• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.135-148
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• 2021

Hollow structural section (HSS) columns have been increasingly popular due to their structural and architectural merits. However, practical difficulty lies in developing proper connections. The through-diaphragm connections are considered as suitable connection type that is widely adopted in Asian countries. However, the stress concentration occurs at the location connecting through-diaphragm and steel beam. Furthermore, the actual load path from the beam flange is not uniformly transferred to the HSS column as conventionally assumed. In this paper, tensile tests were further conducted on three additional specimens with beam flange plate to evaluate the load versus displacement response. The load-displacement curves, yield and ultimate capacity, ductility ratio were obtained. Furthermore, the strain development at different loading levels was discussed comprehensively. It is shown that the studied connection configuration significantly reduces the stress concentration. Meanwhile, simplified trilinear load-displacement analytical model for specimen under tensile load was presented. Good agreement was found between the theoretical and experimental results.

• Journal of the Architectural Institute of Korea Structure & Construction
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• v.34 no.12
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• pp.35-40
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• 2018

In this study, experimental research was carried out to evaluate the seismic performance of reinforced concrete exterior beam-column joint regions using hybrid retrofitting with AFRP sheets and embedded CFRP reinforcements in existing reinforced concrete building. Therefore it was constructed and tested three specimens retrofitting the beam-column joint regions using such retrofitting materials. Specimens, designed by retrofitting the beam-column joint regions of existing reinforced concrete structure, were showed the stable failure mode and increase of load-carrying capacity due to the effect of crack control at the times of initial loading and confinement of retrofitting materials during testing. Specimens RBCJ-SRA3 designed by the retrofitting of AFRP sheets and embedded CFRP reinforcements in reinforced exterior beam-column joint regions were increased its maximum load carrying capacity by 1.86 times and its energy dissipation capacity by 1.65 times in comparison with standard specimen RBCJ for a displacement ductility of 5.

• International journal of steel structures
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.1666-1683
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• 2018

To explore seismic behavior of blind bolted concrete-filled steel tube (CFST) frames infilled with precast sandwich composite wall panels (SCWPs), a series tests of blind bolted square CFST frames with precast SCWPs under lateral low-cyclic loading were conducted. The influence of the type of wall concrete, wall-to-frame connection and steel brace setting, etc. on the hysteretic curves and failure modes of the type of composite structure was investigated. The seismic behavior of the blind bolted CFST frames with precast SCWPs was evaluated in terms of lateral load-displacement relation curves, strength and stiffness degradation, crack patterns of SCWPs, energy dissipation capacity and ductility. Then, a finite element (FE) analysis modeling using ABAQUS software was developed in considering the nonlinear material properties and complex components interaction. Comparison indicated that the FE analytical results coincided well with the test results. Both the experimental and numerical results indicated that setting the external precast SCWPs could heighten the load carrying capacities and rigidities of the blind bolted CFST frames by using reasonable connectors between frame and SCWPs. These experimental studies and FE analysis would enable improvement in the practical design of the SCWPs in fabricated CFST structure buildings.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.405-417
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• 2023

While ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) is commonly reinforced with micro straight steel fibers in existing applications, studies have indicated that the use of deformed steel macro-fibers leads to enhanced ductility and post-peak responses for UHPC structural elements, which is of particular importance for earthquake-resistant structures. However, there are potential concerns regarding the use of UHPC reinforced with macro-fibers due to the issues of workability and fiber distribution. The objective of this study was to address these issues by extensively investigating the restricted and non-restricted deformability, filling ability, horizontal and vertical velocities, and passing ability of UHPC containing macro hooked-end steel fibers. A new approach is suggested to examine the homogeneity of fiber distribution in UHPC. The influences of ultra-fine fillers and steel macro-fibers on the workability of fresh UHPC and the mechanics of hardened UHPC were examined. It was found that although increasing the ratio of quartz powder to cement led to an improvement in the workability and tensile strain hardening behavior of UHPC, it reduced the fiber distribution homogeneity. The addition of 1% volume fraction of macro-fibers in UHPC improved workability, but reduced its compressive strength, which is contrary to the effect of micro-fiber inclusion in UHPC.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2016

Improvement of the mechanical properties of a commercial aluminium casting alloy, A356, was achieved through an optimised combination of alloying elements, modification, and heat treatment. 0.7 wt.% Cu and an additional 0.2 wt.% Mg were added to an Al-7Si-0.35Mg alloy for strengthening at both room and elevated temperatures, whilst a subsequent decrease in the ductility was compensated for by the modification of eutectic Si by Sr addition at a level of up to 110 ppm. It was found that the dissolution of Cu-rich or Mg-rich phases could be maximised by solid-solutionising an alloy with 40 ppm Sr at $530^{\circ}C$, increasing the tensile and yield strengths to 350 MPa and 297 MPa, respectively, with a reasonably high strain of 5% after peak-aging at $210^{\circ}C$. Further addition of Sr up to 110 ppm is, however, more likely to interfere with the dissolution of the Cu-rich or Mg-rich phases during solid solution treatment, resulting in a slight decrease in both tensile and yield strengths at room temperature. Besides the Cu addition, such undissolved phases, on the other hand, may contribute to elevated temperature strength at $200^{\circ}C$.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.37-43
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• 2015

The purpose of the current study is to improve the clinching joint strength of aluminum and fiber metal laminates (FMLs) comprised of three layers. The joining of FML and Al 5052 by a conventional clinching joint has some disadvantages such as necking of the upper sheet, lack of interlocking, defects caused by the vertical load, and especially loss of strength of the composite material due to the low ductility. In the current study, a tapered-hole clinching method is proposed as an alternative for the joining of Al 5052 and FMLs. A hole with a tapered shape is formed before the joining process. The design parameters were evaluated using the Taguchi method for the geometry of the tapered hole in order to determine the maximum separation load. The diameter of the punch corner, clearance, punch stroke and the tapered length were used as the main variables in the Taguchi method. In conclusion, the contribution ratio for each of the fours variable examined was 35.07%, 22.44%, 21.32% and 14.11%, respectively. In addition, the appropriate combination of the design parameters can make a 5% improvement in the vertical direction joint strength.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.385-392
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• 2011

In this study, experimental research was carried out to evaluate and improve the seismic performance of reinforced concrete beam-column joint regions using strengthening materials (steel plate, carbon fiber sheet, and embedded carbon fiber rod) in existing reinforced concrete buildings. Six specimens of retrofitted beam-column joints are constructed using various retrofitting materials and tested for their retrofit performances. Specimens designed by retrofitting the beam-column joint regions (LBCJ series) of existing reinforced concrete building showed a stable mode of failure and an increase in load-carrying capacity due to the effect of crack control at the time of initial loading and confinement from retrofitting materials during testing. Specimens of LBCJ series, designed by the retrofitting of FRP in reinforecd beam-column joint regions increased its maximum load carrying capacity by 26~50% and its energy dissipation capacity by 13.0~14.4% when compared to standard specimen of LBCJC with a displacement ductility of 4.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 2008.04a
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• pp.1045-1048
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• 2008

Fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) usually exhibits inherent brittleness under tensile stress. Application of FRP tendons to concrete beam leads to undesirable flexural behavior due to limited ductility compared to prestressed concrete beam with steel tendons. It has been experimentally observed that partial improvement of flexural behavior can be achieved by releasing FRP tendons' strain by unbonding FRP tendons. In order to estimate and apply the degree of improvement to the design, reasonable yet practical model predicting flexural strength as well as overall flexural behavior of unbonded FRP prestressed concrete beam is needed. In this study, an elaborated model in describing curvature distributions and flexural strength at ultimate stage of unbonded FRP tendons is described. There have been close agreements on the flexural strength of the FRP prestressed concrete beam between the predictions by nonlinear computer program and by the model.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.163-173
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• 2019

For Special Concentrically Braced Frame (SCBF), it is common that the damage concentrates at a certain story instead of spreading over all stories. Once the damage occurs, the soft-story mechanism is likely to take place and possibly to result in the failure of the whole system with more damage accumulation. In this study, we use a strongback column which is an additional structural component extending along the height of the building, to redistribute the excessive deformation of SCBF and activate more structural members to dissipate energy and thus avoid damage concentration and improve the seismic performance of SCBF. We tested one-third-scaled, three-story, double-story X SCBF specimens with static cyclic loading procedure. Three specimens, namely S73, S42 and S0, which represent different combinations of stiffness and strength factors ${\alpha}$ and ${\beta}$ for the strongback columns, were designed based on results of numerical simulations. Specimens S73 and S42 were the specimens with the strongback columns, and S0 is the specimen without the strongback column. Test results show that the deformation distribution of Specimen S73 is more uniform and more brace members in three stories perform nonlinearly. Comparing Drift Concentration Factor (DCF), we can observe 29% and 11% improvement in Specimen S73 and S42, respectively. This improvement increases the nonlinear demand of the third-story braces and reduces that of the first-story braces where the demand used to be excessive, and, therefore, postpones the rupture of the first-story braces and enhances the ductility and energy dissipation capacity of the whole SCBF system.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.233-244
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• 2019

In this work, we have studied the effects of different soil thicknesses, haunch heights, reinforcement forms and construction technologies on the seismic performance of a composite precast fabricated utility tunnel by pseudo-static tests. Five concrete specimens were designed and fabricated for low-cycle reciprocating load tests. The hysteretic behavior of composite precast fabricated utility tunnel under simulated seismic waves and the strain law of steel bars were analyzed. Test results showed that composite precast fabricated utility tunnel met the requirements of current codes and had good anti-seismic performance. The use of a closed integral arrangement of steel bars inside utility tunnel structure as well as diagonal reinforcement bars at its haunches improved the integrity of the whole structure and increased the bearing capacity of the structure by about 1.5%. Increasing the thickness of covering soil within a certain range was beneficial to the earthquake resistance of the structure, and the energy consumption was increased by 10%. Increasing haunch height within a certain range increased the bearing capacity of the structure by up to about 19% and energy consumption by up to 30%. The specimen with the lowest haunch height showed strong structural deformation with ductility coefficient of 4.93. It was found that the interfaces of haunches, post-casting self-compacting concrete, and prefabricated parts were the weak points of utility tunnel structures. Combining the failure phenomena of test structures with their related codes, we proposed improvement measures for construction technology, which could provide a reference for the construction and design of practical projects.