• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.589-599
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• 2019

Conventional buckling restrained braces used in concentrically braced frames are expected to yield in both tension and compression without major degradation of capacity under severe seismic ground motions. One of the weakness points of a standard buckling restrained braced frame is the low post-yield stiffness and thus large residual deformation under moderate to severe ground motions. This phenomenon can be attributed to low post-yield stiffness of core member in a BRB. This paper introduces a multi-core buckling restrained brace. The multi-core term arises from the use of more than one core component with different steel materials, including high-performance steel (HPS-70W) and stainless steel (304L) with high strain hardening properties. Nonlinear dynamic time history analyses were conducted on variety of diagonally braced frames with different heights, in order to compare the seismic performance of regular and multi-core buckling restrained braced frames. The results exhibited that the proposed multi-core buckling restrained braces reduce inter-story and especially residual drift demands in BRBFs. In addition, the results of seismic fragility analysis designated that the probability of exceedance of residual drifts in multi-core buckling restrained braced frames is significantly lower in comparison to standard BRBFs.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.76 no.6
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• pp.709-724
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• 2020

The typical inerter system, the tuned viscous mass damper (TVMD), has been proven to be efficient. It is characterized by an energy-dissipation-enhancement effect, whereby the dashpot deformation of TVMD can be amplified for enhanced energy dissipation efficiency. However, existing studies related to TVMD have mainly been performed on elastic structures, so the working mechanism remains unclear for nonlinear structures. To deal with this, an energy-spectrum analysis framework is developed systematically for classic bilinear hysteretic structures with TVMD. Considering the soil effect, typical bedrock records are propagated through the soil deposit, for which the designed input energy spectra are proposed by considering the TVMD parameters and structural nonlinear properties. Furthermore, the energy-dissipation-enhancement effect of TVMD is quantitatively evaluated for bilinear hysteretic structures. The results show that the established designed input energy spectra can be employed to evaluate the total energy-dissipation burden for a nonlinear TVMD structure. Particularly, the stiffness of TVMD is the dominant factor in adjusting the total input energy. Compared with the case of elastic structures, the energy-dissipation-enhancement effect of TVMD for nonlinear structures is weakened so that the expected energy-dissipation effect of TVMD is replaced by the accumulated energy dissipation of the primary structure.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.649-662
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• 2020

Although several types of rigid shear connectors have been developed particularly to increase load-carrying capacity, application is limited due to the complicated details of such connection. In this study, push-out tests were performed for specimens with hybrid shear connectors using headed studs and shear plates to identify the effects of each parameter on the structural performance of such shear connection. The test parameters included steel ratios of headed stud to shear plate, connection length, and embedded depth of shear plates. The peak strength and residual strength were estimated using various shear transfer mechanisms such as stud shear, concrete bearing, and shear friction. The hybrid shear connectors using shear plates and headed studs showed large load-carrying capacity and deformation capacity. The peak strength was predicted by the concrete bearing strength of the shear plates. The residual strength was sufficiently predicted by the stud shear strength of headed studs or by shear friction strength of dowel reinforcing bars. Further, the finite element analysis was performed to verify the shear transfer mechanism of the connection with hybrid shear connector.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.80 no.6
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• pp.737-747
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• 2021

The objective of seismic resilience is to maintain or rapidly restore the function of a building after an earthquake. An efficient tilt mechanism at the member level is crucial for the restoration of the main structure function; however, the damage resistance of the members should be the main focus. In this study, through a comparison with the classical Flamant theory of local loading in the elastic half-space, an elastomechanical solution for the axial-stress distribution of a reinforced-concrete (RC) rocking column was derived. Furthermore, assuming that the lateral displacement of the rocking column is determined by the contact surface rotation angle of the column end and bending and shear deformation of the column body, the load-lateral displacement mechanical model of the RC rocking column was established and validated through a comparison with finite-element simulation results. The axial-compression ratio and column-end strength were analyzed, and the results indicated that on the premise of column damage resistance, simply increasing the axial-compression ratio increases the lateral loading capacity of the column but is ineffective for improving the lateral-displacement capacity. The lateral loading and displacement of the column are significantly improved as the strength of the column end material increases. Therefore, it is feasible to improve the working performance of RC rocking columns via local reinforcement of the column end.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.731-746
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• 2021

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the axial bearing capacity and residual properties of steel reinforced recycled aggregate concrete (SRC) column after elevated temperature. A total of 48 SRC columns were designed for the static loading test after elevated temperature. The variables include replacement ratios, designed temperature, target duration, thicknesses of cover concrete, steel ratios and stirrup spacing. From this test, the mass loss ratio and stress load-deformation curve were obtained, and the influence of various parameters on residual bearing capacity were analyzed. ABAQUS was used to calculate the temperature field of specimens, and then got temperature damage distribution on the cross-section concrete. It was shown that increasing of the elevated temperatures leaded to the change of concrete color from smoky-gray to grayish brown and results in reducing the bearing capacity of SRC columns. The axial damage and mechanism of SRC columns were similar to those of reinforced natural aggregate concrete columns at the same temperatures. Finally, the calculation method of axial compressive residual bearing capacity of SRC columns recycled concrete columns after high temperature was reported based on the test results and finite element analysis.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.241-246
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• 2022

This paper presents the effects of cryogenic temperature on the wear behavior of 22MnB5 blank under cold stamping. After immersing the blank in liquid nitrogen (LN2) for 10 min, a strip drawing test was performed within 10 s. The hardness was measured using the Rockwell hardness test, which increased from 165 HV at 20℃ to 192 HV at cryogenic temperature. The strip drawing test with 22MnB5 blank and SKD61 tool steel shows that for the different wear mechanisms on the tool surface with respect to temperature; adhesive wear is dominant at 20℃, but abrasive wear is the main mechanism at cryogenic temperature. As the friction test is repeated, sticking gradually increases on the tool surface at 20℃, whereas the scratch increases at cryogenic temperature. For the friction behavior, the friction coefficient rapidly increases when adhesive wear occurs, and it occurs more frequently at 20℃. The results for nanoindentation near the worn blank surface indicate a difference of 1.3 GPa at 20℃ and 0.8 GPa at cryogenic temperature compared to the existing hardness, indicating increased deformation by friction at 20℃. This occurs because thermally activated energy available to move the dislocation decreases with decreasing temperature.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.653-671
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• 2023

In practice, the interference influence caused by adjacent footings of structures on geo-reinforced loose soil has a considerable impact on their behavior. Thus, the goal of this study is to evaluate the behavior of two strip footings in close proximity on both geocell and geogrid reinforced soil with different reinforcement layers. Geocell was made from geogrid material used to compare the performance of cellular and planar reinforcement on the bearing pressure of twin footings. Extensive experimental tests have been performed to attain the optimum embedment depth and vertical distance between reinforcement layers. Particle image velocimetry (PIV) analysis has been conducted to monitor the deformation, tilting and movement of soil particles beneath and between twin footings. Results of tests and PIV technique were verified using finite element modeling (FEM) and the results of both PIV and FEM were used to utilize failure mechanisms and influenced shear strain around the loading region. The results show that the performance of twin footings on geocell-reinforced sand at allowable and ultimate settlement ranges are almost 4% and 25% greater than the same twin footings on the same geogrid-reinforced sand, respectively. By increasing the distance between twin footings, soil particle displacements become smaller than the settlement of the foundations.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.265-272
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• 2023

The aim of this study was to develop a new in-situ observation method and instrument in micro-scale to investigate the mechanism of stress corrosion cracking (SCC) initiation of Ni-base alloys in a high temperature water environment of pressurized water reactors (PWRs). A laser confocal microscope (LCM), an autoclave with diamond window view port, and a slow strain-rate tester with primary water circulation loop system were components of the instrument. Diamond window, one of the core components of the instrument, was selected based on its optical, chemical, and mechanical properties. LCM was used to observe the specimen in micro-scale, considering the experimental condition of a high-temperature primary water environment. Using in-situ method and instrument, it is possible to observe oxidation and deformation of specimen surface in micro-scale through the diamond window in a high-temperature primary water in real-time. The in-situ method and instrument developed in this work can be utilized to investigate effects of various factors on SCC initiation in a high-temperature water environment.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.84 no.3
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• pp.337-344
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• 2022

Due to corrosion defects on the surface of the oil pipe, the sealing performance of the annular blowout preventer (BOP) decreases, and the leakage of toxic and harmful gases such as H₂S and SO₂ will threaten the safety of operators on the well. Therefore, this paper establishes the FE model for evaluating the sealing performance of BOP-oil pipe corrosion defects, which is based on the rubber large deformation theory and rubber core sealing mechanism, and designs the experiment of BOP sealing performance to verify the accuracy of the FE model. The sealing performance of BOP sealing oil pipe with corrosion defects is studied. The research results show that the sealing performance of BOP is more sensitive to the axial size of corrosion defects. With the increase of oil pipe outer diameter, the critical size of defects increases continuously. The sensitivity of radial and depth dimensions is low, When for 88.9 mm outer diameter oil pipe, the axial critical size of corrosion defect is 20 mm, the radial critical size is 16 mm and the critical depth is 2 mm. Fit the formula between the outer diameter of oil pipe and the piston increment. According to the formula, the operator can calculate the piston stroke increment required by the BOP to complete the sealing when the oil pipe is corroded.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.355-363
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• 2023

The main purpose of this study is to characterize the size-dependent strain rate sensitivity in structural steel using the continue stiffness measurement (CSM) indentation. A series of experiments, such as CSM indentation and optical microscope examination, has been performed at the room temperature at different rate conditions. The results indicated that indentation hardness, strain rate, and flow stress showed size-dependent behavior. The dependency of indentation hardness, strain rate, and flow stress on the indentation size was attributed to the transition of the dislocation nucleation rate and the dislocation behaviors during the indentation process. Since both hardness and strain rate showed the size-dependent behavior, SRS tended to depend on the indentation depth. The results indicated that the SRS was quite high over 2.0 at the indentation depth of 240 nm and quickly dropping to 0.08, finally around 0.046 at large indents. The SRS values at large indentations strongly agree with the general range reported for several types of low-carbon steel in the literature (Chatfield and Rote 1974, Nguyen et al. 2018b, Luecke et al. 2005). The results from the present study can be used in both static and dynamic analyses of structures as well as to assess and understand the deformation mechanism and the stress-state of material underneath the indenter tip during the process of the indentation testing.