• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.459-475
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• 2022

In this paper a model for the prediction of the ultimate axial compressive capacity of square and rectangular Concrete Filled Steel Tubes, based on an Artificial Neural Network modeling procedure is presented. The model is trained and tested using an experimental database, compiled for this reason from the literature that amounts to 1193 specimens, including long, thin-walled and high-strength ones. The proposed model was selected as the optimum from a plethora of alternatives, employing different activation functions in the context of Artificial Neural Network technique. The performance of the developed model was compared against existing methodologies from design codes and from proposals in the literature, employing several performance indices. It was found that the proposed model achieves remarkably improved predictions of the ultimate axial load.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.261-279
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• 2010

Generally, a box tube, which is used for an existing square CFT structure, is made by welding four plates. The manufacturing efficiency of this steel tube is poor, and it also needs special welding technology to weld its internal diaphragm and the through diaphragm. Therefore, an interior-anchor-type square steel tube was developed using the method of cold-forming thin plates to prevent welding of the stress concentration position, and to maximize the section efficiency. And, considering of the flow of beam flange load, the efficiency of erection and the weldability of the diaphragm to thin walled steel column, the external diaphragm connection was selected as the suitable type for the welded built-up square CFT column to beam connection. And, an analytical study and tests were conducted to evaluate the structural performance of the suggested connection details and to verify the suggested equations for the connection details. Through this study, the composite effect of the internal anchor to concrete, the resistance and stress distribution of the connections before and after the existing column is welded to the beam, the effective location of welding in connection were analyzed.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.17-32
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• 2001

The Rosette-joining system is a completely new press-joining method for cold-formed steel structures. One Rosette-joint has a shear capacity equal to that of approximately four screws or rivets. The Rosette thin-walled steel truss system presents a new fully integrated prefabricated alternative to light-weight roof truss structures. The trusses are built up on special industrial production lines from modified top hat sections used as top and bottom chords and channel sections used as webs which are joined together with the Rosette press-joining technique to form a completed structure easy to transport and install. A single web section is used when sufficient but can be strengthened by double-nesting two separate sections or by using two lateral profiles where greater compressive axial forces are met. An individual joint in the truss can be strengthened by introducing a hollow bolt into the joint hole. The bolt gives the connection capacity a boost of approximately 20%. A series of laboratory tests have been carried out in order to verify the Rosette truss system in practice. In addition to compression tests on individual sections of different lengths, tests have also been done on small structural assemblies and on actual full-scale trusses of a span of 10 metres. Design calculations have been performed on selected roof truss geometries based on the test results, FE-analysis and on the Eurocode 3 and U.S.(AISI) design codes.

• Advances in Computational Design
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.71-86
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• 2018

Thin-walled cross-sections can be optimized to enhance their resistance and progress their behaviour, leading to more competent and inexpensive structural system. The aim of this study is to afford a methodology that would facilitate progress of optimized cold formed steel (CFS) column section with maximum ultimate strength for practical applications. The proposed sections are designed to comply with the geometrical standards of pre-qualified column standards for CFS structures as well as with the number of industrialized and practical constraints. The stiffening evaluation process of CFS lipped channel columns, a five different cross section are considered. The experimental strength and behaviour of the proposed sections are verified by using the finite element analysis (FEA). A series comprehensive parametric study is carried out covering a wide range of section slenderness and overall slenderness ratio of the CFS column with and without intermediate web stiffeners. The ultimate strength of the sections is determined based on the Direct Strength Specification and other design equation available from the literature for CFS structures. A modified design method is proposed for the DSM specification. The results indicate that the CFS column with complex edge and intermediate web stiffeners provides an ultimate strength which is up to 78% higher than standard optimized shapes with the same amount of cross sectional area.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.837-847
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• 2019

A type of hybrid core made up of thin-walled square carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) honeycomb and Polymethacrylimide (PMI) foam fillers was proposed and prepared. Numerical model of the core under quasi static compression was established and validated by corresponding experimental results. The compressive properties of the core with different configurations were analyzed through numerical simulations. The effect of the geometrical parameters and foam fillers on the compressive response and energy absorption of the core were analyzed. The results show that the PMI foam fillers can significantly improve the compressive strength and energy absorption capacity of the square CFRP honeycomb. The geometrical parameters have marked effects on the compressive properties of the core. The research can give a reference for the application of PMI foam materials in energy absorbing structures and guide the design and optimization of lightweight and energy efficient cores of sandwiches.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.581-598
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• 2020

This paper aims to investigate the seismic behavior and influence parameters of the large-scaled thin-walled reinforced concrete (RC) tubular columns in air-cooled supporting structures of thermal power plants (TPPs). Cyclic loading tests and finite element analysis were performed on 1/8-scaled specimens considering the influence of wall diameter ratio, axial compression ratio, longitudinal reinforcement ratio, stirrup reinforcement ratio and adding steel diagonal braces (SDBs). The research results showed that the cracks mainly occurred on the lower half part of RC tubular columns during the cyclic loading test; the specimen with the minimum wall diameter ratio presented the earlier cracking and had the most cracks; the failure mode of RC tubular columns was large bias compression failure; increasing the axial compression ratio could increase the lateral bearing capacity and energy dissipation capacity, but also weaken the ductility and aggravate the lateral stiffness deterioration; increasing the longitudinal reinforcement ratio could efficiently enhance the seismic behavior; increasing the stirrup reinforcement ratio was favorable to the ductility; RC tubular columns with SDBs had a much higher bearing capacity and lateral stiffness than those without SDBs, and with the decrease of the angle between columns and SDBs, both bearing capacity and lateral stiffness increased significantly.

• Computational Structural Engineering
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.213-223
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• 1997

In the analysis of the behavior of a complex structure, it requires much time and cost to analyze its behavior by using shell elements at the early design concept. For the purpose of the decrease of time and cost, many researches have been performed with the intention to analyze its behavior through replacing a shell model by a simple beam model. In the present study, a method is proposed for determining a bending spring stiffness which means the flexibility for applying into the joints of the simple beam model. Geometrically nonlinear analysis is performed through the application of the determined flexibility into joints of the simple beam model. The nonlinear behavior of thin-walled tube shell structure can be described within a little error through the simple beam model with flexible joints.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.409-424
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• 2012

Since relatively low elasticity modulus of the FRP materials results in lower natural frequencies, it is necessary to study the free vibration of FRP transmission poles. In this paper, the free vibration of tapered FRP transmission poles with thin-walled circular cross-section is investigated by a tapered beam element. To model the flexible joints of the modular poles, a rotational spring model is used. Modal analysis is performed for typical FRP poles with/without joint and they are also modeled by ANSYS commercial finite element software. There is a good correlation between the results of the tapered beam finite element model and those obtained from ANSYS as well as the existing experimental results. The effects of different geometries, material lay-ups, concentrated masses at the pole tip, and joint flexibilities are evaluated. Moreover, it is concluded that using tougher fibres at the inner and outer layers of the cross-section, results in higher natural frequencies, significantly.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.171-188
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• 2020

The past research on cold-formed steel (CFS) flexural members have proved that rectangular hollow flanged sections perform better than conventional I-sections due to their higher torsional rigidity over the later ones. However, CFS members are vulnerable to local buckling, substantially due to their thin-walled features. The use of packing, such as firmly connected timber planks, to the flanges of conventional CFS lipped I-sections can drastically improve their flexural performance as well as structural efficiency. Whilst several CFS composites have been developed so far, only limited packing materials have been tried. This paper presents a series of tests carried out on different rectangular hollow compression flanged sections with innovative packing materials. Four-point flexural tests were carried out to assess the flexural capacity, failure modes and deformed shapes of the CFS composite beam specimens. The geometric imperfections were measured and reported. The North American Specifications and Indian Standard for cold-formed steel structures were used to compare the design strengths of the experimental specimen. The test results indicate clearly that CFS rectangular 'compression' flanged composite beams perform significantly better than the conventional rectangular hollow flanged CFS sections.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.217-235
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• 2024

Concrete-filled steel tubes (CFSTs) nowadays are widely used as the main parts of momentous structures, and its connection has gained increasing attention as the complexity in configuration and load transfer mechanism. This paper proposes a novel CFST pier-to-footing incorporating tube-confined RC encasement. Such an innovative approach offers several benefits, including expedited on-site assembly, effective confinement, and collision resistance and corrosion resistance. The seismic behavior of such CFST pier-to-footing connection was studied by testing eight specimens under quasi-static cyclic lateral load. In the experimental research, the influences on the seismic behavior and the order of plastic hinge formation were discussed in detail by changing the footing height, axial compression ratio, number and length of anchored bars, and type of confining tube. All the specimens showed sufficient ductility and energy dissipation, without significant strength degradation. There is no obvious failure in the confined footing, while local buckling can be found in the critical section of the pier. It suggests that the footing provides satisfactory strength protection for the connection.