• Advances in aircraft and spacecraft science
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.105-116
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• 2019

An alternative to the multilayered preforming is to use structures reinforced through-the-thickness in order to manufacture thicker and more complex pieces. Stitching technology is developed to bind dry reinforcements together or to strengthen composites in thickness performance by inserting structural yarns. Tufting process represents the simplest one-sided sewing technology and it is specifically designed for dry preform/liquid composite molding process route. Currently, the tufting technology is getting more and more interest due to its simplest and efficient process where it involves the insertion of binder threads via a single needle through the fabric. This technique of reinforcement through-the-thickness requires only one access to the preform which makes it suitable for three-dimensional structures and complex shaped textile composites. This paper aims to improve the understanding of the mechanical performance of tufted structures. An experimental study was developed, which included tensile and bending behaviours of tufted and un-tufted preforms, in order to evaluate the effect of tufting on the mechanical performance of dry preforms. The influence of the process parameters (tufting density, loop length, tufting yarns${\ldots}$) on the mechanical performance ofthe final structure is also highlighted.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.97-106
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• 2019

This paper describes the design of a new interlocking masonry system, the production of designed interlocking units and mechanical properties of interlocked masonry assemblages with mortar. In this proposed system, units have horizontal and vertical locks to integrate the units to the wall and have a channel to enable the use of horizontal reinforcements in the wall. Using these units, unfilled, filled or reinforced walls can be constructed with or without mortar. In the production of the interlocking units, it was decided to use foamed concrete. 12 trial productions have been carried out at different mix proportions to obtain the optimum concrete mix. At the end of the mentioned productions, the units were produced with foam concrete which is selected as the most suitable in terms of compressive strength and specific gravity. Then, axial compression, diagonal tension and bed joint shear tests were carried out to determine the mechanical properties of the interlocked masonry assemblages with mortar. Results from the tests showed that interlocks designed to strengthen the system against shear stresses by creating discontinuity throughout the joints have been successful to achieve their aim. Obtained data will enable structural analysis of walls to be constructed with these new units.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.196-202
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• 2019

In this study, the excessive noise and vibration phenomena of a high-speed Ro/Ro passenger ship were analyzed, and a countermeasure was taken based on them. This ship was granted a comfort class notation by the classification society, which was COMFORT-VIBRATION-II and COMFORT-NOISE-CREW-II. However, unfortunately, excessive noise and vibration in the aft part of the ship were delivered from the twin shaft propellers, and therefore the Class Requirement was not satisfied before delivery. In order to obtain the class notation, all of the concerned parties came to an agreement to reduce the noise and vibration level during operation after delivery because a seasonal ferry service was already scheduled and the cabin was fully booked. The root cause of the massive amount of noise and vibration was mainly the propeller-induced excitation pulse and beating that occurred from the mismatch of the rotating speeds of the two shaft lines. A 1st order vibrating force and beating phenomena existed in the propeller. Thus, a reduction of the excitation force, elimination of the beating phenomena, and decrease of the noise level at the aft area cabins and public spaces were required. In addition, structural reinforcements were conducted using pillars and additional girders at the aft part of the decks.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.31-54
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• 2022

This paper is concerned with the buckling behavior of functionally graded graphene reinforced porous nanocomposite beams based on the finite element method (FEM) using two variables trigonometric shear deformation theory. Both Young's modulus and material density of the FGP beam element are simultaneously considered as grading through the thickness of the beam. The finite element approach is developed using a nonlocal strain gradient theory. The governing equations derived here are solved introducing a 3-nodes beam element, and then the critical buckling load is calculated with different porosity distributions and GPL dispersion patterns. After a convergence and validation study to verify the accuracy of the present model, a comprehensive parametric study is carried out, with a particular focus on the effects of weight fraction, distribution pattern of GPL reinforcements on the Buckling behavior of the nanocomposite beam. The effects of various structural parameters such as the dispersion patterns for the graphene and porosity, thickness ratio, boundary conditions, and nonlocal and strain gradient parameters are brought out. The results indicate that porosity distribution and GPL pattern have significant effects on the response of the nanocomposite beams, and the results allows to identify the most effective way to achieve improved buckling behavior of the porous nanocomposite beam.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.84 no.6
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• pp.743-765
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• 2022

Near-surface excavations may cause the tilting and destruction of the adjacent superstructures in big cities. The stability of a huge excavation and its nearby superstructures was studied in this paper. Some test instruments monitored the deformation and loads at the designed location. Then the numerical models of the excavation were made in FLAC3D (a three-dimensional finite difference code) and Plaxis-3D (a three-dimensional finite element code). The effects of different supporting and reinforcement tools such as nails, piles, and shotcretes on the stability and bearing capacity of the foundation were analyzed through different numerical models. The numerically approximated results were compared with the corresponding in-field monitored results and reasonable compatibility was obtained. It was concluded that the displacement in excavation and the settlement of the nearby superstructure increases gradually as the depth of excavation rises. The effects of support and reinforcements were also observed and modeled in this study. The settlement of the structure gradually decreased as the supports were installed. These analyses showed that the pile significantly increased the bearing capacity and decreased the settlement of the superstructure. As a whole, the monitoring and numerical simulation results were in good consistency with one another in this practically important project.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.88 no.1
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• pp.95-107
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• 2023

In this study, circular thin-walled reinforced high strength concrete-filled steel tube (RHSCFST) stub columns with various tube thicknesses (i.e., 1.8, 2.5 and 3.0mm) and reinforcement ratios (i.e., 0, 1.6%, 2.4% and 3.2%) were fabricated to explore the influence of these factors on the axial compressive behavior of RHSCFST. The obtained test results show that the failure mode of RHSCFST transforms from outward buckling and tearing failure to drum failure with the increasing tube thickness. With the tube thickness and reinforcement ratio increased, the ultimate load-carrying capacity, compressive stiffness and ductility of columns increased, while the lateral strain in the stirrup decreased. Comparisons were also made between test results and the existing codes such as AIJ (2008), BS5400 (2005), ACI (2019) and EC4 (2010). It has been found that the existing codes provide conservative predictions for the ultimate load-carrying capacity of RHSCFST. Therefore, an accurate model for the prediction of the ultimate load-carrying capacity of circular thin-walled RHSCFST considering the steel reinforcement is developed, based on the obtained experimental results. It has been found that the model proposed in this study provides more accurate predictions of the ultimate load-carrying capacity than that from existing design codes.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.195-215
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• 2016

Rehabilitation of historical unreinforced masonry (URM) buildings is a priority in many parts of the world, since those buildings are a living part of history and a testament of human achievement of the era of their construction. Many of these buildings are still operational; comprising brittle materials with no reinforcements, with spatially distributed mass and stiffness, they are not encompassed by current seismic assessment procedures that have been developed for other structural types. To facilitate the difficult task of selecting a proper rehabilitation strategy - often restricted by international treaties for non-invasiveness and reversibility of the intervention - and given the practical requirements for the buildings' intended reuse, this paper presents a practical procedure for assessment of seismic demands of URM buildings - mainly historical constructions that lack a well-defined diaphragm action. A key ingredient of the method is approximation of the spatial shape of lateral translation, ${\Phi}$, that the building assumes when subjected to a uniform field of lateral acceleration. Using ${\Phi}$ as a 3-D shape function, the dynamic response of the system is evaluated, using the concepts of SDOF approximation of continuous systems. This enables determination of the envelope of the developed deformations and the tendency for deformation and damage localization throughout the examined building for a given design earthquake scenario. Deformation demands are specified in terms of relative drift ratios referring to the in-plane and the out-of-plane seismic response of the building's structural elements. Drift ratio demands are compared with drift capacities associated with predefined performance limits. The accuracy of the introduced procedure is evaluated through (a) comparison of the response profiles with those obtained from detailed time-history dynamic analysis using a suite of ten strong ground motion records, five of which with near-field characteristics, and (b) evaluation of the performance assessment results with observations reported in reconnaissance reports of the field performance of two neoclassical torsionally-sensitive historical buildings, located in Thessaloniki, Greece, which survived a major earthquake in the past.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.78-86
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• 2003

Reinforced concrete beams are often retrofitted with various FRP composite sheets. This paper is focused on the comparison of structural performance of various FRP sheets and proposal of the retrofitting design formula. Effects of the FRP kinds(AFRP, GFRP, CFRP) and the reinforcing steel ratio on behavior of the retrofitting beams are tested and analyzed with particular emphasis on the maximum load capacity, stiffness, and ductility. The experimental work included 4 point flexural testing of 3.2m span reinforced concrete beams with bonded external reinforcements. The results show that the difference of FRP kinds is not large and the flexural load capacity is mainly affected by stiffness of the retrofitting materials. This paper also proposes the design formula on the retrofitting reinforced concrete flexural members and checks with this experimantal work and previous research results.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.103-111
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• 2007

Experimental study was carried out to investigate the structural performance of composite beams with steel fiber concrete and angle. For this purpose, seven specimens composed of two RC beams with or without steel fiber and five composite beams with steel fiber and angle were constructed and tested. All specimens had no web shear reinforcement. Main variables for the specimens were tensile reinforcement ratio and fiber volume fraction. Based on the test results, structural performance such as strength, stiffness, ductility and energy dissipation capacity was evaluated and compared with the predicted strength. The prediction of flexure and shear strength gives a good relationship with the observed strength. The strength, ductility and energy dissipation capacity are increased, as the fiber volume fraction is increased. Meanwhile, high tensile reinforcement ratio resulted in the reduction of ductility and energy dissipation capacity for the composite beams.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.31 no.4A
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• pp.323-329
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• 2011

Most current design codes of concrete structures adopt the partial safety factor format to assure the proper safety margin or reliability against various limit states as a practical design tool. The safety factors, load and resistance factors and so on, are determined based on the theory of structural reliability, which takes into account the statistical uncertainties of both loads and resistances. The establishment of statistical models for load and resistance should be preceded the application of reliability theory. In this paper, especially the influence of the statistical variations of resistance models, which are described in terms of strength of concrete, strength of reinforcements and sectional dimensions and so on, are examined and the probabilistic models for resistance of reinforced concrete members were developed. The statistical data were collected on local tests and experiments in Korea and the Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) technique was used. The results of this paper may be useful and valuable in calibration of design code in this country.