• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.31-51
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• 2012

Local buckling can be ignored for hot-rolled ordinary strength steel equal angle compression members, because the width-to-thickness ratios of the leg don't exceed the limit value. With the development of steel structures, Q420 high strength steel angles with the nominal yield strength of 420 MPa have begun to be widely used in China. Because of the high strength, the limit value of the width-to-thickness ratio becomes smaller than that of ordinary steel strength, which causes that the width-to-thickness ratios of some hot-rolled steel angle sections exceed the limit value. Consequently, local buckling must be considered for 420 MPa steel equal angles under axial compression. The existing research on the local buckling of high strength steel members under axial compression is briefly summarized, and it shows that there is lack of study on the local buckling of high strength steel equal angles under axial compression. Aiming at the local buckling of high strength steel angles, this paper conducts an axial compression experiment of 420MPa high strength steel equal angles, including 15 stub columns. The test results are compared with the corresponding design methods in ANSI/AISC 360-05 and Eurocode 3. Then a finite element model is developed to analyze the local buckling behavior of high strength steel equal angles under axial compression, and validated by the test results. Following the validation, a finite element parametric study is conducted to study the influences of a range of parameters, and the analysis results are compared with the design strengths by ANSI/AISC 360-05 and Eurocode 3.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.207-222
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• 2010

Fire incident in buildings is common, so the fire safety design of the framed structure is imperative, especially for the unprotected or partly protected bare steel frames. However, software for structural fire analysis is not widely available. As a result, the performance-based structural fire design is urged on the basis of using user-friendly and conventional nonlinear computer analysis programs so that engineers do not need to acquire new structural analysis software for structural fire analysis and design. The tool is desired to have the capacity of simulating the different fire scenarios and associated detrimental effects efficiently, which includes second-order P-D and P-d effects and material yielding. Also the nonlinear behaviour of large-scale structure becomes complicated when under fire, and thus its simulation relies on an efficient and effective numerical analysis to cope with intricate nonlinear effects due to fire. To this end, the present fire study utilizes a second-order elastic/plastic analysis software NIDA to predict structural behaviour of bare steel framed structures at elevated temperatures. This fire study considers thermal expansion and material degradation due to heating. Degradation of material strength with increasing temperature is included by a set of temperature-stress-strain curves according to BS5950 Part 8 mainly, which implicitly allows for creep deformation. This finite element stiffness formulation of beam-column elements is derived from the fifth-order PEP element which facilitates the computer modeling by one member per element. The Newton-Raphson method is used in the nonlinear solution procedure in order to trace the nonlinear equilibrium path at specified elevated temperatures. Several numerical and experimental verifications of framed structures are presented and compared against solutions in literature. The proposed method permits engineers to adopt the performance-based structural fire analysis and design using typical second-order nonlinear structural analysis software.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.497-520
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• 2016

The confined concrete stress-strain curves utilised in computational models of concrete-filled steel tubular (CFST) columns can have a significant influence on the accuracy of the predicted behaviour. A generic model is proposed for predicting the stress-strain behaviour of confined concrete in short circular, elliptical and octagonal CFST columns subjected to axial compression. The finite element (FE) analysis is carried out to simulate the concrete confining pressure in short circular, elliptical and octagonal CFST columns. The concrete confining pressure relies on the geometric and material parameters of CFST columns. The post-peak behaviour of the concrete stress-strain curve is determined using independent existing experimental results. The strength reduction factor is derived for predicting the descending part of the confined concrete behaviour. The fibre element model is developed for the analysis of circular, elliptical and octagonal CFST short columns under axial loading. The FE model and fibre element model accounting for the proposed concrete confined model is verified by comparing the computed results with experimental results. The ultimate axial strengths and complete axial load-strain curves obtained from the FE model and fibre element model agree reasonably well with experimental results. Parametric studies have been carried out to examine the effects of important parameters on the compressive behaviour of short circular, elliptical and octagonal CFST columns. The design model proposed by Liang and Fragomeni (2009) for short circular, elliptical and octagonal CFST columns is validated by comparing the predicted results with experimental results.

• Computational Structural Engineering
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.103-111
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• 1994

Based on a variational principle of the consistent shear deformable discrete laminate theory derived in the companion paper Part I, a finite element procedure for the vibration analysis of laminated composite plates is presented. The present formulation takes the in-plane displacements of an arbitrary layer, the rotations of the cross section of each layer and transverse displacement of the plate as the state variables at a nodal point of finite element, resulting in total nodal degree of freedom of 2(n+l) +1 for the n-layered laminate. Thus, it allows to specify displacement boundary conditions of layer stretching and/or rotation of layer cross sections around the plate edge and/or lateral displacement. The developed procedure is applied to the free vibration problem for sandwich-type hybrid laminates composed of layers with drastically different material properties whose elasticity solutions are known. Comparison of analysis results with other FEM solutions showed that the present formulation yields better accuracy.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.37-66
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• 2019

In cold-formed steel structures, such as trusses, wall frames and portal frames, the use of back-to-back built-up cold-formed stainless-steel lipped channels as compression members are becoming increasingly popular. The advantages of using stainless-steel as structural members are corrosion resistance and durability, compared with carbon steel. The AISI/ASCE Standard, SEI/ASCE-8-02 and AS/NZS do not include the design of stainless-steel built-up channels and very few experimental tests or finite element analyses have been reported in the literature for such back-to back cold-formed stainless-steel channels. Current guidance by the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) and the Australian and New Zealand (gAS/NZS) standards for built-up carbon steel sections only describe a modified slenderness approach, to consider the spacing of the intermediate fasteners. Thus, this paper presents a numerical investigation on the behavior of back-to-back cold-formed stainless-steel built-up lipped channels. Three different grades of stainless steel i.e., duplex EN1.4462, ferritic EN1.4003 and austenitic EN1.4404 have been considered. Effect of screw spacing on the axial strength of such built-up channels was investigated. As expected, most of the short and intermediate columns failed by either local-global or local-distortional buckling interactions, whereas the long columns, failed by global buckling. All three grades of stainless-steel stub columns failed by local buckling. A comprehensive parametric study was then carried out covering a wide range of slenderness and different cross-sectional geometries to assess the performance of the current design guidelines by AISI and AS/NZS. In total, 647 finite element models were analyzed. From the results of the parametric study, it was found that the AISI & AS/NZS are conservative by around 10 to 20% for cold-formed stainless-steel built-up lipped channels failed through overall buckling, irrespective of the stainless-steel grades. However, the AISI and AS/NZS can be un-conservative by around 6% for all three grades of stainless-steel built-up channels, which failed by local buckling.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.99-117
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• 2015

The Stonecutters Bridge (SCB) in Hong Kong is the third-longest cable-stayed bridge in the world with a main span stretching 1,018 m between two 298 m high single-leg tapering composite towers. A Wind and Structural Health Monitoring System (WASHMS) is being implemented on SCB by the Highways Department of The Hong Kong SAR Government, and the SCB-WASHMS is composed of more than 1,300 sensors in 15 types. In order to establish a linkage between structural health monitoring and maintenance management, a Structural Health Rating System (SHRS) with relevant rating tools and indices is devised. On the basis of a 3D space frame finite element model (FEM) of SCB and model updating, this paper presents the development of an SHR-oriented 3D multi-scale FEM for the purpose of load-resistance analysis and damage evaluation in structural element level, including modeling, refinement and validation of the multi-scale FEM. The refined 3D structural segments at deck and towers are established in critical segment positions corresponding to maximum cable forces. The components in the critical segment region are modeled as a full 3D FEM and fitted into the 3D space frame FEM. The boundary conditions between beam and shell elements are performed conforming to equivalent stiffness, effective mass and compatibility of deformation. The 3D multi-scale FEM is verified by the in-situ measured dynamic characteristics and static response. A good agreement between the FEM and measurement results indicates that the 3D multi-scale FEM is precise and efficient for WASHMS and SHRS of SCB. In addition, stress distribution and concentration of the critical segments in the 3D multi-scale FEM under temperature loads, static wind loads and equivalent seismic loads are investigated. Stress concentration elements under equivalent seismic loads exist in the anchor zone in steel/concrete beam and the anchor plate edge in steel anchor box of the towers.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.663-678
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• 2020

This paper proposes a novel topology optimization method generating multiple materials for external linear plane crack structures based on the combination of IsoGeometric Analysis (IGA) and eXtended Finite Element Method (X-FEM). A so-called eXtended IsoGeometric Analysis (X-IGA) is derived for a mechanical description of a strong discontinuity state's continuous boundaries through the inherited special properties of X-FEM. In X-IGA, control points and patches play the same role with nodes and sub-domains in the finite element method. While being similar to X-FEM, enrichment functions are added to finite element approximation without any mesh generation. The geometry of structures based on basic functions of Non-Uniform Rational B-Splines (NURBS) provides accurate and reliable results. Moreover, the basis function to define the geometry becomes a systematic p-refinement to control the field approximation order without altering the geometry or its parameterization. The accuracy of analytical solutions of X-IGA for the crack problem, which is superior to a conventional X-FEM, guarantees the reliability of the optimal multi-material retrofitting against external cracks through using topology optimization. Topology optimization is applied to the minimal compliance design of two-dimensional plane linear cracked structures retrofitted by multiple distinct materials to prevent the propagation of the present crack pattern. The alternating active-phase algorithm with optimality criteria-based algorithms is employed to update design variables of element densities. Numerical results under different lengths, positions, and angles of given cracks verify the proposed method's efficiency and feasibility in using X-IGA compared to a conventional X-FEM.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.617-631
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• 2022

To study the eccentric compressive performance of the basalt-fiber reinforced recycled aggregate concrete (BFRRAC)-filled circular steel tubular stub column, 8 specimens with different replacement ratios of recycled coarse aggregate (RCA), basalt fiber (BF) dosage, strength grade of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) and eccentricity were tested under eccentric static loading. The failure mode of the specimens was observed, and the relationship curves during the entire loading process were obtained. Further, the load-lateral displacement curve was simulated and verified. The influence of the different parameters on the peak bearing capacity of the specimens was analyzed, and the finite element analysis model was established under eccentric compression. Further, the design-calculation method of the eccentric bearing capacity for the specimens was suggested. It was observed that the strength failure is the ultimate point during the eccentric compression of the BFRRAC-filled circular steel tubular stub column. The shape of the load-lateral deflection curves of all specimens was similar. After the peak load was reached, the lateral deflection in the column was rapidly increased. The peak bearing capacity decreased on enhancing the replacement ratio or eccentric distance, while the core RAC strength exhibited the opposite behavior. The ultimate bearing capacity of the BFRRAC-filled circular steel tubular stub column under eccentric compression calculated based on the limit analysis theory was in good agreement with the experimental values. Further, the finite element model of the eccentric compression of the BFRRAC-filled circular steel tubular stub column could effectively analyze the eccentric mechanical properties.

• Composites Research
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.143-149
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• 2024

This paper measures the mechanical properties of corrugated cardboard, an eco-friendly packaging material, and applies these measurements to the MAT_PAPER model in LS-DYNA for finite element analysis. Although MAT_PAPER is primarily designed for modeling the behavior of paper, this research demonstrates its applicability to corrugated cardboard as well. Tensile, compression, and shear behaviors of a corrugated cardboard were measured and analyzed, and based on these results, six yield surfaces were derived and integrated into the MAT_PAPER model. By comparing the finite element analysis of the material tests and the low velocity collapse analysis of the corrugated cardboard square boxes with each experimental results, it was shown that the behavior of corrugated cardboard could be equivalently considered well by the MAT_PAPER model. However, since the model is not rate-dependent, the high strain rate properties of liner materials were measured and used for strain rate correction. Consequently, this matches well with the results of the high-speed compression tests of the corrugated cardboard square boxes.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.43-54
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• 2020

This paper presents an innovative stress-function variational approach in formulating the interfacial shear and normal stresses in an externally bonded concrete joint using carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) plies. The joint is subjected to surface traction loadings applied at both ends of the concrete substrate layer. By introducing two interfacial shear and normal stress functions on the CFRP-concrete interface, based on Euler-Bernoulli beam idea and static stress equations of equilibrium, the entire stress fields of the joint were determined. The complementary strain energy was minimized in order to solve the governing equation of the joint. This yields an ordinary differential equation from which the interfacial normal and shear stresses were proposed explicitly, satisfying all the multiple traction boundary conditions. Lamination theory for composite materials was also employed to obtain the interfacial stresses. The proposed approach was validated by the analytic models in the literature as well as through a comprehensive computational code generated by the authors. Furthermore, a numerical verification was carried out via the finite element software ABAQUS. In the end, a scaling analysis was conducted to analyze the interfacial stress field dependence of the joint upon effective issues using the devised code.