• Computers and Concrete
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.1175-1194
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• 2016

Nonlinear models, capable of taking into account all the phenomena involved in the cracking and in the failure of lightly reinforced concrete beams, are nowadays available for a rigorous calculation of the minimum reinforcement. To simplify the current approaches, a new procedure is proposed in this paper. Specifically, the ductility index, which is lower than zero for under-reinforced concrete beams in bending, is introduced. The results of a general model, as well as the data measured in several tests, reveal the existence of two linear relationships between ductility index, crack width, and the amount of steel reinforcement. The above relationships can be applied to a wide range of lightly reinforced concrete beams, regardless of the geometrical dimensions and of the mechanical properties of materials. Accordingly, if only a few tests are combined with this linear relationships, a new design-by-testing procedure can be used to calculate the minimum reinforcement, which guarantees both the control of cracking in service and the ductility at failure.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.34 no.12
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• pp.71-82
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• 2018

This study presents a reasonable and economical DCM reinforcement length for the various factors (the embankment height, the distance from the embankment to the underground structure, the depth of the soft ground, and the compression index and the swelling index of the soft ground) that affect the stability of the structure due to lateral movement. Based on these results, we analyzed each factor's degree of influence and figured out which factor influenced the lateral movement most. The cross section of the embankment on the soft ground was modeled by using the Finite Element Program and reinforced with DCM. The results show that the increase rate of the reinforcement length with the increase of the embankment height is about 9~50%, the increase rate of the reinforcement length with the depth of soft ground is about 13~30%, and the increase rate of the reinforcement length with increasing compression index is about 3~25%. In addition, the influence of each factor on each other was analyzed. As a result, among the separation distance, the compressive index and the maximum to minimum slope ratio of the reinforcement length of the embankment height, the separation distance was the largest for the depth of soft ground. As the depth of the soft ground increases, the ratio of the maximum to minimum slope of the reinforcement length according to the embankment height is 3.75, the ratio of the maximum to minimum slope of the reinforcement length according to the spacing distance is 4.3, and the ratio of maximum to minimum slope according to compression index is 2.5. From these results, it is confirmed that the three factors are greatly affected by the depth of soft ground.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 2010.05a
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• pp.89-90
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• 2010

Three post-tensioned lightweight concrete beams were tested to examine the effect of the reinforcement index on the unbonded tendon stress at ultimate strength of the beams. The reinforcement index selected for main variables were 0.06, 0.15, 0.30. Test results showed that the stress of the unbonded tendons in the ultimate strength of the post-tensioned lightweight concrete beams can be conservatively evaluated using the empirical equations specified in ACI 318-08.

• Journal of information and communication convergence engineering
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.181-188
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• 2022

An intelligent distributed multi-agent system (IDMS) using reinforcement learning (RL) is a challenging and intricate problem in which single or multiple agent(s) aim to achieve their specific goals (sub-goal and final goal), where they move their states in a complex and cluttered environment. The environment provided by the IDMS provides a cumulative optimal reward for each action based on the policy of the learning process. Most actions involve interacting with a given IDMS environment; therefore, it can provide the following elements: a starting agent state, multiple obstacles, agent goals, and a cluttered index. The reward in the environment is also reflected by RL-based agents, in which agents can move randomly or intelligently to reach their respective goals, to improve the agent learning performance. We extend different cases of intelligent multi-agent systems from our previous works: (a) a proposed environment-clutter-based-index for agent sub-goal selection and analysis of its effect, and (b) a newly proposed RL reward scheme based on the environmental clutter-index to identify and analyze the prerequisites and conditions for improving the overall system.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.70 no.3
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• pp.257-267
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• 2019

Expressions for the calculation of ductility index for concrete girders with different ratios of prestressed and classical reinforcement were proposed using load-displacement, load-strain and load-curvature relation. The results of previous experimental static tests of several large-scale concrete girders with different ratio of prestressed and classical reinforcement are briefly presented. Using the proposed expressions, various ductility index of tested girders were calculated and discussed. It was concluded that the ductility of girders decreases approximately linearly by increasing the degree of prestressing. The study presents an expression for the calculation of the average ductility index of classical and prestressed reinforced concrete girders, which are similar to the analysed experimental test girders.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.1-11
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• 2023

After the collapse of the Seongsu Bridge in the 1990s in Korea, attention was focused on the maintenance of facilities. The government has established various policies since the enactment of the Act in 1995 until recently. In general, safety inspections are performed to evaluate the safety grade of facilities, and facilities are maintained and managed by performing repairs and reinforcements for defects. However, since the budget is limited, it is impossible to carry out repair and reinforcement projects for all defects. It is necessary to prioritize repair and reinforcement measures. Then, the priority index (PI) is presented considering the importance of members, the seriousness of defects, and economic feasibility. In this index, the degree of influence can be adjusted within the range of 50 to 100% according to the expert's subjective judgment, and the same weight is set for some specific members. Also, the effect through repair and reinforcement is not taken into account decisively, and most of them have a limit in which priority is determined by economic feasibility. Therefore, in this study, through several case studies, problems with the priority index were reviewed and an equation was presented to improve them.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers Conference
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• 1998.10a
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• pp.136-141
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• 1998

While a little research has been peformed on flexural behavior of reinforced polymer concrete (RPC)beams with the compressive strength lower than 900kg/$\textrm{cm}^2$ vary little exists in conjunction with the behavior of RPC 1,000kg/$\textrm{cm}^2$ or higher in compressive strength. In this paper the flexural performance of high strength polymer concrete beams with 1,450kg/$\textrm{cm}^2$ in compressive strength was evaluated. The unsaturated polyester resin was used to make polymer concrete as binder. The beams with stirrup singly/doubly were tested to examine the effect of tensile reinforcement ratio. As test results, reinforcement ratio increased with the increase moment strength, decreased with ultimate deflection, ductility index.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 2000.04a
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• pp.639-644
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• 2000

Prestressing steels are susceptible to corrosion, which is considered the major reason in the deterioration of prestressed concrete structures. To solve this problem, many research have been made to utilize new type of tendons. FRP tendons have many advantages compared to steel tendons. However, FRP tendons have some disadvantages, such as no plastic behavior. This study focused on the flexural behavior of prestresssed concrete beams which is fabricated by post-tensioning method with CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic) tendons. Th results drawn from the study, prestressed concrete beams with CFRP tendons have higher flexural cracking load, flexural yielding load, and flexural fracture load. While displacement at the fracture stage is lower compared to prestressed concrete beams with steel tendon. Excessive steel reinforcement lead lower ductility index. So, appropriate reinforcement guideline is needed. Further more, prestressed concrete beams with CFRP tendons can have sufficient ductility index when ruptured by crushing of concrete or used unbonded tendon. Therefore, the best design method for prestressed concrete beams with CFRP tendons is over-reinforcement, and use of unbonded tendon.

• International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials
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• v.18 no.1E
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• pp.49-54
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• 2006

Confinement is major contribution to bond strength between reinforcement steel bars and concrete. Cover thickness, bar spacing and transverse reinforcement are the key confinement factors of current provisions for the development and splices of reinforcement. However, current provisions are still too complicated to determine the values of the confinement, which need to be well delineated in the process of design. In this study, an experimental work using beam-end and splice specimens was performed to examine the effect of concrete cover on bond strength. The results of this experiment and previously available data are analyzed to identify the effects of confinement on bond strength. From this reevaluation, new provisions for the development and splices of reinforcement are proposed. The provisions suggest some limitations in the confinement index. The new provisions will allow the engineers to use a simple and yet satisfactory and appropriate method or a precise approach for design to determine the values of confinement on the calculation of development and splice lengths.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.159-169
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• 2014

This study generalizes the lateral load-displacement relationship of reinforced concrete shear walls from the section analysis for moment-curvature response to straightforwardly evaluate the flexural capacity and ductility of such members. Moment and curvature at different selected points including the first flexural crack, yielding of tensile reinforcing bar, maximum strength, 80% of the maximum strength at descending branch, and fracture of tensile reinforcing bar are calculated based on the strain compatibility and equilibrium of internal forces. The strain at extreme compressive fiber to determine the curvature at the descending branch is formulated as a function of reduction factor of maximum stress of concrete and volumetric index of lateral reinforcement using the stress-strain model of confined concrete proposed by Razvi and Saatcioglu. The moment prediction models are simply formulated as a function of tensile reinforcement index, vertical reinforcement index, and axial load index from an extensive parametric study. Lateral displacement is calculated by using the moment area method of idealized curvature distribution along the wall height. The generalized lateral load-displacement relationship is in good agreement with test result, even at the descending branch after ultimate strength of shear walls.