• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.233-244
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• 2019

In this work, we have studied the effects of different soil thicknesses, haunch heights, reinforcement forms and construction technologies on the seismic performance of a composite precast fabricated utility tunnel by pseudo-static tests. Five concrete specimens were designed and fabricated for low-cycle reciprocating load tests. The hysteretic behavior of composite precast fabricated utility tunnel under simulated seismic waves and the strain law of steel bars were analyzed. Test results showed that composite precast fabricated utility tunnel met the requirements of current codes and had good anti-seismic performance. The use of a closed integral arrangement of steel bars inside utility tunnel structure as well as diagonal reinforcement bars at its haunches improved the integrity of the whole structure and increased the bearing capacity of the structure by about 1.5%. Increasing the thickness of covering soil within a certain range was beneficial to the earthquake resistance of the structure, and the energy consumption was increased by 10%. Increasing haunch height within a certain range increased the bearing capacity of the structure by up to about 19% and energy consumption by up to 30%. The specimen with the lowest haunch height showed strong structural deformation with ductility coefficient of 4.93. It was found that the interfaces of haunches, post-casting self-compacting concrete, and prefabricated parts were the weak points of utility tunnel structures. Combining the failure phenomena of test structures with their related codes, we proposed improvement measures for construction technology, which could provide a reference for the construction and design of practical projects.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.13-17
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• 2019

This study was conducted to analyse the application of pollutant build-up model on various urban landuses and to characterize pollutant build-up on urban areas as a source of stormwater runoff pollution. The monitored data from impervious surfaces in urban areas such as commercial (8 sites), industrial (10 sites), road (8 sites), residential (10 sites), recreational (5 sites) from 2008 to 2016 were used for the analysis of pollutant build-up model. Based on the results, the average runoff coefficients vary from 0.35 to 0.61. In all landuses except recreational landuse, the runoff coefficient is 0.5 or more, which is the highest in the commercial area. Commercial landuse where pollutants occur at the highest EMC in all landuse, and it is considered that NPS management is necessary compared with other landuses. The maximum build-up load for organic matter (BOD) was highest in the commercial area ($4.59g/m^2$), and for particular matter (TSS) in the road area ($5.90g/m^2$) while for nutrient (TN and TP) in the residential area ($0.40g/m^2$, $0.14g/m^2$). The rate constants ranged from 0.1 to 1.3 1/day depending on landuse and pollutant parameters, which means that pollutant accumulation occurs between 1 and 10 days during dry day. It is clear that these build-up curves can generally be classified based on landuse. Antecedent dry day (ADD) is a suitable and reasonable variable for developing pollutant build-up functions. The pollutant build-up curves for different landuse shows that these build-up curves can be generally categorized based on landuse.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.47-54
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• 2019

An experimental study was conducted on the wear and friction responses in sliding tests of a micro-textured surface on laser pattern (LP) steel as reduction gear material in electric guided vehicle. In this research, the friction characteristics of laser pattern steel under different micro texture density conditions were investigated. The friction tests were carried out at sliding speeds of 0.06 m/s to 0.34 m/s and at normal loads of 2 to 10 N. Photolithography method was used to create the dimples for surface texturing purpose. Four different specimens having different dimple densities of 10%, 12.5%, 15%, and 20% were observed respectively. In this research, friction conditions as shown in Stribeck curve were investigated. Furthermore, the microscopic surface was observed using scanning electron microscope. It was found that the dimple density had a significant role on the friction characteristics of laser pattern steel conditioned as reduction gear material in an agricultural vehicle. The duty number showed that the friction condition was hydrodynamic regime. The best performance was obtained from 12.5% dimple density with lowest friction coefficient achieved at 0.018771 under the velocity of 0.34 m/s and 10N load.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.78 no.2
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• pp.163-174
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• 2021

Track-bridge interaction has become an essential part in the design of bridges and rails in terms of modern railways. As a unique ballastless slab track, the longitudinal continuous slab track (LCST) or referred to as the China railway track system Type-II (CRTS II) slab track, demonstrates a complex force mechanism. Therefore, a comprehensive track-bridge interaction study between multi-span simply supported beam bridges and the LCST is presented in this work. In specific, we have developed an integrated finite element model to investigate the overall interaction effects of the LCST-bridge system subjected to the actions of temperature changes, traffic loads, and braking forces. In that place, the deformation patterns of the track and bridge, and the distributions of longitudinal forces and the interfacial shear stress are studied. Our results show that the additional rail stress has been reduced under various loads and the rail's deformation has become much smoother after the transition of the two continuous structural layers of the LCST. However, the influence of the temperature difference of bridges is significant and cannot be ignored as this action can bend the bridge like the traffic load. The uniform temperature change causes the tensile stress of the concrete track structure and further induce cracks in them. Additionally, the influences of the friction coefficient of the sliding layer and the interfacial bond characteristics on the LCST's performance are discussed. The systematic study presented in this work may have some potential impacts on the understanding of the overall mechanical behavior of the LCST-bridge system.

• The Journal of Advanced Prosthodontics
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.12-23
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• 2021

Purpose. The aim of the study was to compare the lingualized implant placement creating a buccal cantilever with prosthetic-driven implant placement exhibiting excessive crown-to-implant ratio. Materials and Methods. Based on patient's CT scan data, two finite element models were created. Both models were composed of the severely resorbed posterior mandible with first premolar and second molar and missing second premolar and first molar, a two-unit prosthesis supported by two implants. The differences were in implants position and crown-to-implant ratio; lingualized implants creating lingually overcontoured prosthesis (Model CP2) and prosthetic-driven implants creating an excessive crown-to-implant ratio (Model PD2). A screw preload of 466.4 N and a buccal occlusal load of 262 N were applied. The contacts between the implant components were set to a frictional contact with a friction coefficient of 0.3. The maximum von Mises stress and strain and maximum equivalent plastic strain were analyzed and compared, as well as volumes of the materials under specified stress and strain ranges. Results. The results revealed that the highest maximum von Mises stress in each model was 1091 MPa for CP2 and 1085 MPa for PD2. In the cortical bone, CP2 showed a lower peak stress and a similar peak strain. Besides, volume calculation confirmed that CP2 presented lower volumes undergoing stress and strain. The stresses in implant components were slightly lower in value in PD2. However, CP2 exhibited a noticeably higher plastic strain. CONCLUSION. Prosthetic-driven implant placement might biomechanically be more advantageous than bone quantity-based implant placement that creates a buccal cantilever.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.127-142
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• 2021

Wind load acting on a standalone structure is different from that acting on a similar structure which is surrounded by other structures in close proximity. The presence of other structures in the surrounding can change the wind flow regime around the principal structure and thus causing variation in wind loads compared to a standalone case. This variation on wind loads termed as interference effect depends on several factors like terrain category, geometry of the structure, orientation, wind incident angle, interfering distances etc., In the present study, a three building configuration is considered and the mean pressure coefficients on each face of principle building are determined in presence of two interfering buildings. Generally, wind loads on interfering buildings are determined from wind tunnel experiments. Computational fluid dynamic studies are being increasingly used to determine the wind loads recently. Whereas, wind tunnel tests are very expensive, the CFD simulation requires high computational cost and time. In this scenario, Artificial Neural Network (ANN) technique and Support Vector Regression (SVR) can be explored as alternative tools to study wind loads on structures. The present study uses these data-driven approaches to predict mean pressure coefficients on each face of principle building. Three typical arrangements of three building configuration viz. L shape, V shape and mirror of L shape arrangement are considered with varying interfering distances and wind incidence angles. Mean pressure coefficients (Cp mean) are predicted for 45 degrees wind incidence angle through ANN and SVR. Further, the critical faces of principal building, critical interfering distances and building arrangement which are more prone to wind loads are identified through this study. Among three types of building arrangements considered, a maximum of 3.9 times reduction in Cp mean values are noticed under Case B (V shape) building arrangement with 2.5B interfering distance. Effect of interfering distance and building arrangement on suction pressure on building faces has also been studied. Accordingly, Case C (mirror of L shape) building arrangement at a wind angle of 45º shows less suction pressure. Through this study, it was also observed that the increase of interfering distance may increase the suction pressure for all the cases of building configurations considered.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.133-148
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• 2021

The paper presents a simplified force-based seismic design procedure for the preliminary design of steel haunch retrofitting for the seismic upgrade of deficient RC frames. The procedure involved constructing a site-specific seismic design spectrum for the site, which is transformed into seismic base shear coefficient demand, using an applicable response modification factor, that defines base shear force for seismic analysis of the structure. Recent experimental campaign; involving shake table testing of ten (10), and quasi-static cyclic testing of two (02), 1:3 reduced scale RC frame models, carried out for the seismic performance assessment of both deficient and retrofitted structures has provided the basis to calculate retrofit-specific response modification factor Rretrofitted. The haunch retrofitting technique enhanced the structural stiffness, strength, and ductility, hence, increased the structural response modification factor, which is mainly dependent on the applied retrofit scheme. An additional retrofit effectiveness factor (ΩR) is proposed for the deficient structure's response modification factor Rdeficient, representing the retrofit effectiveness (ΩR=Rretrofitted /Rdeficient), to calculate components' moment and shear demands for the retrofitted structure. The experimental campaign revealed that regardless of the deficient structures' characteristics, the ΩR factor remains fairly the unchanged, which is encouraging to generalize the design procedure. Haunch configuration is finalized that avoid brittle hinging of beam-column joints and ensure ductile beam yielding. Example case study for the seismic retrofit designs of RC frames are presented, which were validated through equivalent lateral load analysis using elastic model and response history analysis of finite-element based inelastic model, showing reasonable performance of the proposed design procedure. The proposed design has the advantage to provide a seismic zone-specific design solution, and also, to suggest if any additional measure is required to enhance the strength/deformability of beams and columns.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.547-563
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• 2020

In this paper, the influence of axial compression ratio on the mechanical properties of new type joints of side span of rectangular concrete-filled steel tubular column-H-type steel beam is studied. Two new types of side-span joints of rectangular concrete-filled steel tubular column-H-type steel beam are designed and quasi-static tests of five new type joints with 1:2 scale reduction ratios are performed. The axial compression ratio of joint JD1 is 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5, and the axial compression ratio of joint JD2 is 0.3 and 0.5. In the joint test, different axial forces were applied to the top of the column according to different axial compression ratios, and low-cyclic reciprocating load was applied on the beam. The stress and strain distribution, beam and column deformation, limit state, failure process, failure mechanism, stiffness degradation, ductile deformation and energy dissipation capacity of the joint were measured and analyzed. The results show that: with the increase of axial compression ratio, the ultimate bearing capacity of the joint decreases slightly, the plastic deformation decreases, and the stiffness and ductility decrease. According to the energy dissipation curve of the specimen, the equivalent damping coefficient also increases with the increase of axial compression ratio in a certain range, indicating that the increase of axial compression ratio can improve the seismic performance of the joint to a certain extent. The finite element method is used to simulate the joint test, and the test results are in good agreement with the simulation results.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.55-66
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• 2022

Tall buildings are often subjected to steady and unsteady forces due to external wind flows. Measurement and mitigation of these forces becomes critical to structural design in engineering applications. Over the last few decades, many approaches such as modification of the external geometry of structures have been investigated to mitigate wind-induced load. One such proven geometric modification involved the rounding of sharp corners. In this work, we systematically analyze the impact of rounded corner radii on the reducing the flow-induced loading on a square cylinder. We perform 3-Dimensional (3D) simulations for high Reynolds number flows (Re=1 × 105) which are more likely to be encountered in practical applications. An Improved Delayed Detached Eddy Simulation (IDDES) method capable of capturing flow accurately at large Reynolds numbers is employed in this study. The IDDES formulation uses a k-ω Shear Stress Transport (SST) model for near-wall modelling that prevents mesh-induced separation of the boundary layer. The effects of these corner modifications are analyzed in terms of the resulting variations in the mean and fluctuating components of the aerodynamic forces compared to a square cylinder with no geometric changes. Plots of the angular distribution of the mean and fluctuating coefficient of pressure along the square cylinder's surface illustrate the effects of corner modifications on the different parts of the cylinder. The windward corner's separation angle was observed to decrease with an increase in radius, resulting in a narrower and longer recirculation region. Furthermore, with an increase in radius, a reduction in the fluctuating lift, mean drag, and fluctuating drag coefficients has been observed.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.8-14
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• 2022

Amorphous carbon (a-C) has excellent wear resistance and, therefore is used as a coating to protect numerous mechanical components to prolong their lifetimes. Among the a-C coatings, diamond-like carbon (DLC) and DLC-containing silicon (Si-DLC) receive extensive attention owing to their enhanced wear resistance and low frictional characteristics. In this study, the friction and wear characteristics of DLC and Si-DLC coatings are analyzed. For comparative analysis, DLC-coated and Si-DLC-coated vanes are utilized with the counterpart of a roller for the friction tests. Since the lubricated mechanical components are generally vulnerable to wear when a lubricant film does not form properly, friction tests are conducted under boundary lubrication conditions to promote wear. A cylinder-on-cylinder type tribometer is used to perform the friction tests with various normal load conditions. After the friction test, a 3D laser confocal microscope is used for quantifying the wear volume to calculate the wear rate of each specimen. Consequently, the DLC-coated specimen shows a lower coefficient of friction (COF) and wear rate than the specimen without the coating, while the Si-DLC coating shows a higher COF than the bare specimen. The results of this study are expected to contribute to improving the efficiency and reliability of compressors.