• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.127-145
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• 2012

One of the most important and challenging steps in seismic vulnerability and performance assessment of highway bridges is the determination of the bridge component damage parameters and their corresponding limit states. These parameters are very essential for defining bridge damage state as well as determining the performance of highway bridges under a seismic event. Therefore, realistic damage limit states are required in the development of reliable fragility curves, which are employed in the seismic risk assessment packages for mitigation purposes. In this article, qualitative damage assessment criteria for ordinary highway bridges are taken into account considering the critical bridge components in terms of proper engineering demand parameters (EDPs). Seismic damage of bridges is strongly related to the deformation of bridge components as well as member internal forces imposed due to seismic actions. A simple approach is proposed for determining the acceptance criteria and damage limit states for use in seismic performance and vulnerability assessment of ordinary highway bridges in Turkey constructed after the 1990s. Physical damage of bridge components is represented by three damage limit states: serviceability, damage control, and collapse prevention. Inelastic deformation and shear force demand of the bent components (column and cap beam), and superstructure displacement are the most common causes for the seismic damage of the highway bridges. Each damage limit state is quantified with respect to the EDPs: i.e. curvature and shear force demand of RC bent components and superstructure relative displacement.

• International Journal of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.376-384
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• 2018

Selection of suitable ice class for ships operation is an important but not simple task. The increased exploitation of the Polar waters, both seasonal periods and geographical areas, as well as the introduction of new international design standards such as Polar Code, reduces the relevancy of using existing experience as basis for the selection, and new methods and knowledge have to be developed. This paper will analyse what can be the limiting ice thickness for ships navigating in the Russian Arctic and designed according to the Finnish-Swedish ice class rules. The permanent deformations of ice-strengthened shell structures for various ice classes is determined using MT Uikku as the typical size of a vessel navigating in ice. The ice load in various conditions is determined using the ARCDEV data from the winter 1998 as the basic database. By comparing the measured load in various ice conditions with the serviceability limit state of the structures, the limiting ice thickness for various ice classes is determined. The database for maximum loads includes 3-weeks ice load measurements during April 1998 on the Kara Sea mainly by icebreaker assistance. Gumbel 1 distribution is fitted on the measured 20 min maximum values and the data is divided into various classes using ship speed, ice thickness and ice concentration as the main parameters. Results encouragingly show that present designs are safer than assumed in the Polar Code suggesting that assisted operation in Arctic conditions is feasible in rougher conditions than indicated in the Polar Code.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.353-367
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• 2015

As concrete wind-turbine towers are increasingly being used in wind-farm construction, there is a growing need to understand the behavior of concrete wind-turbine towers. In particular, experimental evaluations of concrete wind-turbine towers are necessary to demonstrate the dynamic characteristics and load-carrying capacity of such towers. This paper describes a model test of a prestressed concrete wind-turbine tower that examines the dynamic characteristics and load-carrying performance of the tower. Additionally, a numerical model is presented and used to verify the design approach. The test results indicate that the first natural frequency of the prestressed concrete wind turbine tower is 0.395 Hz which lies between frequencies 1P and 3P (0.25-0.51 Hz). The damper ratio is 3.3%. The maximum concrete compression stresses are less than the concrete design compression strength, the maximum tensile stresses are less than zero and the prestressed strand stresses are less than the design strength under both the serviceability and ultimate limit state loads. The maximum displacement of the tower top are 331 mm and 648 mm for the serviceability limit state and ultimate limit state, respectively, which is less than L/100 = 1000 mm. Compared with traditional tall wind-turbine steel towers, the prestressed concrete tower has better material damping properties, potential lower maintenance cost, and lower construction costs. Thus, the prestressed concrete wind-turbine tower could be an innovative engineering solution for multi-megawatt wind turbine towers, in particular those that are taller than 100 m.

• Journal of the Society of Disaster Information
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.851-858
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• 2023

Purpose: A study was conducted to ensure the structural safety of a raised girder bridge with improved cross-sectional efficiency compared to the conventional PSC girder. For this purpose, the cross-sectional specifications such as girder length, height, and width were determined, the arrangement of the tendons was designed, and the practical performance of the raised girder under static and dynamic loads was verified. Method: The static performance experiment examined the serviceability limit state by measuring behavioral responses such as deflection and cracking to primary and secondary static loads. In addition, the dynamic load loading experiment measured the acceleration and displacement behavior response over time to calculate the natural frequency and damping ratio to examine the usability limit state. Result: As a result of the static performance test, the deflection value based on the maximum applied load showed stable behavior, and the crack width measured at the maximum applied load level was very small, satisfying the serviceability limit state. In addition, a natural frequency exceeding the natural frequency calculated during the design of the dynamic loading experiment was found, and a damping ratio that satisfies the current regulations was found to be secured.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.369-382
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• 2017

This study investigates the reliability of the performance levels of moment resisting steel frames subjected to lateral loads such as wind and earthquake. The reliability assessment has been performed with respect to three performance levels: serviceability, damageability, and ultimate limit states. A four-story moment resisting frame is used as a typical example. In the reliability assessment the uncertainties in the loadings and in the capacity of the frame have been considered. The wind and earthquake loads are assumed to have lognormal distribution, and the frame resistance is assumed to have a normal distribution. In order to obtain an appropriate limit state function a linear relation between the loading and the deflection is formed. For the reliability analysis an algorithm has been developed for determination of limit state functions and iterations of the first order reliability method (FORM) procedure. By the method presented herein the multivariable analysis of a complicated reliability problem is reduced to an S-R problem. The procedure for iterations has been tested by a known problem for the purpose of avoiding convergence problems. The reliability indices for many cases have been obtained and also the effects of the coefficient of variation of load and resistance have been investigated.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.103-110
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• 2003

A hybrid structural reliability analysis method that integrates a commercial finite element program and a reliability analysis algorithm is proposed to estimate the safety of real structures in this paper. Since finite element method (FEM) is most commonly and widely used in the analysis and design practice of real structures, it appears to be necessary to use general FEM program in the structural reliability analysis. In this case, simple conventional reliability methods cannot be used because the limit state function can only be expressed in an algorithmic form. The response surface method(RSM)-based reliability algorithm with the first-order reliability method (FORM) found to be ideal in this respect and is used in this paper. The intention of use of RSM is to develop, albeit approximately, an explicit expression of the limit state function for real structures. The applicability of the proposed method to real structures is examined with help of the example in consideration of a concrete dam. Both the strength and serviceability limit states are considered in this example.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 2005.05a
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• pp.447-450
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• 2005

A prefabricated composite hollow slab with perforated I-beams was suggested for the replacement of deteriorated concrete decks or the construction of new composite bridges with long-span slabs. Composite slabs with embedded I-beams have considerably higher stiffness and strength. For the application of prefabricated composite slabs to bridges, joints between slabs should satisfy the requirements of the ultimate limit state and the serviceability limit state. In this paper, three types of the detail for loop joints were selected and their structural performance in terms of strength and crack control was investigated through static tests on continuous composite slabs. A main parameter was the detail of the joint, such as an ordinary loop joint and loop joint with additional reinforcements. Even though there was no connection of the steel beams at the joints, the loop joints showed good performance in terms of strength. In terms of crack control, the loop joint with additional reinforcements showed better performance. In ultimate limit state, the continuous composite slabs showed good moment redistribution and ductility.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Railway
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.111-119
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• 2017

In this study, deflection limits based on the vibration serviceability of guideway structures are proposed considering maglev train-guideway interaction. Equations of motion are derived for a simplified maglev railway. Feedback constants for the control of the electromagnetic force for levitation are optimized in order to minimize the airgap fluctuations. Deflection limits for a guideway are calculated for various operating speeds of a maglev train, span lengths of a guideway, and natural frequencies and damping ratios of the second suspension in order to satisfy the serviceability criteria for airgaps and for the vertical acceleration of a cabin. From the analysis results, proposed are requirements for the second suspension of maglev trains and deflection limits for guideway structures.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 2001.05a
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• pp.579-584
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• 2001

A method is described for predicting crack with and spacing in Steel Fiber Reinforced Concrete (SFRC). The crack behavior of SFRC influenced by longitudinal reinforcement ratio, volume and type of steel fiber, strength of concrete. It can be observed from experimental results that addition of steel fiber to reinforced concrete beam reduces crack width in serviceability limit states. The proposed method predicts crack widths in cracking stage of the beam. Calculated crack widths obtained for reinforced concrete beams and different volume and type of steel fiber, strength of concrete showed good agreement with experimental results.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Railway
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.293-298
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• 2005

A method is described for predicting crack with and spacing in Steel Fiber Reinforced Concrete (SFRC). The crack behavior of SFRC influenced by longitudinal reinforcement ratio, volume and type of sleet fiber, strength of concrete. It can be observed from experimental results that addition of steel fiber to reinforced concrete beam reduces crack width in serviceability limit stales. The proposed method predicts crack widths in cracking stage of the beam. Calculated crack widths obtained for reinforced concrete beams and different volume and type of steel fiber, strength of concrete showed good agreement with experimental results.