• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.69 no.6
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• pp.677-691
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• 2019

In recent years, interest is growing in the engineering community on the experimental assessment and the theoretical prediction of the out-of-plane (OOP) seismic response of unreinforced masonry (URM) infills, which are widespread in Reinforced Concrete (RC) buildings in Europe and in the Mediterranean area. In the literature, some mechanical-based models for the prediction of the entire OOP force-displacement response have been formulated and proposed. However, the small number of experimental tests currently available has not allowed, up to current times, a robust and reliable evaluation of the predictive capacity of such response models. To enrich the currently available experimental database, six pure OOP tests on URM infills in RC frames were carried out at the Department of Structures for Engineering and Architecture of the University of Naples Federico II. Test specimens were built with the same materials and were different only for the thickness of the infill walls and for the number of their edges mortared to the confining elements of the RC frames. In this paper, the results of these experimental tests are briefly recalled. The main aim of this study is comparing the experimental response of test specimens with the prediction of mechanical models presented in the literature, in order to assess their effectiveness and contribute to the definition of a robust and reliable model for the evaluation of the OOP seismic response of URM infill walls.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.724-728
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• 2007

Purpose: The objective of this study is to prevent postoperative lower eyelid retraction and scleral show. There are several approaches for orbital rim reconstruction. But these techniques are sometimes difficult to perform, and have some merits and faults. Maybe most common unwanted and unpleasant result that we have experienced by subciliary incision preseptal approach is the lower eyelid retraction and the scleral show. Therefore, I want to find out the causes and the solutions for such complication. We must know the mechanics for those unpleasant result first of all. Methods: We conducted a comparison of postoperative photographs between retroseptal approach group and preseptal approach group, both with subciliary incision. In experimental retroseptal group, incision was applied at subciliary region. After elevating skin flap to preserve pretarsal muscle, not with muscle flap elevation, but direct oblique incision through the muscle, retroseptal dissection was applied to the ROOF and the septum. Fixating fracture line, periosteal and septal repair was followed by skin repair. The light compressive dressings and protection were kept in place for 7 days. The effectiveness of this operative method was made comparison with control group which the preseptal approach was applied to, by postoperative 2nd week and 2nd month. Results: Author's technique had been used in 20 patients and control group was composed of 50 patients over 19months period. There were better results in experimental group than in control group and all of experimental group had no complaint about the lower eyelid retraction and the scleral show. Conclusion: It must be known about the reason of the lower eyelid retraction and the scleral show induced by subciliary and preseptal approach. Mechanically it can be easily proved. And the solution maybe will be easier if we get more information about the mechanics. I recommend the retroseptal subciliary approach

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.241-256
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• 2000

The major sources of energy dissipation in steel frames with partially restrained (PR) connections are evaluated. Available experimental results are used to verify the mathematical model used in this study. The verified model is then used to quantify the energy dissipation in PR connections due to hysteretic behavior, due to viscous damping and at plastic hinges if they are formed. Observations are made for two load conditions: a sinusoidal load applied at the top of the frame, and a sinusoidal ground acceleration applied at the base of the frame representing a seismic loading condition. This analytical study confirms the general behavior, observed during experimental investigations, that PR connections reduce the overall stiffness of frames, but add a major source of energy dissipation. As the connections become stiffer, the contribution of PR connections in dissipating energy becomes less significant. A connection with a T ratio (representing its stiffness) of at least 0.9 should not be considered as fully restrained as is commonly assumed, since the energy dissipation characteristics are different. The flexibility of PR connections alters the fundamental frequency of the frame. Depending on the situation, it may bring the frame closer to or further from the resonance condition. If the frame approaches the resonance condition, the effect of damping is expected to be very important. However, if the frame moves away from the resonance condition, the energy dissipation at the PR connections is expected to be significant with an increase in the deformation of the frame, particularly for low damping values. For low damping values, the dissipation of energy at plastic hinges is comparable to that due to viscous damping, and increases as the frame approaches failure. For the range of parameters considered in this study, the energy dissipations at the PR connections and at the plastic hinges are of the same order of magnitude. The study quantitatively confirms the general observations made in experimental investigations for steel frames with PR connections; however, proper consideration of the stiffness of PR connections and other dynamic properties is essential in predicting the dynamic behavior.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.93-100
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• 2018

It is seldom possible that geotechnical materials like rocks and concretes found without joints, cracks, or discontinuities. Thereby, the impact of micro-cracks on the mechanical properties of them is to be considered. In the present study, the effect of micro-crack on the failure mechanism of rock specimens under uniaxial compression was investigated experimentally. For this purpose, thermal stress was used to induce micro-cracks in the specimens. Several cylindrical and disk shape specimens were drilled from granite collected from Zanjan granite mine, Iran. Some of the prepared specimens were kept in room temperature and the others were heated by a laboratory furnace to different temperature levels (200, 400, 600, 800 and 1000 degree Celsius). During the experimental tests, Acoustic Emission (AE) sensors were used to monitor specimen failure at the different loading sequences. Also, Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) was used to distinguish the induced micro-crack by heating in the specimens. The fractographic analysis revealed that the thin sections heated to $800^{\circ}C$ and $1000^{\circ}C$ contain some induced micro-fractures, but in the thin sections heated to $200^{\circ}C$, $400^{\circ}C$ and $600^{\circ}C$ have not been observed any micro-fracture. In the next, a comprehensive experimental investigation was made to evaluate mechanical properties of heated and unheated specimens. Results of experimental tests showed that induced micro-cracks significantly influence on the failure mode of specimens. The specimens kept at room temperature failed in the splitting mode, while the failure mode of specimens heated to $800^{\circ}C$ are shearing and the specimens heated to $1000^{\circ}C$ failed in the spalling mode. On the basis of AE monitoring, it is found that with increasing of the micro-crack density, the ratio of the number of shear cracks to the number of tensile cracks increases, under loading sequences.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.189-200
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• 2001

This paper presents an experimental modal analysis of perforated rectangular plates in air or in contact with water. The penetration of holes in the plates had a triangular pattern with P/D (pitch to diameter) 2.125, 2.500, 3.000 and 3.750. The plate was clamped along the plate edges by a number of bolts and nuts. The natural frequencies of the perforated plates in air were obtained by the analytical method based on the relation between the reference kinetic and maximum potential energies and compared with the experimental results. Good agreement between the results was found for the natural frequencies of the perforated plates in air. Additionally, it was empirically found that the natural frequencies of the perforated plate in air increase with an increase of P/D, on the other hand, the natural frequencies of the perforated plate in contact with water decrease with an increase of P/D.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.1-17
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• 2015

An experimental investigation is conducted to examine the behavior and cracking of steel fiberre-inforced concrete spandrel L-shaped beams subjected to combined torsion, bending, and shear. The experimental program includes 12 medium-sized L-shaped spandrel beams organized into two groups, namely, specimens with longitudinal reinforcing bars, and specimens with bars and stirrups. All cases are examined with 0%, 1%, and 1.5% steel fiber volume fractions and tested under two different loading eccentricities. Test results indicate that the torque to shear ratio has a significant effect on the crack pattern developed in the beams. The strain on concrete surface follows the crack width value, and the addition of steel fibers reduces the strain. Fibrous concrete beams exhibited improved overall torsional performance compared with the corresponding non-fibrous control beams, particularly the beams tested under high eccentricity.

• Coupled systems mechanics
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.281-295
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• 2018

This study aims to investigate the capacity of different models to reproduce the nonlinear behavior of reinforced concrete framed structures. To accomplish this goal, a combined experimental and analytical research program was carried out on a large scaled reinforced concrete frame. Analyses were performed by SAP2000 and compared to experimental and VecTor2 results. Models made in SAP2000 differ in the simulation of the plasticity and the type of the frame elements used to discretize the frame structure. The results obtained allow a better understanding of the characteristics of all numerical models, helping the users to choose the best approach to perform nonlinear analysis.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.74 no.4
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• pp.559-565
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• 2020

This paper intends to progress models to accurately estimate the behavior of fresh concrete under vibration using artificial neural networks (ANNs). To this end, behavior of a full scale precast concrete mold was investigated numerically. Experimental study was carried out under vibration with the use of a computer-based data acquisition system. In this study measurements were taken at three points using two vibrators. Transducers were used to measure time-dependent lateral displacements at these points on mold while both mold is empty and full of fresh concrete. Modeling of empty and full mold was made using ANNs. Benefiting ANNs used in this study for modeling fresh concrete, mold design can be performed. For the modeling of ANNs: Experimental data were divided randomly into two parts such as training set and testing set. Training set was used for ANN's learning stage. And the remaining part was used for testing the ANNs. Finally, ANN modeling was compared with measured data. The comparisons show that the experimental data and ANN results are compatible.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.63-81
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• 2003

This paper describes experimental and theoretical investigations on the behaviour of thin walled composite (TWC) filled columns under eccentric loading conditions. Details of the experimental investigation including description of the test columns, testing arrangements, failure modes, strain characteristics, load-deformation responses and effects of various geometric and material parameters are presented. The current paper also introduces the use and effect of lightweight Volcanic Pumice Concrete (VPC) in TWC columns. Analytical models for the design of columns under eccentric loading conditions have been developed taking into consideration the effect of confined concrete. The performance of design equations is validated through experimental results. The proposed design models are found to produce better results compared with available design procedures and Code based formulations. A computer program is developed to generate the interaction diagrams based on the proposed design equations that can be used for design purposes.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2017

An experimental technique for determining the spalling strength of rock-like materials under a high strain rate is developed. It is observed that the spalling strength of a specimen can be determined by only knowing the wavelength, loading peak value and length of the first spallation of an incident wave under a specific loading waveform. Using this method in combination with a split-Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) and other experimental devices, the spalling strength of granite specimens under a high strain rate is tested. Comparisons with other experimental results show that the new measuring method can accurately calculate the dynamic tensile strength of rock materials under a high strain rate.