• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.615-627
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• 2019

This paper aims to study the compressive behavior of circular hollow and concrete-filled steel tubular stub columns under simulated marine atmospheric corrosion. The specimens after salt spray corrosion were tested under axial compressive load. Steel grade and corrosion level were mainly considered in the study. The mechanical behavior of circular CFST specimens is compared with that of the corresponding hollow ones. Design methods for circular hollow and concrete-filled steel tubular stub columns are modified to consider the effect of marine atmospheric corrosion. The results show that linear fitting curves could be used to present the relationship between corrosion rate and the mechanical properties of steel after simulated marine atmospheric corrosion. The ultimate strength of hollow steel tubular and CFST columns decrease with the increase of corrosion rate while the ultimate displacement of those are hardly affected by corrosion rate. Increasing corrosion rate would change the failure of CFST stub column from ductile failure to brittle failure. Corrosion rate would decrease the ductility indexes of CFST columns, rather than those of hollow steel tubular columns. The confinement factor ${\xi}$ of CFST columns decreases with the increase of corrosion rate while the ratio between test value and nominal value shows an opposite trend. With considering marine atmospheric corrosion, the predicted axial strength of hollow steel tubular and CFST columns by Chinese standard agree well with the tested values while the predictions by Japanese standard seem conservative.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.28 no.12
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• pp.738-747
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• 2018

For the aerospace structural application of high-strength 2xxx series aluminum alloys, stress corrosion cracking(SCC) behavior in aggressive environments needs to be well understood. In this study, the SCC sensitivities of 2024-T62, 2124-T851 and 2050-T84 alloys in a 3.5 % NaCl solution are measured using a constant load testing method without polarization and a slow strain rate test(SSRT) method at a strain rate of 10-6 /sec under a cathodic applied potential. When the specimens are exposed to a 3.5 % NaCl solution under a constant load for 10 days, the decrease in tensile ductility is negligible for 2124-T851 and 2050-T84 specimens, proving that T8 heat treatment is beneficial in improving the SCC resistance of 2xxx series aluminum alloys. The specimens are also susceptible to SCC in a hydrogen-generating environment at a slow strain rate of $10^{-6}/sec$ in a 3.5 % NaCl solution under a cathodic applied potential. Regardless of the test method, low impurity 2124-T851 and high Cu/Mg ratio 2050-T84 alloys are found to have relatively lower SCC sensitivity than 2024-T62. The SCC behavior of 2xxx series aluminum alloys in the 3.5 % NaCl solution is discussed based on fractographic and micrographic observations.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.383-399
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• 2021

In the study, three 1:3-scale unequal span steel-concrete composite substructures with top-seat angle and double web angle connection were designed and identified as specimens GTSDWA-0.6, GTSDWA-1.0, and GTSDWA-1.4. Pseudo-static tests and refined numerical model analysis were conducted to examine the anti-progressive collapse performance of a semi-rigid steel-concrete composite substructure. The results indicated that the failure modes of the three specimens revealed that the fracture occurred in the root of the long leg of the top/seat angle in tension at the connection. With increases in the span ratio of the left and right composite beams, the bearing capacities of the composite substructures decreased, and the corresponding displacement increased. With respect to GTSDWA-0.6 and GTSDWA-1.4, the resistance due to the short composite beam corresponded to 62% and 60%, respectively, and the total resistance provided by the short composite beam exceeded that of the long composite beam. With respect to GTSDWA-1.0, the resistance due to the left and right composite beams was similar. All three specimens underwent the flexure mechanism and flexure-axial mixed mechanism stages. They resisted the external load mainly via the flexure mechanism. Moreover, the addition of stiffeners on both sides of the top and seat angles is advantageous in terms of improving the collapse resistance and ductility of unequal span composite substructures.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.81 no.6
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• pp.715-728
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• 2022

A new type of buckling-restrained braces (BRBs) with a longitudinally profiled steel plate working as the core (LPBRB) is proposed and experimentally investigated. Different from conventional BRBs with a constant thickness core, both stiffness and strength of the longitudinally profiled steel core along its longitudinal direction can change through itself variable thickness, thus the construction of LPBRB saves material and reduces the processing cost. Four full-scale component tests were conducted under quasi-static cyclic loading to evaluate the seismic performance of LPBRB. Three stiffening methods were used to improve the fatigue performance of LPBRBs, which were bolt-assembled T-shaped stiffening ribs, partly-welded stiffening ribs and stiffening segment without rib. The experimental results showed LPBRB specimens displayed stable hysteretic behavior and satisfactory seismic property. There was no instability or rupture until the axial ductility ratio achieved 11.0. Failure modes included the out-of-plane buckling of the stiffening part outside the restraining member and core plate fatigue fracture around the longitudinally profiled segment. The effect of the stiffening methods on the fatigue performance is discussed. The critical buckling load of longitudinally profiled segment is derived using Euler theory. The local bulging behavior of the outer steel tube is analyzed with an equivalent beam model. The design recommendations for LPBRB are presented finally.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.123-132
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• 2022

This paper aims to adapt Multilinear regression (MLR) to predict the strength and toughness of SIFCON containing various pozzolanic materials. Slurry Infiltrated Fibrous Concrete (SIFCON) is one of the most common terms used in concrete manufacturing, known for its benefits such as high ductility, toughness and high ultimate strength. Assessment of compressive strength (CS.), flexural strength (F.S.), splitting tensile strength (STS), dynamic elasticity modulus (DME) and impact energy (I.E.) using the experimental approach is too costly. It is time-consuming, and a slight error can lead to a repeat of the test and, to solve this, alternative methods are used to predict the strength and toughness properties of SIFCON. In the present study, the experimentally investigated SIFCON data about various mix proportions are used to predict the strength and toughness properties using regression analysis-multilinear regression (MLR) models. The input parameters used in regression models are cement, fibre, fly ash, Metakaolin, fine aggregate, blast furnace slag, bottom ash, water-cement ratio, and the strength and toughness properties of SIFCON at 28 days is the output parameter. The models are developed and validated using data obtained from the experimental investigation. The investigations were done on 36 SIFCON mixes, and specimens were cast and tested after 28 days of curing. The MLR model yields correlation between predicted and actual values of the compressive strength (C.S.), flexural strength, splitting tensile strength, dynamic modulus of elasticity and impact energy. R-squared values for the relationship between observed and predicted compressive strength are 0.9548, flexural strength 0.9058, split tensile strength 0.9047, dynamic modulus of elasticity 0.8611 for impact energy 0.8366. This examination shows that the MLR model can predict the strength and toughness properties of SIFCON.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.175-193
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• 2023

Stainless steel-concrete composite beam has become an attractive structural form for offshore bridges and iconic high-rise buildings, owing to the superior corrosion resistance and excellent ductility of stainless steel material. In a composite beam, stainless steel shear connectors play an important role by establishing the interconnection between stainless steel beam and concrete slab. To enable the best use of high strength stainless steel shear connectors in composite beams, high strength concrete is recommended. To date, the application of stainless steel shear connectors in composite beams is still very limited due to the lack of research and proper design recommendations. In this paper, a total of seven pushout specimens were tested to investigate the load-slip behaviour of stainless steel shear connectors. A thorough discussion has been made on the differences between stainless steel bolted connectors and welded studs, in terms of the failure modes, load-slip behaviour and ultimate shear resistance. In parallel with the experimental programme, a finite element model was developed in ABAQUS to simulate the behaviour of stainless steel shear connectors, with which the effects of shear connector strength, concrete strength and embedded connector height to diameter ratio (h/d) were evaluated. The obtained experimental and numerical results were analysed and compared with existing codes of practice, including AS/NZS 2327, EN 1994-1-1 and ANSI/AISC 360-16. The comparison results indicated that the current codes need to be improved for the design of high strength stainless steel shear connectors. On this basis, modified design approaches were proposed to predict the shear capacity of stainless steel bolted connectors and welded studs in the composite beams.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.311-321
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• 2022

The interfacial bond strength of partially encased composite (PEC) structure tends to 0, therefore, the cast-in-place concrete theoretically cannot embody better composite effect than the fabricated structure. A total of 12 specimens were designed and experimented to investigate the energy dissipation and damage of fabricated PEC beam through unidirectional cyclic loading test. Because the concrete on both sides of the web was relatively independent, some specimens showed obvious asymmetric concrete damage, which led to specimens bearing torsion effect at the later stage of loading. Based on the concept of the ideal elastoplastic model of uniaxial tensile steel and the principle of equivalent energy dissipation, the energy dissipation ductility coefficient is proposed, which can simultaneously reflect the deformability and bearing capacity. In view of the whole deformation of the beam, the calculation formula of energy dissipation is put forward, and the energy dissipation and its proportion of shear-bending region and pure bending region are calculated respectively. The energy dissipation efficiency of the pure bending region is significantly higher than that of the shear-bending region. The setting of the screw arbors is conducive to improving the energy dissipation capacity of the specimens. Under the condition of setting the screw arbors and meeting the reasonable shear span ratio, reducing the concrete pouring thickness can lighten the deadweight of the component and improve the comprehensive benefit, and will not have an adverse impact on the energy dissipation capacity of the beam. A damage model is proposed to quantify the damage changes of PEC beams under cyclic load, which can accurately reflect the load damage and deformation damage.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.457-471
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• 2023

To make up for the performance weaknesses of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC), expand the application range of RAC, and alleviate the environmental problems caused by excessive exploitation of natural coarse aggregates (NCA), this study proposes a basalt fiber-reinforced recycled aggregate concrete (BFRRAC)-filled square steel tubular columns that combines two modification methods of steel tube and fiber, which may greatly enhance the mechanical properties of RAC. The axial compression performance for BFRRAC-filled square steel tubular columns was reported during this study. Seven specimens with different replacement ratios of recycled coarse aggregate (RCA), length-diameter ratios, along with basalt fiber (BF) contents were designed as well as fabricated for performing axial compression test. For each specimen, the whole failure process as well as mode of specimen were discovered, subsequently the load-axial displacement curve has obtained, after which the mechanical properties was explained. A finite element analysis model for specimens under axial compression was then established. Subsequently, based on this model, the factors affecting axial compression performance for BFRRAC-filled square steel tubes were extended and analyzed, after which the corresponding design suggestion was proposed. The results show that in the columns with length-diameter ratios of 5 and 8, bulging failure was presented, and the RAC was severely crushed at the bulging area of the specimen. The replacement ratio of RCA as well as BF content little affected specimen's peak load (less than 5%). As the content of BF enhanced from 0 kg/m³ to 4 kg/m³, the dissipation factor and ductility coefficients increased by 10.2% and 5.6%, respectively, with a wide range.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.77-86
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• 2024

To investigate the seismic performance of steel pipe-aeolian sand recycled concrete columns, this study designed and produced five specimens. Low-cycle repeated load tests were conducted while maintaining a constant axial compression ratio. The experiment aimed to examine the impact of different aeolian sand replacement rates on the seismic performance of these columns. The test results revealed that the mechanical failure modes of the steel pipe-recycled concrete column and the steel pipe-aeolian sand recycled concrete column were similar. Plastic hinges formed and developed at the column foot, and severe local buckling occurred at the bottom of the steel pipe. Interestingly, the bulging height of the damaged steel pipe was reduced for the specimen mixed with an appropriate amount of wind-deposited sand under the same lateral displacement. The hysteresis curves of all five specimens tested were relatively full, with no significant pinching phenomenon observed. Moreover, compared to steel tube-recycled concrete columns, the steel tube-aeolian sand recycled concrete columns exhibited improved seismic energy dissipation capacity and ductility. However, it was noted that as the aeolian sand replacement rate increased, the bearing capacity of the specimen increased first and then decreased. The seismic performance of the specimen was relatively optimal when the aeolian sand replacement rate was 30%. Upon analysis and comparison, the damage analysis model based on stiffness and energy consumption showed good agreement with the test results and proved suitable for evaluating the damage degree of steel pipe-wind-sand recycled concrete structures.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.90 no.4
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• pp.371-390
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• 2024

Investigating the impact of openings on the structural behavior of ferrocement I-beams with two distinct types of reinforcing metallic and non-metallic meshes is the primary goal of the current study. Up until failure, eight 250x200x2200 mm reinforced concrete I-beams were tested under flexural loadings. Depending on the kind of meshes used for reinforcement, the beams are split into two series. A control I-beam with no openings and three beams with one, two, and three openings, respectively, are found in each series. The two series are reinforced with three layers of welded steel meshes and two layers of tensar meshes, respectively, in order to maintain a constant reinforcement ratio. Structural parameters of investigated beams, including first crack, ultimate load, deflection, ductility index, energy absorption, strain characteristics, crack pattern, and failure mode were reported. The number of mesh layers, the volume fraction of reinforcement, and the kind of reinforcing materials are the primary factors that vary. This article presents the outcomes of a study that examined the experimental and numerical performance of ferrocement reinforced concrete I-beams with and without openings reinforced with welded steel mesh and tensar mesh separately. Utilizing ANSYS-16.0 software, nonlinear finite element analysis (NLFEA) was applied to illustrate how composite RC I-beams with openings behaved. In addition, a parametric study is conducted to explore the variables that can most significantly impact the mechanical behavior of the proposed model, such as the number of openings. The FE simulations produced an acceptable degree of experimental value estimation, as demonstrated by the obtained experimental and numerical results. It is also noteworthy to demonstrate that the strength gained by specimens without openings reinforced with tensar meshes was, on average, 22% less than that of specimens reinforced with welded steel meshes. For specimens with openings, this value is become on average 10%.