• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.66 no.2
• /
• pp.229-235
• /
• 2018

This study investigated the behaviour of the simply supported hollow steel tube (HST) beams, either concrete filled or unfilled when strengthened with carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) sheets. Eight specimens with varied tubes thickness (sections classification 1 and 3) were all tested experimentally under static flexural loading, four out of eight were filled with normal concrete (CFST beams). Particularly, the partial CFRP strengthening scheme was used, which wrapped the bottom-half of the beams cross-section (U-shaped wrapping), in order to use the efficiency of high tensile strength of CFRP sheets at the tension stress only of simply supported beams. In general, the results showed that the CFRP sheets significantly improved the ultimate strength and energy absorption capacities of the CFST beams with very limited improvement on the related HST beams. For example, the load and energy absorption capacities for the CFST beams (tube section class 1) were increased about 20% and 32.6%, respectively, when partially strengthened with two CFRP layers, and these improvements had increased more (62% and 38%) for the same CFST beams using tube class 3. However, these capacities recorded no much improvement on the related unfilled HST beams when the same CFRP strengthening scheme was adopted.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.58 no.5
• /
• pp.931-947
• /
• 2016

The effects of nanotechnology and smartness on the buckling reduction of pipes are the main contributions of present work. For this ends, the pipe is simulated with classical piezoelectric polymeric cylindrical shell reinforced by armchair double walled boron nitride nanotubes (DWBNNTs), The structure is subjected to combined electro-thermo-mechanical loads. The surrounding elastic foundation is modeled with a novel model namely as orthotropic nonhomogeneous Pasternak medium. Using representative volume element (RVE) based on micromechanical modeling, mechanical, electrical and thermal characteristics of the equivalent composite are determined. Employing nonlinear strains-displacements and stress-strain relations as well as the charge equation for coupling of electrical and mechanical fields, the governing equations are derived based on Hamilton's principal. Based on differential quadrature method (DQM), the buckling load of pipe is calculated. The influences of electrical and thermal loads, geometrical parameters of shell, elastic foundation, orientation angle and volume percent of DWBNNTs in polymer are investigated on the buckling of pipe. Results showed that the generated ${\Phi}$ improved sensor and actuator applications in several process industries, because it increases the stability of structure. Furthermore, using nanotechnology in reinforcing the pipe, the buckling load of structure increases.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.39 no.4
• /
• pp.499-520
• /
• 2011

The effectiveness of a technique for the repair of reinforced concrete members in combination with a technique for the repair of masonry walls of infilled frames, damaged due to cyclic loading, is experimentally investigated. Three single - story, one - bay, 1/3 - scale frame specimens are tested under cyclic horizontal loading, up to a drift level of 4%. One bare frame and two infilled frames with weak and strong infills, respectively, have been tasted. Specimens have spirals as shear reinforcement. The applied repair technique is mainly based on the use of thin epoxy resin infused under pressure into the crack system of the damaged RC joint bodies, the use of a polymer modified cement mortar with or without a fiberglass reinforcing mesh for the damaged infill masonry walls and the use of CFRP plates to the surfaces of the damaged structural RC members, as external reinforcement. Specimens after repair, were retested in the same way. Conclusions concerning the effectiveness of the applied repair technique, based on maximum cycles load, loading stiffness, and hysteretic energy absorption capabilities of the tested specimens, are drawn and commented upon.

• Smart Structures and Systems
• /
• v.5 no.4
• /
• pp.443-455
• /
• 2009

The use of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) reinforcement in concrete structures has been on the rise due to its advantages over conventional steel reinforcement such as corrosion. Reinforcing steel corrosion has been the primary cause of deterioration of reinforced concrete (RC) structures, resulting in tremendous annual repair costs. One application of FRP reinforcement to be further explored is its use in RC frames. Nonetheless, due to FRP's inherently elastic behavior, FRP-reinforced (FRP-RC) members exhibit low ductility and energy dissipation as well as different damage mechanisms. Furthermore, current design standards for FRP-RC structures do not address seismic design in which the beam-column joint is a key issue. During an earthquake, the safety of beam-column joints is essential to the whole structure integrity. Thus, research is needed to gain better understanding of the behavior of FRP-RC structures and their damage mechanisms under seismic loading. In this study, two full-scale beam-column joint specimens reinforced with steel and GFRP configurations were tested under quasi-static loading. The control steel-reinforced specimen was detailed according to current design code provisions. The GFRP-RC specimen was detailed in a similar scheme. The damage in the two specimens is characterized to compare their performance under simulated seismic loading.

• Journal of Industrial Technology
• /
• v.23 no.A
• /
• pp.157-163
• /
• 2003

The properties of mechanics and durability of LMC have been performed actively. However, little studies on analysis and properties of thermal expansion has been on the temperature variation. Especially, the low of bonding strength and tensile cracking are caused by difference of thermal expansion between LMC and the substrate concrete. Therefore, this study focused on effect of thermal expansion behavior and properties of LMC according to temperature variation. To identify the property of thermal expansion of LMC, tests of modulus of thermal expansion were carried out at 28 days after casting specimen, subjected to temperature variation between $10^{\circ}C$ and $60^{\circ}C$. The results of this study showed the modulus of elastic of LMC was similar to that of ordinary portland concrete(OPC). It means that stresses caused by difference of modulus of elastic did not occur on interface between LMC and existing concrete. The modulus of thermal expansion of LMC had a little smaller than that of OPC. The modulus of thermal expansion of polymer modified concrete is generally larger than OPC, but the result of this test is disagree with the fact, which may be due to the humidity evaporation difference and aggregate properties.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.53 no.1
• /
• pp.41-55
• /
• 2015

In this paper, a model for the evaluation of shear strength of fibre reinforced polymer (FRP)-reinforced concrete beams is given. The survey of literature indicates that the FRP reinforced beams tested with shear span to depth ratio less than or equal to 1.0 is limited. In this study, eight concrete beams reinforced with GFRP rebars without stirrups are cast and tested over shear span to depth ratio of 0.5 and 1.75. The concrete compressive strength is varied from 40.6 to 65.3 MPa. The longitudinal reinforcement ratio is varied from 1.16 to 1.75. The experimental shear strength and load-deflection response of the beams are determined and reported in this paper. A model is proposed for the prediction of shear strength of beams reinforced with FRP bars. The proposed model accounts for compressive strength of concrete, modulus of FRP rebar, longitudinal reinforcement ratio, shear span to depth ratio and size effect of beams. The shear strength of FRP reinforced concrete beams predicted using the proposed model is found to be in better agreement with the corresponding test data when compared with the shear strength predicted using the eleven models published in the literature. Design example of FRP reinforced concrete beam is also given in the appendix.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.54 no.3
• /
• pp.521-543
• /
• 2015

Depending on the damage type as well as the level of damage observed after the earthquake, certain measures should be taken for the damaged buildings. In this study, structural repairing of two different types of damaged RC beam-column assembly by carbon fiber-reinforced polymer sheets is investigated in detail as a member repairing technique. Two types of 1:1 scale test specimens, which represent the exterior RC beam-column connection taken from inflection points of the frame, are utilized. The first specimen is designed according to the current Turkish Earthquake Code, whereas the second one represents a deficient RC beam-column assembly. Both of the specimens were subjected to cyclic quasistatic loading in the laboratory and different levels of structural damage were observed. The first specimen displayed a ductile response with the damage concentrated in the beam. However, in the second specimen, the beam-column joint was severely damaged while the rest of the members did not attain their capacities. Depending on the damage type of the specimens, the damaged members were repaired by CFRP wrapping with different configurations. After testing the repaired specimens, it is found that former capacities of the damaged members were mostly recovered by the application of CFRPs on the damaged members.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.56 no.6
• /
• pp.1095-1113
• /
• 2015

Jute rope is one of the most popular materials used for composites in various industries and in civil engineering. This experimental study investigated two types of jute rope with different diameters for jute rope composite plates to determine the best combination of jute rope and carbon fiber in terms of ratio and physical and mechanical properties. Eight combinations of carbon fiber and jute rope with different percentages of carbon fiber were analyzed. Tensile tests for the jute rope composite plate and hybrid jute rope composite were conducted, and the mechanical and physical properties of the specimens were compared. Thereafter, the ideal combinations of jute rope with an optimum percentage of carbon fiber were identified and recommended. These particular combinations had tensile strengths that were 2.23 times and 1.76 times higher than other varieties in each type.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.40 no.1
• /
• pp.105-120
• /
• 2011

The strengthening and rehabilitation of reinforced concrete structures with externally bonded carbon fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) laminates has shown excellent performance and, as a result, this technology is rapidly replacing steel plate bonding techniques. This paper addresses this issue, and presents results deals with the influence of external bonded CFRP-reinforcement on the time-dependent behavior of reinforced concrete beams. A total of eight reinforced concrete beams with cracked and un-cracked section, with and without externally bonded CFRP laminates, were investigated for their creep and shrinkage behavior. All the beams considered in this paper were simply supported and subjected to a uniform sustained loading for the period of six months. The main parameters of this study are two types of sustained load and different degrees of strengthening scheme for both cracked and un-cracked sections of beams. Both analytical and experimental work has been carried out on strengthened beams to investigate the cracking and deflection performance. The applied sustained load was 56% and 38% of the ultimate static capacities of the un-strengthened beams for cracked and un-cracked section respectively. The analytical values based on effective modulus method (EMM) are compared to the experimental results and it is found that the analytical values are in general give conservative estimates of the experimental results. It was concluded that the attachment of CFRP composite laminates has a positive influence on the long term performance of strengthened beams.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.39 no.2
• /
• pp.207-221
• /
• 2011

This paper aims to study the behavior of short reinforced concrete columns confined with external glass Fiber Reinforced Polymers (GFRP) sheets under eccentric loads. The experimental part of the study was achieved by testing 9 specimens under eccentric compression. Three eccentricity ratios corresponding to e/t = 0, 0.10, 0.50 in one direction of the column were used. Specimens were divided into three groups. The first group was the control one without confinement. The second group was fully wrapped with GFRP laminates before loading. The third group was wrapped under loading after reaching 75% of failure loads of the control specimens. The third group was investigated in order to represent the practical case of strengthening a loaded column with FRP laminates. All specimens were loaded until failure. The results show that GFRP laminates enhances both failure load and ductility response of eccentrically loaded column. Moreover, the study also illustrates the effect of confinement on the first crack load, lateral deformation, strain in reinforcement and failure pattern. Based on the analysis of the experimental results, a simple model has been proposed to predict the improvement of load carrying capacity under different eccentricity ratios. The predicted equation takes into consideration the eccentricity to cross section depth ratio, the ultimate strength of GFRP, the thickness of wrapping laminate, and the time of wrapping (before loading and under loading). A good correlation was obtained between experimental and analytical results.