• Composites Research
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.115-124
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• 2020

Laminate composites, especially Carbon fiber-reinforced composites are wide used in various industry such as aerospace and automotive industry due to their high specific strength and specific stiffness. However, the laminate composites has a big disadvantage that delamination occurs because the arrangement of the fibers is all arranged in the in-plane direction, which limits the field of application of the laminate composites. In this study, we first developed a laminate composites T-beam in which π-beam and flat plate were combined and optimized the design parameters through structural analysis and mechanical tests. Afterwards, 3D weave preform T-beam was developed by applying the same design parameters of laminate composites T-beams, and improved mechanical strength was achieved compared to laminated structures. These findings are expected to be applicable to existing laminated composite structures that require increased strength.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.2 no.5
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• pp.355-378
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• 2002

Use of composite steel construction with precast hollow core slabs is now popular in the UK, but the present knowledge in shear capacity of the headed shear studs for this type of composite construction is very limited. Currently, all the information is based on the results obtained from experimental push-off tests. A finite element model to simulate the behaviour of headed stud shear connection in composite beam with precast hollow core slabs is described. The model is based on finite element method and takes into account the linear and non-linear behaviour of all the materials. The model has been validated against the test results, for which the accuracy of the model used is demonstrated. Parametric studies showing the effect of the change in transverse gap size, transverse reinforcement diameter and in-situ concrete strength on the shear connection capacity are presented.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.495-508
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• 2018

In this paper, cyclic loading tests on composite frame inner joints of steel-reinforced recycled concrete (SRRC) column-steel beam were conducted. The main objective of the test was to obtain the shear behavior and analyze the shear strength of the joints. The main design parameters in the test were recycled coarse aggregate (RCA) replacement percentage and axial compression ratio. The failure process, failure modes, hysteresis curves and strain characteristics of the joints were obtained, and the influences of design parameters on the shear strength of the joints have been also analysed in detail. Results show that the failure modes of the joints area are typical shear failure. The shear bearing capacity of the joints maximally decreased by 10.07% with the increase in the RCA replacement percentage, whereas the shear bearing capacity of the joints maximally increased by 16.6% with the increase in the axial compression ratio. A specific strain analysis suggests that the shear bearing capacity of the joints was mainly provided by the three shear elements of the recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) diagonal compression strut, steel webs and stirrups of the joint area. According to the shear mechanism and test results, the calculation formulas of the shear bearing capacity of the three main shear elements were deduced separately. Thus, the calculation model of the shear bearing capacity of the composite joints considering the adverse effects of the RCA replacement percentage was established through a superposition method. The calculated values of shear strength based on the calculation model were in good agreement with the test values. It indicates that the calculation method in this study can reasonably predict the shear bearing capacity of the composite frame inner joints of SRRC column-steel beam.

• Advanced Composite Materials
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.95-113
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• 2007

Experimental investigations of interlaminar mechanical properties for carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) laminates were carried out using aramid fiber ($Kevlar^{(R)}$-29 1000d) and carbon fiber (TR40-1K 612d, Mitsubishi Rayon) stitching. Various carbon fiber (CF) stitch densities were used to prepare a number of CF stitched CFRP laminates for double cantilever beam (DCB) tests. An insert tongue-type loading fixture, developed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (formerly the National Aerospace Laboratory of Japan), was also employed in the DCB test. Interlaminar tension tests were carried out under an out-of-plane directional loading using a single CF stitch thread in the CFRP laminates. The DCB test results clarified that the relationship between the volume fractions of the CF stitch thread ($V_{ft}$) and mode I critical energy release rate ($G_{Ic}$) showed a mostly linear function with a higher gradient than that of the $Kevlar^{(R)}$ stitched CFRP laminates. The CF stitched CFRP tension test results indicated that the consumption energy per unit area ($E_i$) was larger than that of $Kevlar^{(R)}$ stitched CFRP laminates.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.171-188
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• 2020

The past research on cold-formed steel (CFS) flexural members have proved that rectangular hollow flanged sections perform better than conventional I-sections due to their higher torsional rigidity over the later ones. However, CFS members are vulnerable to local buckling, substantially due to their thin-walled features. The use of packing, such as firmly connected timber planks, to the flanges of conventional CFS lipped I-sections can drastically improve their flexural performance as well as structural efficiency. Whilst several CFS composites have been developed so far, only limited packing materials have been tried. This paper presents a series of tests carried out on different rectangular hollow compression flanged sections with innovative packing materials. Four-point flexural tests were carried out to assess the flexural capacity, failure modes and deformed shapes of the CFS composite beam specimens. The geometric imperfections were measured and reported. The North American Specifications and Indian Standard for cold-formed steel structures were used to compare the design strengths of the experimental specimen. The test results indicate clearly that CFS rectangular 'compression' flanged composite beams perform significantly better than the conventional rectangular hollow flanged CFS sections.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.9-19
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• 2019

This paper describes an experimental investigation on hybrid fiber reinforced concrete (HYFRC) beams. And the main aim of this present paper is to examine the dynamic characteristics and damage evaluation of undamaged and damaged HYFRC beams under free-free constraints. In this experimental work, totally four RC beams were cast and analyzed in order to evaluate the dynamic behavior as well as static load behavior of HYFRCs. Hybrid fiber reinforced concrete beams have been cast by incorporating two different fibers such as steel and polypropylene (PP). Damage of HYFRC beams was obtained by cracking of concrete for one of the beams in each set under four-point bending tests with different percentage variation of damage levels as 50%, 70% and 90% of maximum ultimate load. And the main dynamic characteristics such as damping, fundamental natural frequencies, mode shapes and frequency response function at each and every damage level has been assessed by means of non-destructive technique (NDT) with hammer excitation. The fundamental natural frequency and damping values obtained through dynamic tests for HYFRC beams were compared with control (reference) RC beam at each level of damage which has been acquired through static tests. The static experimental test results emphasize that the HYFRC beam has attained higher ultimate load as compared with control reinforced concrete beam.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.261-279
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• 2010

Generally, a box tube, which is used for an existing square CFT structure, is made by welding four plates. The manufacturing efficiency of this steel tube is poor, and it also needs special welding technology to weld its internal diaphragm and the through diaphragm. Therefore, an interior-anchor-type square steel tube was developed using the method of cold-forming thin plates to prevent welding of the stress concentration position, and to maximize the section efficiency. And, considering of the flow of beam flange load, the efficiency of erection and the weldability of the diaphragm to thin walled steel column, the external diaphragm connection was selected as the suitable type for the welded built-up square CFT column to beam connection. And, an analytical study and tests were conducted to evaluate the structural performance of the suggested connection details and to verify the suggested equations for the connection details. Through this study, the composite effect of the internal anchor to concrete, the resistance and stress distribution of the connections before and after the existing column is welded to the beam, the effective location of welding in connection were analyzed.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.23-43
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• 2010

In this paper, a nonlinear model is developed using the component method in order to represent the response of steel connections under various loading conditions and temperature variations. The model is capable of depicting the behaviour of a number of typical connection types including endplate forms (extended and flush) and angle configurations (double web, top and seat, and combined top-seat-web) in both steel and composite framed structures. The implementation is undertaken within the finite element program ADAPTIC, which accounts for material and geometric nonlinearities. Verification of the proposed connection model is carried out by comparing analytical simulations with available results of isolated joint tests for the ambient case, and isolated joint as well as sub-frame tests for elevated temperature conditions. The findings illustrate the reliability and efficiency of the proposed model in capturing the stiffness and strength properties of connections, hence highlighting the adequacy of the component approach in simulating the overall joint behaviour at elevated temperature.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.5 no.6
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• pp.459-484
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• 2005

In recent years, the use of steel tube confined concrete (STCC) columns has been the interests of many structural engineers. The present study is an attempt to study the monotonic and cyclic behaviours of STCC columns. For the monotonic behaviours, a series of tests on STCC stub columns (twenty one), and beam-columns (twenty) were carried out. The main parameters varied in the tests are: (1) column section types, circular and square; (2) tube diameter (or width) to thickness ratio, from 40 to 162, and (3) load eccentricity ratio (e/r), from 0 to 0.5. For the cyclic behaviours, the test parameters included the sectional types and the axial load level (n). Twelve STCC column specimens, including 6 specimens with circular sections and 6 specimens with square sections were tested under constant axial load and cyclically increasing flexural loading. Comparisons are made with predicted column strengths and flexural stiffness using the existing codes. It was found that STCC columns exhibit very high levels of energy dissipation and ductility, particularly when subjected to high axial loads. Generally, the energy dissipation ability of the columns with circular sections was much higher than those of the specimens with square sections. Comparisons are made with predicted column strengths and flexural stiffness using the existing codes such as AIJ-1997, AISCLRFD- 1994, BS5400-1979 and EC4-1994.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.107-123
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• 2018

The conception and experimental assessment of a removable friction-based shear connector (FBSC) for precast steel-concrete composite bridges is presented. The FBSC uses pre-tensioned high-strength steel bolts that pass through countersunk holes drilled on the top flange of the steel beam. Pre-tensioning of the bolts provides the FBSC with significant frictional resistance that essentially prevents relative slip displacement of the concrete slab with respect to the steel beam under service loading. The countersunk holes are grouted to prevent sudden slip of the FBSC when friction resistance is exceeded. Moreover, the FBSC promotes accelerated bridge construction by fully exploiting prefabrication, does not raise issues relevant to precast construction tolerances, and allows rapid bridge disassembly to drastically reduce the time needed to replace any deteriorating structural component (e.g., the bridge deck). A series of 11 push-out tests highlight why the novel structural details of the FBSC result in superior shear load-slip displacement behavior compared to welded shear studs. The paper also quantifies the effects of bolt diameter and bolt preload and presents a design equation to predict the shear resistance of the FBSC.