• Composites Research
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• 제19권3호
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• pp.37-42
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• 2006

In the past, the technology of strengthening structures using FRP composites was still in its infancy, with very few publications on the technology available. However, recently strengthening of Reinforced concrete (RC) and other structures using advanced fibre-reinforced polymer/plastic(FRP) composites has become very popular in the last few years. As the well-known advantages of FRP composites including both good corrosion resistence and ease for site handling due to their light weight, also its design methods have been ensured the safe and economic use of this new technology, FRPs have been used widely and demonstrated in the field of aero industries etc. The purpose of this paper is to report the examples of the many diverse applications of Fiber Reinforced Plastic in construction materials of structures.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제38권1호
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• pp.27-37
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• 2011

This paper presents the results of a study on the capability of nonlinear quasi-static finite element modelling in simulating the hysteretic behaviour of CFRP and GFRP-retrofitted RC exterior beam-column joints under cyclic loads. Four specimens including two plain and two CFRP/GFRP-strengthened beam-column joints tested by Mahini and Ronagh (2004) and other researchers are modelled using ANSYS. Concrete in compression is defined by the modified Hognestad model and anisotropic multi-linear model is employed for modelling the stress-strain relations in reinforcing bars while anisotropic plasticity is considered for the FRP composite. Both concrete and FRP are modelled using solid elements whereas space link elements are used for steel bars considering a perfect bond between materials. A step by step load increment procedure to simulate the cyclic loading regime employed in the testing. An automatically reforming stiffness matrix strategy is used in order to simulate the actual seismic performance of the RC concrete after cracking, steel yielding and concrete crushing during the push and pull loading cycles. The results show that the hysteretic simulation for all specimens is satisfactory and therefore suggest that the numerical model can be used as an inexpensive tool to design of FRP-strengthened RC beam-column joints under cyclic loads.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제70권1호
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• pp.67-80
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• 2019

Strengthening with near surface mounted carbon fibre reinforced polymers (NSM-CFRP) is a strengthening technique that have been used for several decades to increase the load carrying capacity of reinforced concrete members. In Iraq, many concrete buildings and bridges were subjected to a wide range of damage as a result of the last war and many other events. Accordingly, there is a progressive increase in the strengthening of concrete structures, bridges in particular, by using CFRP strengthening techniques. Near-surface mounted carbon fibre polymer has been recently proved as a powerful strengthening technique in which the CFRP strips are sufficiently protected against external environmental conditions especially the high-temperature rates in Iraq. However, this technique has not been examined yet under repeated loading conditions such as traffic loads on bridge girders. The main objective of this research was to investigate the effectiveness of NSM-CFRP strips in reinforced concrete beams under repeated loads. Different parameters such as the number of strips, groove size, and two types of bonding materials (epoxy resin and cement-based adhesive) were considered. Fifteen NSM-CFRP strengthened beams were tested under concentrated monotonic and repeated loadings. Three beams were non-strengthened as reference specimens while the remaining were strengthened with NSM-CFRP strips and divided into three groups. Each group comprises two beams tested under monotonic loads and used as control for those tested under repeated loads in the same group. The experimental results are discussed in terms of load-deflection behavior up to failure, ductility factor, cumulative energy absorption, number of cycles to failure, and the mode of failure. The test results proved that strengthening with NSM-CFRP strips increased both the flexural strength and stiffness of the tested beams. An increase in load carrying capacity was obtained in a range of (1.47 to 4.49) times that for the non-strengthened specimens. Also, the increase in total area of CFRPs showed a slight increase in flexural capacity of (1.02) times the value of the control strengthened one tested under repeated loading. Increasing the total area of CFRP strips resulted in a reduction in ductility factor reached to (0.71) while the cumulative energy absorption increased by (1.22) times the values of the strengthened reference specimens tested under repeated loading. Moreover, the replacement of epoxy resin with cement-based adhesive as a bonding material exhibited higher ductility than specimen with epoxy resin tested under monotonic and repeated loading.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• 제33권6호
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• pp.849-864
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• 2019

One way to achieve sustainable construction is to reduce concrete consumption by use of more sustainable and higher strength concrete. Modern building codes do not cover the use of ultra-high strength concrete (UHSC) in the design of composite structures. Against such background, this paper investigates experimentally the mechanical properties of steel fibre-reinforced UHSC and then the structural behaviors of UHSC encased steel (CES) members under both concentric and eccentric compressions as well as pure bending. The effects of steel-fibre dosage and spacing of stirrups were studied, and the applicability of Eurocode 4 design approach was checked. The test results revealed that the strength of steel stirrups could not be fully utilized to provide confinement to the UHSC. The bond strength between UHSC and steel section was improved by adding the steel fibres into the UHSC. Reducing the spacing of stirrups or increasing the dosage of steel fibres was beneficial to prevent premature spalling of the concrete cover thus mobilize the steel section strength to achieve higher compressive capacity. Closer spacing of stirrups and adding 0.5% steel fibres in UHSC enhanced the post-peak ductility of CES columns. It is concluded that the code-specified reduction factors applied to the concrete strength and moment resistance can account for the loss of load capacity due to the premature spalling of concrete cover and partial yielding of the encased steel section.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• 제34권5호
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• pp.743-767
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• 2020

Due to the impressive flexural performance, enhanced compressive strength and more constrained crack propagation, Fibre-reinforced concrete (FRC) have been widely employed in the construction application. Majority of experimental studies have focused on the seismic behavior of FRC columns. Based on the valid experimental data obtained from the previous studies, the current study has evaluated the seismic response and compressive strength of FRC rectangular columns while following hybrid metaheuristic techniques. Due to the non-linearity of seismic data, Adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) has been incorporated with metaheuristic algorithms. 317 different datasets from FRC column tests has been applied as one database in order to determine the most influential factor on the ultimate strengths of FRC rectangular columns subjected to the simulated seismic loading. ANFIS has been used with the incorporation of Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and Genetic algorithm (GA). For the analysis of the attained results, Extreme learning machine (ELM) as an authentic prediction method has been concurrently used. The variable selection procedure is to choose the most dominant parameters affecting the ultimate strengths of FRC rectangular columns subjected to simulated seismic loading. Accordingly, the results have shown that ANFIS-PSO has successfully predicted the seismic lateral load with R² = 0.857 and 0.902 for the test and train phase, respectively, nominated as the lateral load prediction estimator. On the other hand, in case of compressive strength prediction, ELM is to predict the compressive strength with R² = 0.657 and 0.862 for test and train phase, respectively. The results have shown that the seismic lateral force trend is more predictable than the compressive strength of FRC rectangular columns, in which the best results belong to the lateral force prediction. Compressive strength prediction has illustrated a significant deviation above 40 Mpa which could be related to the considerable non-linearity and possible empirical shortcomings. Finally, employing ANFIS-GA and ANFIS-PSO techniques to evaluate the seismic response of FRC are a promising reliable approach to be replaced for high cost and time-consuming experimental tests.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• 제20권3호
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• pp.671-692
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• 2016

FRP stay-in-place (SIP) formworks are designed as a support for casting concrete and as a tension reinforcement when concrete is cured. Bond development between SIP formwork and concrete is critical for FRP tension element to be effective. This paper reports the bond strength between FRP formwork and concrete for different interfacial treatments. A novel experimental setup is prepared for observing the bond behaviour. Three different adhesives with varying workability have been investigated. Along with the load-deformation characteristics, bond slip and strains in the formwork have been measured. A finite element numerical simulation was conducted for the experiments to understand the underlying mechanism. The results show that the adhesive bonding has the best bond strength.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제38권6호
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• pp.697-714
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• 2011

Assessing the ductility of reinforced concrete sections and members has been a complex and intractable problem for many years. Given the complexity in estimating ductility, members are often designed specifically for strength whilst ductility is provided implicitly through the use of ductile steel reinforcing bars and by ensuring that concrete crushing provides the ultimate limit state. As such, the empirical hinge length and neutral axis depth approaches have been sufficient to estimate ductility and moment redistribution within the bounds of the test regimes from which they were derived. However, being empirical, these methods do not have a sound structural mechanics background and consequently have severe limitations when brittle materials are used and when concrete crushing may not occur. Structural mechanics based approaches to estimating rotational capacities and rotation requirements for given amounts of moment redistribution have shown that FRP plated reinforced concrete (RC) sections can have significant moment redistribution capacities. In this paper, the concept of moment redistribution in beams is explained and it is shown specifically how an existing RC member can be retrofitted with FRP plates for both strength and ductility requirements. Furthermore, it is also shown how ductility through moment redistribution can be used to maximise the increase in strength of a member. The concept of primary and secondary hinges is also introduced and it is shown how the response of the non-hinge region influences the redistribution capacity of the primary hinges, and that for maximum moment redistribution to occur the non-hinge region needs to remain elastic.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• 제41권5호
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• pp.649-661
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• 2021

This paper presents experimental and analytical studies to understand the behavior of crumb rubber concrete (CRC)-filled fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) and steel tube double skin column (DSC) and beam (DSB) members under cyclic loading. The main test variable was the percentage of rubber which ranged from 0 to 40%. For column members, different heights corresponding to different aspect ratios were examined to understand the to understand the effect of DSCs' slenderness on the cyclic response of the columns. the. The behavior of the specimens in terms of failure mode, strain development, energy dissipation, load-displacement response were presented and compared. The ability of the current provisions of the Australian codes to predict the capacity of such double skin members was also evaluated based on the test results. This study concluded that the reduction in the concrete strength was more severe at the material level compared to structural level. Also, as the load changed from axial compression in columns to pure moment in beams the negative effect of rubber percentage on the strength became less significant.

• 한국암반공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국암반공학회 1995년도 정기총회 및 학술발표회
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• pp.1-26
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• 1995

Key aspects of the Norwegian Method of Tunnelling (NMT) are reviewed. These include a predictive method of support design using the six-parameter Q-system of rock mass characterisation. The rock mass rating or Q-value is updated during tunnel driving. The designed tunnel support generally consists of wet process, steel fibre reinforced shotcrete combined with fully grouted, untensioned rock bolts, Even in poor rock conditions S(fr) + B usually acts as the final rock reinforcement and tunnel lining. Since it is a drained lining, it is very economic compared to cast concrete with membranes. Light, free-standing steel liners are used to prevent water affecting the runnel environment. Rock mass conditions, and hence lining design and cost estimation can be assessed by careful use of seismic surveys. Relationships between the P-wave velocity, the rock mass deformation modulus and the Q-value have recently been established, where tunnel depth, rock porosity and the uniaxial compression strength of the rock are important variables. The rock mass modulus estimate, and simple index testing of the joints, provide the key input which joints are discretely represented (either in two dimensions with the UDEC code or in three dimensions with the 3DEC code) is generally favoured compared to continuum analysis. The latter may give a misleading impression of uniformity and deformations tend to be understimated. Q-system NMT designs of S(fr) + B (fibre reinforced shotcrete and bolting) are numerically checked and adjustments made to bolt capacities and shotcrete thickness if overloading is evident around the modelled profile.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제19권6호
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• pp.603-618
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• 2005

The split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) technique is widely used to characterize the dynamic mechanical response of engineering materials at high strain rates. In this paper, attendant problems associated with testing 70 mm diameter concrete specimens are considered, analysed and resolved. An adaptation of a conventional solid circular striker bar, as a means of achieving reliable and repeatable SHPB tests, is then proposed. In the analysis, a pseudo one-dimensional model is used to analyse wave propagation in a non-uniform striker bar. The stress history of the incident wave is then obtained by using the finite difference method. Comparison was made between incident waves determined from the simplified model, finite element solution and experimental data. The results show that the simplified method is adequate for designing striker bar shapes to overcome difficulties commonly encountered in SHPB tests. Using two specifically designed striker bars, tests were conducted on 70 mm diameter steel fibre reinforced concrete specimens. The results are presented in the paper.