• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.501-516
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• 2017

Numerical simulations are prevalently used to evaluate the seismic behaviour of structures. The accuracy of the simulation results depends directly on the accuracy of the modelling techniques employed to simulate the behaviour of individual structural members. An empirical modelling technique is employed in this paper to simulate the behaviour of column members under cyclic and seismic loading. Despite the common modelling techniques, this technique is capable of simulating two important aspects of the cyclic and seismic behaviour of columns simultaneously. The proposed fiber-based modelling technique captures explicitly the interaction between the bending moment and the axial force in columns, and the cyclic deterioration of the hysteretic behaviour of these members is implicitly taken into account. The fiber-based model is calibrated based on the cyclic behaviour of square hollow steel sections. The behaviour of several column archetypes is investigated under a dual cyclic loading protocol to develop a benchmark database before the calibration procedure. The dual loading protocol used in this study consists of both axial and lateral loading cycles with varying amplitudes. After the calibration procedure, a regression analysis is conducted to derive an equation for predicting a varying calibrated modelling parameter. Finally, several nonlinear time-history analyses are conducted on a 6-story steel special moment frame in order to investigate how the results of numerical simulations can be affected by employing the intended modelling technique for columns instead of other common modelling techniques.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.89-98
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• 2021

The paper presents an experimental study on the strength behaviour of a coral gravelly sand from Vietnam subjected to monotonic and cyclic loading. A series of direct shear tests were carried out to investigate the shear strength behaviour and the factors affecting the shear strength of the sand such as relative density, cyclic load, amplitude of the cyclic load and loading rate. The study results indicate that the shear strength parameters of the coral gravelly sand include not only internal friction angle but also apparent cohesion. These parameters vary with the relative density, cyclic load, the amplitude of the cyclic load and loading rate. The shear strength increases with the increase of the relative density. The shear strength increases after subjecting to cyclic loading. The amplitude of the cyclic load affects the shear strength of coral gravelly sand, the shear strength increases as the amplitude of the cyclic load increases. The loading rate has insignificantly effect on the shear strength of the coral gravelly sand.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.381-395
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• 2009

This paper presents the details of an advanced Finite Element (FE) analysis of a plane steel portal frame with semi-rigid beam-to-column connections subjected cyclic loading. In spite of several component models on cyclic behaviour of connections presented in the literature, works on numerical investigations on cyclic behaviour of full scale frames are rather scarce. This paper presents the evolution of an FE model which deals comprehensively with the issues related to cyclic behaviour of full scale steel frames using ABAQUS software. In the material modeling, combined kinematic/isotropic hardening model and isotropic hardening model along with Von Mises criteria are used. Connection non-linearity is also considered in the analysis. The bolt slip which happens in friction grip connection is modeled. The bolt load variation during loading, which is a pivotal issue in reality, has been taken care in the present model. This aspect, according to the knowledge of the authors, has been first time reported in the literature. The numerically predicted results using the methodology evolved in the present study, for the cyclic behaviour of a cantilever beam and a rigid frame, are validated with experimental results available in the literature. The moment-rotation and deflection responses of the evolved model, match well with experimental results. This proves that the methodology for evolving the steel frame and connection model presented in this paper is closer to real frame behaviour as evident from the good comparison and hence paves the way for further parametric studies on cyclic behaviour of flexibly connected frames.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.1 no.3
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• pp.269-282
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• 2001

In this paper the results of an experimental program devoted to the assessment of the cyclic behaviour of full scale, European type, beam-column subassemblages with welded connections are presented. Six tests (five cyclic and one monotonic) have been carried out on three different series of specimens, encompassing a total of eighteen tests. The three specimen series have been designed with the aim of defining the effect of the column size on the connection behaviour, under different applied loading histories. The tests have evidenced the effect of the column size and panel zone design and of the applied loading history on the cyclic behaviour and failure modes of the connections.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.235-251
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• 2019

Corrosion of reinforcement is the greatest threat to the safety of existing reinforced concrete (RC) structures. Most of the olden structures are gravity load designed (GLD) and are seismically deficient. In present study, investigations are carried out on corrosion damaged GLD beam-column sub-assemblages under reverse cyclic loading, in order to evaluate their seismic performance. Five GLD beam-column sub-assemblage specimens comprising of i) One uncorroded ii) Two corroded iii) One uncorroded strengthened with steel bracket and haunch iv) One corroded strengthened with steel bracket and haunch, are tested under reverse cyclic loading. The performances of these specimens are assessed in terms of hysteretic behaviour, energy dissipation and strength degradation. It is noted that the nature of corrosion i.e. uniform or pitting corrosion and its location have significant influence on the behaviour of corrosion damaged GLD beam-column sub-assemblages. The corroded specimens with localised corrosion pits showed in-cyclic strength degradation. The study also reveals that external strengthening which provides an alternate force path but depends on the strength of the existing reinforcement bars, is able to mitigate the seismic risk of corroded GLD beam-column sub-assemblages to the level of control uncorroded GLD specimen.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.325-343
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• 2016

A total stress-based bounding surface model is developed to predict the undrained behaviour of saturated soft clays under cyclic loads based on the anisotropic hardening modulus field and bounding-surface theories. A new hardening rule is developed based on a new interpolation function of the hardening modulus that has simple mathematic expression and fewer model parameters. The evolution of hardening modulus field is described in the deviatoric stress space. It is assumed that the stress reverse points are the mapping centre points and the mapping centre moves with the variation of loading and unloading paths to describe the cyclic stress-strain hysteresis curve. In addition, by introducing a model parameter that reflects the accumulation rate and level of shear strain to the interpolation function, the cyclic shakedown and failure behaviour of soil elements with different combinations of initial and cyclic stresses can be captured. The methods to determine the model parameters using cyclic triaxial compression tests are also studied. Finally, the cyclic triaxial extension and torsional shear tests are performed. By comparing the predictions with the test results, the model can be used to describe undrained cyclic stress-strain responses of elements with different stress states for the tested clays.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.551-565
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• 2018

Experimental testing is considered the most realistic approach to obtain a detailed representation of the nonlinear behaviour of masonry-infilled reinforced concrete (RC) structures. Among other applications, these tests can be used to calibrate the properties of numerical models such as simplified macro-models (e.g., strut-type models) representing the masonry infill behaviour. Since the significant cost of experimental tests limits their widespread use, alternative approaches need to be established to obtain adequate data to validate the referred simplified models. The proposed paper introduces a detailed finite element modelling strategy that can be used as an alternative to experimental tests to represent the behaviour of masonry-infilled RC frames under earthquake loading. Several examples of RC infilled frames with different infill configurations and properties subjected to cyclic loading are analysed using the proposed modelling approach. The comparison between numerical and experimental results shows that the numerical models capture the overall nonlinear behaviour of the physical specimens with adequate accuracy, predicting their monotonic stiffness, strength and several failure mechanisms.

• Geotechnical Engineering
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.7-14
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• 1986

The structure of the collapsible soils, such as decomposed granite soil and loess, were examined by the odeometer test, SEM & XES analysis and static & cyclic triaxial test, and hove this structure have influences upon the collapsible behaviour under static and cyclic load was investigated. The study results obtained are as follows; 1. The macropores space of decomposed granite soil (rd=1.50g/cm3) and loess (rd=1.43g/cm3) used in this test were well developed, and showed the behaviour of collapsible soil. 2. Collapsible soil has high resistance on the strain under natural moisture content, however, the resistance on the strain was sharply decreased by the absorption and increasing load since its special structure was destructed. 3. Under the static load, the strain of collapsible soil was high by the viscous flow of the cyclic bonds with time lapse, but Infer the cyclic load, the strain of collapsible soil was low since the tinge needed to destruct the bonding force of clay was not enough. 4. The understanding about the cyclic behaviour of collapsible soil may be helpful to predict the elastic & residual strain of the foundations by the earthquake together with the damage by the additional failure.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.189-204
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• 2015

After the large destruction of Lisbon due to the 1755 earthquake, the city had to be almost completely rebuilt. In this context, an innovative structural solution was implemented in new buildings, comprising internal timber framed walls which, together with the floors timber elements, constituted a 3-D framing system, known as "cage", providing resistance and deformation capacity for seismic loading. The internal timber framed masonry walls, in elevated floors, are constituted by a timber frame with vertical and horizontal elements, braced with diagonal elements, known as Saint Andrew's crosses, with masonry infill. This paper describes an experimental campaign to assess the in-plane cyclic behaviour of those so called "frontal" walls. A total series of 4 tests were conducted in 4 real size walls. Two models consist of the simple timber frames without masonry infill, and the other two specimens have identical timber frames but present masonry infill. Experimental characterization of the in-plane behaviour was carried out by static cyclic shear testing with controlled displacements. The loading protocol used was the CUREE for ordinary ground motions. The hysteretic behaviour main parameters of such walls subjected to cyclic loading were computed namely the initial stiffness, ductility and energy dissipation capacity.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.189-213
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• 2020

Stainless-clad (SC) bimetallic steels that are manufactured by metallurgically bonding stainless steels as cladding metal and conventional mild steels as substrate metal, are kind of advanced steel plate products. Such advanced composite steels are gaining increasingly widespread usage in a range of engineering structures and have great potential to be used extensively for large civil and building infrastructures. Unfortunately, research work on the SC bimetallic steels from material level to structural design level for the applications in structural engineering field is very limited. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to investigate the material behaviour of the SC bimetallic steels under the cyclic loading which structural steels usually could encounter in seismic scenario. A number of SC bimetallic steel coupon specimens are tested under monotonic and cyclic loadings. The experimental monotonic and cyclic stress-strain curves of the SC bimetallic steels are obtained and analysed. The effects of the clad ratio that is defined as the ratio of the thickness of cladding layer to the total thickness of SC bimetallic steel plate on the monotonic and cyclic behaviour of the SC bimetallic steels are studied. Based on the experimental observations, a cyclic constitutive model with combined hardening criterion is recommended for numerical simulation of the cyclic behaviour of the SC bimetallic steels. The parameters of the constitutive model for the SC bimetallic steels with various clad ratios are calibrated. The research outcome presented in this paper may provide essential reference for further seismic analysis of structures fabricated from the SC bimetallic steels.