This thesis presents the results of testing to determine the significance of the group action factor at the 5% offset yield and capacity of single-shear bolted wood connections loaded parallel to grain. The single and multiple-bolt connections tested represent common connection geometries used in wood construction in the United States. The results of both monotonic and cyclic loading of connections are presented. Monotonic test data was used to determine an appropriately scaled CUREE Displacement Controlled Quasi-Static Cyclic Protocol. Overall, one hundred and eighty connections were tested using this cyclic protocol based on data obtained from thirty-three monotonic tests. Tested assemblies had geometric variables that include number of bolts per row, number of rows, bolt diameter, and side member material. In addition, the main and side member material and thickness were designed to produce three of the four major connection yield modes as defined by the 1997 National Design Specification for Wood Construction (AF&PA, 1997). Results from this research address the need for adequate spacing of bolts in a row to control the brittle connection behavior that directly affected the group action factor at capacity. / Master of Science

The work contained herein is in pursuance of the Development of the SMART aircraft bolt. Failure of the bolt in the aircraft wing is taken for granted in the project, and the consequent repairs are presently very costly. The SMART material investigated in this work is the TRIP steel, and any reference to SMART material, in this work, shall at all time mean TRIP steel. Investigation of the stresses pertaining to bolts in general is carried out, based on the bolt theories and using the finite element analysis. An optimal bolt based on impact resistance only has also been suggested. Metallurgical behaviour of materials similar to TRIP materials is also investigated, including a section dedicated only to TRIP steels. Therefore, the work contained herein acts as a good base for further research. / Thesis (M.Sc.Eng.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2002.

Master of Science / Department of Architectural Engineering / Don Phillippi / Concrete anchors represent an important transition for both the design and construction of a project. Anchors are produced in two main categories: cast-in-place and post-installed. For designers, anchors are used to attach steel members to supporting concrete members. The anchors are designed using the provisions outlined in Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete, ACI 318-11, Appendix D. These anchors are used to transmit tension and shear forces by using an individual anchor or a multiple anchor group. For contractors, anchor installation marks the transition between concrete and steel construction. Various types of anchors are produced by manufacturers, requiring contractors to be familiar with many installation methods. Careful planning and coordination is necessary to layout and place anchors into their correct location. Once anchors are installed, they must be protected from damage resulting from moving machinery and material. The purpose of this report is to introduce the basics to design concrete anchors by outlining the provisions in ACI 318-11 Appendix D and demonstrating these provisions with design examples. Anchor types, applications and common construction issues important to the structural engineer are also discussed.

Este trabalho consiste numa revisão bibliográfica sobre ligações em estruturas de aço. Inicialmente são abordados os dispositivos de ligação, enfatizando os tipos e as características estruturais dos conectores, os processos de soldagem mais empregados nas estruturas de aço e suas implicações. A seguir são apresentados os aspectos mais importantes sobre o comportamento estrutural de parafusos e soldas e a avaliação da resistência com base na norma brasileira NBR 8800 e nas principais normas estrangeiras aplicáveis. Finalmente, são apresentados e discutidos os modelos teóricos clássicos usualmente empregados para a avaliação de solicitações em ligações parafusadas e soldadas. / This work gives a reference review on steel structure connections. First, connection designs are discussed, emphasizing the types of fasteners, their characteristics, the most common employed welding processes for steel structures and the technical implications. It is also presented the most important aspects regarding the structural behaviour of bolts, welds and the strength evaluation based on the Brazilian code NBR 8800, as well as on the main known foreign codes. Finally the classical theoretical analysis often adopted for the evaluation of welded and bolted connections are presented and discussed.

Nos processos de fabricação de parafusos, a fosfatização é necessária para servir de ancoradouro aos lubrificantes, e outros redutores de atrito, por facilitarem o processo de deformação a frio. No entanto, antes do início do tratamento térmico de têmpera e revenimento, é importante que o banho de desfosfatização seja eficiente para impedir que, durante a austenitização, o fósforo residual presente na superfície do parafuso se difunda para o aço e forme uma fase frágil, rica em fósforo, denominada ferrita delta (&#948). Acredita-se que esta fase, uma vez presente, promove não apenas a diminuição da vida em fadiga mas, também, a fragilização do parafuso. Neste sentido, o presente trabalho objetivou comprovar a influência negativa dessa fase, devidamente caracterizada por MEV, EDS e análise fractográfica, quanto ao desempenho à fadiga, através da comparação das curvas S-N em corpos de prova com e sem ferrita &#948. Os resultados obtidos claramente evidenciaram que a presença da fase &#948 promoveu uma redução de até 40% na vida em fadiga. / In the process of manufacturing bolts, a coat phosphating is required to serve as anchorage for lubricants and other friction-reducer, facilitating the cold forming process. However, before the beginning heat treatment of quenching and tempering, it is important that the alkaline bath for cleaning be efficient in order to prevent that during austenitizing, the residual phosphorus spread on the steel surface and forms a brittle phase, rich in phosphorus, called delta ferrite (&#948). In the presence of this phase, is credited with a decrease in fatigue life of the bolt and embrittlement. The intention in this work was to show the negative influence of this phase on fatigue performance, comparing the S-N curves for specimens with and without ferrite &#948. Trials have shown a reduction of up to 40% in life fatigue. The ferrite &#948 was characterized by SEM, EDS and also performed fractographic analysis.

No presente trabalho, é apresentado um modelo numérico para análise tridimensional de túneis escavados em maciços rochosos reforçados por tirantes aderidos ao longo de todo o seu comprimento. O método numérico utilizado é o método dos elementos finitos. A abordagem usada na modelagem da interação maciço/tirante é o método de homogeneização de meios periódicos. Essa abordagem substitui o meio compósito constituído de rocha e tirantes por um meio homogeneizado equivalente, dispensando a tarefa de discretizar cada tirante separadamente. O comportamento do maciço é considerado elastoplástico perfeito, caracterizado pelo critério de Drucker-Prager, com regra de fluxo associada. O revestimento é considerado elástico, enquanto os tirantes são tratados como inclusões lineares em tração/compressão com lei de comportamento elastoplástica. Com esse modelo foi implementado um código, tridimensional, que simula o processo de escavação pelo método da ativação/desativação de elementos. Esse código é capaz de levar em conta diferentes situações de profundidade, geometria e estado inicial de tensões. Com a finalidade de avaliar o desempenho da abordagem de homogeneização, foi implementado um segundo código, que modela a interação maciço/tirante por meio do método incorporado. Esse método, muito usado em análises de concreto armado, tem em comum com o método de homogeneização a capacidade de lidar com diferentes configurações de reforços utilizando a mesma malha base. Ao final, os dois códigos são utilizados em modelagens de um caso real, o túnel experimental Kielder (Inglaterra), para o qual se dispõe de dados medidos in situ. A comparação destes dados com os resultados das duas modelagens mostra uma aproximação muito boa. / A numerical model for three-dimensional analysis of tunnels excavated in reinforced rock mass by fully grouted bolts is presented in this work. The numeric method utilized is the finite element method and the approach used in the modeling of the interaction mass/bolt is the homogenization of periodic media method. This approach replaces the composite medium formed by rock and bolts by a homogenized equivalent medium eliminating the task of discretizing each bolt separately. The rockmass behavior is considered elastoplastic perfect caracterized by the Drucker-Prager criterion with associated flow rule. The lining is elastic, while the bolts are treated as linear inclusions in tension / compression with elastoplastic behavior law. A three-dimensional code was implemented with this model that simulates the excavation process by means of the activation-deactivation method. This code is able to consider different situations of depth, geometry and initial state of stress. In order to evaluate the performance of the homogenization approach, a second code was implemented to model the interaction rockmass/bolts by means of the embedded method. This method, widely used in analysis of reinforced concrete, has in common with the approach of the homogenization the capacity to deal with different configurations of reinforcements with the same base mesh. Finally, the two codes are used to model a real case, the Kielder experimental tunnel (England), for which in situ measured data are available. The comparison of these data with the results of the two modeling shows a very good approximation.

Rock reinforcing elements provide a significant proportion of their ground control capability through offering resistance to shear movement of adjacent rock masses or blocks. This potential shear movement may take the form of sliding on horizontal bedding planes leading to strata bending; or block displacement along other geological structures such as joints or similar discontinuities. Much has been reported about this type of behaviour of rock bolts and other tendons, in theoretical concepts. However, there is a shortage of quality data available on the exact nature of this mechanism for shear resistance, and the role played by parameters such as pre-tensioning. A clearer understanding of the nature and significance of this type of behaviour has major implications for rock reinforcing materials and installation design. This thesis, which was supported by the Australian Coal Research Program (ACARP) describes the design, construction and commissioning of a laboratory testing facility at the School of Mining Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Australia and a subsequent testing program. The single failure plane design adopted in the test rig has been successful in allowing shear loading to be directly applied to fully installed rockbolts. Rockbolts were installed into an offset concrete rockmass, which consisted of two separate concrete samples that created a smooth shear plane surface. The reinforced samples were subjected to an applied shear load and critical parameters such as load and shear displacement were recorded. Influencing parameters such as concrete strength and applied pre-tension were altered and recorded to determine their effects on the overall shear performance of the sample. The failure mode of the rockbolts was also examined. The results indicate that a relative stronger rockmass material caused the rockbolt to fail within a lower shear displacement compared to a relatively weaker material. Also, a pre-tensioned rockbolt tended to resist shear displacement at least initially, until high shear loads developed. This phenomena is beneficial to ground support as less movement would tend to maintain integral strength of the rockmass. The use of strain-gauged rockbolts indicated as would be expected that the shear loading arrangement induced a compressive axial loading that tended to dissipate with distance from the shear surface.

In general, a PEMFC was assembled by using a number of locked bolts. But this assembly will cause concentrated loads existed on the upper and lower portions of the end plates, so that the pressure distributed non-uniformly at the internal structures in the PEMFC and thus causing uneven distributed deformations of flow-channel plates. This phenomenon may lead to the leak of reaction gas, and causing not only the decrease of the efficiency of PEMFC, but also the increase of the dangerous. If the fuel cell size getting smaller, the influence may be more severely. The main aim of this study is to simulate the response of a micro-PEMFC numerically by utilizing a 3-D FEM model while the micro-PEMFC was assembled by three pairs of bolts along the upper and lower portions, respectively, of the end plates. The effects of different bolts locking sequences on the deformation and pressure distributions at flow-channel plates and on the porosity of gas diffusion layers in the micro-PEMFC were investigated. The simulated results showed that if one locked the middle bolt either on the upper or lower portion first, then the obtained uniformities of warpage, deformation, von Mises stress and porosity were superior than the corresponding obtained results if one locked either one of the four corner bolts first. Also, among the three pairs of bolts used for assembling the cell, the first locking bolt of the first pair of locking bolts and the first locking bolt of the rest of two pairs of locking bolts were suggested on the reverse portions of the end plates.

The design and method of cell assembly plays an important role in the performance of PEM fuel cell. The cell assembly will affect the contact behavior between the bipolar plates, flow-channel plates, gas diffusion layers (GDLs) and membrane electrode assembly (MEA). From the past studies, it was noted that the flow-channel plates in the cell will be deformed while the cell was assembled by locking with bolts. This phenomenon may lead to leakage of fuels, high contact resistance and malfunctioning of the cells. The main aim of this research is to study the variation of the deformation mode of the flow-channel plat in a micro-PEM fuel cell assembly subjected to different bolts locking sequences. The commercial FEM package, ANSYS, was adopted to model the three-dimensional single micro-PEMFC FEM model and the numerical simulation analyses were performed. The effect of the bolts locking sequence on the deformations of flow-channel plate in the micro-PEMFC was presented. A most properly bolts locking sequence was proposed also.

The motivation behind this study is the lack of specialized analysis regarding internal failure caused by the adiabatic shear hand (ASB) phenomenon in the cold-headed products. Its aim was to present an integrated workability study to improve and assist cold-heading (CH) multistage design procedures to replace the current design rules of thumb, as they are neither effective nor adequate in fulfilling the needs of the new developments in the rapidly expanding CH industry. / To achieve these goals, a comprehensive testing methodology and FE modeling, implemented within ABAQUS/Explicit, were established. This methodology includes an instrumented Drop Weight Compression Test (DWCT) tower equipped with a guided pocket die-set configuration capable of developing internal failure at different stages of ASBs and integrated metallographic inspection techniques. A validated FE model of the DWCT and guided pocket die-set configuration was a valuable tool in establishing the failure criteria and indicating the workability limits. / A detailed experimental and FE study for the ASB stages in the CH process was introduced to uncover the affect of different parameters controlling the failure mechanisms within the ASBs in the CH process. This study investigated the effect of the thermal, geometric and the material flow softening and hardening mechanisms affecting ASB evolution. Moreover, a detailed metallurgical and FE study of the internal ductile and Transformed Adiabatic Shear Band (TASB) failures caused by the ASB phenomenon in DWCT was conducted. / Three ductile failure criteria were introduced to predict the initiation and location of the internal ductile failure in the ASBs. One TASB failure criteria was introduced to predict the phase transformation to undesirable brittle martensite. These failure criteria were employed to establish integrated workability methodologies to indicate the objective workability limits. / Applying these workability methodologies on multistage CH FE models showed that these methodologies are an efficient tool to predict the damage levels and failure initiation locations within the cold-headed bolts. Moreover, these methodologies were successful in optimizing the die designs in order to reduce damage levels.