• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.59 no.2
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• pp.209-226
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• 2016

Integral bridges are typically designed with flexible foundations that include one row of piles. The construction of integral bridges solves difficulties due to the maintenance of expansion joints and bearings during serviceability. It causes integral bridges to become more economic comparing with conventional bridges. Research has been focused not only to enhance the seismic performance of newly designed bridges, but also to develop retrofit strategies for existing ones. The local performance of the pile to abutment connection will have a major effect on the performance of the structure and the embedment length of pile inside the abutment has a key role to provide shear and flexural resistance of pile-abutment connections. In this paper, a simple method was developed to estimate the initial value of embedment length of the pile for retrofitting of specimens. Four specimens of pile-abutment connections were constructed with different embedment lengths of pile inside the abutment to evaluate their performances. The results of the experimentation in conjunction with numerical and analytical studies showed that retrofitting pile-abutment connections with CFRP wraps increased the strength of the connection up to 86%. Also, designed connections with the proposed method had sufficient resistance against lateral load.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.731-748
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• 2016

Pile-to-pilecap connection performance is important as Integral abutment bridges (IABs) have no expansion joints and their flexible weak-axis oriented supporting piles take the role of the expansion joint. This connection may govern the bridge strength and the performance against various lateral loads. The intention of this study is to identify crack propagation patterns when the pile-to-pilecap connection is subjected to lateral loadings and to propose novel connections for improved performance under lateral loadings. In this study, eight different types of connections were developed and modeled, using Abaqus 6.12 to evaluate performances. Three types were developed by strengthening the connections using rebar or steel tube: (i) PennDOT specification; (ii) Spiral rebar; and (iii) HSS tube. Other types were developed by softening the connections using shape modifications: (i) cylindrical hole; (ii) reduced flange; (iii) removed flange; (iv) extended hole; and (v) slot hole connection types. The connections using the PennDOT specification, HSS tube, and cylindrical hole were shown to be ineffective in the prevention of cracks, resulting in lower structural capacities under the lateral load compared to other types. The other developed connections successfully delayed or arrested the concrete crack initiations and propagations. Among the successful connection types, the spiral rebar connection allowed a relatively larger reaction force, which can damage the superstructure of the IABs. Other softened connections performed better in terms of minimized reaction forces and crack prevention.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.21-30
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• 2019

Composite pile, which is composed of the steel pipe pile in which the large horizontal force acts and the PHC pile in which the small horizontal force acts by a special connecting devices, is being commercialized as a base material for civil engineering structures. The core of such a composite pile can be said to be a design criterion for estimating the joint position and stability of the connection device between steel pipe pile and PHC pile. In Korea, there is no precise specification for the location of composite pile joints. In the LH Design Department (Korea Land & Housing Corporation, 2009), "Application of composite pile design and review of design book marking" was made with reference to Road Design Practice Volume 3 (Korea Expressway Corporation, 2001). this is used as a basis of the design of the composite pile. It can not be regarded as a section change of the composite pile, so it has a limitation in application. Therefore, In this study, we propose a design criterion for the location of the section of the composite pile (joint of steel pipe pile and PHC pile) and evaluate the stability and economical efficiency of it by using experimental method and analytical method. Analysis of composite pile design data installed in 79 domestic bridges abutment showed that the stresses, bending moments, and displacements acting on the pile body and connection of the pile were analyzed. Through the redesign process, it was confirmed that the stresses generated in the connecting device occur within the allowable stress values of the connecting device and the PHC pile. In conclusion, the design proposal of composite pile joint location through empirical case study in this study is an improved design method considering both stability and economical efficiency in designing composite pile.