• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.14 no.2
• /
• pp.105-120
• /
• 2013

Flexural behavior of thin walled steel-concrete composite sections as cross sections for beams is investigated by conducting an experimental study supported by applicable analytical predictions. The experimental study consists of testing up to failure, simply supported beams of effective span 1440 mm under two point loading. The test specimens consisted of composite box and channel (with lip placed on tension side and compression side) sections, the behavior of which was compared with companion empty sections. To understand the role of shear connectors in developing the composite action, some of the composite sections were provided with novel simple bar type and conventional bolt type shear connectors in the shear zone of beams. Two RCC beams having equivalent ultimate moment carrying capacities as that of composite channel and box sections were also considered in the study. The study showed that the strength to weight ratio of composite beams is much higher than RCC beams and ductility index is also more than RCC and empty beams. The analytical predictions were found to compare fairly well with the experimental results, thereby validating the applicability of rigid plastic theory to cold-formed steel concrete composite beams.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.47 no.2
• /
• pp.185-207
• /
• 2013

In flexural strength design of normal-strength concrete (NSC) beams, it is commonly accepted that the distribution of concrete stress within the compression zone can be reasonably represented by an equivalent rectangular stress block. The stress block it governed by two parameters, which are normally denoted by ${\alpha}$ and ${\beta}$ to stipulate the width and depth of the stress block. Currently in most of the reinforced concrete (RC) design codes, ${\alpha}$ and ${\beta}$ are usually taken as 0.85 and 0.80 respectively for NSC. Nonetheless, in an experimental study conducted earlier by the authors on NSC columns, it was found that ${\alpha}$ increases significantly with strain gradient, which means that larger concrete stress can be developed in flexure. Consequently, less tension steel will be required for a given design flexural strength, which improves the ductility performance. In this study, the authors' previously proposed strain-gradient-dependent concrete stress block will be adopted to produce a series of design charts showing the maximum design limits of flexural strength and ductility of singly-and doubly-NSC beams. Through the design charts, it can be verified that the consideration of strain gradient effect can improve significantly the flexural strength and ductility design limits of NSC beams.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.58 no.5
• /
• pp.799-823
• /
• 2016

A finite element model for the non-linear dynamic analysis of a reinforced concrete (RC) containment shell of a nuclear power plant subjected to extreme loads such as impact and earthquake is presented in this work. The impact is modeled by using an uncoupled approach in which a load function is applied at the impact zone. The earthquake load is modeled by prescribing ground accelerations at the base of the structure. The nuclear containment is discretized spatially by using 20-node brick finite elements. The concrete in compression is modeled by using a modified $Dr{\ddot{u}}cker$-Prager elasto-plastic constitutive law where strain rate effects are considered. Cracking of concrete is modeled by using a smeared cracking approach where the tension-stiffening effect is included via a strain-softening rule. A model based on fracture mechanics, using the concept of constant fracture energy release, is used to relate the strain softening effect to the element size in order to guaranty mesh independency in the numerical prediction. The reinforcing bars are represented by incorporated membrane elements with a von Mises elasto-plastic law. Two benchmarks are used to verify the numerical implementation of the present model. Results are presented graphically in terms of displacement histories and cracking patterns. Finally, the influence of the shear transfer model used for cracked concrete as well as the effect due to a base slab incorporation in the numerical modeling are analyzed.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.1-20
• /
• 2005

The present paper deals with the seismic response analysis and the evaluation of most likely failure modes for a water storage structure. For the stress analysis, a 3-D mathematical model has been adopted to represent the structure appropriately. The structure has been analyzed for both static and seismic loads. Seismic analysis has been carried out considering the hydrodynamic effects of the contained water. Based on the stress analyses results, the most likely failure modes viz. tensile cracking and compressive crushing of concrete for the various structural elements; caused by the seismic event have been investigated. Further an attempt has also been made to quantify the initial leakage rate and average emptying time for the structure during seismic event after evaluating the various crack parameters viz. crack-width and crack-spacing at the locations of interest. The results are presented with reference to peak ground acceleration (PGA) of the seismic event. It has been observed that, an increase in PGA would result in significant increase in stresses and crack width in the various structural members. Significant increase in initial leakage rate and decrease in average emptying time for the structure has also been observed with the increase in PGA.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
• /
• v.24 no.5
• /
• pp.1-8
• /
• 2020

This study presents a shear strength estimation model, in which the shear failure of a reinforced concrete (RC) member is assumed to be governed by the flexure-shear mechanism. Two shear demand curves and corresponding potential capacity curves for cracked tension and uncracked compression zones are derived, for which the bond mechanism developed between reinforcing bars and surrounding concrete is considered in flexural analysis. The shear crack concentration factor is also addressed to consider the so-called size effect induced in large RC members. In addition,unlike exising methods, a new formulation was addressed to consider the interaction between the shear contributions of concrete and stirrup. To verify the proposed method, an extensive shear database was established, and it appeared that the proposed method can capture the shear strengths of the collected test specimens regardless of their material properties, geometrical features, presence of stirrups, and bond characteristics.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
• /
• v.24 no.2 s.173
• /
• pp.472-480
• /
• 2000

A macroscopic yield criterion for porous solids with pressure-sensitive matrices modeled by Coulomb's yield criterion was obtained by generalizing Gurson's yield criterion with consideration of the hydrostatic yield stresses for a spherical thick-walled shell and by fitting the finite element results of a voided cube. The macroscopic yield criterion is valid for negative mean normal stresses as well as for positive mean normal stresses. From the yield criterion, a plastic potential function for the porous solids was derived either for plastic normality flow or for plastic non-normality flow of pressure- sensitive matrices. In addition, the elastic relation, an evolution equation of the plastic flow stress of the matrices and an evolution equation of the void volume fraction were presented to complete a set of constitutive relations. The set of constitutive relations was implemented into a finite element code ABAQUS to analyze the material behavior of rubber-toughened epoxies. The cavitation and the deformation behavior were analyzed around a crack tip under three-point bending and around notch tips under four-point bending. In the numerical analyses, the cavitation of rubber particles was considered via a stress-controlled nucleation model. The numerical results indicate that a reasonable cavitation zone can be obtained with void nucleation controlled by the macroscopic mean normal stress, and a plastic zone is smaller around a notch tip under compression than under tension. These numerical results agree well with corresponding experimental results on the cavitation and plastic zones.

• Structural Monitoring and Maintenance
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.1-23
• /
• 2023

Various efforts have been made to reduce the weight of concrete slabs while preserving their flexural strength. This will result in reducing deflection and allows the utilization of longer spans. The top zone of the slab requires concrete to create the compression block for flexural strength, and the tension zone needs concrete to join with reinforcing for flexural strength. Also, the top and bottom slab faces must be linked to transmit stresses. Voided slab systems were and are still used to make long-span slab buildings lighter. Eight slab specimens of (1000^*1000 (1000^*1000 mm²) were cast and tested as two-way simply supported slabs in this research. The tested specimens consist of one solid slab and seven voided slabs with the following variables (type of slab solid and voided), thickness of slab (100 and 125 mm), presence of steel fibers (0% and 1%), and the number of GFRP layers). The voids in slabs were made using high-density polystyrene of dimensions (200^*200^*50 mm) with a central hole of dimensions (50^*50^*50 mm) at the ineffective concrete zones to give a reduction in weight by (34% to 38%). The slabs were tested as simply supported slabs under partial uniform loading. The results of specimens subjected to monotonic loading show that the combined strengthening by steel fibers and GFRP sheets of the concrete specimen (V-125-2GF-1%) shows the least deflection, deflection (4.6 mm), good ultimate loading capacity (192 MPa), large stiffness at cracking and at ultimate (57 and 41.74) respectively, more ductility (1.44), and high energy absorption (1344.83 kN.mm); so it's the best specimen that can be used as a voided slab under this type of loading.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
• /
• v.33 no.5
• /
• pp.477-486
• /
• 2023

In the studies on fault dislocation of tunnel, existing literatures are mainly focused on the problems caused by normal and reverse faults, but few on strike-slip faults. The paper aims to research the deformation and failure mechanism of a tunnel under strike-slip faulting based on a model test and test-calibrated numerical simulation. A potential faulting hazard condition is considered for a real water tunnel in central Yunnan, China. Based on the faulting hazard to tunnel, laboratory model tests were conducted with a test apparatus that specially designed for strike-slip faults. Then, to verify the results obtained from the model test, a finite element model was built. By comparison, the numerical results agree with tested ones well. The results indicated that most of the shear deformation and damage would appear within fault fracture zone. The tunnel exhibited a horizontal S-shaped deformation profile under strike-slip faulting. The side walls of the tunnel mainly experience tension and compression strain state, while the roof and floor of the tunnel would be in a shear state. Circular cracks on tunnel near fault fracture zone were more significant owing to shear effects of strike-slip faulting, while the longitudinal cracks occurred at the hanging wall.

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
• /
• v.8 no.1 s.27
• /
• pp.139-152
• /
• 2006

Many experimental and numerical approaches have been developed to evaluate paving materials and to predict pavement response and distress. Micromechanical simulation modeling is a technology that can reduce the number of physical tests required in material formulation and design and that can provide more details, e.g., the internal stress and strain state, and energy evolution and dissipation in simulated specimens with realistic microstructural features. A clustered distinct element modeling (DEM) approach was implemented In the two-dimensional particle flow software package (PFC-2D) to study the complex behavior observed in asphalt mixture fracturing. The relationship between continuous and discontinuous material properties was defined based on the potential energy approach. The theoretical relationship was validated with the uniform axial compression and cantilever beam model using two-dimensional plane strain and plane stress models. A bilinear cohesive displacement-softening model was implemented as an intrinsic interface and applied for both homogeneous and heterogeneous fracture modeling in order to simulate behavior in the fracture process zone and to simulate crack propagation. A disk-shaped compact tension test (DC(T)) with heterogeneous microstructure was simulated and compared with the experimental fracture test results to study Mode I fracture. The realistic arbitrary crack propagation including crack deflection, microcracking, crack face sliding, crack branching, and crack tip blunting could be represented in the fracture models. This micromechanical modeling approach represents the early developmental stages towards a 'virtual asphalt laboratory,' where simulations of laboratory tests and eventually field response and distress predictions can be made to enhance our understanding of pavement distress mechanisms, such its thermal fracture, reflective cracking, and fatigue crack growth.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.45-54
• /
• 1993

This study examines the differences in structures, physical and mechanical properties between domestic(Quercus variabilis Blume) and foreign(Quercus suber L.) corks. The results obtained are as follows: 1. The cork tissue consists of cork cells, lenticels, sclereids and dark-brown zone. There was a significant difference in ratio of cork cells between foreign cork(93 %) and domestic cork(87 %). The ring width and width of late cork of the foreign cork were wider than those of domestic cork. But the percentage of late cork of domestic cork was richer than that of foreign cork. The size of cork cell of foreign cork was larger by about two times than that of domestic cork. 2. The density was slightly higher in domestic cork(0.22 g/$cm^3$) than in foreign cork(0.19 g/$cm^3$). During first 24 hours, the amount of water absorption of the foreign cork was greater than that of domestic cork. However, after 24 hours, the tendency was reversed. The level of EMC was higher in domestic cork than in foreign cork. Total shrinkage in the radial and tangential directions was larger in domestic cork than tn foreign cork. In the longitudinal direction, the tendency was reversed. There was no difference in total swelling in three woody directions between the two corks. 3. The modulus of elasticity in compression in the logitudinal and tangential direction was higher in domestic cork than in foreign cork, but the tendency was reversed in the radial direction. Both corks showed 95% of recovery rate after 24 hours when they were compressed by 0.5. There were no differences in tension strength and Brinell,s hardness bet ween domestic and foreign corks.