• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.481-489
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• 2014

The function of carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) reinforcement in increasing the ductility of reinforced concrete (RC) deep beam is important in such shear-sensitive RC member. This paper aims to investigate the effect of CFRP-strengthening on the energy absorption of RC deep beams. Six ordinary RC deep beams and six CFRP-strengthened RC deep beams with shear span to the effective depth ratio of 0.75, 1.00, 1.25, 1.50, 1.75, and 2.00 were tested till failure in this research. An empirical relationship was established to obtain the energy absorption of CFRP-strengthened RC deep beams. The shear span to the effective depth ratio and growth of energy absorption of CFRP-strengthened deep beam were the significant factors to establish this relationship.

• Composites Research
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.38-46
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• 2004

This paper aims to correlate the micro-mechanical behaviour of tow geometry with applied in-plane forces during deformation of dry woven carbon-fibre fabric. These in-plane forces lead to differences in tow reorganisation during deformation and so changes in the way in which 'lock-up' occurs. In this paper, deformation of micro-mechanical parameters such as tow interval, crimp angle, change in tow amplitude and wavelength are investigated. To observe the micro-deformation of the fabric structure, appropriate specimens from bias extension and biaxial tests are sectioned and observed under the microscope. It was found that different loading conditions cause geometric deferences in the tow architecture. The variation in deformed tow geometry with shear angle is fitted using a simple parametric model.

• Advances in materials Research
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.337-359
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• 2019

Shape Memory Polymer Composites (SMPC) have gained popularity over the last few decades due to its flexible shape memory behaviour over wide range of strains and temperatures. In this paper, non-linear bending analysis has been carried out for SMPC beam under the application of uniformly distributed transverse load (UDL). Simplified C⁰ continuity Finite Element Method (FEM) based on Higher Order Shear Deformation Theory (HSDT) has been adopted for flexural analysis of SMPC. The numerical solutions are obtained by iterative Newton Raphson method. Material properties of SMPC with Shape Memory Polymer (SMP) as matrix and carbon fibre as reinforcements, have been calculated by theory of volume averaging. Effect of temperature on SMPC has been evaluated for numerous parameters for instance number of layers, aspect ratio, boundary conditions, volume fraction of carbon fiber and laminate stacking orientation. Moreover, deflection profile over unit length and behavior of stresses across thickness are also presented to elaborate the effect of glass transition temperature (T_g). Present study provides detailed explanation on effect of different parameters on the bending of SMPC beam for large strain over a broad span of temperature from 273-373K, which encompasses glass transition region of SMPC.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.83 no.4
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• pp.551-561
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• 2022

In this paper, the effect of fire conditions according to ISO 834 standard on the behavior of carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) reinforced steel beams coated with gypsum-based mortar has been investigated numerically. To study the efficiency of these beams, 3D coupled temperature-displacement finite element analyzes have been conducted. Mechanical and thermal characteristics of three different parts of composite beams, i.e., steel, CFRP plate, and fireproof coating, were considered as a function of temperature. The interaction between steel and CFRP plate has been simulated employing the adhesion model. The effect of temperature, CFRP plate reinforcement, and the fireproof coating thickness on the deformation of the beams have been analyzed. The results showed that within the first 120 min of fire exposure, increasing the thickness of the fireproof coating from 1 mm to 10 mm reduced the maximum temperature of the outer surface of the steel beam from 380℃ to 270℃. This increase in the thickness of the fireproof layer decreased the rate of growth in the temperature of the steel beam by approximately 30%. Besides excellent thermal resistance and gypsum-based mortar, the studied fireproof coating method could provide better fire resistance for steel structures and thus can be applied to building materials.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.61 no.4
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• pp.475-481
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• 2017

An overhead travelling crane structure of two doubly symmetric welded box beams is designed for minimum cost. The rails are placed over the inner webs of box beams. The following design constraints are considered: local buckling of web and flange plates, fatigue of the butt K weld under rail and fatigue of fillet welds joining the transverse diaphragms to the box beams, fatigue of CFRP (carbon fibre reinforced plastic) laminate, deflection constraint. For the formulation of constraints the relatively new standard for cranes EN 13001-3-1 (2010) is used. To fulfill the deflection constraint CFRP strengthening should be used. The application of CFRP materials in strengthening of steel and concrete structures are widely used in civil engineering applications due to their unique advantages. In our study, we wanted to show how the mechanical properties of traditional materials can be improved by the application of composite materials and how advanced materials and new production technologies can be applied. In the optimization the following cost parts are considered: material, assembly and welding of the steel structure, material and fabrication cost of CFRP strengthening. The optimization is performed by systematic search using a MathCAD program.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.105-120
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• 2011

The strengthening and rehabilitation of reinforced concrete structures with externally bonded carbon fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) laminates has shown excellent performance and, as a result, this technology is rapidly replacing steel plate bonding techniques. This paper addresses this issue, and presents results deals with the influence of external bonded CFRP-reinforcement on the time-dependent behavior of reinforced concrete beams. A total of eight reinforced concrete beams with cracked and un-cracked section, with and without externally bonded CFRP laminates, were investigated for their creep and shrinkage behavior. All the beams considered in this paper were simply supported and subjected to a uniform sustained loading for the period of six months. The main parameters of this study are two types of sustained load and different degrees of strengthening scheme for both cracked and un-cracked sections of beams. Both analytical and experimental work has been carried out on strengthened beams to investigate the cracking and deflection performance. The applied sustained load was 56% and 38% of the ultimate static capacities of the un-strengthened beams for cracked and un-cracked section respectively. The analytical values based on effective modulus method (EMM) are compared to the experimental results and it is found that the analytical values are in general give conservative estimates of the experimental results. It was concluded that the attachment of CFRP composite laminates has a positive influence on the long term performance of strengthened beams.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.685-699
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• 2023

In recent years, Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) strengthening is found to be one of the best methods to strengthen steel structures. The fibrous bond can also influence the vibration characteristics of the strengthened element apart from its static strength enhancement property. The main objective of this study is to understand the influence of CFRP strengthening on the dynamic Behaviour of Thin-Webbed Castellated Beams (TWCBs). A detailed experimental investigation was carried out on five sets of beams with varying parameters such as domination of shear (Shear Dominant, Moment Dominant and Moment and Shear Dominant), sectional classification (Plastic and Semi-compact) and perforation geometries (h_o/d_wratio 0.65 and e/h_o ratio 0.3). Free vibration analysis was carried out by exciting the simply supported TWCBs with an impact force generated by a ball dropped from a specific height. Logarithmic decrement method was used to obtain the damping ratio and natural frequencies of vibration were found by Fast Fourier Transform (FFT). Natural frequency showed an increase in a range of 10.5 - 55% for the different sets of castellated beams. An increase of 62.30% was noted in the damping ratio of TWCBs after strengthening which is an indication of improvement in the vibration characteristics of the beam.

• Composites Research
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.241-246
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• 2017

The brittle nature in most FRP composites is accompanying other forms of energy absorption mechanisms such as fibre-matrix interface debonding and ply delamination. It could play an important role on the energy absorption capability of composite structures. To solve the brittle nature, the adhesion between pines and composites was studied. Thermal treated pines were attached on carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) by epoxy adhesives. To find the optimum condition of thermal treatment for pine, two different thermal treatments at 160 and $200^{\circ}C$ were compared to the neat case. To evaluate mechanical and interfacial properties of pines and pine/CFRP composites, tensile, lap shear and Izod test were carried out. The bonding force of pine grains was measured by tensile test at transverse direction and the elastic wave from fracture of pines was analyzed. The mechanical, interfacial properties and bonding force at $160^{\circ}C$ treated pine were highest due to the reinforced effect of pine. However, excessive thermal treatment resulted in the degradation of hemicellulose and leads to the deterioration in mechanical and interfacial properties.