abdominal muscles.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.2178-2183
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• 2020

Background: Trunk flexor-extensor muscles' co-activation and upright posture are important for spinal stability. Abdominal bracing and maximal expiration are being used as exercises to excel torso co-contraction. However, no study has on comparison of the effect of this exercise on multifidus in the upright sitting posture. Objectives: This study aims to verify the effectiveness of abdominal bracing and expiration maneuvers in lumbo-pelvic upright sitting. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Eighteen healthy women were recruited for this study. The multifidus muscle thickness of all subjects was measured in three sitting conditions (lumbo-pelvic upright sitting, lumbo-pelvic upright sitting with abdominal bracing, and lumbo-pelvic upright sitting with maximum expiration) using ultrasound. One-way repeated measure analysis of variance was used for the evaluation. Results: Compared to lumbo-pelvic upright sitting, lumbo-pelvic upright sitting with abdominal bracing and lumbo-pelvic upright sitting with maximum expiration were associated with significantly increment of muscle thickness. There was no significant difference in muscle thickness between lumbo-pelvic upright sitting with abdominal bracing and lumbo-pelvic upright sitting with maximum expiration. Conclusion: Abdominal bracing and maximum expiration could be beneficial to increasing lumbar multifidus thickness in lumbo-pelvic upright sitting.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Rural Architecture
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.35-42
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• 2016

For the reason of economy, farmers and structural engineers prefer the vinyl house frame members that have the lightest cross sections. Therefore, in order to reach this aim, rod bracing system is the best method for multiple vinyl house frames. In this study, wire rods (tension members) are used to be bracing members in multiple vinyl house frames. The effects of additional wire rods in the frames are investigated by the variations of the bending moments, axial forces, displacements and combined stresses in the main frames that are reinforced by different shapes of rod bracing system. Vinyl house frames are usually made by steel pipe members and collapsed by the excessive wind and snow loads. Two kinds of bracing models are used for wind and snow loads separately in this study. The effective bracing models for each load are finally figured out.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.305-325
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• 1998

A method that determines the minimum stiffness of baracing to achieve non-sway buckling conditions at a given story level of a multi-column elastic frame is proposed. Condensed equations that evaluate the required minimum stiffness of the lateral and torsional bracing are derived using the classical stability functions. The proposed method is applicable to elastic framed structures with rigid, semirigid, and simple connections. It is shown that the minimum stiffness of the bracing required by a multi-column system depends on: 1) the plan layout of the columns; 2) the variation in height and cross sectional properties among the columns; 3) the applied axial load pattern on the columns; 4) the lack of symmetry in the loading pattern, column layout, column sizes and heights that cause torsion-sway and its effects on the flexural bucking capacity; and 5) the flexural and torsional end restrains of the columns. The proposed method is limited to elastic framed structures with columns of doubly symmetrical cross section with their principal axes parallel to the global axes. However, it can be applied to inelastic structures when the nonlinear behavior is concentrated at the end connections. The effects of axial deformations in beams and columns are neglected. Three examples are presented in detail to show the effectiveness of the proposed method.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.29-41
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• 2020

Cross-beams of modern through truss bridges are connected to truss chord at its nodes and between them. It results in variable rotational end restraint for cross-beams, thus variable bending moment distribution. This feature is captured in three-dimensional modelling of through truss bridge structure. However, for preliminary design or rapid assessment of service load effects such technique of analysis may not be available. So an analytical method of assessment of rotational end restraint for cross-beam of through truss bridges was worked out. Two cases - nodal cross-beam and inter-nodal cross-beam - were analyzed. Flexural and torsional stiffness of truss members, flexural stiffness of deck members and axial stiffness of wind bracing members in the vicinity of the analyzed cross-beam were taken into account. The provision for reduced stiffness of the X-type wind bracing was made. Finally, general formula for assessment of rotational end restraint was given. Rotational end restraints for cross-beams of three railway through truss bridges were assessed basing on the analytical method and the finite element method (three-dimensional beam-element modelling). Results of both methods show good agreement. The analytical method is able to reflect effects of some structural irregularities. On the basis of the obtained results the general values of rotational end restraint for nodal and inter-nodal cross-beams of railway through truss bridges were suggested.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.139-147
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• 2018

Moment frames have considerable ductility against cyclic lateral loads and displacements; however, sometimes this feature causes the relative displacement to exceed the permissible limits. This issue can bring unfavorable hysteretic behavior on the frame due to the reduction in the stiffness and resistance against lateral loads. Most of common bracing systems usually control lateral displacements through increasing stiffness while result in decreasing the capacity for energy absorption. This has direct effect on hysteresis curves of moment frames. Therefore, a system that is capable of both having the capacity of energy absorption as well as controlling the displacements without a considerable increase in the stiffness is quite important. This paper investigates retrofitting of a single-storey steel moment frame using a delayed wire-rope bracing system equipped with the ductile middle steel plate. The steel plate is considered at the middle intersection of wire ropes, where it causes cables to be continuously in tension. This integrated system has the advantage of reducing considerable stiffness of the frame compared to cross bracing systems as a result of which it could also preserve the frame's energy absorption capacity. In this paper, FEM models of a delayed wire-rope bracing system equipped by steel plates with different geometries have been studied, validated, and compared with other researchers' laboratory test results.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.671-680
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• 2007

In this study, we performed a loading test to evaluate the effect of load distribution on continuous two-span plate-girder bridges with or without bottom lateral bracing using one-fifth-scale bridge specimens. From the test results, when specimens with lateral bracing were loaded eccentrically, the load distribution capacity of the concrete deck and cross beam improved and greater loading was distributed to the other side of the girder subjected to loading. The load distribution rate of the specimens with and without lateral bracing system was evaluated from the analytical model that was verified by the test results. From the result of the quantitative evaluation, when specimen without lateral bracing was loaded eccentrically, mostly 21% of loading according to the concrete deck was distributed to the other side of the girder subjected to loading. However, when specimen with lateral bracing was loaded eccentrically, the load distribution rate increased by 1.7 times as all cross beams, bracing and concrete deck participated in load distribution. The reason is that the torsional rigidity increased as the model with lateral bracing behaved like a pseudo-closed box section.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.1-9
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• 2014

Improving the earthquake resistance of buildings through seismic retrofitting using steel braces can result in brittle failure at the connection between the brace and the building, as well as buckling failure of the braces. In this study, a non-compression cross-bracing system using the Carbon Fiber Composite Cable (CFCC), which consists of CFCC bracing and bolt connection was proposed to replace the conventional steel bracing. This paper presented the seismic resistance of a reinforced concrete frame strengthened using CFCC X-bracing. Cyclic loading tests were carried out, and the maximum load carrying capacity and ductility were investigated, together with hysteresis of the lateral load-drift relations. Test results revealed that the CFCC X-bracing system installed RC frames enhanced markedly the strength capacity and no buckling failure of the bracing was observed.