• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.73 no.1
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• pp.53-64
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• 2020

In different high seismic regions around the world, many non-ductile existing reinforced concrete frame buildings, built without adequate seismic detailing requirements, have been damaged or collapsed after past earthquakes. The assessment and the retrofit of these non-ductile concrete structures is crucial theme of research for all the scientific community of engineers. In particular, a careful assessment of the existing building is fundamental for understanding the failure mechanisms that govern the collapse of the structure or the achievement of the recommended limit states. Based on the seismic assessment, the best retrofit strategy can be designed and applied to the structure. A school building located in Avellino province (Italy) is the case study. The analysis of seismic vulnerability carried out on the mentioned building has highlighted deficiencies in both static and seismic load conditions. The retrofit of the building has been designed based on different retrofit options in order to show the real retrofit design developed from the engineers to achieve the seismic safety of the building. The retrofit costs associated to structural operations are calculated for each case and have been summed up to the costs of the in situ tests. The paper shows a real retrofit design case study in which the best solution is chosen based on the results in terms of structural performance and cost among the different retrofit options.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.503-517
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• 2024

This study presents an analysis model to estimate the shear strength of a reinforced concrete (RC) member with corroded tensile reinforcements. The thick-walled cylinder theory was modified to fit the dual potential capacity model to reflect interdependent failure mechanisms, including the degradation effect of bonds in corroded tensile reinforcement. In the proposed model, it is considered that the shear failure of corroded RC members with no proper anchorage detail is primarily dominated by the flexural-bond mechanism, where insufficient bond strength is provided owing to corrosion damage. However, when tensile reinforcements are properly anchored in the end regions using end hooks or mechanical devices, it is assumed that the tied-arch action can be developed as a secondary shear transfer mechanism, even under severe corrosion damage. The proposed model was verified by comparison with shear test results of corroded RC members collected from the literature, and it appeared that the proposed model can estimate their shear strengths with a good level of accuracy, regardless of various anchorage details and corrosion rates in tensile reinforcements.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.13 no.5 s.57
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• pp.169-179
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• 2009

The purpose of this paper is to find an efficient heat source to amplify the surface temperature of damaged concrete structures for infrared thermography. we compare two different heat sources of far-infrared lamp and halogen lamp each other for their efficiency. The two heat sources were applied to the concrete specimens. Two different concrete specimens were used: one was the concrete containing internal void and the other was wrapped with partially unbonded fiber reinforced polymer sheet. it was found that the far-infrared lamp was more efficient than the halogen lamp. In addition, we propose a new algorithm to make the damage zone displayed clear in the image obtained from the thermographic operation. The algorithm is a combination of Gauss filtering process and the Prewitt mask operation.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.791-808
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• 2013

The main purpose of this paper is to develop seismic fragility curves for existing reinforced concrete, RC, buildings based on the post earthquake field survey and the seismic performance using capacity design. Existing RC buildings constitute approximately 65% of the total stock in Algiers. This type of buildings, RC, was widely used in the past and chosen as the structural type for the future construction program of more than 2 millions apartments all over Algeria. These buildings, suffered moderate to extensive damage after the 2003 Boumerdes earthquake, on May 21st. The determination of analytical seismic fragility curves for low-rise and mid-rise existing RC buildings was carried out based on the consistent and complete post earthquake survey after that event. The information on the damaged existing RC buildings was investigated and evaluated by experts. Thirty four (34) communes (districts) of fifty seven (57), the most populated and affected by earthquake damage were considered in this study. Utilizing the field observed damage data and the Japanese Seismic Index Methodology, based on the capacity design method. Seismic fragility curves were developed for those buildings with a large number data in order to get a statistically significant sample size. According to the construction period and the code design, four types of existing RC buildings were considered. Buildings designed with pre-code (very poor structural behavior before 1955), Buildings designed with low code (poor structural behavior, between 1955-1981), buildings designed with medium code (moderate structural behavior, between 1981-1999) and buildings designed with high code (good structural behavior, after 1999).

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.219-226
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• 2012

Columns are the key elements supporting load in structure. Column failure causes the structure to collapse. It is important to evaluate residual strength for damaged columns under blast load for preventing progressive collapse. In this paper, columns were investigated to compare the blast resistance on the change of the number of steel bars within the range of reinforcement ratio. And this study was carried out 4 different analytical models to evaluate effects of aspect ratio. The results indicate that the vertical strain was unaffected by the number of steel bars and aspect ratio. As the number of steel bars facing blast load increase, the blast resisting capacity of the columns was improved in the lateral strain. Also, the analysis results showed that a large moment of inertia of area, as compared to a small one would be superior in residual strength as well as force of restitution.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.3 no.3_4
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• pp.365-381
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• 2012

Recent earthquakes have damaged some bridges located on the Pacific Coast of Mexico; these bridges have been retrofitted or rebuilt. Based on the fact that the Pacific Coast is a highly active seismic zone where most of the strong earthquakes in the country occur, one fertile and important area of research is the study of the vulnerability of both new and existent bridges located in this area that can be subjected to strong earthquakes. This work is focused on estimating the contribution of some parameters identified to have major influence on the seismic vulnerability of reinforced concrete bridges. Ten models of typical reinforced concrete (RC) bridges, and two existing bridges located close to the Pacific Coast of Mexico are considered. The group of structures selected for the study is based on two span bridges, two pier heights and two substructure types. The bridges were designed according to recent codes in Mexico. For the vulnerability study, the capacity of the structure was evaluated based on the FEMA recommendations. On the other hand, the demand was evaluated using a group of more than one hundred accelerograms recorded close to the subduction zone of Mexico. The results show that the two existent bridges analyzed show similar trends of behavior of the group of bridge models studied. In spite of the contribution that traditional variables (height and substructure type) had to the bridge seismic response, the bridge length was also found to be one of the parameters that most contributed to the seismic vulnerability of these RC medium-length bridges.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.85 no.6
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• pp.793-808
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• 2023

Türkiye is located in a region where destructive earthquakes are frequently experienced due to its geological characteristics and geographical location. Therefore, considering the possibility of a devastating earthquake at any time, determining the reinforced concrete (RC) building seismic safety, constructed before or after the current seismic buildings code, is one of the most important issues to be completed firstly. For this purpose, rapid assessment methods developed to quickly determine the seismic safety of buildings are available in the literature. Comparison of the principles of Principles of the Determination of Risky Structures-2019, Column and Wall Index Method, P25 Scoring Method and Improved Discriminant Analysis Method, which are among these methods, have been aimed within the scope of this study. Within the scope of this paper, a total of 43 buildings in the Yalova/Çınarcık region of Türkiye that the damage level was determined by street observation method immediately after the 1999 Kocaeli (Izmit) Earthquake; 15 buildings with heavy damage and 28 buildings with moderate damage were examined by rapid assessment methods. Although the risk detection difference was not separated as a clear line in any of the methods used, the results obtained from the rapid assessment methods are evaluated as being compatible with the detected after earthquake structural seismic behavior of the buildings. The PDRS-2019 and column and wall index method gave the most approximate results. In the results obtained from the analyzes; structural features such as number of floors, frame continuity, soft/weak story irregularity, effective shear strength area, existence of heavy overhangs in plan, type of structural system have been found to be significantly effective on the earthquake behavior of buildings.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.87-94
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• 2017

In the nuclear power plant, the steel or polymer liner plates are adopted to prohibit the inner concrete surface from contacting with gas or liquid materials. If there is an accident, the plate may be damaged, and, in this case, concrete shall have the final responsibility to safety requirements. In this paper, an experimental research was carried out to investigate the effects of construction joint and wet and loading conditions on the permeability of concrete. The test results showed that, under a construction joint in the wet condition, leakage of gas pressure has been started from $1kg/cm^2$. However, when there are no construction joints, it is initiated from $2kg/cm^2$. In addition, under the air dried and unloading condition, regardless of with or without the presence of the construction joint, since the gas passage that exist in concrete is constant, leakage has a constant tendency to increase. Finally, under the loading condition, as described in Reference 1, since leakage is inversely proportional to the thickness of the wall, and, considering the wall thickness of the actual plant, it is found that there will not be no problem in the sealing of the gas.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.627-634
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• 2014

In this study, standoff detonation tests and static beam tests on $160{\times}290{\times}2200mm$ RC beams were conducted to investigate the effect of local damage on the flexural strength and ductility index. And also, blast resistance of RC beams strengthened with steel fiber and FRP sheet were evaluated by these tests. The standoff detonation tests were performed with charge weight of 1kg and standoff distance of 0.1m. After the tests, crater diameters and loss weights of specimens were measured to evaluate the local damage of specimens. Flexural strength and ductility index were measured by conducting the static beam tests on the damaged and undamaged specimens. As a test results, normal concrete specimen(NC) showed relatively large crater and spall diameters that caused weight loss of 23.5kg as a local damage. Whereas, steel fiber reinforced concrete specimen(SFRC) and FRP sheet retrofitted specimens(NC-F, NC-FS) showed higher blast resistance than NC by reducing crater size and weight loss. Flexural strength and ductility index were decreased in case of local damaged specimens by detonation. Especially, large decrease of flexural strength was shown in NC as compared with intact specimen and brittle failure was occurred due to buckling of compressive reinforcement. In case of specimens strengthened with steel fiber and FRP sheet, residual flexural strength and ductility index were increased as compared with NC. In these results, it is concluded that critical local damage can be occurred unless enough standoff distance can be assured even if the charge weight is small. and it is verified that strengthening method using steel fiber and FRP sheet can increase blast resistance.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.103-120
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• 2021

This research examines the eccentric compression performance of composite columns composed of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC)-filled square steel tube and profile steel. A total of 17 specimens on the composite columns with different recycled coarse aggregate (RCA) replacement percentage, RAC strength, width to thickness ratio of square steel tube, profile steel ratio, eccentricity and slenderness ratio were subjected to eccentric compression tests. The failure process and characteristic of specimens under eccentric compression loading were observed in detail. The load-lateral deflection curves, load-train curves and strain distribution on the cross section of the composite columns were also obtained and described on the basis of test data. Results corroborate that the failure characteristics and modes of the specimens with different design parameters were basically similar under eccentric compression loads. The compression side of square steel tube yields first, followed by the compression side of profile steel. Finally, the RAC in the columns was crushed and the apparent local bulging of square steel tube was also observed, which meant that the composite column was damaged and failed. The composite columns under eccentric compression loading suffered from typical bending failure. Moreover, the eccentric bearing capacity and deformation of the specimens decreased as the RCA replacement percentage and width to thickness ratio of square steel tube increased, respectively. Slenderness ratio and eccentricity had a significantly adverse effect on the eccentric compression performance of composite columns. But overall, the composite columns generally had high-bearing capacity and good deformation. Meanwhile, the mechanism of the composite columns under eccentric compression loads was also analysed in detail, and the calculation formulas on the eccentric compression capacity of composite columns were proposed via the limit equilibrium analysis method. The calculation results of the eccentric compression capacity of columns are consistent with the test results, which verify the validity of the formulas, and the conclusions can serve as references for the engineering application of this kind of composite columns.