• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.247-253
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• 2022

The columns of older reinforced concrete (RC) buildings generally have limited reinforcement details. Thus, they could be vulnerable to earthquake ground motions, leading to partial or complete building collapse. In this study, high-performance fiber-reinforced cementitious composite (HPFRCC) was applied to RC columns to improve their seismic behavior. Experimental tests were conducted with two full-sized specimens with limited reinforcement details, including short lap splices, while unidirectional loadings were applied to the specimens. The seismic behavior of RC columns was substantially improved by using HPFRCC.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.131-149
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• 2013

Various types of reinforcement splicing methods have been developed and implemented in reinforced concrete construction projects for achieving the continuity of reinforcements. Due to the complicated reinforcement arrangements and the difficulties in securing bar spacing, the traditional lap splicing method, which has been widely used in reinforced concrete constructions, often shows low constructability and difficulties in quality control. Also, lap spliced regions are likely to be over-reinforced, which may not be desirable in seismic design. On the other hand, mechanical splicing methods can offer simple and clear arrangements of reinforcement. In order to utilize the couplers for the ribbed-deformed bars, however, additional screw processing at the ends of reinforcing bars is typically required, which often lead to performance degradations of reinforced concrete members due to the lack of workmanship in screw processing or in adjusting the length of reinforcing bars. On the contrary, the use of screw-ribbed reinforcements can easily solve these issues on the mechanical splicing methods, because it does not require the screw process on the bar. In this study, the mechanical coupler suitable for the screw-ribbed reinforcements has been developed, in which any gap between the reinforcements and sleeve device can be removed by grouting high-flow inorganic mortar. This study presents the uniaxial tension tests on the screw-ribbed reinforcement with the mechanical sleeve devices and the cyclic loading tests on RC columns with the developed coupler. The test results show that the mechanical sleeve connection developed in this study has an excellent splicing performance, and that it is applicable to reinforced concrete columns with a proper confinement by hoop reinforcement.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.143-152
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• 2018

This paper deepens the finite element modeling (FEM) method to reproduce the compressive behavior of partially steel-jacketed (PSJ) RC columns by means of the Concrete Damaged Plasticity (CDP) Model available in ABAQUS software. Although the efficiency of the CDP model is widely proven for reinforced concrete columns at low confining pressure, when the confinement level becomes high the standard plasticity parameters may not be suitable to obtain reliable results. This paper deals with these limitations and presents an analytically based strategy to fix the parameters of the Concrete Damaged Plasticity (CDP) model. Focusing on a realistic prediction of load-bearing capacity of PSJ RC columns subjected to monotonic compressive loads, a new strain hardening/softening function is developed for confined concrete coupled with the evaluation of the dilation angle including effects of confinement. Moreover, a simplified efficient modeling approach is proposed to take into account also the response of the steel angle in compression. The prediction accuracy from the current model is compared with that of existing experimental data obtained from a wide range of mechanical confinement ratio.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.77 no.4
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• pp.441-461
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• 2021

Reinforced concrete (RC) columns are crucial in building structures and they are of higher vulnerability to terrorist threat than any other structural elements. Thus it is of great interest and necessity to achieve a comprehensive understanding of the possible responses of RC columns when exposed to high intensive blast loads. The primary objective of this study is to derive analytical formulas to assess vulnerability of RC columns using an advanced numerical modelling approach. This investigation is necessary as the effect of blast loads would be minimal to the RC structure if the explosive charge is located at the safe standoff distance from the main columns in the building and therefore minimizes the chance of disastrous collapse of the RC columns. In the current research, finite element model is developed for RC columns using LS-DYNA program that includes a comprehensive discussion of the material models, element formulation, boundary condition and loading methods. Numerical model is validated to aid in the study of RC column testing against the explosion field test results. Residual capacity of RC column is selected as damage criteria. Intensive investigations using Arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian (ALE) methodology are then implemented to evaluate the influence of scaled distance, column dimension, concrete and steel reinforcement properties and axial load index on the vulnerability of RC columns. The generated empirical formulae can be used by the designers to predict a damage degree of new column design when consider explosive loads. With an extensive knowledge on the vulnerability assessment of RC structures under blast explosion, advancement to the convention design of structural elements can be achieved to improve the column survivability, while reducing the lethality of explosive attack and in turn providing a safer environment for the public.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.279-293
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• 2019

The overall seismic performance of existing pre 1960-70s reinforced concrete (RC) structures is significantly affected by the inadequate length of columns' lap-spliced reinforcement. Due to this crucial structural deficiency, the cyclic response is dominated by premature bond - slip failure, strength and stiffness degradation, poor energy dissipation capacity and low ductility. Recent earthquakes worldwide highlighted the importance of improving the load transfer mechanism between lap-spliced bars, while it was clearly demonstrated that the failure of lap splices may result in a devastating effect on structural integrity. Extensive experimental and analytical research was carried out herein, to evaluate the effectiveness and reliability of strengthening techniques applied to RC columns with lap-spliced reinforcement and also accurately predict the columns' response during an earthquake. Ten large scale cantilever column subassemblages, representative of columns found in existing pre 1970s RC structures, were constructed and strengthened by steel or RC jacketing. The enhanced specimens were imposed to earthquake-type loading and their lateral response was evaluated with respect to the hysteresis of two original and two control subassemblages. The main variables examined were the lap splice length, the steel jacket width and the amount of additional confinement offered by the jackets. Moreover, an analytical formulation proposed by Tsonos (2007a, 2019) was modified appropriately and applied to the lap splice region, to calculate shear stress developed in the concrete and predict if yielding of reinforcement is achieved. The accuracy of the analytical method was checked against experimental results from both the literature and the experimental work included herein.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 2006.05a
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• pp.246-249
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• 2006

This paper presents experimental studies on investigating the seismic retrofit performance of reinforced concrete rectangular columns with poor lap-splice details using GFRP wrapping. Six columns have been tested. The GFRP retrofitted columns with same 7.5 mm thickness have two section shapes, i.e., rectangular and elliptical sections. The GFRP height was changed from 450 mm to 900 mm. The performance of GFRP retrofitted columns which have different shapes and height are verified.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 2005.05a
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• pp.87-90
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• 2005

An experimental investigation on the strength and behaviour of reinforced concrete columns using high performance fiber reinforced cement composites has been carried out. The columns were subjected to monotonic axial compression until failure. The variables in this study are the combination ratio of steel cord(SC) and Polyethylene (PE), and the volumetric ratio of transverse reinforcement Test results showed that the fibers, when used in a hybrid form, could result in superior composite performance compared to their individual fiber reinforced cement composites.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.631-634
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• 2004

An experimental investigation on the strength and behaviour of reinforced concrete columns using high performance fiber reinforced cement composites has been carried out. The columns were subjected to monotonic axial compression until failure. The variables in this study are the combination ratio of steel cord(SCI) and polypropylene(PP), and the volumetric ratio of transverse reinforcement Test results showed that the fibers, when used in a hybrid form, could result in superior composite performance compared to their individual fiber reinforced cement composites.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.157-175
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• 2016

It was found that the lateral stiffness changes obvious at the transfer position of the section configuration from SRC to RC. This particular behavior leads to that the transfer columns become as the important elements in SRC-RC hybrid structures. A comprehensive study was conducted to investigate the seismic behavior of SRC-RC transfer columns based on a low cyclic loading test of 16 transfer columns compared with 1 RC column. Test results shows three failure modes for transfer columns, which are shear failure, bond failure and bend failure. Its seismic behavior was completely analyzed about the failure mode, hysteretic and skeleton curves, bearing capacity deformation ability, stiffness degradation and energy dissipation. It is further determined that displacement ductility coefficient of transfer columns changes from 1.97 to 5.99. The stiffness of transfer columns are at the interval of SRC and RC, and hence transfer columns can play the role of transition from SRC to RC. All specimens show similar discipline of stiffness degradation and the process can be divided into three parts. Some specimens of transfer column lose bearing capacity swiftly after shear cracking and showed weak energy dissipation ability, but the others show better ability of energy dissipation than RC column.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.261-267
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• 2018

Long-term deformation of a steel-reinforced concrete (SRC) column is different from that of a reinforced concrete (RC) column due to the different moisture distribution. Wide-flange steel in an SRC column obstructs diffusion and makes long-term deformation slower. Previous studies analyzed the characteristics of long-term deformation of SRC columns. In this study, an additional experiment is conducted to more precisely investigate the effect of wide-flange steel on the long-term deformation of SRC columns. Long-term deformation, especially creep of SRC columns with various types of wide-flange steel, is tested. Wide-flange steel for the experiment is made of thin acrylic panels that can block diffusion but does not have strength, because the main purpose of this study is to exclusively demonstrate the long-term deformation of concrete caused by moisture diffusion, not by the reinforcement ratio. Experimental results show that the long-term deformation of a SRC column develops slower than that in a RC column, and it is slower as the wide-flange steel hinders diffusion more. These experimental results can be used for analytical prediction of long-term deformation of various SRC columns. An example of the analytical prediction is provided. According to the experimental and analytical results, it is clear that a new prediction model for long-term deformation of SRC columns should be developed in further studies.