• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.8-15
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• 2018

An experiment was carried out to evaluate the lateral torsional stability of a girder with respect to the location and magnitude of prestressing force. The test of evaluating the lateral displacement and stability of a girder could cause an unexpected result due to various parameters, such as material nonlinearity, initial geometric imperfections, prestressing force, and loading and support conditions. Therefore, a small model testing was programmed to control the various parameters and assess the lateral torsional stability with respect to the prestressing force. This study proposed and fabricated an experimental apparatus that can satisfy the loading and in-plane and out-of-plane support conditions and also contol the prestressing force. The result of the experiment showed that the lateral torsional stability increased when the prestressing force was applied in the bottom flange of the girder. As a result, this study proposed an analytical equation that can account for the effect of the prestressing force in the lateral torsional stability of a girder.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.58 no.5
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• pp.757-781
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• 2016

The results of diagnostics and analysis of an industrial hall located on the premises of a thermal power plant severely damaged by fire are presented in the paper. The comprehensive failure-related diagnostics, non-destructive and destructive tests of steel and concrete materials, geodetic surveying of selected structural members, numerical modelling, static analysis and reliability assessment were focused on two basic goals: The determination of the current technical condition of the load bearing structure and the assessment of its post fire resistance as well as assessing the degree of damage and subsequent design of reconstruction measures and arrangements which would enable the safe and reliable use of the building. The current mechanical properties of the steel material obtained from the tests and measured geometric characteristics of the structural members with imperfections were employed in finite element models to study the post-fire behaviour of the structure. In order to compare the behaviour of the numerically modelled steel roof truss, subjected to the effects of fire, with the real post-fire response of the damaged structure theoretically obtained resistance, critical temperature and the time at which the structure no longer meets the required reliability criteria under its given loading are compared with real values. A very good agreement between the simulated results and real characteristics of the structure after the fire was observed.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.595-614
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• 2019

In cold-formed steel (CFS) structures, such as trusses, transmission towers and portal frames, the use of back-to-back built-up CFS unequal angle sections are becoming increasingly popular. In such an arrangement, intermediate welds or screw fasteners are required at discrete points along the length, preventing the angle sections from buckling independently. Limited research is available in the literature on axial strength of back-to-back built-up CFS unequal angle sections. The issue is addressed herein. This paper presents an experimental investigation on both the welded and screw fastened back-to-back built-up CFS unequal angle sections under axial compression. The load-axial shortening and the load verses lateral displacement behaviour along with the deformed shapes at failure are reported. A nonlinear finite element (FE) model was then developed, which includes material non-linearity, geometric imperfections and modelling of intermediate fasteners. The FE model was validated against the experimental test results, which showed good agreement, both in terms of failure loads and deformed shapes at failure. The validated FE model was then used for the purpose of a parametric study to investigate the effect of different thicknesses, lengths and, yield stresses of steel on axial strength of back-to-back built-up CFS unequal angle sections. Five different thicknesses and seven different lengths (stub to slender columns) with two different yield stresses were investigated in the parametric study. Axial strengths obtained from the experimental tests and FE analyses were used to assess the performance of the current design guidelines as per the Direct Strength Method (DSM); obtained comparisons show that the current DSM is conservative by only 7% on average, while predicting the axial strengths of back-to-back built-up CFS unequal angle sections.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.601-615
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• 2019

In cold-formed steel (CFS) structures, such as trusses, wall frames and columns, the use of back-to-back built-up CFS angle sections are becoming increasingly popular. In such an arrangement, intermediate fasteners are required at discrete points along the length, preventing the angle-sections from buckling independently. Limited research is available in the literature on the axial strength of back-to-back built-up CFS angle sections. The issue is addressed herein. This paper presents the results of 16 experimental tests, conducted on back-to-back built-up CFS screw fastened angle sections under axial compression. A nonlinear finite element model is then described, which includes material non-linearity, geometric imperfections and explicit modelling of the intermediate fasteners. The finite element model was validated against the experimental test results. The validated finite element model was then used for the purpose of a parametric study comprising 66 models. The effect of fastener spacing on axial strength was investigated. Four different cross-sections and two different thicknesses were analyzed in the parametric study, varying the slenderness ratio of the built-up columns from 20 to 120. Axial strengths obtained from the experimental tests and finite element analysis were used to assess the performance of the current design guidelines as per the Direct Strength Method (DSM); obtained comparison showed that the DSM is over-conservative by 13% on average. This paper has therefore proposed improved design rules for the DSM and verified their accuracy against the finite element and test results of back-to-back built-up CFS angle sections under axial compression.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.219-235
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• 2022

Strengthening slender reinforced concrete (RC) columns is a challenge. They are susceptible to overall buckling that induces bending moment and axial compression. This study presents the precise three-dimensional finite element modeling of slender RC columns strengthened with fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites sheets with various patterns under concentric or eccentric compression. The slenderness ratio λ (height/width ratio) of the studied columns ranged from 15 to 35. First, to determine the optimal modeling procedure, nine alternative nonlinear finite element models were presented to simulate the experimental behavior of seven FRP-strengthened slender RC columns under eccentric compression. The models simulated concrete behavior under compression and tension, FRP laminate sheets with different fiber orientations, crack propagation, FRP-concrete interface, and eccentric compression. Then, the validated modeling procedure was applied to simulate 58 FRP-strengthened slender RC columns under compression with minor eccentricity to represent the inevitable geometric imperfections. The simulated columns showed two cross sections (square and rectangular), variable λ values (15, 22, and 35), and four strengthening patterns for FRP sheet layers (hoop H, longitudinal L, partial longitudinal L_w, and longitudinal coupled with hoop LH). For λ=15-22, pattern L showed the highest strengthening effectiveness, pattern L_w showed brittle failure, steel reinforcement bars exhibited compressive yielding, ties exhibited tensile yielding, and concrete failed under compression. For λ>22, pattern L_w outperformed pattern L in terms of the strengthening effectiveness relative to equivalent weight of FRP layers, steel reinforcement bars exhibited crossover tensile strain, and concrete failed under tension. Patterns H and LH (compared with pattern L) showed minor strengthening effectiveness.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.1-22
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• 2022

In cold-formed steel (CFS) structures, such as trusses, transmission towers and portal frames, the use of back-to-back built-up CFS unequal angle sections are becoming increasingly popular. In such an arrangement, intermediate welds or screw fasteners are required at discrete points along the length, preventing the angle sections from buckling independently. Limited research is available in the literature on axial strength of back-to-back built-up CFS unequal angle sections. The issue is addressed herein. This paper presents an experimental investigation reported by the authors on back-to-back built-up CFS unequal angle sections with intermediate stiffeners under axial compression. The load-axial shortening behaviour along with the deformed shapes at failure are reported. A nonlinear finite element (FE) model was then developed, which includes material non-linearity, geometric imperfections and modelling of intermediate fasteners. The FE model was validated against the experimental test results, which showed good agreement, both in terms of failure loads and deformed shapes at failure. The validated finite element model was then used for the purpose of a parametric study comprising 96 models to investigate the effect of longer to shorter leg ratios, stiffener provided in the longer leg, thicknesses and lengths on axial strength of back-to-back built-up CFS unequal angle sections. Four different thicknesses and seven different lengths (stub to slender columns) with three overall widths to the overall depth (B/D) ratios were investigated in the parametric study. Axial strengths obtained from the experimental tests and FE analyses were used to assess the performance of the current design guidelines as per the Direct Strength Method (DSM); obtained comparisons show that the current DSM is conservative by only 7% and 5% on average, while predicting the axial strengths of back-to-back built-up CFS unequal angle sections with and without the stiffener, respectively.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.28 no.4A
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• pp.465-474
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• 2008

Generally design of frame structures composed of beam-column member is accomplished by stability evaluation of each member considering the effective buckling length. This study selects a member of the smallest non-dimension slenderness ratio using the buckling eigenvalue calculated by the elastic buckling eigen-value analysis and axial force of the each member, and decides the initial deflection quantity reflected geometric and material nonlinearities from a suggested equation on the base of standard strength curve of Korea Bridge Design Code. Second-order elastic analysis applying the initial deflection is executed and the stability of each member is evaluated and decides ultimate strength. Through examples of eight-stories and four-stories plane frame structures, the evaluation of the stability is compared with the existing method and ultimate strength of the suggested method is compared with ultimate strength by the nonlinear inelastic analysis. Through these procedures, the increasing of effective buckling length by elastic buckling eigenvalue analysis is prevented from a new design method that considers initial imperfections. And the validity of this method is proved.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 2020

This paper presents experimental and numerical studies on effects of local damages on the in-plane elastic-plastic buckling and strength of a fixed parabolic steel tubular arch under a vertical load distributed uniformly over its span, which have not been reported in the literature hitherto. The in-plane structural behaviour and strength of ten specimens with different local damages are investigated experimentally. A finite element (FE) model for damaged steel tubular arches is established and is validated by the test results. The FE model is then used to conduct parametric studies on effects of the damage location, depth and length on the strength of steel arches. The experimental results and FE parametric studies show that effects of damages at the arch end on the strength of the arch are more significant than those of damages at other locations of the arch, and that effects of the damage depth on the strength of arches are most significant among those of the damage length. It is also found that the failure modes of a damaged steel tubular arch are much related to its initial geometric imperfections. The experimental results and extensive FE results show that when the effective cross-section considering local damages is used in calculating the modified slenderness of arches, the column bucking curve b in GB50017 or Eurocode3 can be used for assessing the remaining in-plane strength of locally damaged parabolic steel tubular arches under uniform compression. Furthermore, a useful interaction equation for assessing the remaining in-plane strength of damaged steel tubular arches that are subjected to the combined bending and axial compression is also proposed based on the validated FE models. It is shown that the proposed interaction equation can provide lower bound assessments for the remaining strength of damaged arches under in-plane general loading.