• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.15 no.4 s.65
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• pp.341-358
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• 2003

This paper proposed a general formulation of Life-Cycle Cost (LCC) models and LCC effective design system models of steel bridges suitable for practical implementation. An LCC model for the optimum design of steel bridges included initial cost and direct/indirect rehabilitation costs of a steel bridge as well as repair/replacement costs, loss of contents or fatality and injury losses, road user costs, and indirect socioeconomic losses. The new road user cost model and regional socioeconomic losses model were especially considered because of the traffic network. Illustrative design examples of an actual steel box girder and an orthotropic steel deck bridge were discussed to demonstrate the LCC effectiveness of the design of steel bridges. Based on the results of the numerical investigation, the LCC-effective optimum design of steel bridges based on the proposed LCC model was found to lead to a more rational, economical, and safer design compared with the initial cost-optimum design and the conventional code-based design.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.253-265
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• 2023

In this research, the gene expression programming (GEP) technique was employed to provide a new model for predicting the maximum loading capacity of concrete-encased steel (CES) columns. This model was developed based on 96 CES column specimens available in the literature. The six main parameters used in the model were the compressive strength of concrete (f_c), yield stress of structural steel (f_ys), yield stress of steel rebar (f_yr), and cross-sectional areas of concrete, structural steel, and steel rebar (A_c, A_s and A_r respectively). The performance of the prediction model for the ultimate load-carrying capacity was investigated using different statistical indicators such as root mean square error (RMSE), correlation coefficient (R), mean absolute error (MAE), and relative square error (RSE), the corresponding values of which for the proposed model were 620.28, 0.99, 411.8, and 0.01, respectively. Here, the predictions of the model and those of available codes including ACI ITG, AS 3600, CSA-A23, EN 1994, JGJ 138, and NZS 3101 were compared for further model assessment. The obtained results showed that the proposed model had the highest correlation with the experimental data and the lowest error. In addition, to see if the developed model matched engineering realities and corresponded to the previously developed models, a parametric study and sensitivity analysis were carried out. The sensitivity analysis results indicated that the concrete cross-sectional area (A_c) has the greatest effect on the model, while parameter (f_yr) has a negligible effect.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.153-174
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• 2012

Micromechanical facture models can be used to predict ductile fracture in steel structures. In order to calibrate the parameters in the micromechanical models for the largely used Q345 steel in China, uniaxial tensile tests, smooth notched tensile tests, cyclic notched bar tests, scanning electron microscope tests and finite element analyses were conducted in this paper. The test specimens were made from base metal, deposit metal and heat affected zone of Q345 steel to investigate crack initiation in welded steel connections. The calibrated parameters for the three different locations of Q345 steel were compared with that of the other seven varieties of structural steels. It indicates that the toughness index parameters in the stress modified critical strain (SMCS) model and the void growth model (VGM) are connected with ductility of the material but have no correlation with the yield strength, ultimate strength or the ratio of ultimate strength to yield strength. While the damage degraded parameters in the degraded significant plastic strain (DSPS) model and the cyclic void growth model (CVGM) and the characteristic length parameter are irrelevant with any properties of the material. The results of this paper can be applied to predict ductile fracture in welded steel connections.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.85-94
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• 2006

Practially useful method of steel fiber for construction work is presented in this study. The most important purpose of this study is to develop a model which can predict mechanical behavior of the structure according to aspect ratio and volume fraction of steel fiber. Experiments on compressive strength, elastic modulus, and splitting strength were performed with self-made cylindrical specimens of variable aspect ratios and volume fractions. The experiment showed that compressive strength was not in direct proportion to volume fraction which doesn't seem to have great influence over compressive strength. However, splitting strength showed almost direct proportion to aspect ratio and volume fraction. Improvement of optimal efficiency was confirmed when the aspect ratio was 70. Experiments on flexural strength, fracture energy, and characteristic length were carried out with self-manufactured beams with notch. As a result, increases of flexural strength, fracture energy, and characteristic length according to increase of volume fraction tend to be prominent when aspect ratio is 70. The steel fiber improves concrete to be more ductile and tough. Moreover, regression analysis was the performed and predictable model was developed after determining variables. With comparison and analysis of suggested estimated values and measured data, reliance of the model was verified.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.1305-1322
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• 2016

This paper presents the results of experimental and numerical model analyses on partially encased composite columns under concentric loads. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the influence of replacing the conventional longitudinal and transverse steel bars by welded wire mesh on the structural behavior of these members under concentric loads. To achieve these goals experimental tests on four specimens of partially encased composite columns submitted to axial loading were performed and the results were promising in terms of replacing the traditional reinforcement by steel meshes. In addition, a numerical FE model was developed using the software DIANA$^{(R)}$ with FX+. The experimental results were used to validate the numerical model. Satisfactory agreement between experimental and numerical results was observed in both capacity and deformability of the composite columns. Despite of the simplifying assumptions of perfect bond between steel and concrete, the numerical model adequately represented the columns behavior. A finite element parametric study was performed and parameters including thickness of the steel profile and the concrete and steel strengths were evaluated. The parametrical study results found no significant changes in the partially encased columns behavior due to variations of the steel profile thickness or yield strength. However, significant changes in the post peak behavior were observed when using high strength concrete and these results suggest a change in the failure mode.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.887-898
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• 2021

This paper presents a simplified model to capture the nonlinear behavior of steel frames depending on the spread of plasticity method. New interaction formulae were derived to evaluate the plastic strength for I-shaped steel sections under uniaxial bending moment and axial compression load. Also, new empirical formulae were derived to evaluate the tangent stiffness modulus of steel I-shaped cross-sections considering the effect of the residual stresses suggested by the specifications in European Convention for Construction Steelworks (ECCS). The secant stiffness which depends on the tangent modulus is used to evaluate the internal forces. Based on stiffness matrix method, a finite element analysis program was developed for the nonlinear analysis of space steel frames using the derived formulae. Comparison between the proposed model results with those given by the fiber model shows very good agreement. Numerical examples were introduced to verify, check the accuracy, and evaluate the efficiency of the proposed model. The analysis results show that the new proposed model is accurate and able to minimize the solution time.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.475-485
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• 2024

The mechanical behavior of the steel tube encased high-strength concrete (STHC) composite walls under constant axial load and cyclically increasing lateral load was studied. Conclusions are drawn based on experimental observations, grey evolutionary algorithm and finite element (FE) simulations. The use of steel tube wall panels improved the load capacity and ductility of the specimens. STHC composite walls withstand more load cycles and show more stable hysteresis performance than conventional high strength concrete (HSC) walls. After the maximum load, the bearing capacity of the STHC composite wall was gradually reduced, and the wall did not collapse under the influence of the steel pipe. For analysis of the bending capacity of STHC composite walls based on artificial intelligence tools, an analysis model is proposed that takes into account the limiting effect of steel pipes. The results of this model agree well with the test results, indicating that the model can be used to predict the bearing capacity of STHC composite walls. Based on a reasonable material constitutive model and the limiting effect of steel pipes, a finite element model of the STHC composite wall was created. The finite elements agree well with the experimental results in terms of hysteresis curve, load-deformation curve and peak load.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.213-233
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• 2015

A nonlinear finite element analysis (FEA) model is presented for simulating the behaviour of recycled aggregate concrete-filled steel tube (RACFST) beam-columns subjected to constant axial compressive load and cyclically increasing flexural loading. The FEA model was developed based on ABAQUS software package and a displacement-based approach was used. The proposed engineering stress versus engineering strain relationship of core concrete with the effect of recycled coarse aggregate (RCA) replacement ratio was adopted in the FEA model. The predicted results of the FEA model were compared with the experimental results of several RACFST as well as the corresponding concrete-filled steel tube (CFST) beam-columns under cyclic loading reported in the literature. The comparison results indicated that the proposed FEA model was capable of predicting the load versus deformation relationship, lateral bearing capacity and failure pattern of RACFST beam-columns with an acceptable accuracy. A parametric study was further carried out to investigate the effect of typical parameters on the mechanism of RACFST beam-columns subjected to cyclic loading.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.75-95
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• 2003

A numerical model is presented to simulate the mechanical behaviour of composite steel and concrete columns taking into account the interaction between the hollow steel section and the concrete core. The model, based on displacement finite element methods with an Updated Lagrangian formulation, allows for geometrical and material non linearities combined with heating over all or a part of the section and column length. Comparisons of numerical calculations made using the model with 33 fire resistance tests show that the model is able to predict the fire resistance, expressed in minutes of fire exposure, of composite columns with a good accuracy.

• International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.143-147
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• 2016

In recent years, some modifications were introduced in the stress-strain relationship of the steel in order to develop a more efficient shear model for reinforced concrete members. The last contribution in this sense corresponding to the Refined Compression Field Theory (RCFT, 2009); this theory proposed a steel constitutive model that has account the tension stiffening area prescribed by technical codes, what simplifies all the design process. However, under certain design conditions supported by such codes, the RCFT model does not provide a real (non-complex) solution for the steel yield strain when the prescribed tension stiffening area is considered; then the load-strain response cannot be computed. In this technical note, the tension stiffening area is fixed in order to guarantee the application of the embedded steel constitutive model for all the standard design range.