Thirty full scale prestressed concrete struts all having a slenderness ratio of L/D = 40 were tested with three different eccentricities. Stress-strain curves of the corresponding test cylinders were established and the Young's Moduli evaluated. The specimens were fabricated with different percentages of prestressing steel ranging from 0.23 to 1.20%. The initial prestressing forces were set to obtain a final prestress of 140,000 psi in all specimens. The dimensions of the struts, and the quality and manufacturing process of the concrete, were kept constant. Special adjustable supporting devices simulated ideal hinged conditions. The struts were tested to their ultimate capacity and their critical buckling loads were evaluated. The tests proved that, provided the column is made of high quality concrete, the critical load values can be obtained by using Euler's fundamental formula, and these values are independent of the amount of prestressing. For eccentrically loaded struts maximum stresses from a modified secant formula, incorporating effect of prestressing, were compared with those calculated on basis of observed deflections. According to the test results the secant modulus corresponding to the average compressive stress should be used in Euler's formula. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Civil Engineering, Department of / Graduate

Recent attacks and accidental explosions have demonstrated the necessity of ensuring the blast resistance of critical buildings and infrastructure in Canada such as federal and provincial offices, military buildings and embassies. Of particular importance is the blast resistance of ground-story columns in buildings which must be properly detailed to provide the necessary strength and ductility to prevent progressive collapse. There exists a need to explore the use of innovative materials that can simultaneously improve the performance of such columns, while also allowing for a relaxation of required detailing to ease construction. Advancements in concrete material science have led to the development of ultra-high performance fiber reinforced concretes (UHPFRC) which show superior mechanical properties when compared to conventional concrete, such as increased compressive strength, tensile resistance and toughness. These enhanced properties make UHPFRC an attractive material for use in the blast design of reinforced concrete columns. This thesis presents the results of a research program examining the performance of UHPFRC columns under simulated blast loads. As part of the experimental program twelve half-scale UHPFRC specimens, six built with regular grade steel reinforcement and six built with steel high-strength steel reinforcement, are tested under blast loading using the University of Ottawa shock tube. The specimens were designed according to CSA A23.3 standard requirements for both seismic and non-seismic regions, using various fibre types, fibre amounts and longitudinal reinforcement ratios, allowing for an investigation of various design parameters on blast behaviour. The results demonstrate that the use of UHPFRC improves the blast performance of columns by reducing displacements, increasing resistance and enhancing damage tolerance. The results also indicate that fiber content, fiber properties, seismic detailing, longitudinal reinforcement ratio and longitudinal reinforcement strength are factors which can affect the behaviour and failure mode of UHPFRC columns. As part of the analytical study the response of the UHPFRC columns is predicted using dynamic inelastic analysis. The dynamic responses of the columns are predicted by generating dynamic load-deformation resistance functions for UHPFRC and conducting single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) analysis using software RC-Blast.

Previous events have demonstrated the vulnerability of reinforced concrete infrastructure to blast loading. In buildings, ground-story columns are key structural components, and their failure can lead to extensive damages which can cause progressive collapse. To prevent such disasters, the steel reinforcement in such columns must be properly detailed to ensure sufficient strength and ductility. The use of modern concrete materials such ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) is one potential solution to improve the blast performance of columns. UHPC shows high compressive strength, high tensile resistance and superior toughness, properties which make it ideal for use in the blast-resistant design of columns. The combined use of UHPC and high-performance steels can potentially be used to further enhance the blast resistance of columns. This thesis presents an experimental and analytical study which investigated the use of high-performance materials to increase the blast capacity and ductility of reinforced concrete columns. As part of the experimental study, a total of seventeen columns were tested under simulated blast loading using the University of Ottawa Shock-Tube. Parameters investigated included the effect of concrete type (NSC and UHPC), steel reinforcement type (normal-strength, high-strength or highly ductile), longitudinal reinforcement ratio, seismic detailing and fiber properties. The test program included two control specimens built with normal-strength concrete, five specimens built with UHPC in combination with high-strength steel, and ten columns built with highly ductile stainless steel reinforcement. Each column was subjected to a series of increasing blast pressures until failure. The performance of the columns is investigated by comparing the displacements, impulse capacity and secondary fragmentation resistance of the columns. The results show that using high-performance steels increases the blast performance of UHPC columns. The use of sufficient amounts of high-strength steel in combination with UHPC led to important increases in column blast capacity. The use of ductile stainless steel reinforcement allowed for important enhancements in column ductility, with an ability to prevent rupture of tension steel reinforcement. The study also shows that increasing the longitudinal reinforcement ratio is an effective means of increasing the blast resistance of UHPC columns The thesis also presents an extensive analytical study which aimed at predicting the response of the test columns using dynamic inelastic, single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) analysis. A sensitivity analysis was also performed to examine the effect of various modelling parameters on the analytical predictions. Overall, it was shown that SDOF analysis could be used to predict the blast response of UHPC columns with reasonable accuracy. To further corroborate the results from the experimental study, the thesis also presents an analytical parametric study examining the blast performance of larger-scale columns. The results further demonstrate the benefits of using UHPC and high-performance steel reinforcement in columns subjected to blast loading.

Advances in materials technology, information and management systems have led to improvements in the engineering design, procurement, construction, installation and commissioning of process columns. The development of the front-end engineering design (FEED) process has led to the incorporation of best practices in the specification of equipment on projects during the design phase. The aim of the research is to investigate whether technical specifications have an impact on the life cycle costs of process columns. Adding to the initial capital cost of equipment, in the form of technical specification requirements, in an attempt to reduce life cycle costs, is always challenged during the project phase of a product life cycle. The principle of designing for the full product life cycle of process columns requires that consideration for both the project and operating life cycle be made at the stage of basic engineering. What is important to note is that the potential for life cycle cost savings at the beginning of a product life cycle is higher than during the operating life cycle. Figure S.1 illustrates this concept, and what is observed is that the potential for life cycle cost savings diminishes as the product life progresses over time. Process columns were chosen as the type of equipment to be investigated based on the nature, size and complexity of the equipment when compared to other equipment on a processing unit. Process columns are amongst the highest capital cost pieces of equipment in petrochemical units and usually have many auxiliary pieces of equipment associated with it in a system i.e. reboilers, condensers, pumps etc. / Dissertation (MEng)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Graduate School of Technology Management (GSTM) / unrestricted

This study developed a reinforced steel rod bending machine for rods with diameters of up to 8 mm and annealed wire cutter for up to 5 kg for replacing manual intervention required to bend rods in reinforced concrete columns. This study aims to reduce the physical effort that could lead to occupational diseases, such as tenosynovitis, bursitis, muscle disorders. Clamp manufacturing possesses great risk for workers, who are exposed to injuries while using different cutting devices, such as grinders and electric saws. They also face potential problems such as muscular fatigue due to the nonergonomic and repetitive work positions. The proposed machine features a mechanical dragging and bending systems and manual shears. Additionally, the proposed machine has been designed theoretically and its effectiveness has been assessed through simulations conducted using the SolidWorks CAD software. A bending machine prototype for producing clamps is developed and its machine productivity is measured. Using this machine, approximately 300 clamps can be bent per hour without possessing any risk to the worker.

Recent terrorist attacks on critical infrastructures using car bombs have heightened awareness on the needs for blast resistance of structures. Blast design of civilian buildings has not been a common practice in structural design. For this reason, there is now an urgent need to mitigate the potentially devastating effects of blast shock waves on existing structures. The current research project, the results of which are reported in this dissertation, aims to expand knowledge on blast resistance of reinforced concrete building columns, while developing a technology and design procedure for protecting critical buildings columns against the damaging effects of impulsive blast loads through the use of externally applied fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) jackets of different material architecture. The research project has a significant experimental component, with analytical verifications. A total of thirty two reinforced concrete columns were experimentally investigated under the effects of simulated blast loads using the University of Ottawa Shock Tube. Column dimensions were 150 mm x 150 mm in cross section and 2438 mm in length. Each concrete column was reinforced longitudinally with four 10M rebars which were tied laterally with 6.3 mm closed steel hoops, spaced at 37.5 mm and 100 mm c/c, representing seismic and non-seismic column details, respectively. The experimental research had two phases. Phase-I (sub-study) included blast tests of eight as-built, seismically detailed columns. The behaviour of these columns was explored under single and multiple blast shots, with and without the application of pre-blast axial loads. Phase-II (main-study) included column tests of different carbon FRP (CFRP) designs to investigate the significance of the use of different CFRP column jacket designs on dynamic response of twenty four seismic and non-seismic RC columns. Analytical investigation was conducted to assess and verify the significance of experimentally investigated parameters on column response. These included the use of Single-Degree-of-Freedom (SDOF) dynamic inelastic analysis, generation of dynamic resistance functions, the effects of variable axial loads, different plastic hinge lengths and the influence of secondary moments (P- moments) on column behaviour. The results indicate that the loading history has effects on column response, with multiple shots reducing column stiffness, and affecting dynamic response of columns relative to single blast shots of equivalent magnitude. The effect of concrete strength within the normal-strength concrete range is to increase strength and decrease deformations. Columns with CFRP jackets have considerable improvements in column deformability, with additional increases in column strength. The CFRP laminate design influences performance, with jackets having fibres in ±45o orientation especially improving column ductility and increasing plastic hinge lengths, thereby permitting redistribution of stresses and dissipating blast energy. Axial gravity loads vary during blast loads and can affect column strength. It was shown that SDOF dynamic inelastic analysis does capture key structural performance parameters in blast analysis. The consideration of experimentally observed parameters in column analysis; including the influence of CFRP design and associated change in plastic hinge length, variable axial load during response, and secondary moment (P- moments) result in significant improvements in the accuracy of blast analysis. The experimental results and the suggested improvements to the SDOF analysis technique can be used to implement a performance-based design approach recommended as part of the current research project for design of CFRP protection systems for concrete columns.This research project was conducted jointly by the National Research Council Canada (NRC) and the University of Ottawa.

No description available.

When the excess pore water pressure generated during an earthquake dissipates in saturated loose sand, it causes post-liquefaction reconsolidation that can potentially yield substantial damage to the structure. To build resilient infrastructure, it is paramount to estimate these settlements as well as introduce soil reinforcement techniques to mitigate associated risks. Although there are abundant studies on liquefaction triggering assessment, the study of post-liquefaction settlement and the effects of stone columns as soil reinforcement is a relatively less established field. Generally, simplified empirical methods are employed for settlement evaluations. However, they possess several limitations such as the influence of non-liquefiable layers, soil fabric, permeability, and so on. Numerical models can be utilized to capture these effects with proper validation. This study evaluates the performance of stone columns in reducing seismically induced post-liquefaction settlement utilizing the Finite Element Method (FEM) and constitutive relationship, PM4Sand model, as it has been extended to account for reconsolidation settlement. The ability of the numerical framework to capture reconsolidation settlement is validated by replicating a shake table test performed on Ottawa F-55 sand. Results are compared with a previous numerical study inspired by the same experiment. After validation, a generic numerical model is proposed, and the performance of the natural ground and the reinforced ground is compared. A parametric analysis using 12 different ground motions is performed to assess the effect of varying ground motion intensity on the post-liquefaction settlement. The analysis is also performed with the conventional PM4Sand model (without the extension for reconsolidation). Finally, simulations are performed with a footing load above the soil model. The results demonstrate that (a) the presence of stone columns reduces post-liquefaction settlement, and (b) conventional constitutive models can highly underpredict post-liquefaction settlement. Further research is required to assess the effects of (a) 3D, (b) variations in permeability, (c) parametric analysis of stone columns, and (d) densification of stone columns. / Master of Science / When subjected to an earthquake, loose saturated sand may undergo liquefaction and exhibit a reduction in shear strength due to a rise in excess pore water pressure and the corresponding reduction in effective stress. This leads to failures associated with settlements resulting from the gradual dissipation of excess pore pressures. This mechanism results in post-liquefaction settlement. Several authors have investigated the mechanism of the post-liquefaction behavior of sand and proposed methodologies to assess the deformation caused by seismic loads. They mainly conclude that the reconsolidation mechanism is characterized by a decrease in the overall soil stiffness and an increase in permeability. Among different methodologies to quantify this settlement, finite element numerical modeling is the most widely used. The primary task in performing such numerical simulation is to select the best constitutive model (i.e., stress-strain relationships) that can accurately capture post-liquefaction behavior. In this study, the capabilities and limitations of the most common constitutive models are reviewed. Moreover, the efficacy of stone columns is also assessed to mitigate the risk posed by liquefaction. Firstly, the numerical framework is validated against data from a shake table test experiment. Then, a numerical model is proposed and subjected to different seismic motions. The settlement of the ground with and without stone columns is assessed and compared for all motions. In addition, the efficacy of stone columns is also analyzed by simulating the model with a footing load. Thus, this study provides insights into the effectiveness of stone columns under different seismic motions.

<p>Welded built-up structural steel members are widely used as columns, beams, and beam-columns in various buildings, bridges, industrial complexes, etc. Modern cutting techniques are used in the fabrication of such members. Besides traditional saw cutting and oxy-flame cutting, the modern cutting techniques include plasma cutting, laser cutting, water- jet cutting, etc. The different cutting techniques induce different degrees of Heat Affected Zones (HAZ), which subsequently creates different degrees of geometrical and mechanical imperfections (residual stresses). Therefore, it could be expected that the true behavior of structural steel columns manufactured by such cutting techniques be different.</p><p>The main objective of this investigation was to study the characteristics and behavior of plasma cut-welded H-shaped steel columns at different slenderness ratios. However, this investigation also considered similar flame cut-welded H-shaped steel columns for comparison purposes. The H-shaped column sections were fabricated from plates having specified yield strength of 350MPa. First, the initial plate was cut into plate strips and then the plate strips (flanges and web) were welded together to form the H-shaped section in this investigation. The strength of these columns were established under uni-axial compressive loading with pinned end condition, allowing for minor axis rotation. Moreover, the structural imperfections such as residual stresses and geometrical imperfections were established. The residual stresses distributions were established at various stages of fabrication processes using the "method of section" technique. That is, the residual stresses in initial plate, plate strips (cutting effects), and column sections (cutting and welding effects) were established. Similarly, the geometrical imperfections were established at various stages of fabrication processes in this investigation.The temperature profiles were measured during the cutting and welding processes. As part of the scientific documentation, the mechanical characteristic of virgin steel plates were obtained by standard coupon tensile test.</p><p>Based on the experimental results on column strength, the general behavior of plasma cut columns and flame cut columns were similar. However, it was found that the plasma cut-welded steel columns seemed to carry higher loads than that of flame cut-welded columns for higher slenderness ratios( λ≥1). For lower slenderness ratios (0.5<λ<1), it was found that the flame cut-welded columns had higher strength than plasma cut-welded columns in this investigation. The residual stress distribution of both plasma cut column section and flame cut column section had the same general distribution. However, in general, the flame cut columns had high intensity of tensile residual stresses at their flange tips than the plasma cut columns. Moreover, the out-of-plane imperfections of column sections were within the code limitations. However, it was found that the flame cut-welded H-shaped steel columns seemed to have higher out-of-plane imperfections than the similar plasma cut-welded H-shaped steel columns in this investigation.</p> / Thesis / Master of Applied Science (MASc)

Frequently in the engineering design economy is sacrificed because of a lack or knowledge of the behavior of the structure. Because of the lack of information on the restraint values of beam-column connections, the beam is often over designed by failing to take advantage of partial continuity. If the degree of restraint of a beam-column connection can be determined, the optimum beam moment can be derived and then an optimum or economic beam can be designed. This thesis is mainly concerned with the effective analysis and design of a particular type of semi-rigid connection between longspan joists and columns. It is also an attempt to establish a correct technique for testing full size longspan joists and column connections. Although not commonly utilized in industry, in which longspan joists most frequently are used as simple-supported beams, the longspan joists have a degree of negative moment capacity. If this negative moment capacity can be utilized, a more efficient and economical building frame can be obtained. This thesis is also an attempt to analyze and determine the magnitude of the desired negative moment capacity of four representative longspan joists. A proposed semi-rigid connection based on this negative moment capacity is designed. Then the full size representative longspan joists are assembled by the semi-rigid connections to the full size representative columns. The four test sections were fabricated and tested by the author in the Engineering Mechanic Laboratory at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute. The tests indicated that the proposed connections vere quite satisfactory. / Master of Science