• Computers and Concrete
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.1-19
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• 2012

The size-effect study of various fracture parameters obtained from two parameter fracture model, effective crack model, double-K fracture model and double-G fracture model is presented in the paper. Fictitious crack model (FCM) for three-point bend test geometry for cracked concrete beam of laboratory size range 100-400 mm is developed and the different fracture parameters from size effect model, effective crack model, double-K fracture model and double-G fracture model are evaluated using the input data obtained from FCM. In addition, the fracture parameters of two parameter fracture model are obtained using the mathematical coefficients available in literature. From the study it is concluded that the fracture parameters obtained from various nonlinear fracture models including the double-K and double-G fracture models are influenced by the specimen size. These fracture parameters maintain some definite interrelationship depending upon the specimen size and relative size of initial notch length.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.229-247
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• 2014

A numerical study of the influence of shear-span/depth ratio on the cohesive crack fracture parameters and double - K fracture parameters of concrete is carried out in this paper. For the study the standard bending specimen geometry loaded with four point bending test is used. For four point loading, the shear - span/depth ratio is varied as 0.4, 1 and 1.75 and the ao/D ratio is varied from 0.2, 0.3 and 0.4 for laboratory specimens having size range from 100 - 500 mm. The input parameters for determining the double - K fracture parameters are taken from the developed fictitious crack model. It is found that the cohesive crack fracture parameters are independent of shear-span/depth ratio. Further, the unstable fracture toughness of double-K fracture model is independent of shear-span/depth ratio whereas, the initial cracking toughness of the material is dependent on the shear-span/depth ratio.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.81-97
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• 2012

This paper presents development of double-K fracture model for the split-tension cube specimen for determining the unstable fracture toughness and initial cracking toughness of concrete. There are some advantages of using of split-tension cube test like compactness and lightness over the existing specimen geometries in practice such as three-point bend test, wedge splitting test and compact tension specimen. The cohesive toughness of the material is determined using weight function having four terms for the split-tension cube specimen. Some empirical relations are also suggested for determining geometrical factors in order to calculate stress intensity factor and crack mouth opening displacement for the same specimen. The results of double-K fracture parameters of split-tension cube specimen are compared with those obtained for compact tension specimen. Finally, the influence of the width of the load-distribution of split-tension cube specimen on the double-K fracture parameters for laboratory size specimens is investigated. The input data required for determining double-K fracture parameters for both the specimen geometries are obtained using well known version of the Fictitious Crack Model.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.1 no.4
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• pp.319-340
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• 2013

This paper presents a comparative study on the double-K fracture parameters of concrete obtained using four existing analytical methods such as Gauss-Chebyshev integral method, simplified Green's function method, weight function method and simplified equivalent cohesive force method. Two specimen geometries: three point bend test and compact tension specimen for sizes 100-500 mm at initial notch length to depth ratios 0.25 and 0.4 are used for the comparative study. The required input parameters for determining the double-K fracture parameters are derived from the developed fictitious crack model. It is found that the cohesive toughness and initial cracking toughness determined using weight function method and simplified equivalent cohesive force method agree well with those obtained using Gauss-Chebyshev integral method whereas these fracture parameters determined using simplified Green's function method deviates more than by 11% and 20% respectively as compared with those obtained using Gauss-Chebyshev integral method. It is also shown that all the fracture parameters related with double-K model are size dependent.

• International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.163-175
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• 2016

This paper presents a revised procedure for computation of double-K fracture parameters of concrete split-tension cube specimen using weight function of the centrally cracked plate of finite strip with a finite width. This is an improvement over the previous work of the authors in which the determination of double-K fracture parameters of concrete for split-tension cube test using weight function of the centrally cracked plate of infinite strip with a finite width was presented. In a recent research, it was pointed out that there are great differences between a finite strip and an infinite strip regarding their weight function and the solution of infinite strip can be utilized in the split-tension specimens when the notch size is very small. In the present work, improved version of LEFM formulas for stress intensity factor, crack mouth opening displacement and crack opening displacement profile presented in the recent research work are incorporated. The results of the double-K fracture parameters obtained using revised procedure and the previous work of the authors is compared. The double-K fracture parameters of split-tension cube specimen are also compared with those obtained for standard three point bend test specimen. The input data required for determining double-K fracture parameters for both the specimen geometries for laboratory size specimens are obtained using well known version of the Fictitious Crack Model.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.337-354
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• 2016

To study the influence on fracture properties of reinforced concrete wedge splitting test specimens by the addition of reinforcement, and the restriction of steel bars on crack propagation, 7 groups reinforced concrete specimens of different reinforcement position and 1 group plain concrete specimens with the same size factors were designed and constructed for the tests. Based on the double-K fracture criterion and tests, fracture toughness calculation model which was suitable for reinforced concrete wedge splitting tensile specimens has been obtained. The results show that: the value of initial craking load Pini and unstable fracture load Pun decreases gradually with the distance of reinforcement away from specimens's top. Compared with plain concrete specimens, addition of steel bar can reduce the value of initial fracture toughness KIini, but significantly increase the value of the critical effective crack length ac and unstable fracture toughness KIun. For tensional concrete member, the effect of anti-cracking by reinforcement was mainly acted after cracking, the best function of preventing fracture initiation was when the steel bar was placed in the middle of the crack, and when the reinforcement was across the crack and located away from crack tip, it plays the best role in inhibiting the extension of crack.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.645-667
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• 2015

Single treatment and staged treatments in vertical wells are widely applied in sandstone and mudstone thin interbedded (SMTI) reservoir to stimulate the reservoir. The keys and difficulties of stimulating this category of formations are to avoid hydraulic fracture propagating through the interface between shale and sand as well as control the fracture height. In this paper, the cohesive zone method was utilized to build the 3-dimensional fracture dynamic propagation model in shale and sand interbedded formation based on the cohesive damage element. Staged treatments and single treatment were simulated by single fracture propagation model and double fractures propagation model respectively. Study on the changes of fracture vicinity stress field during propagation is to compare and analyze the parameters which influence the interfacial induced stresses between two different fracturing methods. As a result, we can prejudge how difficult it is that the fracture propagates along its height direction. The induced stress increases as the pumping rate increasing and it changes as a parabolic function of the fluid viscosity. The optimized pump rate is $4.8m^3/min$ and fluid viscosity is $0.1Pa{\cdot}s$ to avoid the over extending of hydraulic fracture in height direction. The simulation outcomes were applied in the field to optimize the treatment parameters and the staged treatments was suggested to get a better production than single treatment.

• Advances in aircraft and spacecraft science
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.177-196
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• 2014

A theoretical exploration for determining the characteristic length of the cohesive zone for a double cantilever beam (DCB) specimen under mode I loading was conducted. Two traction-separation laws were studied: (i) a law with only a linear elastic stage from zero to full traction strength; and (ii) a bilinear traction law illustrating a progressive softening stage. Two analytical solutions were derived for the first law, which fit well into two existing solution groups. A transcendental equation was derived for the bilinear traction law, and a graphical method was presented to identify the resultant cohesive zone length. The study using the bilinear traction law enabled the theoretical investigation of the individual effects of cohesive law parameters (i.e., strength, stiffness, and fracture energy) on the cohesive zone length. Correlations between the theoretical and finite element (FE) results were assessed. Effects of traction law parameters on the cohesive zone length were discussed.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.59 no.4
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• pp.368-373
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• 2016

Objective : Delayed hinge fracture (HF) that develops after cervical open door laminoplasty can be a source of postoperative complications such as axial pain. However, risk factors related to this complication remain unclear. We performed a retrospective clinical series to determine risk factors for delayed HF following plate-only open-door cervical laminoplasty. Methods : Patients who underwent plate-only open-door laminoplasty and had available postoperative computed tomography (CT) scans (80 patients with 270 laminae) were enrolled. Hinge status, hinge gutter location, open location, hinge width, number of screws used, operation level, and open angle were observed in the CT to determine radiographic outcome. Demographic data were collected as well. Radiographic and clinical parameters were analyzed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis to determine the risk factors for HF. Results : Univariate logistic regression analysis results indicated poor initial hinge status, medially placed hinge gutter, double screw fixation on the elevated lamina, upper surgical level, and wide open angle as predictors for HF (p<0.05). Initial hinge status seemed to be the most powerful risk factor for HF (p=0.000) and thus was collinear with other variables. Therefore, multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed excluding initial hinge status, and the results indicated that medially placed hinge gutter, double screw fixation on the elevated lamina, and upper surgical level were risk factors for HF after adjustment for other confounding factors. Conclusion : To prevent HF and to draw a successful postoperative outcome after cervical laminoplasty, surgical and clinical precautions should be considered.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.1275-1303
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• 2016

Steel plates and carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) laminates or plates bonded to concrete substrates have been widely used for concrete strengthening. However, this technique cause plate debonding, which makes the strengthening system inefficient. The main objective of this study is to enhance the bond strength of externally bonded steel plates and CFRP laminates to the concrete surface by proposing new embedded adhesive and steel connectors. The effects of these new embedded connectors were investigated through the tests on 36 prism specimens. Parameters such as interfacial shear stress, fracture energy and the maximum strains in plates were also determined in this study and compared with the maximum value of debonding stresses using a relevant failure criterion by means of pullout test. The study indicates that the interfacial bond strength between the externally bonded plates and concrete can be increased remarkably by using these connectors. The investigation verifies that steel connectors increase the shear bond strength by 48% compared to 38% for the adhesive connectors. Thus, steel connectors are more effective than adhesive connectors in increasing shear bond strength. Results also show that the use of double connectors significantly increases interfacial shear stress and decrease debonding failure. Finally, a new proposed formula is modified to predict the maximum bond strength of steel plates and CFRP laminates adhesively glued to concrete in the presence of the embedded connectors.