• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.89-97
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• 2023

In order to obtain the impact of socket connection interface forms and socket gap sizes on the seismic performance of reinforced concrete (RC) socket prefabricated bridge piers, quasi-static tests for three socket prefabricated piers with different column-foundation connection interface forms and reserved socket gap sizes, as well as to the corresponding cast-in-situ reinforced concrete piers, were carried out. The influence of socket connection structure on various seismic performance indexes of socket prefabricated piers was studied by comparing and analyzing the hysteresis curve and skeleton curve obtained through the experiment. Results showed that the ultimate failure mode of the socket prefabricated pier with circumferential corrugated treatment at the connection interface was the closest to that of the monolithic pier, the maximum bearing capacity was slightly less than that of the cast-in-situ pier but larger than that of the socket pier with roughened connection interface, and the displacement ductility and accumulated energy consumption capacity were smaller than those of socket piers with roughened connection interface. The connection interface treatment form had less influence on the residual deformation of socket prefabricated bridge piers. With the increase in the reserved socket gap size between the precast pier column and the precast foundation, the bearing capacity of the prefabricated socket bridge pier component, as well as the ductility and residual displacement of the component, would be reduced and had unfavorable effect on the energy dissipation property of the bridge pier component.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.3 no.5
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• pp.216-221
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• 2004

The operating experience showed that the fatigue is one of the major piping failure mechanisms in nuclear power plants (NPPs). The pressure and/or temperature loading transients, the vibration, and the mechanical cyclic loading during the plant operation may induce the fatigue failure in the nuclear piping. Recently, many fatigue piping failure occurred at the socket weld area have been widely reported. Many failure cases showed that the gap requirement between the pipe and fitting in the socket weld was not satisfied though the ASME Code Sec. III requires 1/16 inch gap in the socket weld. The ASME Code OM also limits the vibration level of the piping system, but some failure cases showed the limitation was not satisfied during the plant operation. In this paper, the fatigue behavior of the socket weld in the nuclear piping was estimated by using the three dimensional finite element method. The results are as follows. (1) The socket weld is susceptible to the vibration if the vibration levels exceed the requirement in the ASME Code OM. (2) The effect of the pressure or temperature transient load on the socket weld in NPPs is not significant because of the very low frequency of the transient during the plant lifetime operation. (3) 'No gap' is very risky to the socket weld integrity for the specific systems having the vibration condition to exceed the requirement in the ASME OM Code and/or the transient loading condition. (4) The reduction of the weld leg size from $1.09*t_1$ to $0.75*t_1$ can affect severely on the socket weld integrity.