• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2024

Precast deck joints have problems due to the occurrence of additional processes at construction sites, the complexity of construction, and the lack of design and construction standards for precast deck joints. To solve these, this study proposes a new precast deck joint that uses an Ultra-High-Performance Fiber-reinforced Cement Composite (UHPFRCC) filling material containing steel fibers and a straight rebar joint. In addition, the structural performance of the proposed joint, based on various parameters, was compared to that of existing precast deck joints, and the proposed joint showed equivalent strength and ductility. Therefore, the proposed joint can solve construction site problems by replacing the existing ones. The influence of various variables is expected to provide basic data on the design and construction guidelines for the precast deck joints.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.363-373
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• 2023

A novel type of steel fiber with a rounded-end shape is presented to improve the bonding behavior of fibers with Carbon Nanotubes (CNT)-reinforced Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) matrix. For this purpose, by performing a parametric study and using the nonlinear finite element method, the impact of geometric characteristics of the fiber end on its bonding behavior with UHPC has been studied. The cohesive zone model investigates the interface between the fibers and the cement matrix. The mechanical properties of the cohesive zone model are determined by calibrating the finite element results and the experimental fiber pull-out test. Also, the results are evaluated with the straight steel fibers outcomes. Using the novel presented fibers, the bond strength has significantly improved compared to the straight steel fibers. The new proposed fibers increase bond strength by 1.1 times for the same diameter of fibers. By creating fillet at the contact area between the rounded end and the fiber, bond strength is significantly improved, the maximum fiber capacity is reachable, and the pull-out occurs in the form of fracture and tearing of the fibers, which is the most desirable bonding mode for fibers. This also improves the energy absorbed by the fibers and is 4.4 times more than the corresponding straight fibers.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.777-786
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• 2010

This paper examines the flexural behavior of full-scale prestressed concrete girders that were constructed of steel fiber reinforced ultra high performance concrete (UHPC). This study is designed to provide more information about the bending characteristics of UHPC girders in order to establish a reasonable prediction model for flexural resistance and deflection for future structural design codes. Short steel fibers have been introduced into prestressed concrete T-girders in order to study their effects under flexural loads. Round straight high strength steel fibers were used at volume fraction of 2%. The girders were cast using 150~190 MPa steel fiber reinforced UHPC and were designed to assess the ability of steel fiber reinforced UHPC to carry flexural loads in prestressed girders. The experimental results show that steel fiber reinforced UHPC enhances the cracking behavior and ductility of beams. Moreover, when ultimate failure did occur, the failure of girders composed of steel fiber reinforced UHPC was observed to be precipitated by the pullout of steel fibers that were bridging tension cracks in the concrete. Flexural failure of girders occurred when the UHPC at a particular cross section began to lose tensile capacity due to steel fiber pullout. In addition, it was determined that the level of prestressing force influenced the ultimate load capacity.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.339-355
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• 2022

The high cost of ultra-high-performance engineered cementitious composite (UHP-ECC) is currently a crucial issue, especially in terms of the polyethylene (PE) fibers use. In this paper, cheap calcium carbonate whiskers (CW) were evaluated on the feasibility of hybrid with PE fibers. Diverse combinations of PE fibers and CW were employed to investigate the multi-scale enhancement on the UHP-ECC performance. A probabilistic-based UHP-ECC tensile strain reliability analysis approach was utilized, which was in general agreement with the experimental results. Furthermore, a multi-dimensional integrated representation was conducted for the comprehensive assessment of UHP-ECC. Results illustrated that CW improved the compressive strength and energy dissipation capacity of UHP-ECC owing to the microscopic strengthening mechanism. CW and PE fiber further promoted the saturated cracking of composite by multi-scale crack arresting effect. In particular, PE1.75-CW0.5 specimen possessed the best overall performance. The ultimate cracking width of PE1.75-CW0.5 group had 98 ㎛, which was 46.18% lower compared to PE2-CW0 group, the 28d compressive strength were slightly improved, the tensile strain capacity was comparable to that of PE2-CW0 group. The results above demonstrated that combinations of PE fiber and CW could significantly enhance the comprehensive performance of UHP-ECC, which was beneficial for large-scale engineering applications.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.1-16
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• 2015

The proposed techniques to strengthen concrete members such as steel plates, polymers or concrete have important deficiencies in adherence and durability. The use of UHPFC plates can overtake effectively these problems. In this paper, the possibility of using UHPFC to strengthen RC beams under torsion is investigated. Four specimens of concrete beams reinforced with longitudinal bars only were tested under pure torsion. One of the beams was considered as the baseline specimen, while the others were strengthened by ultra-high-performance fiber concrete (UHPFC) on two, three, and four sides. Finite element analysis was conducted in tandem with experimental work. Results showed that UHPFC enhances the strength, ductility, and toughness of concrete beams under torsional load, and that finite element analysis is in good agreement with the experimental data.

• Magazine of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.189-200
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• 1996

The permeability of concrete influences the durability of concrete remarkably. The conventional test method for permeability is very difficult to apply to high strength concrete because of its very low permeability. The present study employs a resonable and realistic test method for permeability of concrete and proposes a very low permeability concrete. To this end, comprehensive tests have been conducted and major test variables include the types and amount of cement. the types and amount of admixtures, and the size of aggregates. The present test results indicate t h a t the permeability decrease with the increase of strength and that the concrete with certain mineral admixtures exhibits very low permeability. The permeability of those high performance concrete is about 1/100 of conventional normal concrete. The present study provides a firm base for the use of very low permeable and hence very durable concrete.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.173-183
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• 2012

Recently, experimental studies to prevent explosive spalling based on spalling mechanism and addition of Polypropylene fiber in high strength concrete (HSC) are performed actively. However, with respect to ultra high strength concrete (UHSC), its compact internal structure is more difficult release vapor pressure at rapid rising temperature compared to HSC. Therefore, in this study, an experiment was conducted to evaluate spalling properties of UHSC using ${\Box}$ $100mm{\times}100{\times}H200mm$ rectangular specimen according to ISO-834 standard fire curve. With respect melting point of fiber, three fiber types of Polyethylene, Polypropylene, and Nylon fibers with melting temperature of $110^{\circ}C$, $165^{\circ}C$, and $225^{\circ}C$, respectively, were considered. Mixed fiber of 0.15% and 0.25% of concrete volume was used to consider spalling properties based on water vapor pressure release. Then, TGDTA test on fiber and FEM analysis were performed. The results showed that it is difficult to prevent initial spalling without loss of fiber mass even if fiber melting temperature is low. Also, in preventing thermal spalling, fiber that melts to rapidly create porosity within 10 minutes of fire is more effective than that of low melting temperature property of fiber.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.659-666
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• 2010

Although the compression splice needs not be longer than the tension slice due to existence of end bearing, current design codes impose a longer compression lap splice than a tension lap splice in high strength concrete. Hence, new criteria for the compression lap splice including the effects of concrete strength need to be sought for economical design involving ultra-high strength concrete. An experimental study has been conducted with column specimens in concrete strength of 80 and 100 MPa. Test results show that the splice strength can be evaluated to be proportional to square root of compressive strength of concrete. Bar stress developed by end bearing is not affected by splice length and is expressed with a function of the square root of concrete strength. Mean value of stresses developed by end bearing is 16.5 square root of $f_{ck}$. The stresses developed by bond in compression splices are nearly identical to those in tension splices and, therefore, strength increment of compression splices is attributed to end bearing only. From regression analysis of 58 tests, a design equation is proposed for compression lap splice in 40 to 100 MPa of compressive strength of concrete. By the proposed equation, the anomaly of lap lengths in tension and compression is got rid of. In addition, the equation has a reliability equivalent to those of the specified strengths of materials.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.1349-1360
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• 2013

The post-tensioned anchorage zones of normal concrete have larger cross sections because of congested reinforcements to resist high bearing and bursting stresses. The high compressive and tensile strength of newly developed UHPC (Ultra High Performance Concrete) may reduce the cross sectional dimensions and simplify the reinforcement details, if used for post-tensioned members. The Finite Element Analysis was performed to evaluate the mechanical behavior of post-tensioned anchorage zones using UHPC without anchorage plates and confining reinforcements. The results show that the maximum bursting stresses are less than the values given in current design code without failure due to vertical cracks. The location of maximum bursting stresses were at 0.2 times of width of the models. The bursting force from FEA is less than that is obtained using simplified formular in Korean Bridge Design Code.

• International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.301-313
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• 2017

This paper presents the fibre-matrix interfacial properties of hooked end steel fibres embedded in ultra-high performance mortars with various water/binder (W/B) ratios. The principle objective was to improve bond behaviour in terms of bond strength by reducing the (W/B) ratio to a minimum. Results show that a decrease in W/B ratio has a significant effect on the bond-slip behaviour of both types of 3D fibres, especially when the W/B ratio was reduced from 0.25 to 0.15. Furthermore, the optimization in maximizing pullout load and total pullout work is found to be more prominent for the 3D fibres with a larger diameter than for fibres with a smaller diameter. On the contrary, increasing the embedded length of the 3D fibres did not result in an improvement on the maximum pullout load, but increase in the total pullout work.