• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.45-58
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• 2021

Experimental investigation has been conducted to study the effect of using Micro/Nano Silica in presence of steel fibers on improving the static response of reinforced concrete beams. Twenty-one mixtures were prepared with micro silica (MS), Nano silica (NS) and steel fibers (SFs) at different percentages. Cement was replaced by 10% and 15% of Micro silica and 1%, 2% and 3% of Nano silica in the presence of steel fibers at different volume fractions 0%, 1%, and 2%. 258 concrete samples, (126 cubes, 63 cylinders, 63 prisms, and six R.C beams), were investigated experimentally in two stages. The first stage was to investigate the mechanical properties of the prepared mixtures. The second stage was to study the static behavior of R.C beams, using the designed concrete mixtures, under a four-point flexural test. The results showed that replacing cement by (10% MS and 1% NS) produces the optimum mix with a significant improvement in the mechanical properties and the response of R.C beams under static loads. In addition, incorporating steel fibers at different volume fractions have a considerable effect on the flexural toughness of concrete mixes.

• Advances in materials Research
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.227-242
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• 2023

Polyester composites play a vital role in civil engineering applications, especially in bridge and car park structures. Therefore, the addition of waste silica-based fillers will both improve the mechanical and durability performance of composites and produce an environmentally friendly material. In this study, the mechanical performance of polyester composites was investigated experimentally and numerically by adding micro and nano-sized silica-based fillers, marble powder, silica fume and nano-silica. 24 cubes for the compression test and 18 prisms for the flexural test were produced in six different groups containing 30% marble powder, 5% silica fume and 1% nano-silica by weight. SEM/EDS testing was used to investigate the distribution of filler particles in the matrix. Experimentally collected results were used to validate tests in the Abaqus software. Additionally, the Extended Finite Element Method (XFEM) was used to estimate the fracture process for the flexural test. The results show that the added silica fume, marble powder and nano silica improves the compressive strength of polyester composites by 32-38% and the flexural tensile strength by 10-60% compared to pure polyester composite. The numerically obtained results matched well with the experimental data, demonstrating the accuracy and feasibility of the calibrated finite element model.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.57-78
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• 2023

In this study, a generalized three-degree-of-freedom (3-DoF) analytical model is formulated to predict linear aerodynamic instabilities of a prism under quasi-steady (QS) conditions. The prism is assumed to possess a generic cross-section exposed to turbulent wind flow. The 3-DoFs encompass two orthogonal horizontal directions and rotation about the prism body axis. Inertial coupling is considered to account for the non-coincidence of the mass center and the rotation center. The aerodynamic force coefficients-drag, lift, and moment-depend on the Reynolds number based on relative flow velocity, angle of attack, and the angle between the wind and the cable. Aerodynamic forces are linearized with respect to the static equilibrium configuration and mean wind velocity. Routh-Hurwitz and Liénard and Chipart criteria are used in the eigenvalue problem, yielding an analytical solution for instabilities in galloping and static divergence types. Additionally, the minimum structural damping and stiffness required to prevent these instabilities are numerically determined. The proposed 3-DoF instability model is subsequently applied to a conductor with ice accretion and a full-scale dry inclined cable. In comparison to existing models, the developed model demonstrates superior prediction accuracy for unstable regions compared with results in wind tunnel tests.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.803-816
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• 2022

Composite materials are effective in forming externally bonded reinforcements which find applications related to existing structures repair, attributed to their high strength-to-weight ratio and ease of installation. Among various composites, fibre reinforced polymers (FRP) have somewhat been largely accepted as a commonly utilized composite for such purposes. It is only recently that steel fibres have been considered as additional members of the FRP fibre family, intuitively termed as steel reinforced polymer (SRP). Owing to its low cost and permissibility of fibre bending at sharp corners, SRP is rapidly becoming a viable contender to other FRP systems. This paper investigates the bond behaviour of SRP-concrete joints with different bonded lengths (50, 75, 100, 150 and 300 mm) and widths (15, 30, 40, 50, and 75 mm) using single-lap shear tests. The experimental specimens contain SRP strips with a fixed density of steel fibres (0.472 cords/mm) bonded to the face of concrete prisms. The load responses were obtained and compared in terms of corresponding load and slip boundaries of the constant region and the peak loads. The failure modes of SRP composites are discussed, and the range of effective bonded length is evaluated herein. In the end, a new analytical model was proposed to estimate the SRP-concrete bond strength using a genetic algorithm, which outperforms 22 existing FRP-concrete bond strength models.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.353-364
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• 2024

Through component regulation and morphological construction, it is of considerable significance to develop high-activity and high-stability electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution in electrolytic water. In the hydrothermal process, Mo-doped nickel-based sulfide catalysts (Mo-NiS-Fx) with a variety of morphologies (prisms, rods, flakes, and cones) were created by adding NH₄F with varying masses. Among these, the flaky Mo-NiS-F1.2 exhibited exceptional performance towards electrochemical hydrogen evolution reaction, surpassing most similar catalysts with an overpotential of 79 mV at 10 mA cm^-2 and a Tafel slope of 49.8 mV dec^-1. Significantly, Mo-NiS-F1.2 maintained its high activity for hydrogen evolution over 60 h at a current density of 10 mA cm^-2, making it suitable for widespread commercial application. According to the experimental findings, an electrocatalyst with a high surface area and a porous structure is better suited to exposing more gas transfer routes and active sites, which would encourage the hydrogen evolution reaction. This study presents a straightforward procedure for creating electrocatalysts with a range of morphologies, which can serve as a model for the creation of catalysts for use in industrial manufacturing.

• Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.205-209
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• 2016

The flowfield characteristics of a square prism having a small triangular prism at the upstream side were investigated by visualizing the flow field using PIV. The ratio of the width of the triangular prism to that of the square prism and the gap ratios between the square and triangular prisms were selected as the experimental parameters. The results are summarized as follows. The Strouhal number measured on the wake side of the square prism, which had the same characteristics as the drag reduction rate, increased, and then decreased with the gap ratio for the same width ratio. For a square prism having a small triangular prism, the stagnation regions were represented at the upstream and downstream sides of the square prism. The size of the stagnation region increased with the width ratio at the upstream side of the square prism, and decreased at the downstream side.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.191-199
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• 1994

We have developed an algorithm based on the method of integral equations to simulate the magnetotelluric (MT) responses of three-dimensional (3-D) bodies in a layered half-space. The inhomogeneities are divided into a number of cells and are replaced by an equivalent current distribution which is approximated by pulse basis functions. A matrix equation is constructed using the electric Green's tensor function appropriate to a layered earth, and is solved for the vector current in each cell. Subsequently, scattered fields are found by integrating electric and magnetic Green's tensor functions over the scattering current About a 3-D conductive body near the earth's surface, interpretation using 2-D transverse electric modeling schemes can imply highly erratic low resistivities at depth. This is why these routines do not account for the effect of boundary charges. However, centrally located profiles across elongate 3-D prisms may be modeled accurately with a 2-D transverse magnetic algorithm, which implicitly includes boundary charges in its formulation. Multifrequency calculations show that apparent resistivity and impedance phase are really two complementary parameters. Hence, they should be treated simultaneously in broadband MT interpretation.

• Therapeutic Science for Rehabilitation
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.37-45
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• 2017

Background: The presence of visuospatial impairment can make patients slow functional recovery and impede the rehabilitation process in TBI patients. Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate effects of prism adaptation treatment for functional outcomes in patients following traumatic brain injury. Methods: The subject received prism adaptation treatment for 2 weeks additionally during traditional rehabilitation for 4 weeks. The Patient has prism adaptation treatment while wearing wedge prisms that shift the external environment about $12^{\circ}$ leftward. The patient received 10 sessions, 15-20min each session. Outcome measures were visuospatial deficit(line bisection, latter cancellation), Visual and spatial perception(LOTCA-visual perception and spatial perception), motor function of upper extremity(FMA U/E; Fugl-Meyer motor assessment upper extremity, ARAT; Action research arm test), balance(BBS; Berg Balance Scale), mobility(FAC; Functional ambulation classification) and functional level(FIM; Functional independent measure). All Assessments took place on study entry and post-treatment assessments were performed at discharge from the hospital. Results: After prism adaptation, the visuospatial impairment scores improved as indicated in the line bisection(-15.2 to -6.02), latter cancellation(2 to 0) and LOTCA- spatial perception scores(7 to 9). The upper motor function improved as indicated in the scores of affected FMA U/E(21 to 40) and ARAT(4 to 22). Ambulation and balance improved as indicated in the BBS scores(25 to 38) and FAC scores(0 to 4). ADL function improved as indicated in the FIM total scores 54 to 70(motor 34 to 61, cognition 20 to 29). Conclusion: Prism adaptation did improve functional level such as motor functions and ADL abilities in TBI patient. Further research is recommended.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.177-192
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• 2014

One of the main applications of FRP composites is confining concrete columns. Hence identifying the cyclic and monotonic stress-strain behavior of confined concrete columns and the parameters influencing this behavior is inevitable. Two significant parameters affecting the stress-strain behavior are aspect ratio and corner radius. The present study aims to scrutinize the effects of corner radius and aspect ratio on different aspects of stress-strain behavior of FRP confined concrete specimens (rectangular, square and circular). Hence 44 FRP confined concrete specimens were tested and the results of the tests were investigated. The findings indicated that for specimens with different aspect ratios, the relationship between the ultimate stress and the corner radius is linear and the variations of the ultimate stress versus the corner radius decreases as a result of an increase in aspect ratio. It was also observed that increase of the corner radius results in increase of the compressive strength and ultimate axial strain and increase of the aspect ratio causes an increase of the ultimate axial strain but a decrease of the compressive strength. Investigation of the ultimate condition showed that the FRP hoop rupture strain is smaller in comparison with the one obtained from the tensile coupon test and also the ultimate axial strain and confined concrete strength are smaller when a prism is under monotonic loading. Other important results of this study were, an increase in the axial strain during the early stage of unloading paths and increase of the confining effect of FRP jacket with the increase and decrease of the corner radius and aspect ratio respectively, a decrease in the slope of reloading branches with cycle repetitions and the independence of this trend from the variations of the aspect ratio and corner radius and also quadric relationship between the number of each cycle and the plastic strain of the same cycle as well as the independence of this relationship from the aspect ratio and corner radius.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.16 no.3 s.81
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• pp.375-382
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• 2004

The compressive strength of concrete is used as the most basic and important material Property when reinforced concrete structures are designed. It has become a problem to use this value, however, because the control specimen sizes and shapes are different from every country. In this study, the effect of specimen sizes and shapes on compressive strength of concrete specimens was experimentally investigated based on fracture mechanics. Experiments for the Mode I failure was carried out by using cylinder, cube, and prism specimens. The test results are curve fitted using least square method(LSM) to obtain the new parameters for the modified size effect law(MSEL). The analysis results show that the effect of specimen sizes and shapes on ultimate strength is apparent. In addition, correlations between compressive strengths with size, shape, and casting direction of the specimen are investigated. For cubes and prisms the effect of placing direction on the compressive strength was investigated.