• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.78 no.5
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• pp.623-635
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• 2021

Previous studies have suggested the maximum experimental story shear force of beam-column joint frame does not reach its theoretical value due to beam-column joint failure when the column-to-beam moment capacity ratio was close to 1.0. It was also pointed out that under a certain amount of axial force, an axial collapse and a sudden decrease of lateral load-carrying capacity may occur at the joint. Although increasing joint transverse reinforcement could improve the lateral load-carrying capacity and axial load-carrying capacity of beam-column joint frame, the conditions considering varying axial force were still not well investigated. For this purpose, 7 full-scale specimens with no-axial force and 14 half-scale specimens with varying axial force are designed and subjected to static loading tests. Comparing the experimental results of the two types of specimens, it has indicated that introducing the varying axial force leads to a reduction of the required joint transverse reinforcement ratio which can avoid the beam-column joint failure. For specimens with varying axial force, to prevent beam-column joint failure and axial collapse, the lower limit of joint transverse reinforcement ratio is acquired when given a column-to-beam moment capacity ratio.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.229-242
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• 2018

High strength steel is widely used in industrial applications to improve the load-bearing capacity and reduce the overall weight and cost. To take advantage of the benefits of this type of steel in construction, an innovative hybrid fabricated member consisting of high strength steel tubes welded to mild steel plates has recently been developed. Component-scale uniaxial and multiaxial cyclic experiments have been conducted with simultaneous constant or varying axial compression loads using a multi-axial substructure testing facility. The structural interaction of high strength steel tubes with mild steel plates is investigated in terms of member capacity, strength and stiffness deterioration and the development of plastic hinges. The deterioration parameters of hybrid specimens are calibrated and compared against those of conventional steel specimens. Effect of varying axial force and loading direction on the hysteretic deterioration model, failure modes and axial shortening is also studied. Plate and tube elements in hybrid members interact such that the high strength steel is kept within its ultimate strain range to prevent sudden fracture due to its low ultimate to yield strain ratio while the ductile performance of plate governs the global failure mechanism. High strength material also significantly reduces the axial shortening in columns which prevents undesirable frame deformations.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.587-600
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• 2024

In order to investigate the seismic performance of regionally confined concrete circular column with trapezoid stirrups (TRCCC) under high axial compression ratio, the confinement mechanism of regionally confined concrete was analyzed. Three regionally confined concrete circular columns with trapezoid stirrups were designed, and low cyclic loading tests were conducted at three different axial compression ratios (0.9, 1.1, 1.25) to study the failure mode, hysteresis curve, skeleton curve, deformation capacity, stiffness degradation and energy dissipation capacity of the specimens. The results indicate that the form of regional confinement concrete provides more uniform confinement to the normal confinement, and the confinement efficiency at the edges is 1.4 times that of normal confined concrete. The ductility coefficients of the specimens were all greater than 3 under high axial compression ratios, and the stiffness and horizontal bearing capacity increased with the increase of axial compression ratio. Therefore, it is recommended that the code of design specifications can appropriately relax the axial compression ratio limit for TRCCC. Finally, the spacing between stirrups of TRCCC was analyzed using ABAQUS software. The results showed that as the spacing between the stirrups decreased, the cracking load and peak load of TRCCC increased continuously, but the rate of increase decreases.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.611-626
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• 2017

The research reported herein is concerned with the model testing of piles socketed in soft rock which was simulated by cement, plaster, sand, water and concrete hardening accelerator. Model tests on a single pile socketed in simulated soft rock under axial cyclic loading were conducted and the bearing capacity and accumulated deformation characteristics under different static, and cyclic loads were studied by using a device which combined oneself-designed test apparatus with a dynamic triaxial system. The accumulated deformation of the pile head, and the axial force, were measured by LVDT and strain gauges, respectively. Test results show that the static load ratio (SLR), cyclic load ratio (CLR), and the number of cycles affect the accumulated deformation, cyclic secant modulus of pile head, and ultimate bearing capacity. The accumulated deformation increases with increasing numbers of cycles, however, its rate of growth decreases and is asymptotic to zero. The cyclic secant modulus of pile head increases and then decreases with the growth in the number of cycles, and finally remains stable after 50 cycles. The ultimate bearing capacity of the pile is increased by about 30% because of the cyclic loading thereon, and the axial force is changed due to the applied cyclic shear stress. According to the test results, the development of accumulated settlement is analysed. Finally, an empirical formula for accumulated settlement, considering the effects of the number of cycles, the static load ratio, the cyclic load ratio and the uniaxial compressive strength, is proposed which can be used for feasibility studies or preliminary design of pile foundations on soft rock subjected to cyclic loading.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.31-48
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• 2024

In order to get a better understanding of seismic performance of exterior beam-column joint, reciprocating loading tests with variable loading speeds or axial forces were carried out. The main findings indicate that only few cracks exist on the surface of the joint core area, while the plastic hinge region at the beam end is seriously damaged. The damage of the specimen is more serious with the increase of the upper limit of variable axial force. The deflection ductility coefficient of specimen decreases to various degrees after the upper limit of variable axial force increases. In addition, the higher the loading speed is, the lower the deflection ductility coefficient of the specimen is. The stiffness of the specimen decreases as the upper limit of variable axial force or the loading speed increase. Compared to the influence of variable axial force, the influence of the loading speed on the stiffness degradation of the specimen is more obvious. The cumulative energy dissipation and the equivalent viscous damping coefficient of specimen decrease with the increase of loading speed. The influence of variable axial force on the energy dissipation of specimen varies under different loading speeds. Based on the truss model, the biaxial stress criterion, the Rankine criterion, the Kent-Scott-Park model, the equivalent theorem of shearing stress, the softened strut-and-tie model, the controlled slip theory and the proposed equations, a calculation method for the shear capacity is proposed with satisfactory prediction results.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.90 no.5
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• pp.435-446
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• 2024

The use of cold-formed steel members is increasing day by day, especially in regions where earthquake effects are intensively experienced. Among cold-formed steel members (CFS), "channel" members are used more than other crosssectional members, especially in buildings or industrial structures. In recent years, several studies have been carried out on the axial load and flexural performance of these members under monotonic loading. In this study, CFS beam-column members were cyclically and monotonically loaded under combined axial load and biaxial bending moments, and their buckling behavior, load bearing capacity, stiffness, ductility, and energy absorption capacity were determined. For this purpose, monotonic and cyclic loading experiments were carried out on 30 CFS channel members at 15 different eccentricities. Then, material properties were determined by axial monotonic tensile and very low cycle fatigue tests for use in numerical studies. From the experimental results, the buckling modes, bearing capacities, ductility, stiffness, and energy absorption capacities of the members were obtained. The characteristics of the members were compared according to the stress state of the lips. According to the data obtained from the displacement transducer placed on the lips and on the back of the web, information about the buckling mode and curvature of the members was obtained. Finally, monotonic, and cyclic loading results were compared to determine the differences in the buckling behavior of the members.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.461-473
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• 2022

Energy-saving block and invisible multiribbed frame composite wall (EBIMFCW) is an important shear wall, which is composed of energy-saving blocks, steel bars and concrete. This paper conducted seismic performance tests on six 1/2-scale EBIMFCW specimens, analyzed their failure process under horizontal reciprocating load, and studied the effect of axial compression ratio on the wall's hysteresis curve and skeleton curve, ductility, energy dissipation capacity, stiffness degradation, bearing capacity degradation. A formula for calculating the peak bearing capacity of such walls was proposed. Results showed that the EBIMFCW had experienced a long time deformation from cracking to failure and exhibited signs of failure. The three seismic fortification lines of the energy-saving block, internal multiribbed frame, and outer multiribbed frame sequentially played important roles. With the increase in axial compression ratio, the peak bearing capacity and ductility of the wall increased, whereas the initial stiffness decreased. The change in axial compression ratio had a small effect on the energy dissipation capacity of the wall. In the early stage of loading, the influence of axial compression ratio on wall stiffness and strength degradation was unremarkable. In the later stage of loading, the stiffness and strength degradation of walls with high axial compression ratio were low. The displacement ductility coefficients of the wall under vertical pressure were more than 3.0 indicating that this wall type has good deformation ability. The limit values of elastic displacement angle under weak earthquake and elastic-plastic displacement angle under strong earthquake of the EBIMFCW were1/800 and 1/80, respectively.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.375-388
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• 2017

This paper presents a combined experimental, numerical, and analytical study on elliptical concrete-filled steel tubular (E-CFT) and rebar-stiffened elliptical concrete-filled steel tubular (RE-CFT) subjected to axial loading. ABAQUS was used to establish 3D finite element (FE) models for the composite columns and the FE results agreed well with the experimental results. It was found that the ultimate load-bearing capacity of RE-CFT stub columns was 20% higher than that of the E-CFT stub columns. Such improvement was attributed to the reinforcement effects from the internal rebar-stiffeners, which effectively enhanced the confinement effect on the core concrete, thereby significantly improved both the ultimate bearing capacity and the ductility of the E-CFT columns. Based on the results, equations were also established in this paper to predict the bearing capacities of E-CFT and RE-CFT stub columns under axial loading. The predicted results agreed well with both experimental and numerical results, and had much higher accuracy than other available methods.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.251-262
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• 2024

To improve the seismic behavior of composite column with high strength concrete-filled steel tubular in bridge engineering, four column specimens, including one specimen with vertical prestressing force and three specimens with tri-directional prestressing force, were conducted under low cyclic loading. Test parameters including axial compression ratio, degree of vertical prestressing and existence of prestressed steel strips were emphatically analyzed. Experimental results revealed that applying tri-directional prestressing force to column with high strength concrete-filled steel tubular produced more beneficial behavior in terms of ductility, energy-dissipation and self-centering capacity over that of specimens only with vertical prestress. Moreover, ultimate bearing capacity of composite column was improved with increase of degree of vertical prestress and external axial force, while ductility would be reduced. External axial force showed slight influence on the self-centering behavior. Finally, a calculation equation for predicting the shear capacity of the tri-directional prestressed composite column was proposed and the accuracy of the calculated results validated by experimental data.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.157-185
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• 2014

This paper examines the behaviour of two types of practical open beam-to-tubular column connection details subjected to combined moment, axial and/or shear loads. Detailed continuum finite element models are developed and validated against available experimental results, and extended to deal with flexural, axial and shear load interactions. A numerical investigation is then carried out on the behaviour of selected connections with different stiffness and strength characteristics under various load combination scenarios. The influence of applied levels of axial tensile or compressive loads on the bending stiffness and capacity is examined and discussed. Additionally, the interaction effects between shear forces and co-existing bending and axial loads are examined and shown to be comparatively insignificant in terms of stiffness and capacity in most cases. It is also shown that the range of connections considered in this paper can provide rotational ductility levels in excess of those required under typical design scenarios. Based on these findings, a simplified component-based representation is proposed and described, and its ability to represent the connection response under combined loading is verified using results from detailed numerical simulations.