• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.5 no.2_3
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• pp.193-202
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• 2005

This paper describes recent developments in composite construction and their effect on codified design procedures in the UK. Areas of particular interest include: rules on shear connection, design of beams with web openings, serviceability limits, such as floor vibrations, and fire safe design. The design of cellular beams with regular circular openings now includes generalized rules for web-post buckling, and for the development of in-plane moment in the web-post for asymmetric sections. Closed solutions for the maximum shear force due to limits on web-post bending or buckling are presented. The fire resistance of cellular beams is also dependent on the temperature of the web-post, and for closely spaced openings. It is necessary to increase the thickness of fire protection to the web. For serviceability design of beams, deflection limits and natural frequency and response factor for vibration are presented. It may be necessary to use stricter limits for certain applications.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.363-383
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• 2017

In cold-formed stainless steel lipped channel-sections, use of web openings for service purposes are becoming increasingly popular. Web openings, however, result in the sections becoming more susceptible to web crippling. This paper presents a finite element investigation into the web crippling strength of cold-formed stainless steel lipped channel-sections with circular web openings under the interior-two-flange (ITF) loading condition. The cases of web openings located centred and offset to the bearing plates are considered in this study. In order to take into account the influence of the circular web openings, a parametric study involving 2,220 finite element analyses was performed, covering duplex EN1.4462, austenitic EN1.4404 and ferritic EN1.4003 stainless steel grades. From the results of the parametric study, strength reduction factor equations are proposed. The strengths obtained from reduction factor equations are first compared to the strengths calculated from the equations recently proposed for cold-formed carbon steel lipped channel-sections. It is demonstrated that the strength reduction factor equations proposed for cold-formed carbon steel are unconservative for the stainless steel grades by up to 17%. New coefficients for web crippling strength reduction factor equations are then proposed that can be applied to all three stainless steel grades.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.361-379
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• 2005

Reinforced concrete deep beams have useful applications in tall buildings and foundations. Over the past two decades, numerous design models for deep beams were suggested. However even the latest design manuals still offer little insight into the design of deep beams in particular when complexities exist in the beams like web openings. A method commonly suggested for the design of deep beams with openings is the strut-and-tie model which is primarily used to represent the actual load transfer mechanism in a structural concrete member under ultimate load. In the present study, the development of the strut-and-tie model is transformed to the topology optimization problem of continuum structures. During the optimization process, both the stress and displacement constraints are satisfied and the performance of progressive topologies is evaluated. The influences on the strut-and-tie model in relation to different size, location and number of openings, as well as different loading and support conditions in deep beams are examined in some detail. In all, eleven deep beams with web openings are optimized and compared in nine groups. The optimal strut-and-tie models achieved are also compared with published experimental crack patterns. Numerical results have shown to confirm the experimental observations and to efficiently represent the load transfer mechanism in concrete deep beams with openings under ultimate load.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.609-630
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• 2012

Currently, the design of reinforced concrete deep beams with web openings is carried out using empirical or semi-empirical methods and hence their scope of application is limited. In particular, high strength concrete deep beams with various web opening configurations have been given little treatment. In view of this, a nonlinear layered finite element method (LFEM) for cracking and failure analysis of reinforced concrete structures is used to conduct a parametric study to investigate reinforced concrete deep beams various web opening behaviours. This paper initially presents comparisons of LFEM output with published test results to numerical techniques. The paper then focuses on a parametric study on the shear strengths of deep beams with varying web opening configurations such as opening sizes and locations. The results confirm that the current design methods are inadequate in predicting the maximum shear strength when web openings are present. A series of parametric study offers insight into the maximum shear strength of the deep beams being critically influenced by the size and location of web openings.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.271-279
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• 2003

Many researches have been conducted to describe the elastic and inelastic behavior of H-shaped beams with web openings, and were generally concentrated on the uniaxial loading conditions. With previous research results, the formulae for the design of beams with web openings, considering local buckling, have been proposed by Darwin. Although the formulae are so simple and useful to apply to real situations, it needs more research on cyclic loading conditions. In this experimental study, a total of seven H-shaped beams with circular web openings under cyclic loading conditions were investigated. The dimension criteria were based on the formulae proposed by Darwin. The suitability of the existing design formulae, the effects of plastic hinges on beams with web openings, and the local bucking around the web openings to the beam strength under cyclic loading were also investigated through by the observations of the behavior of these beams with various dimensional openings.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.1417-1443
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• 2016

Cellular and castellated steel beams are used to obtain higher stiffness and bending capacity using the same weight of steel. In addition, the beam openings may be used as a pass for different mechanical fixtures such as ducts and pipes. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of different parameters on both elastic and inelastic critical buckling stresses of steel web plates with openings. These parameters are plate aspect ratio; opening shape (circular or rectangular); end distance to the first opening; opening spacing; opening size; plate slenderness ratio; steel grade; and initial web imperfection. The web/flange interaction has been simplified by web edge restraints representing simply supported boundary conditions. A numerical parametric study has been performed through linear and nonlinear finite element (FE) models, where the FE results have been verified against both experimental and numerical results in the literature. The web plates are subject to in-plane linearly varying compression with different loading patterns, ranging from uniform compression to pure bending. A buckling stress modification factor (${\beta}$-factor) has been introduced as a ratio of buckling stress of web plate with openings to buckling stress of the corresponding solid web plate. The variation of ${\beta}$-factor against the aforementioned parameters has been reported. Furthermore, the critical plate slenderness ratio separating elastic buckling and yielding has been identified and discussed for two steel grades of DIN-17100, namely: ST-37/2 and ST-52/3. The FE results revealed that the minimum ${\beta}$-factor is 0.9 for web plates under uniform compression and 0.7 for those under both compression and tension.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.119-131
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• 2020

A butterfly web girder is a box-shaped girder with discretely distributed side openings along the spanwise direction. Until now, there have been few studies related to the aerodynamic performance of the butterfly web bridge. The objective of the current study was to clarify the effects of the side openings on the aerodynamic performance of the girder. Two butterfly web girders with side ratios B/D = 3.24 and 5, where B is the girder width and D is the depth, were examined through a series of wind tunnel tests. A comparison of the results for butterfly web girders and conventional box girders of the same shape confirmed that the side openings stabilized the vortex-induced vibration and galloping when B/D = 3.24, whereas the vortex-induced vibration and torsional flutter were stabilized when B/D = 5. The change in the flow field due to the side openings contributed to the stabilization against the vibration. These findings not only confirmed the good aerodynamic performance of the butterfly web bridge but also provided a new method to stabilize the box girder against aerodynamic instabilities via discretely distributed side openings.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.619-628
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• 2001

In building construction, openings of the story-height deep beams are usually required for accessibility and service lines such as air conditioning ducts, drain pipes and electric units. It is known that the main parameters affecting the load bearing capacity of deep beams with web openings are size, shape, location and reinforcements of openings. However, there have been no pertinent theories and national design codes for predicting ultimate shear strength of reinforced concrete deep beams with web openings. In this study, the shear behavior of simply supported reinforced concrete deep beams with web openings subject to concentrated loads has been scrutinized experimentally. A total of 34 specimens, the geometry of openings, its reinforcements and shear span to depth ratio, being taken as the experimental variables, has been cast and tested in the laboratory. The effects of these structural parameters on the shear strength and crack initiation and propagation have been carefully checked and analyzed. From the tests, it has been observed that the failures of all specimens were due to shear mechanism and the ultimate strength of specimens varies according to the location of openings, by which the formation of compression struts between the loading points and supports are deterred. All of the test results of specimens have been compared with the formulas proposed by previous researchers. The results were closely coincident with the formulas given by Ray and Kong's equation except for some X series specimens having a larger dimension of openings beyond the geometric limits of proposed equations.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 1996.04a
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• pp.280-285
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• 1996

The shear behavior of reinforced concrete deep beams with web opennings has been scrutinized experimentally to verify the influences of the structural parameters such as size, shape, location and reinfrocements of web openings, and shear span ratio. A total of 22 specimens has been tested under one or two point loading conditions at the laboratory. In the tests most specimens have shown shear failures with inclined cracks from the loacing points to the supports through openings. The ultimate strengths of the specimens measured from the tests have shown wide differences depending on the locations of the openings which deter the formation of the compression struts between the loading points and the supports. The effects of the reinforcements and the geomtry of the openings on the shear strengths and the crack developments have been carefully checked and analyzed.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.171-188
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• 2021

Plastic deformation of link beams in eccentrically braced frames is the primary dissipating source of seismic energy. Despite the excellent compatibility with the architectural designs, previous researches indicate the deficiency of flexural yielding links compared to the shear yielding ones because of their localized plastic deformation. Previous investigations have shown that implementing web openings in beams could be an efficient method to improve the seismic performance of moment-resisting connections. Accordingly, this research investigates the use of flexural links with stiffened and un-stiffened web openings to eliminate localized plasticity at the ends of the link. For this purpose, the numerical models are generated in finite element software "Abaqus" and verified against experimental data gathered from other studies. Models are subjected to cyclic displacement history to evaluate their behavior. Failure of the numerical models under cyclic loading is simulated using a micromechanical based damage model known as Cyclic Void Growth Model (CVGM). The elastic stiffness and the strength-based and CVGM-based inelastic rotation capacity of the links are compared to evaluate the studied models' seismic response. The results of this investigation indicate that some of the flexural links with edge stiffened web openings show increased inelastic rotation capacity compared to an un-perforated link.