• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.575-585
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• 2007

In this study, a new design equation was presented for square CFTs with high-strength concrete subjected to axial compression and bending. In a previous study, a design equation for square CFTs with normal strength concrete was proposed. A parametric study by fiber analysis was performed taking the width-to-thickness ratio (b/t) and the relative concrete strength to the yield strength of the steel tube (fck/Fy) as the main parameters of this study to determine the maximum moment and the axial load at the maximum moment. A new constitutive model for concrete was adopted for fiber analysis in order to take into account the effect of high-strength concrete. The results of the parametric study were embedded into the method which was presented in the previous study to formulate a new design equation that can be easily used for estimating the strength of square CFTs with high-strength concrete.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.763-785
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• 2008

In this study, a flexibility-based finite element method considering geometric and material nonlinearities is developed for analyzing steel-concrete frame structures. The stability functions obtained from the exact buckling solution of the beam-column subjected to end moments are used to accurately capture the second-order effects. The proposed method uses the force interpolation functions, including a moment magnification due to the axial force and lateral displacement. Thus, only one element per a physical member can account for the interaction between the bending moment and the axial force in a rational way. The proposed method applies the Newton method based on the load control and uses the secant stiffness method, which is computationally both efficient and stable. According to the evaluation result of this study, the proposed method consistently well predicts the nonlinear inelastic behavior of steel-concrete composite frames and gives good efficiency.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.477-490
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• 2013

This paper presents results of calculations performed according to our own semi-empirical mathematical model of critical vortex excitation. All calculations are carried out using own computer program, which allows the simulation of both the across-wind action caused by vortices and the lateral response of analysed structures. Vortex excitation simulations were performed in real time taking into account wind-structure interaction. Several structures of circular cross-sections were modelled using a FEM program and calculated under the action of critical vortex excitation. Six steel chimneys, six concrete chimneys and two concrete towers were considered. The method of selection and estimation of the experimental parameters describing the model are also presented. Finally, the results concerning maximum lateral top displacements of the structures are compared with available full-scale data for steel and concrete chimneys.

• Coupled systems mechanics
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.195-211
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• 2014

When strong seismic forces act on reinforced concrete structures, their beam-column connections are very susceptible to damage during the earthquake event. The aim of this numerical work is to evaluate the influence of the internal steel reinforcement array on the nonlinear response of a RC beam-column connection when it is subjected to strong cyclic loading -as a seismic load. For this, two specimens (extracted from an experimental test of 12 RC beam-column connections reported in literature) were modeled in the Finite Element code FEAP considering different stirrup's arrays. In order to evaluate the nonlinear response of the RC beam-column connection, the 2D model takes into account the nonlinear thermodynamic behavior of each component: for concrete, a damage model is used; for steel reinforcement, it is adopted a classical plasticity model; in the case of the steel-concrete bonding, this one is considered perfect without degradation. At the end, we show a comparison between the experimental test's responses and the numerical results, which includes the distribution of shear stresses and damage inside the concrete core of the beam-column connection; in the other hand, the effects on the connection of a low and high state of confinement are analyzed for all cases.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.299-322
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• 2013

In the case of seismic-resistant composite dual moment resisting and eccentrically braced frames, the current design practice is to avoid the disposition of shear connectors in the expected plastic zones, and consequently to consider a symmetric moment or shear plastic hinges, which occur only in the steel beam or link. Even without connectors, the real behaviour of the hinge may be different from the symmetric assumption, since the reinforced concrete slab is connected to the steel element close to the hinge locations, and also due to contact friction between the concrete slab and the steel element. The paper presents the results and conclusions of experimental tests on composite portal eccentrically braced frames and beam-to-column moment-resisting joints, carried out within the CEMSIG Research Centre of the Politehnica University of Timisoara, in order to check the validity of the assumption stated above. Reference steel and composite specimens with and without connectors in the plastic zones have been tested under monotonic and cyclic seismic type loading.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.107-136
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• 2006

The present paper proposes a semi-empirical analytical expression that is capable of determining the shear strength of reinforced concrete beams with longitudinal bars, in the presence of reinforcing fibers and transverse stirrups. The expression is based on an evaluation of the strength contribution of beam and arch actions and it makes it possible to take their interaction with the fibers into account. For the strength contribution of stirrups, the effective stress reached at beam failure was considered by introducing an effectiveness function. This function shows the share of beam action strength contribution on the global strength of the beam calculated including the effect of fibers. The expression is calibrated on the basis of experimental data available in literature referring to fibrous reinforced concrete beams with steel fibers and recently obtained by the authors. It can also include the following variables in the strength previsions: - geometrical ratio of longitudinal bars in tension; - shear span to depth ratio; - strength of materials and fiber characteristics; - size effects. Finally, some of the more recent analytical expressions that are capable of predicting the shear strength of fibrous concrete beams, also in the presence of stirrups, are mentioned and a comparison is made with experimental data and with the results obtained by the authors.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.21-41
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• 2010

Multi-span steel-concrete composite (SCC) bridges are very sensitive to earthquake loading. Extensive damage may occur not only in the substructures (piers), which are expected to yield, but also in the other components (e.g., deck, abutments) involved in carrying the seismic loads. Current seismic codes allow the design of regular bridges by means of linear elastic analysis based on inelastic design spectra. In bridges with superstructure transverse motion restrained at the abutments, a dual load path behavior is observed. The sequential yielding of the piers can lead to a substantial change in the stiffness distribution. Thus, force distributions and displacement demand can significantly differ from linear elastic analysis predictions. The objectives of this study are assessing the influence of piers-deck stiffness ratio and of soil-structure interaction effects on the seismic behavior of continuous SCC bridges with dual load path, and evaluating the suitability of linear elastic analysis in predicting the actual seismic behavior of these bridges. Parametric analysis results are presented and discussed for a common bridge typology. The response dependence on the parameters is studied by nonlinear multi-record incremental dynamic analysis (IDA). Comparisons are made with linear time history analysis results. The results presented suggest that simplified linear elastic analysis based on inelastic design spectra could produce very inaccurate estimates of the structural behavior of SCC bridges with dual load path.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.35-47
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• 2005

This paper presents the results of a series of tests carried out on hollow and concrete-filled coldformed steel sections subjected to axial and bending forces. The effects of eccentricity ratio and strength of in-fill on the behaviour of these sections were studied. A total of forty-eight medium sized columns and six beams were tested to failure. Extensive measurements of material properties, strains, axial shortening and lateral deflection were carried out. Interaction of local and overall buckling was observed in the tests. Failure mode observations were local buckling coupled with overall buckling. A description of the specially fabricated end fixtures for applying eccentric loading to the columns and to simulate pinned end condition is also presented. The experimental results of hollow columns are compared with the existing Indian, British and American codes of practice and the results of concrete-filled columns are compared with EC4 recommendations. It is seen that in the case of hollow columns predictions based on British and American codes of practice and in the case of concrete-filled columns predictions based on EC4 recommendations agree reasonably well with the experimental results. From the experiments it is seen that the provision of in-fill substantially increases the ultimate load carrying capacity of the order of one and a half to two times and the increase in strength of the in-filled concrete from a low grade concrete of compressive strength 24.94 MPa to a high grade concrete of compressive strength 33.26 MPa increases the ultimate load carrying capacity by one and a half times irrespective of the eccentricity of loading.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 2006.04a
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• pp.141-148
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• 2006

Concrete in a CFT(Concrete Filled Tube) column has enhanced strength and ductility because it is triaxially confined by a steel tube. But CFT columns are designed based on linear analyses by stress block method without the confining effect or the nonlinearity of the concrete. These make the significantly difference between the analysis results and the experimental results. Thus in this study, a nonlinear CFT column model was developed considering the confining effect on the concrete in a CFT column. This developed model was verified by experimental results from other researchers and compared with the results of various specifications. With the developed model, parametric studies were performed and the developed column model showed reasonable and accurate results.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.151-166
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• 2004

The interaction between concrete core expansion and deformation of perimeter ties has been known to have a significant effect on the effective confinement of rectangular reinforced concrete (RC) tied columns. This interaction produces passive confining pressure to the concrete core. Most existing models for determining the response of RC tied columns do not directly account for the influence of flexural stiffness of the ties and the variation of confining stress along the column height. This study presents a procedure for determining the confined compressive strength of RC square columns confined by rectilinear ties with various tie configurations considering directly the influence of flexural flexibility of the ties and the variation of confining stress along the vertical direction. The concept of area compatibility is employed to ensure compatibility of the concrete core and steel hoop in a global sense. The proposed procedure yields satisfactory predictions of confined strengths compared with experimental results, and the influence of tie flexibility, tie configuration and degree of confinement can be well captured.