• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 1992.10a
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• pp.234-239
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• 1992

Design live load and girder distribution factors play an important role in the current design procedures. The fraction of vehicle load effect transferred to a single member may be selected in accordance with current KBDC. However, the specified values, both design load and distribution factors involve considerable inaccuracies, These inaccuracies relate to the uncertainties of the structural analysis, especially any bias and scatter which drives from the use of simplified load distribution factors. In this study , based on several field measurement and finite element analysis, live load distribution effects of current KBDC are evaluated. The final values of the bias and coefficient of variation of "g"according to bridge type are determined. The bridge types are reinforced concrete slab, prestressed concrete girder and steel l-beam.el l-beam.

• International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.369-379
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• 2015

Friction in a post-tensioning system has a significant effect on the distribution of the prestressing force of tendons in prestressed concrete structures. However, attempts to derive friction coefficients using conventional electrical resistance strain gauges do not usually lead to reliable results, mainly due to the damage of sensors and lead wires during the insertion of strands into the sheath and during tensioning. In order to overcome these drawbacks of the existing measurement system, the Smart Strand was developed in this study to accurately measure the strain and prestressing force along the strand. In the Smart Strand, the core wire of a 7-wire strand is replaced with carbon fiber reinforced polymer in which the fiber Bragg grating sensors are embedded. As one of the applications of the Smart Strand, friction coefficients were evaluated using a full-scale test of a 20 m long beam. The test variables were the curvature, diameter, and filling ratio of the sheath. The analysis results showed the average wobble and curvature friction coefficients of 0.0038/m and 0.21/radian, respectively, which correspond to the middle of the range specified in ACI 318-08 in the U.S. and Structural Concrete Design Code in Korea. Also, the accuracy of the coefficients was improved by reducing the effective range specified in these codes by 27-34 %. This study shows the wide range of applicability of the developed Smart Strand system.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.77 no.6
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• pp.705-720
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• 2021

Reinforced concrete (RC) columns are the primary type of vertical support used in building structures that sustain vertical loads. However, their strength may be insufficient due to fire, earthquake or volatile environments. The load demand may be increased due to new functional usages of the structure. The deformability of concrete columns can be greatly reduced under high axial load conditions. In response, a novel steel encasement that distinguishes from the traditional steel jacketing that is assembled by welding or bolt is developed. This novel strengthening method features easy installation and quick strengthening because direct fastening is used to connect the four steel plates surrounding the column. This new connection method is usually used to quickly and stably connect two steel components by driving high strength fastener into the steel components. The connections together with the steel plates behave like transverse reinforcement, which can provide passive confinement to the concrete. The confined column along with the steel plates resist the axial load. By this way, the axial load capacity and deformability of the column can be enhanced. Eight columns are tested to examine the reliability and effectiveness of the proposed method. The effects of the vertical spacing between adjacent connections, thickness of the steel plate and number of fasteners in each connection are studied to identify the critical parameters which affect the load bearing performance and deformation behavior. Lastly, a theoretical model is proposed for predicting the axial load capacity of the strengthened RC columns.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.389-409
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• 2014

Precast hollow core slabs (HCS) are technically advanced products in the precast concrete industry, widely used in the last years due to their versatility, their multipurpose potential and their low cost. Using three dimensional FEM (Finite Element Method) elements, this study focuses on the stresses induced by the prestressing of steel. In particular the investigation of the spalling crack formation that takes place during prestressing is carried out, since it is important to assure the appropriate necessary margins concerning such stresses. In fact, spalling cracks may spread rapidly towards the web, leading to the detachment of the lower part of the slab. A parametric study takes place, capable of evaluating the influence of the tendon position and of the web width on the spalling stress. Consequently, after an extensive literature review on the topic of soft computing, an optimization of the HCS is performed by means of Genetic Algorithms coupled with 3-D FEM models.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.367-381
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• 2021

Reinforced concrete (RC) columns can be strengthened by direct fastening of steel plates around a column, forming composite actions. This method can increase both the total load bearing area and the concrete confinement stress. To predict the axial load resistance of strengthened RC columns, the equivalent passive confinement stress of the stirrups and the steel jacket should be accurately quantified, which requires the stress in the stirrups and shear force in the connections to be first obtained. In this paper, parameters, i.e., the stress ratio of the stirrups and shear force ratio of steel plate connectors are utilized to quantify the stress of the stirrups and shear force in the connections. A mechanical model for determining the stress ratio of the stirrups and shear force ratio of steel plate connectors is proposed and validated using the experimental results in a previous study. The model is found to be robust. Subsequently, a parametric study is conducted and the optimum stress ratios of the stirrups and the optimum shear force ratios of connectors are proposed for engineering designs.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.2053-2068
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• 2023

Following a loss of coolant accident (LOCA), prestressing concrete containment vessels (PCCVs) may experience high thermal load as well as internal pressure. The high temperature stress would increase the risk of premature damage to the containment, which reduces the safety margin during the increasing internal pressure. However, current investigations cannot clearly address the issues of thermal-pressure coupling effect on damage propagation and thus safety of the containment. Thus, this paper offers three simple and powerful damage parameters to differentiate the severity of damage of the containment. Moreover, despite of the temperature action severely threatening the pressure performance of the containment, the research regarding the improvement of the resistant performance of the containment is quite scarce. Therefore, in this paper, a comprehensive comparison of damage propagation and mechanism between conventional and fiber-reinforced concrete (FRC) containments is performed. The effects of fiber characteristics parameters on damage propagation of structures following the LOCA are also specifically revealed. It is found that the proposed damage indices can properly indicate state of damage in the containment body and the addition of fiber can be used to obviously mitigate the damage propagation in PCCV considering the thermal-pressure coupling.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.211-231
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• 2014

Prestressed hollow-core slabs (HCS) are widely used for modern lightweight precast floor structures because they are cost-efficient by reducing materials, and have excellent flexural strength and stiffness by using prestressing tendons, compared to reinforced concrete (RC) floor system. According to the recently revised ACI318-08, the web-shear capacity of HCS members exceeding 315 mm in depth without the minimum shear reinforcement should be reduced by half. It is, however, difficult to provide shear reinforcement in HCS members produced by the extrusion method due to their unique concrete casting methods, and thus, their shear design is significantly affected by the minimum shear reinforcement provision in ACI318-08. In this study, a large number of shear test data on HCS members has been collected and analyzed to examine their web-shear capacity with consideration on the minimum shear reinforcement requirement in ACI318-08. The analysis results indicates that the minimum shear reinforcement requirement for deep HCS members are too severe, and that the web-shear strength equation in ACI318-08 does not provide good estimation of shear strengths for HCS members. Thus, in this paper, a rational web-shear strength equation for HCS members was derived in a simple manner, which provides a consistent margin of safety on shear strength for the HCS members up to 500 mm deep. More shear test data would be required to apply the proposed shear strength equation for the HCS members over 500 mm in depth though.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.387-400
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• 1999

Damage detection in civil engineering structures using the change in dynamic system parameters has gained a lot of scientific interest during the last decade. By repeating a dynamic test on a structure after a certain time of use, the change in modal parameters can be used to quantify and qualify damages. To be able to use the modal parameters confidentially for damage evaluation, the effect of other parameters such as excitation type, ambient conditions,... should be considered. In this paper, the influence of excitation type on the dynamic system parameters of a highway prestressed concrete bridge is investigated. The bridge, B13, lies between the villages Vilvoorde and Melsbroek and crosses the highway E19 between Brussels and Antwerpen in Belgium. A drop weight and ambient vibration are used to excite the bridge and the response at selected points is recorded. A finite element model is constructed to support and verify the dynamic measurements. It is found that the difference between the natural frequencies measured using impact weight and ambient vibration is in general less than 1%.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.485-496
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• 2013

In recent years, frequent terror or military attacks by explosion or impact accidents have occurred. Examplary case of these attacks were World Trade Center collapse and US Department of Defense Pentagon attack on Sept. 11 of 2001. These attacks of the civil infrastructure have induced numerous casualties and property damage, which raised public concerns and anxiety of potential terrorist attacks. However, a existing design procedure for civil infrastructures do not consider a protective design for extreme loading scenario. Also, the extreme loading researches of prestressed concrete (PSC) member, which widely used for nuclear containment vessel, gas tank, bridges, and tunnel, are insufficient due to experimental limitations of loading characteristics. To protect concrete structures against extreme loading such as explosion and impact with high strain rate, understanding of the effect, characteristic, and propagation mechanism of extreme loadings on structures is needed. Therefore, in this paper, to evaluate the impact resistance capacity and its protective performance of bi-directional unbonded prestressed concrete member, impact tests were carried out on $1400mm{\times}1000mm{\times}300mm$ for reinforced concrete (RC), prestressed concrete without rebar (PS), prestressed concrete with rebar (PSR, general PSC) specimens. According to test site conditions, impact tests were performed with 14 kN impactor with drop height of 10 m, 5 m, 4 m for preliminary tests and 3.5 m for main tests. Also, in this study, the procedure, layout, and measurement system of impact tests were established. The impact resistance capacity was measured using crack patterns, damage rates, measuring value such as displacement, acceleration, and residual structural strength. The results can be used as basic research references for related research areas, which include protective design and impact numerical simulation under impact loading.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.29 no.4A
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• pp.407-419
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• 2009

The purpose of this study is to investigate the seismic behavior of precast segmental PSC bridge columns with precast concrete footings and to provide the details and reference data. Six precast segmental PSC bridge columns were tested under a constant axial load and a cyclically reversed horizontal load. A computer program, RCAHEST (Reinforced Concrete Analysis in Higher Evaluation System Technology), for the analysis of reinforced concrete structures was used. A bonded or unbonded tendon element based on the finite element method, that can represent the interaction between tendon and concrete of prestressed concrete member, is used. A joint element is modified to predict the inelastic behaviors of segmental joints. This study documents the testing of precast segmental PSC bridge columns with precast concrete footings and presents conclusions based on the experimental and analytical findings.