• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.311-322
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• 2022

This study performed 4-point flexural tests of reinforced concrete to which was attached a distributed optical fiber sheet and carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) sheets in order to assess the effect of the CFRP sheets and the applicability of a BOTDR sensor simultaneously. To evaluate the reinforcing effect, various degrees of CFRP sheet attachment were manufactured, and to evaluate the sensing ability, strains obtained from a BOTDR sensor were compared with strains measured from electric resistance strain gauges that were attached to the concrete surface. From the results, the reinforcing effects were evidently different according to the attachment type of the CFRP sheets, and it was confirmed that the main influencing factor on the reinforcing effect was the type of attachment rather than the attachment area. The reinforced concrete structural behavior was visualized with strains measured from the BOTDR sensor as load increased, and it was identified that load was concentrated in the CFRP reinforced area. Strains from the BOTDR sensor were similar to those from the electric resistance strain gauge; thereby a BOTDR sensor can be effective in the analysis of structural behaviorsof massive infrastructure. Finally, the strain from a BOTDR sensor was high where CFRP sheet fall-off occurs, and it would therefore be efficient to track local damage locations of CFRP sheets by utilizing a BOTDR sensor.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 2008.04a
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• pp.421-424
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• 2008

Ultra high strength steel fiber-reinforced concrete is characterized with high tensile strength and ductility. This paper revealed the influence of fiber volume fraction on the tensile softening behaviour of ultra high strength steel fiber-reinforced concrete and developed tensile softening model to predict the deformation capacity by finite element method analysis with experimental results. The initial stiffness of ultra high strength steel fiber-reinforced concrete was constant irrespective of fiber volume fraction. The increase of fiber volume fraction improved the flexural tensile strength and caused more brittle softening behaviour. Finite element method analysis proposed by Uchida et al. was introduced to obtain the tensile softening curve from three point notched beam test results and we proposed the tensile softening model as a function of fiber volume fraction and critical crack width.

• Computational Structural Engineering
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.233-242
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• 1997

The main purpose of this paper is to investigate the dynamic optimal design of continuous beams. The computer-aided optimization technique is used to obtain the near-optimal parameters of continuous beam. The computer program is developed to obtain the natural frequency parameters and the forced vibration responses to a transit point load for the continuous beam with variable support spacing, mass and stiffness. The model test data is in good agreement with the computer calculation, which serves to validate the mathematical analysis. The optimization function to describe the design efficiency is defined as a linear combination of four dimensionless span characteristics; the maximum dynamic stress; the stress difference between span segments; the rms deflection under the transit point load; and the total span mass. Studies of three span beams show that the beam with near-optimal parameters can improve design efficiency when compared to a uniform beam with even spacing of the same total span length.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.587-598
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• 2015

We examined various existing threshold methods for the determination of the first arrival time of acoustic emission (AE), and developed a new variable threshold method that could determine the first arrival time of AE more accurately and more quickly than existing methods. The new method, a modification of an existing threshold method, does not fix the threshold, but applies variable thresholds for the AE signals according to noise analysis. Two- and three-dimensional models were established to test the effectiveness of the new method. It could determine source locations of AE in a two-dimensional model 38.3% more accurately than the pre-existing threshold methods. Its accuracy improvement over the existing methods in a three-dimensional model was about 15.2%. A practical test involved measuring the source locations of AE during three-point bending tests of granite cores. The new method placed the sources closer to the fracture plane than did the pre-existing methods, indicating its superior (and quicker) ability to determine the source locations of AE.

• Magazine of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.81-92
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• 1990

Concrete, a mixed material, has heterogeniety, anisotrophy and nonlinearity. Therefore, in its 'racture analysis, it is more reasonable to evaluate its fracture toughness by applying the concept of 'racture mechanics rather than the strength concept. Up to the present the concepts of fracture mechanics which were applied to concrete have been divided into two main classes. The one is the concept of linear elastic fracture mechanics and the other is the concept of elastic-plastic fracture mechanics. But it has been pointed out that there are many problems and irrationalities in applying the concept of linear elastic fracture mechanics to concrete. In this study, the J -integral method and the COD method mainly used in the analysis of nonlinear fracture mechanics, were introduced and the three point bending test was carried out for investigating the effects of the variation of the maximum aggregate size and notch depth on the fracture behavior and the crack growth of concrete, and the relationships of fracture energy and crack opening displacement. According to the results of this study the more the maximum aggregate size and the notch depth increased, the more the nonlinearity of load-deflection behavior was remarkable. The increase of the coarse aggregate size created the more ductility of concrete. Thus concrete showed the more stable fracture. As for the path of the crack growth, the more the coarse aggregate size increased, the more it was irregulary deviated from the straight line but it was not almost affected by the variation of the notch depth. Also, the fracture energy increased according as the coarse aggregate size increased and the notch depth decreased.

• Journal of the Korean Recycled Construction Resources Institute
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.332-340
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• 2023

This study investigated the effects of nanoparticles on the fracture toughness of cement mortar. Three-point bending tests, compressive tests, and slump tests were conducted on cement mortars reinforced with carbon nanotubes(CNTs), nanosilica(NS), and nano calcium carbonate(NC), respectively. Cement mortar with a water-to-cement ratio and a sand-to-cement ratio of 0.45 and 1.5, respectively, and reinforced with 0 and 2 vol.% of 19.5 mm steel fibers, respectively, was used. Reinforcement with nanoparticles partially improved the fracture toughness and compressive strength of the cement mortar. However, in the case of cement mortar reinforced with steel fibers, the reinforcement with nanoparticles was found to reduce the flowability of the mortar, adversely affecting the dispersion of steel fibers, and ultimately leading to a decrease in fracture toughness, contrary to the intended enhancement. Additional research is needed to improve the decrease in mortar fluidity caused by the reinforcement with nanoparticles.