• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.447-458
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• 2022

Cold-formed steel (CFS) sections are thin-walled, therefore, more susceptible to different types of geometric imperfections. Global type of geometric imperfections has a significant impact on the load-carrying capacity of flexural members. This paper reports an experimental study that discusses the influence of global imperfections on the flexural response of CFS built-up I-beams composed of two lipped channels, with simply supported ends, under four-point loading. Global imperfections of magnitude over eight times the maximum permissible ones were induced in the specimens, leading to their distress. Using various simple stiffening schemes, the capacity and stiffness of the distressed specimens were improvised. The performance comparisons were made based on the maximum loads resisted, flexural stiffnesses offered, and failure modes experienced by the specimens. As experimental data on such distressed specimens are currently lacking in the literature, the test results of the present study will provide the necessary data needed by future researchers to numerically extend this study further, which will help in the development of necessary design guidelines for the same. The stiffening schemes significantly improved the structural efficiency of distressed specimens in terms of strength and stiffness, by over 60%. As a result, an effective and time-saving solution to such realistic structural engineering problems is given.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.217-235
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• 2024

Concrete-filled steel tubes (CFSTs) nowadays are widely used as the main parts of momentous structures, and its connection has gained increasing attention as the complexity in configuration and load transfer mechanism. This paper proposes a novel CFST pier-to-footing incorporating tube-confined RC encasement. Such an innovative approach offers several benefits, including expedited on-site assembly, effective confinement, and collision resistance and corrosion resistance. The seismic behavior of such CFST pier-to-footing connection was studied by testing eight specimens under quasi-static cyclic lateral load. In the experimental research, the influences on the seismic behavior and the order of plastic hinge formation were discussed in detail by changing the footing height, axial compression ratio, number and length of anchored bars, and type of confining tube. All the specimens showed sufficient ductility and energy dissipation, without significant strength degradation. There is no obvious failure in the confined footing, while local buckling can be found in the critical section of the pier. It suggests that the footing provides satisfactory strength protection for the connection.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.705-720
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• 2024

Analyzing the collapse behavior of thin-walled steel structures holds significant importance in ensuring their safety and longevity. Geometric imperfections present on the surface of metal materials can diminish both the durability and mechanical integrity of steel shells. These imperfections, encompassing local geometric irregularities and deformations such as holes, cavities, notches, and cracks localized in specific regions of the shell surface, play a pivotal role in the assessment. They can induce stress concentration within the structure, thereby influencing its susceptibility to buckling. The intricate relationship between the buckling behavior of these structures and such imperfections is multifaceted, contingent upon a variety of factors. The buckling analysis of thin-walled steel shell structures, similar to other steel structures, commonly involves the determination of crucial material properties, including elastic modulus, shear modulus, tensile strength, and fracture toughness. An established method involves the emulation of distributed geometric imperfections, utilizing real test specimen data as a basis. This approach allows for the accurate representation and assessment of the diversity and distribution of imperfections encountered in real-world scenarios. Utilizing defect data obtained from actual test samples enhances the model's realism and applicability. The sizes and configurations of these defects are employed as inputs in the modeling process, aiding in the prediction of structural behavior. It's worth noting that there is a dearth of experimental studies addressing the influence of geometric defects on the buckling behavior of cylindrical steel shells. In this particular study, samples featuring geometric imperfections were subjected to experimental buckling tests. These same samples were also modeled using Finite Element Analysis (FEM), with results corroborating the experimental findings. Furthermore, the initial geometrical imperfections were measured using digital image correlation (DIC) techniques. In this way, the response of the test specimens can be estimated accurately by applying the initial imperfections to FE models. After validation of the test results with FEA, a numerical parametric study was conducted to develop more generalized design recommendations for the stainless-steel shell structures with the initial geometric imperfection. While the load-carrying capacity of samples with perfect surfaces was up to 140 kN, the load-carrying capacity of samples with 4 mm defects was around 130 kN. Likewise, while the load carrying capacity of samples with 10 mm defects was around 125 kN, the load carrying capacity of samples with 14 mm defects was measured around 120 kN.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.641-657
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• 2020

A unique lightweight string truss deployable bridge assembled by thin-walled fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) and metal profiles was designed for emergency applications. As a new structure, investigations into the static structural performance under the serviceability limit state are desired for examining the structural integrity of the developed bridge when subjected to unsymmetrical loadings characterized by combined torsion and bending. In this study, a full-scale experimental inspection was conducted on a fabricated bridge, and the combined flexural-torsional behavior was examined in terms of displacement and strains. The experimental structure showed favorable strength and rigidity performances to function as deployable bridge under unsymmetrical loading conditions and should be designed in accordance with the stiffness criterion, the same as that under symmetrical loads. In addition, a finite element model (FEM) with a simple modeling process, which considered the multi segments of the FRP members and realistic nodal stiffness of the complex unique hybrid nodal joints, was constructed and compared against experiments, demonstrating good agreement. A FEM-based numerical analysis was thereafter performed to explore the effect of the change in elastic modulus of different FRP elements on the static deformation of the bridge. The results confirmed that the change in elastic modulus of different types of FRP element members caused remarkable differences on the bending and torsional stiffness of the hybrid bridge. The global stiffness of such a unique bridge can be significantly enhanced by redesigning the critical lower string pull bars using designable FRP profiles with high elastic modulus.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.237-242
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• 2012

We report on the NO gas sensing properties of Al-doped zinc oxide-carbon nanotube (ZnO-CNT) wire-like layered composites fabricated by coaxially coating Al-doped ZnO thin films on randomly oriented single-walled carbon nanotubes. We were able to wrap thin ZnO layers around the CNTs using the pulsed laser deposition method, forming wire-like nanostructures of ZnO-CNT. Microstructural observations revealed an ultrathin wire-like structure with a diameter of several tens of nm. Gas sensors based on ZnO-CNT wire-like layered composites were found to exhibit a novel sensing capability that originated from the genuine characteristics of the composites. Specifically, it was observed by measured gas sensing characteristics that the gas sensors based on ZnO-CNT layered composites showed a very high sensitivity of above 1,500% for NO gas in dry air at an optimal operating temperature of $200^{\circ}C$; the sensors also showed a low NO gas detection limit at a sub-ppm level in dry air. The enhanced gas sensing properties of the ZnO-CNT wire-like layered composites are ascribed to a catalytic effect of Al elements on the surface reaction and an increase in the effective surface reaction area of the active ZnO layer due to the coating of CNT templates with a higher surface-to-volume ratio structure. These results suggest that ZnO-CNT composites made of ultrathin Al-doped ZnO layers uniformly coated around carbon nanotubes can be promising materials for use in practical high-performance NO gas sensors.

• Composites Research
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.283-289
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• 2021

This paper derives numerically the buckling Knockdown factors using two different initial imperfection models, such as geometric and loading imperfection models, to investigate the unstiffened composite cylinder with an ellipse pre-buckling deformation pattern. Single Perturbation Load Approach (SPLA) is applied to represent the geometric initial imperfection of a thin-walled composite cylinder; while Single Boundary Perturbation Approach (SBPA) is used to represent the geometric and loading imperfections simultaneously. The buckling Knockdown factor derived using SPLA is higher than NASA's buckling design criteria by approximately 84%, and lower than buckling test result by 9%. The buckling Knockdown factor using SBPA is higher than NASA's buckling design criteria by about 75%, and 14% lower than the buckling test result. Therefore, it is shown that the buckling Knockdown factors derived in this study can provide a lightweight design compared to the previous buckling design criteria while they give reasonably a conservative design compared to the buckling test for both the initial imperfection models.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.38 no.9
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• pp.959-965
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• 2014

In the present study, we aimed to obtain design data that can be used for the side members of lightweight cars by experimentally examining the types of effects that the changes in the section shape and outermost layer of an aluminum (Al)/carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) composite structural member have on its collapse characteristics. We have drawn the following conclusions based on the test results: The circular Al/CFRP composite impact-absorbing member in which the outermost layer angle was laminated at $0^{\circ}$ was observed to be 52.9 and 49.93 higher than that of the square and hat-shaped members, respectively. In addition, the energy absorption characteristic of the circular Al/CFRP composite impact-absorbing member in which the outermost layer angle was laminated at $90^{\circ}$ was observed to be 50.49 and 49.2 higher than that of the square and hat-shaped members, respectively.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.149-157
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• 2023

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have shown promise in various applications, including molecular separation, dye separation, gas separation, filtration, and desalination. Integrating COFs into membranes enhances permeability, selectivity, and stability, improving separation processes. Combining COFs with single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) creates nanocomposite membranes with high permeability and stability, ideal for dye separation. Incorporating COFs into polyamide (PA) membranes improves permeability and selectivity through a synthetic interfacial strategy. Three-dimensional COF fillers in mixed-matrix membranes (MMMs) enhance CO₂/CH₄ separation, making them suitable for biogas upgrading. All-nanoporous composite (ANC) membranes, which combine COFs and metal-organic framework (MOF) membranes, overcome permeance-selectivity trade-offs, significantly improving gas permeance. Computational simulations using hypothetical COFs (hypoCOFs) demonstrate superior CO₂ selectivity and working capacity relevant for CO₂ separation and H₂ purification. COFs integrated into thin-film composite (TFC) and polysulfonamide (PSA) membranes enhance rejection performance for organic contaminants, salt contaminants, and heavy metal ions, improving separation capabilities. TpPa-SO₃H/PAN covalent organic framework membranes (COFMs) exhibited superior desalination performance compared to traditional polyamide membranes by utilizing charged groups to enable efficient desalination through electrostatic repulsion, suggesting their potential for ionic and molecular separations. These findings highlight COFs' potential in membrane technology for enhanced separation processes by improving permeability, selectivity, and stability. In this review, COF applied for the separation process is discussed.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.1017-1029
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• 2016

When a welded circular hollow section (CHS) tubular joint is subjected to brace axial loading, failure position is located usually at the weld toe on the chord surface due to the weak flexural stiffness of the thin-walled chord. The failure mode is local yielding or buckling in most cases for a tubular joint subjected to axial load at the brace end. Especially when a cyclic axial load is applied, fracture failure at the weld toe may occur because both high stress concentration and welding residual stress along the brace/chord intersection cause the material in this region to become brittle. To improve the ductility as well as to increase the static strength, a tubular joint can be reinforced by increasing the chord thickness locally near the brace/chord intersection. Both experimental investigation and finite element analysis have been carried out to study the hysteretic behaviour of the reinforced tubular joint. In the experimental study, the hysteretic performance of two full-scale circular tubular T-joints subjected to cyclic load in the axial direction of the brace was investigated. The two specimens include a reinforced specimen by increasing the wall thickness of the chord locally at the brace/chord intersection and a corresponding un-reinforced specimen. The hysteretic loops are obtained from the measured load-displacement curves. Based on the hysteretic curves, it is found that the reinforced specimen is more ductile than the un-reinforced one because no fracture failure is observed after experiencing similar loading cycles. The area enclosed by the hysteretic curves of the reinforced specimen is much bigger, which shows that more energy can be dissipated by the reinforced specimen to indicate the advantage of the reinforcing method in resisting seismic action. Additionally, finite element analysis is carried out to study the effect of the thickness and the length of the reinforced chord segment on the hysteretic behaviour of CHS tubular T-joints. The optimized reinforcing method is recommended for design purposes.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.401-407
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• 2017

This paper describes wavenumber filtering for damage detection using single-frequency standing wave excitation and laser scanning sensing. An embedded piezoelectric sensor generates ultrasonic standing waves, and the responses are measured using a laser Doppler vibrometer and mirror tilting device. After scanning, newly developed damage detection techniques based on wavenumber filtering are applied to the full standing wave field. To demonstrate the performance of the proposed techniques, several experiments were performed on composite plates with delamination and aluminum plates with corrosion damage. The results demonstrated that the developed techniques could be applied to various structures to localize the damage, with the potential to improve the damage detection capability at a high interrogation speed.