• Smart Structures and Systems
• /
• v.31 no.5
• /
• pp.517-529
• /
• 2023

Using a device composed of two lateral pressure plates (LPPs) and a steel reinforcement bar to apply horizontal pressure on slope surfaces, a newly developed prestress-reinforced embankment (PRE) is proposed, to which can be adopted in strengthening railway subgrades. In this study, an analytical model, which is available of calculating additional confining stress (σ_H) at any point in a PRE, was established based on the theory of elasticity. In addition, to verify the proposed analytical model, three dimensional (3D) finite element analyses were conducted and the feasibility in application was also identified and discussed. In order to study the performance of the PRE, the propagation of σ_H in a PRE was analyzed and discussed based on the analytical model. For the aim of convenience in application, calculation charts were developed in terms of three dimensionless parameters, and they can be used to accurately and efficiently predict the σ_H in a PRE regardless of the embankment slope ratio and LPP side length ratio. Finally, the potential applications of the proposed analytical model were discussed.

• Computers and Concrete
• /
• v.31 no.6
• /
• pp.527-536
• /
• 2023

Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) bar has emerged as a viable and sustainable replacement to steel in reinforced concrete (RC) under severe corrosive environment. The behavior of concrete columns reinforced with FRP bars, spirals, and hoops is an ongoing area of research. In this study, 3D nonlinear numerical modelling of circular concrete columns reinforced with Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) bars and transversely confined with GFRP spirals were conducted using fracture-plastic model. The numerical models and experimental results are found to be in good agreement. The effectiveness of confinement was accessed through von-mises stresses, and it was found that the stresses in the concrete's core are higher with a 30 mm pitch (46 MPa) compared to a 60 mm pitch (36 MPa). The validated models are used to conduct parametric studies. In terms of axial load carrying capacity and member ductility, the effect of concrete strength, spiral pitch, and longitudinal reinforcement ratio are thoroughly investigated. The confinement effect and member ductility of a GFRP RC column increases as the spiral pitch decreases. It is also found that the confinement effect and member ductility decreased with increase in strength of concrete.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
• /
• v.28 no.6A
• /
• pp.843-851
• /
• 2008

The conventional pile cap reinforcement systems regulated in the design specifications have some restrictions in design and construction such as requirement of shear key, disposition of reinforcing bars and insurance of anchoring length of reinforcements. This study suggests a new type of steel pipe pile cap system with perforated flat bar shear connector as an alternative to the conventional pile cap system for the improvement in structural performance and simplification of construction. And, experimental results of push-out and bending behavior are scribed for the evaluation of structural performance of the new pile cap system and it was compared to the structural behavior of conventional pile cap system.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.84 no.4
• /
• pp.531-546
• /
• 2022

Headed bars are often used when there is insufficient space for a straight or curved bar to be fully developed to ensure the transference of forces between steel and concrete in several types of connections between structural members. In such cases, the concrete breakout strength of the headed bars can be a critical point of the design and must be considered appropriately. This paper evaluates the tensile strength of headed bars embedded in reinforced concrete members, failing due to concrete breakout. Four experimental tests on headed bars embedded in slender concrete members are presented and discussed, showing that strength previsions from the design codes can be significantly conservative as they ignore the contribution from the flexural reinforcement. 3D finite element models were developed using Abaqus Unified FEA to simulate the tested specimens, and it was observed that they were able to reproduce the formation of the concrete cone accurately, besides the response and resistance observed in tests. Furthermore, the experimental, numerical, and design code resistances are compared and discussed. A new equation to evaluate the concrete cone strength of the tested headed bars is proposed, which takes into account parameters not explicitly considered in the current design equations.

• Computers and Concrete
• /
• v.33 no.2
• /
• pp.163-173
• /
• 2024

Fiber-reinforced polymers (FRP) have a proven strength enhancement capability when installed into Reinforced Concrete (RC) beams. The brittle failure of traditional FRP strengthening systems has attracted researchers to develop novel materials with improved strength and ductility properties. One such material is that known as polyethylene terephthalate (PET). This study presents a numerical investigation of the flexural behavior of reinforced concrete beams externally strengthened with PET-FRP systems. This material is distinguished by its large rupture strain, leading to an improvement in the ductility of the strengthened structural members compared to conventional FRPs. A three-dimensional (3-D) finite element (FE) model is developed in this study to predict the load-deflection response of a series of experimentally tested beams published in the literature. The numerical model incorporates constitutive material laws and bond-slip behavior between concrete and the strengthening system. Moreover, the validated model was applied in a parametric study to inspect the effect of concrete compressive strength, PET-FRP sheet length, and reinforcing steel bar diameter on the overall performance of concrete beams externally strengthened with PET-FRP.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
• /
• v.13 no.2
• /
• pp.333-352
• /
• 2017

A comparison study is made between the dynamic properties of an argillaceous siltstone and its grouting-reinforced body. The purpose is to investigate how grout injection can help repair broken soft rocks. A slightly weathered argillaceous siltstone is selected, and part of the siltstone is mechanically crushed and cemented with Portland cement to simulate the grouting-reinforced body. Core specimens with the size of $50mm{\times}38mm$ are prepared from the original rock and the grouting-reinforced body. Impact tests on these samples are then carried out using a Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) apparatus. Failure patterns are analyzed and geotechnical parameters of the specimens are estimated. Based on the experimental results, for the grouting-reinforced body, its shock resistance is poorer than that of the original rock, and most cracks happen in the cementation boundaries between the cement mortar and the original rock particles. It was observed that the grouting-reinforced body ends up with more fragmented residues, most of them have larger fractal dimensions, and its dynamic strength is generally lower. The mass ratio of broken rocks to cement has a significant effect on its dynamic properties and there is an optimal ratio that the maximum dynamic peak strength can be achieved. The dynamic strain-softening behavior of the grouting-reinforced body is more significant compared with that of the original rock. Both the time dependent damage model and the modified overstress damage model are equally applicable to the original rock, but the former performs much better compared with the latter for the grouting-reinforced body. In addition, it was also shown that water content and impact velocity both have significant effect on dynamic properties of the original rock and its grouting-reinforced body. Higher water content leads to more small broken rock pieces, larger fractal dimensions, lower dynamic peak strength and smaller elastic modulus. However, the water content plays a minor role in fractal dimensions when the impact velocity is beyond a certain value. Higher impact loading rate leads to higher degree of fragmentation and larger fractal dimensions both in argillaceous siltstone and its grouting-reinforced body. These results provide a sound basis for the quantitative evaluation on how cement grouting can contribute to the repair of broken soft rocks.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
• /
• v.26 no.5
• /
• pp.581-589
• /
• 2014

This paper presents the tension stiffening behavior from experimental results of each 6 amorphous steel fibers and normal steel fibers reinforced direct tensile specimens with the main variables such as cover thickness to bar diameter ratio. A tension stiffening effect for steel fiber reinforced RC tension members improve on the increase in cover thickness, and also amorphous steel fiber is usually superior to normal steel fiber. The reinforcement of steel fibers controlled the splitting cracks and led to significant increase in the tension stiffening effect. In particular, if cover thickness is more than twice the bar diameter, the amorphous steel fiber reinforced specimen is controlled the splitting crack and increased the tension stiffening effect. And, the tension stiffening effect of amorphous steel fiber reinforced concrete tension members is different to current structural design code provision.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
• /
• v.31 no.3A
• /
• pp.215-225
• /
• 2011

In general, the precast columns can obtain its homogeneous quality as they are produced in a factory with a hollow concrete block type by using high strength concrete, so that they can generate the reduction of dead load. Such a method of precast hollow concrete columns is already implemented in USA and Japan and used for connecting between blocks which use PC tendons. However, it is inevitable to have uneconomical construction with excessive cost in early stage when PC tendons are used. This study aims to develop an economical precast column with high quality and constructability which consists of only splice sleeve and general reinforcing bar without using PC tendons in order to reduce the construction period and cost. To achieve this goal, this study tested the performance of total 5 minimized models in the experiment with the variables such as hollowness, diameter of main reinforcement bar and cross-sectional size for the cross section of precast column by using grouting type splice sleeve which is a new type joint rebar. And it also verified the performance of column in the experiment for a large-sized model in order to overview its applicability by excluding large scale effect.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
• /
• v.39 no.3
• /
• pp.197-205
• /
• 2011

Cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) with 50~100 nm diameter were manufactured from micro-size cellulose by an application of a high-pressure homogenizer at 1,400 bar. High strength nanopapers were prepared over a filter paper by a vacuum filtration from CNF suspension. After reinforcing and dispersing CNF suspension, hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-based composites were tailored by solvent- and film-casting methods, respectively. After 2, 4, 6 and 8 passes through high-pressure homogenizer, the tensile strength of the nanopapers were extremely high and increased linearly depending upon the pass number. Chemical modification of 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorodecyl-triethoxysilane (PFDTES) on the nanopapers significantly increased the mechanical strength and water repellency. The reinforcement of 1, 3, and 5 wt% CNF to HPC and PVA resins also improved the mechanical properties of the both composites.

• Journal of the Korean Recycled Construction Resources Institute
• /
• v.7 no.3
• /
• pp.271-278
• /
• 2019

The corrosion of reinforcements embedded in concrete causes severe deterioration in reinforced concrete structures. As a countermeasure, epoxy coated reinforcements are used to prevent corrosion of reinforcements. When epoxy coated bars are used, the resistance of corrosion is excellent, but epoxy coating on the bars have a disadvantage of reduction in bond capacity comparing to that of normal bars. Therefore, it is necessary to confirm the bond performance of epoxy coated reinforcements through experimental and analytical methods. Bond behaviors of epoxy coated bars for various diameters of 13 and 19mm and thicknesses of cover concrete of 3 types(ratio of cover to bar diameter) are examined. As the diameters of the epoxy coated bars increase, the difference of bond strength between epoxy coated and uncoated bars also increases and damage patterns showed pull out failure. In addition, finite element analysis was performed based on the bond-slip relationship obtained by direct pullout test and compared with the flexural test results. It is considered that flexural member test is more useful than pullout test for simulating the behavior of actual structure.