• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.715-727
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• 2010

An experimental investigation is conducted here to study the effects of applying frictional sliding fuses (FSF) in concrete infilled steel frames. Firstly, the influences of some parameters on the behavior of the sliding fuse are studied: Methods of adjusting the FSF for a certain sliding strength are explained and influences of time duration, welding and corrosion are investigated as well. Based on the results, time duration does not significantly affect the FSF, however influences of welding and corrosion of the constitutive plates are substantial. Then, the results of testing two 1/3 scale single-storey single-bay concrete infilled steel frames having FSF are presented. The specimens were similar, except for different regulations of their fuses, tested by displacement controlled cyclic loading. The results demonstrate that applying FSF improves infill behaviors in both perpendicular directions. The infilled frames with FSF have more appropriate hysteresis cycles, higher ductility, much lower deteriorations in strength and stiffness in comparison with regular ones. Consequently, the infills, provided with FSF, can be regarded as an engineered element, however, special consideration should be taken into the affecting parameters of their fuses.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.645-667
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• 2016

The 750 m long "De Bosset" bridge in the Cephalonia Island of Western Greece, being the area with the highest seismicity in Europe, was constructed in 1830 by successive stone arches and stiff block-type piers. The bridge suffered extensive damages during past earthquakes, such as the strong M7.2 earthquake of 1953, followed by poorly-designed reconstruction schemes with reinforced concrete. In 2005, a multidisciplinary project for the seismic assessment and restoration of the "De Bosset" bridge was undertaken under the auspices of the Greek Ministry of Culture. The proposed retrofitting scheme combining soil improvement, structural strengthening and reconstruction of the deteriorated masonry sections was recently applied on site. Design of the rehabilitation measures and assessment of the pre- and post-interventions seismic response of the bridge were based on detailed in-situ and laboratory tests, providing foundation soil and structural material properties. In-situ inspection of the rehabilitated bridge following the strong M6.1 and M6.0 Cephalonia earthquakes of January 26th and February 3rd 2014, respectively, revealed no damages or visible defects. The efficiency of the bridge retrofitting is also proved by a preliminary performance analysis of the bridge under the recorded ground motion induced by the above earthquakes.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.77 no.4
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• pp.463-472
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• 2021

Fully rigid floor diaphragm is one of the main assumptions that are widely used in common practices due to its simple application. However, determining the exact degree of diaphragms flexibility cannot be easily accomplished without finite element modeling, which is an expensive and time-consuming procedure. Therefore, it is always possible that apparently rigid diaphragms, based on prescriptive limitations of seismic codes, experience some degrees of flexibility during the earthquakes. Since diaphragm flexibility has more uncertainties in asymmetric-plan structures, this study focuses on errors resulting from probable floor diaphragm flexibility of torsionally restrained structures. The analytical models used in this study were single-story buildings with asymmetric plan and RC shear walls. Although floor system is not considered explicitly, a wide range of considered diaphragm flexibility, from fully rigid to quite flexible, allows the results to be generalizable to a lot of lateral load resisting systems as well as floor systems. It has been shown that in addition to previously known effects of diaphragm flexibility, presence of orthogonal side elements during design procedure with rigid diaphragm assumption and rapid reduction in their absorbed forces can also be an important source to increase errors due to flexibility. Accordingly, from the obtained results the authors suggest designers to consider the possibility of diaphragm flexibility and its adverse effects, especially in torsionally restrained systems in their common designs.

• Structural Monitoring and Maintenance
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.271-287
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• 2022

This study investigates the bending behavior of a composite concrete slab roof with different methods of externally strengthing using steel plates and carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) strips. First, the concrete slab model which was reinforced with CFRP strips on the bottom surface of it is validated using experimental data, and then, using numerical modeling, 7 different models of square-shaped composite slab roofs are developed in ABAQUS software using the finite element modeling. Developed models include steel rebar reinforced concrete slab with variable thickness of CFRP and steel plates. Considering the control sample which has no external reinforcement, a set of 8 different reinforcement states has been investigated. Each of these 8 states is examined with 6 different uncertainties in terms of the properties of the materials in the construction of concrete slabs, which make 48 numerical models. In all models loading process is continued until complete failure occurs. The results from numerical investigations showed using the steel plates as an executive method for strengthening, the bending capacity of reinforced concrete slabs is increased in the ultimate bearing capacity of the slab by about 1.69 to 2.48 times. Also using CFRP strips, the increases in ultimate bearing capacity of the slab were about 1.61 to 2.36 times in different models with different material uncertainties.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.26-35
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• 2017

Since the Northridge earthquake (1994) and Kobe earthquake (1995), the concept of performance-based design has been actively introduced to design major structures and buildings. Recently, the seismic design code was established for fire protection facilities. Therefore, the important fire protection facilities should be designed and constructed according to the seismic design code. Accordingly, uniform hazard spectra (UHS), with annual exceedance probabilities, corresponding to the performance level, such as operational, immediate occupancy, life safety, and collapse prevention, are required for performance-based design. Using the method of probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA), the uniform hazard spectra for 5 major cities in Korea with a recurrence period of 500, 1,000, and 2,500 years corresponding to frequencies of (0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 5.0, 10.0)Hz and PGA, were analyzed. The expert panel was comprised of 10 members in seismology and tectonics. The ground motion prediction equations and several seismo tectonic models suggested by 10 expert panel members in seismology and tectonics were used as the input data for uniform hazard spectrum analysis. According to sensitivity analysis, the parameter of spectral ground motion prediction equations has a greater impact on the seismic hazard than seismotectonic models. The resulting uniform hazard spectra showed maximum values of the seismic hazard at a frequency of 10Hz and also showed the shape characteristics, which are similar to previous studies and related technical guides for nuclear facilities.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.63-82
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• 2005

This paper introduces a technology for robust and low maintenance cost sensor network capable to detect accelerations below a micro-g in a wide frequency bandwidth (above 1,000 Hz). Sensor networks with such performance are critical for navigation, seismology, acoustic sensing, and for the health monitoring of civil structures. The approach is based on the fabrication of an array of high sensitivity accelerometers, each utilizing Fabry-Perot cavity with wavelength-dependent reflectivity to allow embedded optical detection and serialization. The unique feature of the approach is that no local power source is required for each individual sensor. Instead one global light source is used, providing an input optical signal which propagates through an optical fiber network from sensor-to-sensor. The information from each sensor is embedded onto the transmitted light as an intrinsic wavelength division multiplexed signal. This optical "rainbow" of data is then assessed providing real-time sensing information from each sensor node in the network. This paper introduces the Fabry-Perot based accelerometer and examines its critical features, including the effects of imperfections and resolution estimates. It then presents serialization techniques for the creation of systems of arrayed sensors and examines the effects of serialization on sensor response. Finally, a fabrication process is proposed to create test structures for the critical components of the device, which are dynamically characterized.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.293-307
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• 2012

Shear wave velocity is commonly invoked in explaining geophysical phenomena and in solving geotechnical engineering problems. In particular, the importance of shear wave velocity in geotechnical earthquake engineering has been widely recognized for seismic design and seismic performance evaluation. In the present study, various insitu seismic tests were performed to evaluate geotechnical dynamic characteristics at 183 sites in Korea, and shear wave velocity profiles with depth were determined to be representative of the dynamic properties at the investigated sites. Subsurface soil and rock layers at the target sites were reclassified into five geotechnical layers: fill, alluvial soil, weathered soil, weathered rock, and bedrock, taking into account their general uses in geotechnical earthquake engineering practice. Average shear wave velocity profiles for the five geotechnical layers were obtained by synthesizing the shear wave velocity profiles from seismic tests in the field. Based on the profiles, a representative shear wave velocity value was determined for each layer, for use in engineering seismology and geotechnical earthquake engineering.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.619-628
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• 2017

The intent of this paper is to investigate the propagation of Love waves in a dry sandy medium sandwiched between fiber-reinforced layer and prestressed porous half-space. Separate displacement components have been deduced in order to characterize the dynamics of individual materials. Using suitable boundary conditions, the frequency equation has been derived by means of separation of variables which reveals the significant role of reinforcement parameters, sandiness, thickness of layers, porosity and prestress on the wave propagation. The phase velocity of the Love wave has been discussed in accordance with its typical cases. In both cases when fiber-reinforced and dry sandy media are absent, the derived equation of Love type wave coincides with the classical Love wave equation. Numerical computations have been performed in order to graphically illustrate the dependencies of different parameters on phase velocity of Love waves. It is observed that the phase velocity decreases with the increase of parameters pertaining to reinforcement and prestress. The results have certain potential applications in earthquake seismology and civil engineering.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.625-631
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• 2017

In the fields of civil engineering and seismology, it is essential to detect and tracking the vibrations, and the fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) are typically used as sensors to measure vibrations. Where, one of the most popular and detailed approaches to use FBGs as vibration sensors involves the use of cantilever beam designs, which adds a mass to measure low and moderate frequencies (from 20 Hz up to 1 kHz) with high sensitivities (greater than 10 pm/g). The design consists of a bending strain in the cantilever that is simultaneously transferred to the FBG, resulting in a shift in the wavelength that is proportional to the strain experienced by the cantilever. In this work, we present the experimental results of a vibration sensor design using a cantilever beam to generate an axial uniform strain in the FBG in-line with the vertical axis, which modifies the cantilever's natural frequency that allows the sensor to have a wide frequency broadband without losing sensitivity. This sensor achieved a sensitivity of about 339 pm/g and a natural frequency of 227.3 Hz. The presented design compared with the traditional cantilever beam-based FBG vibration sensors, has the advantages of a simple design for detection on vibration-sensitive structures and its physical parameters can be easily modified in order to satisfy the requirements of the desired vibration measurements.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.61-68
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• 2019

This paper presents a computational rational model to predict the ultimate and optimized load capacity of reinforced concrete (RC) beams strengthened by a combination of longitudinal and transverse fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composite plates/sheets (flexure and shear strengthening system). Several experimental and analytical studies on the confinement effect and failure mechanisms of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) wrapped columns have been conducted over recent years. Although typical axial members are large-scale square/rectangular reinforced concrete (RC) columns in practice, the majority of such studies have concentrated on the behavior of small-scale circular concrete specimens. A high performance concrete, known as polymer concrete, made up of natural aggregates and an orthophthalic polyester binder, reinforced with non-metallic bars (glass reinforced polymer) has been studied. The material is described at micro and macro level, presenting the key physical and mechanical properties using different experimental techniques. Furthermore, a full description of non-metallic bars is presented to evaluate its structural expectancies, embedded in the polymer concrete matrix. In this paper, the mechanism of mechanical interaction of smooth and lugged FRP rods with concrete is presented. A general modeling and application of various elements are demonstrated. The contact parameters are defined and the procedures of calculation and evaluation of contact parameters are introduced. The method of calibration of the calculated parameters is presented. Finally, the numerical results are obtained for different bond parameters which show a good agreement with experimental results reported in literature.