• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.72 no.4
• /
• pp.409-420
• /
• 2019

The paper presents the results of an experimental and numerical programme to characterize the behaviour of steel beams reinforcement by composite plates. Important failure mode of such plated beams is the debonding of the composite plates from the steel beam due to high level of stress concentration in the adhesive at the ends of the composite plate. In this new research, an experimental and numerical finite element study is presented to calculate the stresses in the sika carbodur and sika wrap reinforced steel beam under mechanical loading. The main objective of the experimental program was the evaluation of the force transfer mechanism, the increase of the load capacity of the steel beam and the flexural stiffness. It also validated different analytical and numerical models for the analysis of sika carbodur and sika wrap reinforced steel beams. In particular, a finite element model validated with respect to the experimental data and in relation to the analytical approach is presented. Experimental and numerical results from the present analysis are presented in order to show the advantages of the present solution over existing ones and to reconcile debonding stresses with strengthening quality.

• Coupled systems mechanics
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.161-184
• /
• 2021

Strengthening of reinforced concrete beams with externally bonded fiber reinforced polymer plates/sheets technique has become widespread in the last two decades. Although a great deal of research has been conducted on simply supported RC beams, a few studies have been carried out on continuous beams strengthened with FRP composites. This paper presents a simple uniaxial nonlinear analytical model that is able to accurately estimate the load carrying capacity and the behaviour of damaged RC continuous beams flexural strengthened with externally bonded prestressed composite plates on both of the upper and lower fibers, taking into account the thermal load. The model is based on equilibrium and deformations compatibility requirements in and all parts of the strengthened beam, i.e., the damaged concrete beam, the FRP plate and the adhesive layer. The flexural analysis results and analytical predictions for the prestressed composite strengthened damaged RC continuous beams were compared and showed very good agreement in terms of the debonding load, yield load, and ultimate load. The use of composite materials increased the ultimate load capacity compared with the non strengthened beams. The major objective of the current model is to help engineers' model FRP strengthened RC continuous beams in a simple manner. Finally, this research is helpful for the understanding on mechanical behaviour of the interface and design of the FRP-damaged RC hybrid structures.

• Journal of the Society of Naval Architects of Korea
• /
• v.36 no.2
• /
• pp.94-104
• /
• 1999

Plate buckling is very important design criteria when the ship is composed of high tensile steel plates. In general, the plate element contributes to inplane stiffness against the action of inplane load. If the inplane stiffness of the plating decreases due to buckling including the secondary buckling, the flexural rigidity of the cross section of a ship's hull also decreases. In these cases, the precise estimation of plate's behaviour after buckling is necessary, and geometric nonlinear behaviour of isolated plates is required for structural system analysis. In this connection, the author investigated the geometric nonlinear behaviour of simply supported rectangular plates under uniaxial compression in the longitudinal direction in which the principle of minimum potential energy method is employed. Based on the energy method, elastic large deflection analysis of isolated palate is performed and simple expression are derived to discuss the bifurcation paint type buckling and limit point type buckling.

• Computers and Concrete
• /
• v.24 no.1
• /
• pp.37-49
• /
• 2019

In this study, the shear behaviour of reinforced concrete (RC) beams that were retrofitted using precast panels of ultra-high performance fiber reinforced concrete (UHPFRC) is presented. The precast UHPFRC panels were glued to the side surfaces of RC beams using epoxy adhesive in two different configurations: (i) retrofitting two sides, and (ii) retrofitting three sides. Experimental tests on the adhesive bond were conducted to estimate the bond capacity between the UHPFRC and normal concrete. All the specimens were tested in shear under varying levels of shear span-to-depth ratio (a/d=1.0; 1.5). For both types of configuration, the retrofitted specimens exhibited a significant improvement in terms of stiffness, load carrying capacity and failure mode. In addition, the UHPFRC retrofitting panels glued in three-sides shifted the failure from brittle shear to a more ductile flexural failure with enhancing the shear capacity up to 70%. This was more noticeable in beams that were tested with a/d=1.5. An approach for the approximation of the failure capacity of the retrofitted RC beams was evolved using a multi-level regression of the data obtained from the experimental work. The predicted values of strength have been validated by comparing them with the available test data. In addition, a 3-D finite element model (FEM) was developed to estimate the failure load and overall behaviour of the retrofitted beams. The FEM of the retrofitted beams was conducted using the non-linear finite element software ABAQUS.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.37 no.4
• /
• pp.431-446
• /
• 2020

This paper presents the flexural performance of double skin composite beams (DSCBs) at different Arctic low temperatures. 12 DSCBs were prepared and tested under two-point loading at different Arctic low temperatures of 20, -30, -50, and -70℃. The studied parameters include low-temperature level (T), steel-faceplate thickness (t), shear span ratio (λ), and spacing of headed studs (S). The experimental investigations under two-point loading tests showed that flexural failure occurred to all DSCBs, even including the specimen designed with the small λ ratio of 2.9. The ultimate strength behaviours of DSCBs were improved due to the improved mechanical properties of constructional materials and the confinement on shear connectors. The DSCB subjected to two-point loading and low temperatures exhibits a five-stage working mechanism. The stiffness and strength indexes of DSCBs increase linearly with temperature and t value increasing, while decreasing as shear span ratio boosts. In the contrast, the change of S value from 150 to 200 mm has little effect on the ultimate strength behavior of DSCB.

• Computers and Concrete
• /
• v.26 no.1
• /
• pp.95-106
• /
• 2020

Castellated beams fabricated from standard I-sections are being used for several structural applications such as commercial and industrial buildings, multistory buildings, warehouses and portal frames in view of numerous advantages. The advantages include enhanced moment of inertia, stiffness, flexural resistance, reduction in weight of structure, by passing the used plate girders, the passage of service through the web openings etc. In the present study, experimental and numerical investigations were carried out on concrete encased steel castellated beams with hexagonal openings under flexural loading. Various positions of openings such as along the neutral axis, above the neutral axis and below the neutral axis were considered for the study. From the experimental findings, it has been observed that the load-carrying capacity of the castellated beam with web opening above neutral axis is found to be higher compared to other configurations. Nonlinear finite element analysis was performed by using general purpose finite element software ABAQUS considering the material nonlinearities. Concrete damage plasticity model was employed to model the nonlinearity of concrete and elasto-plastic model for steel. It has been observed that FE model could able to capture the behaviour of concrete encased steel castellated beams and the predicted values are in good agreement with the corresponding experimental values.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.22-30
• /
• 2020

Small fishing vessels are manufactured using FRP. Various studies have been conducted to increase the strength of the composite material by mixing alumina powder with resin. Tensile tests and flexural strength tests are conducted to examine the effect of alumina powder on the strength of GFRP. In the current study, resin/alumina composites at different alumina contents (i.e., 0, 1, 5, and 10 vol%) have been prepared. The physical and mechanical properties of the prepared composites have been investigated. From the results, the tensile strength of the specimen with alumina powder mixed in at 10% shows the highest value of 155.66 MPa. The tensile strength of the specimen mixed with alumina powder increases with the amount of alumina powder impregnated. In the flexural strength test, the flexural strength of neat resin without alumina powder has a highest value of 257.7 MPa. The flexural modulus of ALMix-5 has a highest value of 12.06 GPa. Barcol hardness of ALMix-10 has a highest value of 51. We show that alumina powder leads to decreasing cracks on the surface and decreasing length area of delamination.

• Computers and Concrete
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.223-243
• /
• 2015

Self-compacting concrete (SCC) can be placed and compacted under its own weight with little or no compaction. It is cohesive enough to be handled without segregation or bleeding. Modifications in the mix design of SCC may significantly influence the material's mechanical properties. Therefore, it is vital to investigate whether all the assumed hypotheses about conventional concrete (CC) are also valid for SCC structures. The aim in this paper is to develop analytical models for flexural cracking that describe in appropriate detail the observed cracking behaviour of the reinforced concrete flexural one way slabs tested. The crack width and crack spacing calculation procedures outlined in five international codes, namely Eurocode 2 (1991), CEB-FIP (1990), ACI318-99 (1999), Eurocode 2 (2004), and fib-Model Code (2010), are presented and crack widths and crack spacing are accordingly calculated. Then, the results are compared with the proposed analytical models and the measured experimental values, and discussed in detail.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.47 no.6
• /
• pp.819-838
• /
• 2013

This paper summarises the results of an experimental study to investigate the flexural behaviour of reinforced concrete beams strengthened using carbon-fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) laminate in four-point bending. The experimental parameters included are the reinforcing bar ratio ${\rho}_s$ and preload level. Four bar ratios were selected (${\rho}_s=0.13$ to 0.86%), representing the section of two longitudinal tensile reinforcements, with diameters of 8, 14, 16, and 20 mm in order to reveal the effect of bar ratio on failure load and failure mode. Eight beams that could be considered "full-scale" in size, measuring 200 mm in width, 400 mm in total height and 2300 mm in length, were tested. Three beams were selected with different bar ratios (${\rho}_1$, ${\rho}_2$, ${\rho}_3$), and considered as control specimens (without ), while three other beams identical to the control beams with the same CFRP laminates ratio and a seventh beam with ${\rho}_{min}$ (the lowest bar ratio) were also used. In the second part of the study, two beams with the bar ratio ${\rho}_2$ were preloaded at two levels, 50 and 100% of their ultimate loads, and then repaired. This experimental investigation was consolidated using an analytical model. The experimental and analytical results indicate that the flexional capacity and stiffness of strengthened and repaired beams using CFRP laminate were increased compared to those of control beams, and the behaviour of repaired beams was nearly similar to the undamaged and strengthened beams; unlike the ductility of strengthened beams, which was greatly reduced compared to the control.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.39 no.1
• /
• pp.125-145
• /
• 2011

Pushover analysis has gained significant popularity as an analytical tool for realistic determination of the inelastic behaviour of RC structures. Though significant work has been done to evaluate the demands realistically, the evaluation of capacity and realistic failure modes has taken a back seat. In order to throw light on the inelastic behaviour and capacity evaluation for the RC framed structures, a 3D Reinforced concrete frame structure was tested under monotonically increasing lateral pushover loads, in a parabolic pattern, till failure. The structure consisted of three storeys and had 2 bays along the two orthogonal directions. The structure was gradually pushed in small increments of load and the corresponding displacements were monitored continuously, leading to a pushover curve for the structure as a result of the test along with other relevant information such as strains on reinforcement bars at critical locations, failure modes etc. The major failure modes were observed as flexural failure of beams and columns, torsional failure of transverse beams and joint shear failure. The analysis of the structure was by considering all these failure modes. In order to have a comparison, the analysis was performed as three different cases. In one case, only the flexural hinges were modelled for critical locations in beams and columns; in second the torsional hinges for transverse beams were included in the analysis and in the third case, joint shear hinges were also included in the analysis. It is shown that modelling and capturing all the failure modes is practically possible and such an analysis can provide the realistic insight into the behaviour of the structure.