• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.193-200
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• 2018

This paper presents an experimental work for short circular steel tube columns filled with normal concrete (NAC), recycled aggregate concrete (RAC), and RAC with silica fume and steel fiber. Ten specimens were tested under axial compression to research the effect of silica fume and steel fiber volume percentage on the behavior of recycled aggregate concrete-filled steel tube columns (RACFST). The failure modes, ultimate loads and axial load- strain relationships are presented. The test results indicate that silica fume and steel fiber would not change the failure mode of the RACFST column, but can increase the mechanical performances of the RACFST column because of the filling effect and pozzolanic action of silica fume and the confinement effect of steel fiber. The ultimate load, ductility and energy dissipation capacity of RACFST columns can exceed that of corresponding natural aggregate concrete-filled steel tube (NACFST) column. Design formulas EC4 for the load capacity NACFST and RACFST columns are proposed, and the predictions agree well with the experimental results from this study.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.74 no.3
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• pp.351-363
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• 2020

Based on the dynamic tests of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) short columns confined by the hoop reinforcement, the dynamic failure mechanism and the mechanical parameters related to the constitutive relation of confined recycled aggregate concrete (CRAC) were investigated thoroughly. The fracturing sections were relatively flat and smooth at higher strain rates rather than those at a quasi-static strain rate. With the increasing stirrup volume ratio, the crack mode is transited from splitting crack to slipping crack constrained with large transverse confinement. The compressive peak stress, peak strain, and ultimate strain increase with the increase of stirrup volume ratio, as well as the increasing strain rate. The dynamic confining increase factors of the compressive peak stress, peak strain, and ultimate strain increase by about 33%, 39%, and 103% when the volume ratio of hoop reinforcement is increased from 0 to 2%, but decrease by about 3.7%, 4.2%, and 9.1% when the stirrup spacing is increased from 20mm to 60mm, respectively. This sentence is rephrased as follows: When the stirrup volume ratios are up to 0.675%, and 2%, the contributions of the hoop confinement effect to the dynamic confining increase factors of the compressive peak strain and the compressive peak stress are greater than those of the strain rate effect, respectively. The dynamic confining increase factor (DCIF) models of the compressive peak stress, peak strain, and ultimate strain of CRAC are proposed in the paper. Through the confinement of the hoop reinforcement, the ductility of RAC, which is generally slightly lower than that of NAC, is significantly improved.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.76 no.4
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• pp.513-528
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• 2020

This paper presents the results of an experimental study on the residual behavior of reinforced recycled aggregate concrete (RRAC) beam-columns after exposure to elevated temperatures. Two parameters were considered in this test: (a) recycled coarse aggregate (RCA) replacement percentages (i.e. 0, 30, 50, 70 and 100%); (b) high temperatures (i.e. 20, 200, 400, 600, and 800℃). A total of 25 RRAC short columns and 32 RRAC beams were conducted and subjected to different high temperatures for 1 h. After cooling down to ambient temperature, the following basic physical and mechanical properties were then tested and discussed: (a) surface change and mass loss ratio; (b) strength of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) and steel subjected to elevated temperatures; (c) bearing capacity of beam-columns; (d) load-deformation curve. According to the test results, the law of performance degradation of RRAC beam-columns after exposure to high temperatures is analyzed. Finally, introducing the influence coefficient of RCA replacement percentage and high temperatures, respectively, to correct the calculation formulas of bearing capacity of beam-columns in Chinese Standard, and then the residual bearing capacity of RRAC beam-columns subjected elevated temperatures is calculated according to the modified formulas, the calculated results are in good agreement with the experimental results.