• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.63 no.1
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• pp.125-136
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• 2017

This study investigated the performance of a steel column standing on a reinforced concrete footing when it was subjected to collision of an eight-ton single unit truck. Finite element analyses of the structure with different connection schemes were performed using the finite element model of the truck, and the results showed that the behavior of the column subjected to the automobile impact depended largely on the column-footing connection detail. Various reinforcement schemes were investigated to mitigate the damage caused by the car impact. The probability of the model reinforced with a certain scheme to reach a given limit state was obtained by fragility analysis, and the effects of the combined reinforcement methods were investigated based on the equivalent fragility scheme. The analysis results showed that the reinforcement schemes such as increase of the pedestal area, decrease of the pedestal height, and the steel plate jacketing of the pedestal were effective in reducing the damage. As the speed of the automobile increased the contribution of the increase in the number of the anchor bolts and the dowel bars became more important to prevent crushing of the pedestal.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.15 no.12
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• pp.7350-7356
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• 2014

To study the reasonable design thermal loads, a steel box girder bridge specimen, which has no concrete slab, was manufactured with real size dimensions. The temperature data was obtained at the web and diaphragm using thermo gauges that were attached according to height. In the hottest day, the temperature differences between the top and bottom of the bridge model were calculated. The temperatures in the actual bridge were measured and the temperature of the bridge specimen was compared. The temperature gradient models were proposed in both the web and the diaphragm. The proposed models showed a correlation of approximately 95.8% compared to the Euro code. This study can provide basis data for temperature-load design in the nation.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.325-340
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• 2005

This paper presents a thorough investigation into the structural performance of cold-formed steel column bases using double lipped C sections with bolted moment connections. A total of four column base tests with different connection configurations were carried out, and it was found that section failure under combined bending and shear was always critical. Moreover, the proposed column bases were demonstrated to be structurally efficient attaining moment resistances close to those of the connected sections. In order to examine the structural behaviour of the column base connections, a finite element model was established using shell and spring elements to model the sections and the bolted fastenings respectively. Both material and geometrical non-linearities were incorporated, and comparison between the test and the numerical results was presented in details. The design rules originally developed for bolted moment connections between lapped Z sections were adopted and re-formulated for the design of column base connections after careful calibration against the test data. Comparison on co-existing moments and shear forces at the critical cross-sections of the column bases was fully presented. It was shown that the proposed design and analysis method was structurally adequate to predict the failure loads under combined bending and shear for column bases with similar connection configurations.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.289-304
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• 2005

This paper presents a thorough investigation into the structural performance of cold-formed steel column bases using double lipped C sections with bolted moment connections. A total of four column base tests with different connection configurations were carried out, and it was found that section failure under combined bending and shear was always critical. Moreover, the proposed column bases were demonstrated to be structurally efficient attaining moment resistances close to those of the connected sections. In order to examine the structural behaviour of the column base connections, a finite element model was established using shell and spring elements to model the sections and the bolted fastenings respectively. Both material and geometrical non-linearities were incorporated, and comparison between the test and the numerical results was presented in details. The design rules originally developed for bolted moment connections between lapped Z sections were adopted and re-formulated for the design of column base connections after careful calibration against the test data. Comparison on co-existing moments and shear forces at the critical cross-sections of the column bases was fully presented. It was shown that the proposed design and analysis method was structurally adequate to predict the failure loads under combined bending and shear for column bases with similar connection configurations.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.367-382
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• 2015

This paper aims to conduct the reliability-based assessment of the welded joint in the orthotropic steel bridge deck by use of a mesh-insensitive structural stress (MISS) method, which is an effective numerical procedure to determine the reliable stress distribution adjacent to the weld toe. Both the solid element model and the shell element model are first established to investigate the sensitivity of the element size and the element type in calculating the structural stress under different loading scenarios. In order to achieve realistic condition assessment of the welded joint, the probabilistic approach based on the structural reliability theory is adopted to derive the reliability index and the failure probability by taking into account the uncertainties inherent in the material properties and load conditions. The limit state function is formulated in terms of the structural resistance of the material and the load effect which is described by the structural stress obtained by the MISS method. The reliability index is computed by use of the first-order reliability method (FORM), and compared with a target reliability index to facilitate the safety assessment. The results achieved from this study reveal that the calculation of the structural stress using the MISS method is insensitive to the element size and the element type, and the obtained structural stress results serve as a reliable basis for structural reliability analysis.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.179-200
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• 2008

This paper reports the results of a recent experimental study into the behavior of welded fin-plate connections to both hollow and concrete filled tubular (CFT) columns under shear. Experiments have been performed at both ambient and elevated temperatures with the aid of an electric kiln. The observed failure modes include fracture of the fin plate and tearing out of the tube around the welds. By considering the results of previously published research, the current design method for similar connections under purely tensile load, in CIDECT Guide 9, based on a deformation limit of 3% of the tube width is shown to be inadequate when evaluating the ultimate strength of such connections. By comparing the results from the current test program which failed in the fin-plate with Eurocode guidance for failure of a fin-plate alone under shear and bending load it is shown that the column face influences the overall connection strength regardless of failure mode. Concrete in-fill is observed to significantly increase the strength of connections over empty specimens, and circular column specimens were observed to exhibit greater strength than similarly proportioned square columns. A finite element (F.E.) model, developed using ABAQUS, is presented and validated against the experimental results in order that extensive parametric tests may be subsequently performed. When validating the model against elevated temperature tests it was found that using reduction factors suggested in published research for the specific steel grades improved results over applying the generic Eurocode elevated temperature steel strength reduction factors.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.501-513
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• 2017

To investigate the seismic performance of Y-shaped eccentrically braced frames fabricated with high-strength steel (Y-HSS-EBFs), a shake table test of a 1:2 scaled three-story Y-HSS-EBF specimen was performed. The input wave for the shake table test was generated by the ground motions of El Centro, Taft, and Lanzhou waves. The dynamic properties, acceleration, displacement, and strain responses were obtained from the test specimen and compared with previous test results. In addition, a finite element model of the test specimen was established using the SAP2000 software. Results from the numerical analysis were compared with the test specimen results. During the shake table test, the specimen exhibited sufficient overall structural stiffness and safety but suffered some localized damage. The lateral stiffness of the structure degenerated during the high seismic intensity earthquake. The maximum elastic and elastoplastic interstory drift of the test specimen for different peak ground accelerations were 1/872 and 1/71, respectively. During the high seismic intensity earthquake, the links of the test specimen entered the plastic stage to dissipate the earthquake energy, while other structural members remained in the elastic stage. The Y-HSS-EBF is a safe, dual system with reliable seismic performance. The numerical analysis results were in useful agreement with the test results. This finding indicated that the finite element model in SAP2000 provided a very accurate prediction of the Y-HSS-EBF structure's behavior during the seismic loadings.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.526-533
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• 2001

Induction heating of float metal products has an increasing importance in many applications, because it generates the heat within workpiece itself and provides high power densities and productivity. In this study, the induction heating of a steel plate to simulate the line heating is investigated by means of the Finite Element Analysis of the magnetic field and temperature distribution. A numerical model is used to calculate temperature distribution within the steel plate during the induction heating with a specially designed inductor. The effects of materital properties depending on the temperature and magnetic field are taken into consideration in an iterative manner. The simulation results show good magnetic field with experimental data and provide good understanding of the process. Since the numerical model demonstrates to be suitable for analysis of induction heating process, the effects of air gap and frequency on magnetic-flux and power-density distribution are also investigated. It is revealed that these process parameters have an important roles on the electro-magnetic field and power-density distribution governing the temperature distribution of the plate.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.239-253
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• 2009

This paper reviews the concept of tensegrity structures and proposes a new type of dismountable steel tensegrity grids for possible deployment as light-weight roof structures. It covers the fabrication of the prototype structures followed by their instrumentation, destructive testing and numerical analysis. First, a single module, measuring $1m{\times}1m$ in size, is fabricated based on half-cuboctahedron configuration using galvanised iron (GI) pipes as struts and high tensile stranded cables as tensile elements. Detailed instrumentation of the structure is carried out right at the fabrication stage. The structure is thereafter subjected to destructive test during which the strain and the displacement responses are carefully monitored. The structure is modelled and analyzed using finite element method (FEM) and the model generated is updated with the experimental results. The investigations are then extended to a $2{\times}2$ grid, measuring $2m{\times}2m$ in size, fabricated uniquely by the cohesive integration of four single tensegrity modules. After updating and validating on the $2{\times}2$ grid, the finite element model is extended to a $8{\times}8$ grid (consisting of 64 units and measuring $8m{\times}8m$) whose behaviour is studied in detail for various load combinations expected to act on the structure. The results demonstrate that the proposed tensegrity grid structures are not only dismountable but also exhibit satisfactory behaviour from strength and serviceability point of view.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.97-114
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• 2014

This paper deals with a study on ultimate strength behaviour of eccentrically loaded CFT columns with and without shear connectors. Thirty specimens are subjected to experimental investigation under eccentric loading condition. P-M curves are generated for all the test specimens and critical eccentricities are evaluated. Three different D/t ratios such as 21, 25 and 29 and L/D ratios varying from 5 to 20 are considered as experimental parameters. Six specimens of bare steel tubes as reference specimens, twelve specimens of CFT columns without shear connectors and twelve specimens of CFT columns with shear connectors, in total thirty specimens are tested. The P-M values at the ultimate failure load of experimental study are found to be well agreed with the results of the proposed P-M interaction model. The load-deflection and load-strain behaviour of the experimental column specimens are presented. The behaviour of the CFT columns with and without shear connectors is compared. Experimental results indicate that the percentage increase in load carrying capacity of CFT columns with shear connectors compared to the ordinary CFT columns is found to be insignificant with a value ranging from 6% to 13%. However, the ductility factor of columns with shear connectors exhibit higher values than that of the CFT columns without shear connectors. This paper presents the proposed P-M interaction model and experimental results under varying parameters such as D/t and L/D ratios.