• Computational Structural Engineering : An International Journal
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.49-59
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• 2003

This paper discusses the enhancement of the buckling capacity of column strips by use of piezoelectric layer. The analytical model for obtaining the buckling capacity of the piezoelectric coupled column with general boundary conditions modelled with different types of springs applied at the ends of the column is derived the first time. Based on this proposed model, the buckling capacity of the column strips can be accurately predicted by solving an eigenvalue problem. The computational results show the great potential of the piezoelectric materials in enhancing the buckling capacity of the column strips. The optimal locations of the piezoelectric layer for higher buckling capacity are also obtained for the columns with. standard pinned-pinned, fixed-free, and fixed-pinned structures. In addition, the buckling capacity and the increase of buckling capacity are discussed for those columns with the general boundaries as well. This research may provide a benchmark for the buckling analysis of the piezoelectric coupled strips.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.449-458
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• 2012

Finite element buckling analysis of insulated transition flue ducts is carried out to determine the critical buckling load multipliers when subjected to axial compression for design process. Through this investigation, the results of numerical computations to examine the buckling strength for different possible duct shapes (cylinder, and circular-to-square) are presented. The load multipliers are determined through detailed buckling analysis taking into account the effects of geometrical construction and duct plate thickness which have great influence on the buckling load. Enhancement in the buckling capacity of such ducts by the addition of horizontal and vertical stiffeners is also investigated. Several models with varying dimensions and plate thicknesses are examined to obtain the linear buckling capacities against duct dimensions. The percentage improvement in the buckling capacity due to the addition of vertical stiffeners and horizontal Stiffeners is shown to be as high as three times for some cases. The study suggests that the best location of the horizontal stiffener is at 0.25 of duct depth from the bottom to achieve the maximum buckling capacity. A design equation estimating the buckling strength of geometrically perfect cylindrical-to-square shell is developed by using regression analysis accurately with approximately 4% errors.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.295-308
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• 2012

This paper experimentally investigated the buckling capacity of built-up steel columns mainly, Cruciform Columns (CC) and Side-to-Side (SS) columns fabricated from two Universal Beam (UB) sections. A series of nine experimental tests comprised of three UB sections, three CC sections and three SS sections with different lengths were tested to failure to measure the ultimate axial capacity of each column section. The lengths used for each category of columns were 1.8, 2.0, and 2.2 m with slenderness ratios ranging from 39-105. The measured buckling loads of the tested specimens were compared with the predicted ultimate axial capacity using Eurocode 3, AISC LRFD, and BS 5959-1. It was observed that the failure modes of the specimens included flexural buckling, local buckling and flexural-torsional buckling. The results showed that the ultimate axial capacity of the tested cruciform and side-by-side columns were higher than the code predicted design values by up to 20%, with AISC LRFD design values being the least conservative and the Eurocode 3 design values being the most conservative. This study has concluded that cruciform column and side-to-side welded flange columns using universal beam sections are efficient built-up sections that have larger ultimate axial load capacity, larger stiffness with saving in the weight of steel used compared to its equivalent universal beam counterpart.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.411-427
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• 2016

In this study, by using finite element non-linear static analysis and comparing it with experimental models, the buckling and post-buckling behavior of bracing gusset plates has been investigated. The effects of such parameters as dimension and thickness of the gusset plate and the influence of position of the bracing member on the behavior of gusset plate have been examined. The results of the analyses clearly suggest that capacity, buckling and post-buckling behaviors of gusset plates depend on the position of the bracing splice plate with respect to the free bending line as well as on the size and thickness of the gusset plate. Also, with respect to numerical analysis results, some practical graphs for the calculation of buckling capacity of gusset plate connections are presented. For steel structures, the proposed method is apparently more accurate than available code procedures.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.273-283
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• 2014

According to deformation features of pre-twisted bar, its elastic bending and torsion buckling equation is developed in the paper. The equation indicates that the bending buckling deformations in two main bending directions are coupled with each other, bending and twist buckling deformations are coupled with each other as well. However, for pre-twisted bar with dual-axis symmetry cross-section, bending buckling deformations are independent to the twist buckling deformation. The research indicates that the elastic torsion buckling load is not related to the pre-twisted angle, and equals to the torsion buckling load of the straight bar. Finite element analysis to pre-twisted bar with different pre-twisted angle is performed, the prediction shows that the assumption of a plane elastic bending buckling deformation curve proposed in previous literature (Shadnam and Abbasnia 2002) may not be accurate, and the curve deviates more from a plane with increasing of the pre-twisting angle. Finally, the parameters analysis is carried out to obtain the relationships between elastic bending buckling critical capacity, the effect of different pre-twisted angles and bending rigidity ratios are studied. The numerical results show that the existence of the pre-twisted angle leads to "resistance" effect of the stronger axis on buckling deformation, and enhances the elastic bending buckling critical capacity. It is noted that the "resistance" is getting stronger and the elastic buckling capacity is higher as the cross section bending rigidity ratio increases.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.477-499
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• 2007

The main purpose of this paper is to investigate the ultimate behavior of steel cable-stayed bridges with design variables and compare the validity and applicability of computational methods for evaluating ultimate load capacity of cable-stayed bridges. The methods considered in this paper are elastic buckling analysis, inelastic buckling analysis and nonlinear elasto-plastic analysis. Elastic buckling analysis uses a numerical eigenvalue calculation without considering geometric nonlinearities of cable-stayed bridges and the inelastic material behavior of main components. Inelastic buckling analysis uses an iterative eigenvalue calculation to consider inelastic material behavior, but cannot consider geometric nonlinearities of cable-stayed bridges. The tangent modulus concept with the column strength curve prescribed in AASHTO LRFD is used to consider inelastic buckling behavior. Detailed procedures of inelastic buckling analysis are presented and corresponding computer codes were developed. In contrast, nonlinear elasto-plastic analysis uses an incremental-iterative method and can consider both geometric nonlinearities and inelastic material behavior of a cable-stayed bridge. Proprietary software ABAQUS are used and user-subroutines are newly written to update equivalent modulus of cables to consider geometric nonlinearity due to cable sags at each increment step. Ultimate load capacities with the three analyses are evaluated for numerical models of cable-stayed bridges that have center spans of 600 m, 900 m and 1200 m with different girder depths and live load cases. The results show that inelastic buckling analysis is an effective approximation method, as a simple and fast alternative, to obtain ultimate load capacity of long span cable-stayed bridges, whereas elastic buckling analysis greatly overestimates the overall stability of cable-stayed bridges.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.631-645
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• 2006

Buckling capacity of compression members may change due to inadvertent changes in the member section dimensions or material properties. This may be the result of repair, modification of section properties or degradation of the material properties. In some occasions, enhancement of buckling capacity of compression members may be achieved through splicing of plates or utilization of composite materials. It is very important for a designer to predict the buckling resistance of the compression member and the important parameters that affect its buckling strength once changes in section and/or material properties took place. This paper presents an analytical approach for determining the buckling capacity of a compression member whose geometric and/or material properties has been altered resulting in a multi-step non-uniform section. This analytical solution accommodates the changes and modifications to the material and/or section properties of the compression member due to the factors mentioned. The analytical solution provides adequate information and a methodology that is useful during the design stage as well as the repair stage of compression members. Three case studies are presented to show that the proposed analytical solution is an efficient method for predicting the buckling strength of compression members that their section and/or material properties have been altered due to splicing, coping, notching, ducting and corrosion.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.181-188
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• 2007

This research presents two methods to prevent local buckling from circular tube brace and then verify their performance capacity through a cyclic loading test. As control methods on local buckling, one is to restrict local buckling as attaching cover plate at range of buckling. And the another is to exclude danger of buckling as inserting contraction device with rod and spring at the center of brace. The purpose of this research is to develop structural device for restriction of local buckling or for exclusion of its. And we investigate appliance of suggested methods through an experiment. We also estimate the improvement of performance capacity in a quantitative respect.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.123-140
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• 2019

This paper presents experimental study on effects of width-to-thickness ratio and loading history on cyclic rotational capacity of H-shaped steel beams subjected to pure bending. Eight Class 3 and 4 H-shaped beams with large width-to-thickness ratios were tested under four different loading histories. The coupling effect of local buckling and cracking on cyclic rotational capacity of the specimens was investigated. It was found that loss of the load-carrying capacity was mainly induced by local buckling, and ductile cracking was a secondary factor. The width-to-thickness ratio plays a dominant effect on the cyclic rotational capacity, and the loading history also plays an important role. The cyclic rotational capacity can decrease significantly due to premature elasto-plastic local buckling induced by a number of preceding plastic reversals with relative small strain amplitudes. This result is mainly correlated with the decreasing tangent modulus of the structural steel under cyclic plastic loading. In addition, a theoretical approach to evaluate the cyclic rotational capacity of H-shaped beams with different width-to-thickness ratios was also proposed, which compares well with the experimental results.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.143-159
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• 2023

Recently, the design of scaffolding systems has garnered considerable attention due to the increasing number of scaffold collapses. These incidents arise from the underestimation of imposed loads and the site-specific conditions that restrict the application of lateral restraints in scaffold assemblies. The present study is committed to augmenting the buckling resistance of vertical support members, obviating the need for supplementary lateral restraints. To achieve this objective, experimental and computational analyses were performed to assess the axial load buckling capacity of steel props, composed of two hollow steel pipes that slide into each other for a certain length. Three full-scale steel props with various geometric properties were tested to construct and validate the analytical models. The total unsupported length of the steel props is 6 m, while three pins were installed to tighten the outer and inner pipes in the distance they overlapped. Finite Element (FE) modeling is carried out for the three steel props, and the developed models were verified using the experimental results. Also, theoretical analysis is utilized to verify the FE analysis. Using the FE-verified models, a parametric study is conducted to evaluate the effect of different inserted pipe lengths on the steel props' axial load capacity and lateral displacement. Based on the results, the typical failure mode for the studied steel props is global elastic buckling. Also, the prop's elastic buckling strength is sensitive to the inserted length of the smaller pipe. A threshold of minimum inserted length is one-third of the total length, after which the buckling strength increases. The present study offers a prop with enhanced buckling resistance and introduces an equation for calculating an equivalent effective length factor (k), which can be seamlessly incorporated into Euler's buckling equation, thereby facilitating the determination of the buckling capacity of the enhanced props and providing a pragmatic engineering solution.