• Steel and Composite Structures
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• 제42권2호
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• pp.173-190
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• 2022

With the development of spatial structures, the joints are becoming more and more complex to connect tubular members of spatial structures. In this study, an approach is proposed to establish high-efficiency finite element model of multiplanar KTX-joint with the weld geometries accurately simulated. Ultimate bearing capacity the KTX-joint is determined by the criterion of deformation limit and failure mechanism of chord wall buckling is studied. Size effect of fillet weld on the joint ultimate bearing capacity is preliminarily investigated. Based on the validated finite element model, a parametric study is performed to investigate the effects of geometric and loading parameters of KT-plane brace members on ultimate bearing capacity of the KTX-joint. The effect mechanism is revealed and several design suggestions are proposed. Several simple reinforcement methods are adopted to constrain the chord wall buckling. It is concluded that the finite element model established by proposed approach is capable of simulating static behaviors of multiplanar KTX-joint; chord wall buckling with large indentation is the typical failure mode of multiplanar KTX-joint, which also increases chord wall displacements in the axis directions of brace members in orthogonal plane; ultimate bearing capacity of the KTX-joint increases approximately linearly with the increase of fillet weld size within the allowed range; the effect mechanism of geometric and loading parameters are revealed by the assumption of restraint region and interaction between adjacent KT-plane brace members; relatively large diameter ratio, small overlapping ratio and small included angle are suggested for the KTX-joint to achieve larger ultimate bearing capacity; the adopted simple reinforcement methods can effectively constrain the chord wall buckling with the design of KTX-joint converted into design of uniplanar KT-joint.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• 제28권3호
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• pp.265-281
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• 2022

A set of slurry shield test system capable of cutter cutting and slurry automatic circulation is used to investigate the deformation characteristics, the evolution characteristics of support resistance and the distribution and evolution process of earth pressure during excavating and collapsing of slurry shield tunneling in circular-gravel layer. The influence of cover-span ratio on surface subsidence, support resistance and failure mode of excavation face is also discussed. Three-dimensional numerical calculations are performed to verify the reliability of the test results. The results show that, with the decrease of the supporting force of the excavation face, the surface subsidence goes through four stages: insensitivity, slow growth, rapid growth and stability. The influence of shield excavation on the axial earth pressure of the front soil is greater than that of the vertical earth pressure. When the support resistance of the excavation face decreases to the critical value, the soil in front of the excavation face collapses. The shape of the collapse is similar to that of a bucket. The ultimate support resistance increase with the increase of the cover-span ratio, however, the angle between the bottom of the collapsed body and the direction of the tunnel excavation axis when the excavation face is damaged increase first and then becomes stable. The surface settlement value and the range of settlement trough decrease with the increase of cover-span ratio. The numerical results are basically consistent with the model test results.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• 제43권2호
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• pp.139-152
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• 2022

Steel-reinforced concrete (SRC) L-shaped column is the vertical load-bearing member with high spatial adaptability. The seismic behavior of SRC L-shaped column is complex because of their irregular cross sections. In this study, the hysteretic performance of six steel truss reinforced concrete L-shaped columns specimens under the combined loading of compression, bending, shear, and torsion was tested. There were two parameters, i.e., the moment ratio of torsion to bending (γ) and the aspect ratio (column length-to-depth ratio (φ)). The failure process, torsion-displacement hysteresis curves, and bending-displacement hysteresis curves of specimens were obtained, and the failure patterns, hysteresis curves, rigidity degradation, ductility, and energy dissipation were analyzed. The experimental research indicates that the failure mode of the specimen changes from bending failure to bending-shear failure and finally bending-torsion failure with the increase of γ. The torsion-displacement hysteresis curves were pinched in the middle, formed a slip platform, and the phenomenon of "load drop" occurred after the peak load. The bending-displacement hysteresis curves were plump, which shows that the bending capacity of the specimen is better than torsion capacity. The results show that the steel truss reinforced concrete L-shaped columns have good collapse resistance, and the ultimate interstory drift ratio more than that of the Chinese Code of Seismic Design of Building (GB50011-2014), which is sufficient. The average value of displacement ductility coefficient is larger than rotation angle ductility coefficient, indicating that the specimen has a better bending deformation resistance. The specimen that has a more regular section with a small φ has better potential to bear bending moment and torsion evenly and consume more energy under a combined action.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• 제30권5호
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• pp.401-411
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• 2022

To obtain the dynamic mechanical properties, fracture modes, energy and brittleness characteristics of Furong Baijiao coal rock, the dynamic impact compression tests under 0, 4, 8 and 12 MPa confining pressure were carried out using the split Hopkinson pressure bar. The results show that failure mode of coal rock in uniaxial state is axial splitting failure, while it is mainly compression-shear failure with tensile failure in triaxial state. With strain rate and confining pressure increasing, compressive strength and peak strain increase, average fragmentation increases and fractal dimension decreases. Based on energy dissipation theory, the dissipated energy density of coal rock increases gradually with growing confining pressure, but it has little correlation with strain rate. Considering progressive destruction process of coal rock, damage variable was defined as the ratio of dissipated energy density to total absorbed energy density. The maximum damage rate was obtained by deriving damage variable to reflect its maximum failure severity, then a brittleness index BD was established based on the maximum damage rate. BD value declined gradually as confining pressure and strain rate increase, indicating the decrease of brittleness and destruction degree. When confining pressure rises to 12 MPa, brittleness index and average fragmentation gradually stabilize, which shows confining pressure growing cannot cause continuous damage. Finally, integrating dynamic deformation and destruction process of coal rock and according to its final failure characteristics under different confining pressures, BD value is used to classify the brittleness into four grades.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제54권11호
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• pp.4072-4083
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• 2022

Ultrasonic impact treatment (UIT) is carried out on the Ni-based alloy stainless steel pipe gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) girth weld, the differences of microstructure, microhardness and shear strength distribution of the joint before and after ultrasonic shock are studied by microhardness test and shear punch test. The results show that after UIT, the plastic deformation layer is formed on the outside surface of the Ni-based alloy overlayer, single-phase austenite and γ type precipitates are formed in the overlayer, and a large number of columnar crystals are formed on the bottom side of the overlayer. The average microhardness of the overlayer increased from 221 H V to 254 H V by 14.9%, the shear strength increased from 696 MPa to 882 MPa with an increase of 26.7% and the transverse average residual stress decreased from 102.71 MPa (tensile stress) to -18.33 MPa (compressive stress), the longitudinal average residual stress decreased from 114.87 MPa (tensile stress) to -84.64 MPa (compressive stress). The fracture surface has been appeared obvious shear lip marks and a few dimples. The element migrates at the fusion boundary between the Ni-based alloy overlayer and the austenitic stainless steel joint, which is leaded to form a local martensite zone and appear hot cracks. The welded joint is cooled by FA solidification mode, which is forming a large number of late and skeleton ferrite phase with an average microhardness of 190 H V and no obvious change in shear strength. The base metal is all austenitic phase with an average microhardness of 206 H V and shear strength of 696 MPa.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• 제25권2호
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• pp.89-97
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• 2023

In order to obtain the impact of socket connection interface forms and socket gap sizes on the seismic performance of reinforced concrete (RC) socket prefabricated bridge piers, quasi-static tests for three socket prefabricated piers with different column-foundation connection interface forms and reserved socket gap sizes, as well as to the corresponding cast-in-situ reinforced concrete piers, were carried out. The influence of socket connection structure on various seismic performance indexes of socket prefabricated piers was studied by comparing and analyzing the hysteresis curve and skeleton curve obtained through the experiment. Results showed that the ultimate failure mode of the socket prefabricated pier with circumferential corrugated treatment at the connection interface was the closest to that of the monolithic pier, the maximum bearing capacity was slightly less than that of the cast-in-situ pier but larger than that of the socket pier with roughened connection interface, and the displacement ductility and accumulated energy consumption capacity were smaller than those of socket piers with roughened connection interface. The connection interface treatment form had less influence on the residual deformation of socket prefabricated bridge piers. With the increase in the reserved socket gap size between the precast pier column and the precast foundation, the bearing capacity of the prefabricated socket bridge pier component, as well as the ductility and residual displacement of the component, would be reduced and had unfavorable effect on the energy dissipation property of the bridge pier component.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제87권2호
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• pp.137-149
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• 2023

In this study, to explore the working performance of the CFST split spherical node wind power tower, two groups of CFST split spherical joint plane towers with different web wall thicknesses and a set of space systems were analyzed. The tower was subjected to a low-cycle repeated load test, and the hysteresis and skeleton curves were analyzed. ABAQUS finite element simulation was used for verification and comparison, and on this basis parameter expansion analysis was carried out. The results show that the failure mode of the wind power tower was divided into weld tear damage between belly bar, high strength bolt thread damage and belly rod flexion damage. In addition, increasing the wall thickness of the web member could render the hysteresis curve fuller. Finally, the bearing capacity of the separated spherical node wind power tower was high, but its plastic deformation ability was poor. The ultimate bearing capacity and ductility coefficient of the simulated specimens are positively correlated with web diameter ratio and web column stiffness ratio. When the diameter ratio of the web member was greater than 0.13, or the stiffness ratio γ of the web member to the column was greater than 0.022, the increase of the ultimate bearing capacity and ductility coefficient decreased significantly. In order to maximize the overall mechanical performance of the tower and improve its economy, it was suggested that the diameter ratio of the ventral rod be 0.11-0.13, while the stiffness ratio γ should be 0.02-0.022.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제84권4호
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• pp.547-560
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• 2022

By presetting various reinforcement diameters in topology optimization with the discrete model finite element analysis, an algorithm of bidirectional evolutionary structural optimization of multi-level reinforcement diameter is presented to obtain the optimal reinforcement topologies which describe the degree of stress of different parts. The results of a comparative study on different reinforcement feasible domain demonstrate that the more angle types of reinforcement are arranged in the initial domain, the higher utilization rate of reinforcement of the optimal topology becomes. According to the nonlinear finite element analysis of some deep beam examples, the ones designed with the optimization results have a certain advantage in ultimate bearing capacity, although their failure modes are greatly affected by the reinforcement feasible domain. Furthermore, the bearing capacity can be improved when constructional reinforcements are added in the subsequent design. However the adding would change the relative magnitude of the bearing capacity between the normal and inclined section, or the relative magnitude between the flexural and shear capacity within the inclined section, which affects the failure modes of components. Meanwhile, the adding would reduce the deformation capacity of the components as well. It is suggested that the inclined reinforcement and the constructional reinforcement should be added properly to ensure a desired ductile failure mode for components.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제84권3호
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• pp.345-360
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• 2022

In this paper, the impact on seismic performance of an economical effective technique for retrofitting reinforced concrete (RC) columns using high-strength steel strips under high axial compression ratios was presented. The experimental program included a series of cyclic loading tests on one nonretrofitted control specimen and three retrofitted specimens. The effects of the axial compression ratio and spacing of the steel strips on the cyclic behavior of the specimens were studied. Based on the test results, the failure modes, hysteretic characteristics, strength and stiffness degradation, displacement ductility, and energy dissipation capacity of the specimens were analyzed in-depth. The analysis showed that the transverse confinement provided by the high-strength steel strips could effectively delay and restrain diagonal crack development and improve the failure mode, which was flexural-shear failure controlled by flexural failure with better ductility. The specimens retrofitted using high-strength steel strips showed more satisfactory seismic performance than the control specimen. The seismic performance and deformation capacity of the retrofitted RC columns increased with decreasing axial compression ratio and steel strip spacing. Based on the test results, a hysteretic model for RC columns that considers the transverse confinement of high-strength steel strips was then established. The hysteretic model showed good agreement with the experimental results, which verified the effectiveness of the proposed hysteretic model. Therefore, the aforementioned analysis can be used for the design of retrofitted RC columns.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• 제31권1호
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• pp.99-112
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• 2022

The present study examines the natural frequencies (NFs) of perfect/imperfect functionally graded sandwich beams (P/IP-FGSBs), which are composed of a porous core constructed of functionally graded materials (FGMs) and a homogenous isotropic metal and ceramic face sheets resting on elastic foundations. To accomplish this, the material properties of the FGSBs are assumed to vary continuously along the thickness direction as a function of the volume fraction of constituents expressed by the modified rule of the mixture, which includes porosity volume fraction represented using four distinct types of porosity distribution models. Additionally, to characterize the reaction of the two-parameter elastic foundation to the Perfect/Imperfect (P/IP) FGSBs, the medium is assumed to be linear, homogeneous, and isotropic, and it is described using the Winkler-Pasternak model. Furthermore, the kinematic relationship of the P/IP-FGSBs resting on the Winkler-Pasternak elastic foundations (WPEFs) is described using trigonometric shear deformation theory (TrSDT), and the equations of motion are constructed using Hamilton's principle. A closed-form solution is developed for the free vibration analysis of P/IP-FGSBs resting on the WPEFs under four distinct boundary conditions (BCs). To validate the new formulation, extensive comparisons with existing data are made. A detailed investigation is carried out for the effects of the foundation coefficients, mode numbers (MNs), porosity volume fraction, power-law index, span to depth ratio, porosity distribution patterns (PDPs), skin core skin thickness ratios (SCSTR), and BCs on the values of the NFs of the P/IP-FGSBs.