Yes / GFRP profiled-concrete composite beams with groove shear connectors are analyzed using finite the element (FE) analysis. The concrete damaged plasticity (CDP) model was adopted for normal strength concrete (NSC) and reactive powder concrete (RPC). The orthotropic behaviour of GFRP profile was taken into consideration, and the bi-linear traction-separation model was used to investigate the bond-slip behavior between GFRP profile and concrete. Furthermore, parametric studies were conducted to investigate the effects of strength and the cross-sectional dimensions of concrete, strength (orthotropy), and the cross-sectional dimensions (the web height and the thickness of FRP plate). Numerical analysis results correlate well with experimental results. Based on numerical analysis, the composite beam with shear connectors spacing at 100 mm has a deflection-limit load of 21.4 % higher than the specimens with 150 mm spacing. It is possible to improve the bonding behavior of interfaces by using groove shear connectors. The ultimate load and deformation, and pseudo-ductility were significantly improved by using RPC with high strength and toughness (ultimate compressive strain). GFRP profiles with greater orthotropy coefficients provide fully utilized concrete's compressive strength, preventing premature crushing and enhancing composite structure stiffness. Flexural performance of the composite beams can be improved efficiently by choosing the appropriate sectional size during design and construction. / The authors would like to thank the financial support provided by the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province, China (BK20201436), the Science and Technology Project of Jiangsu Construction System (2018ZD047, 2021ZD06), the Science and Technology Project of Gansu Construction System (JK2021-19), the Open Foundation of Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center of Prefabricated Building and Intelligent Construction (2021), the High-End Foreign Experts Project of Ministry of Science and Technology, China (G2022014054L), the Science and Technology Cooperation Fund Project of Yangzhou City and Yangzhou University (YZU2022194, YZU212105), the Blue Project Youth Academic Leader of Colleges and Universities in Jiangsu Province (2020), the Science and Technology Project of Yangzhou Construction System (2022ZD03, 202204) and the Technology Innovation Cultivation Fund of Yangzhou University (2020-65).

No abstract is provided. / Thesis / Master of Engineering (MEngr) / Scope and contents: In this report, a method for calculating the longitudinal shear capacity of the slab of simply-supported steel-concrete composite beams is presented. The method is based on analysing the stresses at failure of the concrete elements located at the slab shear surface. In this analysis, the slab width and the shear span are found to be two main parameters that have been neglected in the empirical solutions previously adopted.

Yes / In order to promote the utilization of high strength materials and application of prefabricated structures, flexural behaviour of section steel-precast UHPC (Ultra-High performance concrete) slab composite beams prefabricated with bolt shear connectors are numerically simulated by the finite element (FE) software ABAQUS. The model is verified by three prefabricated steel-concrete composite beams tested. Numerical analysis results are in good accordance with experimental results. Furthermore, parametric studies are conducted to investigate the effects of strength of section steel and concrete of precast slab, thickness of section steel, width and height of precast concrete slab, diameters of steel bars and bolt shear connectors. The flexural behaviour of composite beams, in terms of bearing capacity, deflection, ductility and energy dissipation, are compared. The numerical results indicate that the improvement of strength of section steel results in a decrease of ductility, but a significant increase of the ultimate load and energy dissipation. Compared with composite beam made of section steel with thickness of 10 mm, the ultimate load of beams made of section steel with thickness of 14 and 18 mm improve by 29.0% and 58.8%, respectively, the ductility enhance by 2.8% and 8.3%, respectively, and the energy dissipation improve by 8.0% and 12.3%, respectively. With the increase of concrete strength, the ultimate load, deflection and energy dissipation gradually increase. The ductility of steel-UHPC composite beam is the highest, that of steel-HSC composite beam is the lowest. The effect of reinforcement ratio of concrete slab and diameter of shear bolts on the ultimate load of composite beam is limited. Simplified formulae for two different sectional types of proper-reinforced section steel-precast UHPC slab composite beams occurred bending failure are proposed, and the predicted results fit well with the simulated results. The results can be taken as a reference for the design and construction of section steel-precast UHPC slab composite beams.

Yes / To investigate the flexural performance of steel-UHPC (ultra-high performance concrete) composite beams with welded steel shear keys (SSK), eight specimens were experimental studied by four-point bending test. The finite element (FE) models were established based on the experimental results, then, the failure mode, load, deflection, strain and relative interface slip were parametric analyzed. The influences of strength, dimensions and configuration of upper concrete slab, steel beams as well as SSK on flexural performance, in terms of load-deflection response, ductility and ultimate energy dissipation, were studied. The experimental results show that steel-UHPC composite beams have superior bearing capacity, deformation capacity, ductility and energy dissipation ability when compared with steel-NSC (normal strength concrete) composite counterparts. Increasing the height of upper concrete slab has a significant effect on improving bending capacity and flexural stiffness, while increasing the width has a significant effect on enhancing deformation, ductility and ultimate energy dissipation. Increasing the yield strength, thickness of web and flange of steel beams has significant effect on improving bending capacity. Reducing the SSK spacing or increasing the yield strength of SSK, height and thickness slightly improve the cracking, yield and ultimate loads, reduce deflections, enhance the flexural stiffness, slightly weakens the ductility and ultimate energy dissipation. Besides, four types of failure modes were defined, based on reasonable assumptions, formulae for bearing capacity were proposed, and the predicted results fit well with experimental results. The results can be taken as reference for the design and application of steel-UHPC composite beams in long-span and heavy-load structures. / The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support to the work by the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province, China (BK20201436), High-End Foreign Experts Project of Ministry of Science and Technology, China (G2022014054L), Science and Technology Project of Jiangsu Construction System (2021ZD06, 2018ZD047), Science and Technology Cooperation Fund Project of Yangzhou City and Yangzhou University (YZU212105, YZ2022194), Science and Technology Project of Yangzhou Construction System (202309, 202312, 202204). / The full text of this article will be released for public view at the end of the publisher embargo on 11th Aug 2024.

Yes / Finite element (FE) analysis of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) reinforced concrete beams cast in U-shaped ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) permanent formworks is presented in this paper. Concrete damage plasticity (CDP) and FRP brittle damage models were used to simulate the damage behavior of concrete and FRP bars. The results of FE simulation are in good agreement with the experimental results. Furthermore, parametric studies were conducted to investigate the effect of concrete and UHPC strengths, yield strength of steel bars, elastic modulus of FRP bars, ultimate tensile strength of FRP bars, types of UHPC normal strength concrete (NSC) interface and thickness of UHPC under different reinforcement conditions. Flexural performances, in terms of cracking, yield, ultimate loads and corresponding deflections, failure mode, energy dissipation and ductility, were investigated. Traction-separation model was used to describe the bonding degradation and the maximum slip of two types of bonding interfaces (smooth surface and medium-rough surface). Both flexural capacity and resistance to deformation of composite beams are significantly improved by the utilization of hybrid FRP/steel reinforcement. The UHPC formwork can also delay the occurrence and development of cracks. By appropriately increasing the strength of UHPC or elastic modulus of FRP bar, the flexural capacity of composite beams is effectively improved. It is expected that the results presented in this paper can guide the design and construction of U-shaped UHPC permanent formwork-concrete composite beams reinforced with FRP bars.

Fiber-reinforced polymeric (FRP) composites are being considered for structural members in bridge construction as lighter, more durable alternatives to steel and concrete. Extensive testing and analysis of a pultruded, hybrid double web beam (DWB) developed for use in bridge construction has been conducted at Virginia Tech. A primary purpose of this testing is the development of a structural design guide for the DWB, which includes stiffness and strength data. The design manual also includes design allowables determined through a statistical analysis of test data. Static testing of the beams, including failure tests, has been conducted in order to determine such beam properties as bending modulus, shear stiffness, failure mode, and ultimate capacity. Measuring and calculating the shear stiffness has proven to be an area of particular interest and difficulty. Shear stiffness is calculated using Timoshenko beam theory which combines the shear stiffness and shear area together along with a shear correction factor, k, which accounts for the nonuniform distribution of shear stress/strain through the cross-section of a structure. There are several methods for determining shear stiffness, kGA, in the laboratory, including a direct method and a multi-span slope method. Herein lays the difficulty as it has been found that varying methods produces significantly different results. One of the objectives of current research is to determine reasons for the differences in results, to identify which method is most accurate in determining kGA, and also to examine other parameters affecting the determination of kGA that may further aid the understanding of this property. This document will outline the development of the design guide, the philosophy for the selection of allowables and review and discuss the challenges of interpreting laboratory data to develop a complete understanding of shear effects in large FRP structural members. / Master of Science

As vigas casteladas são fabricadas a partir do corte em zigue-zague da alma de perfis I, após são deslocados e soldados, fazendo com que a viga tenha uma expansão na altura, porém sem aumentar a massa do perfil. As mesmas voltaram a ser uma opção competitiva devido aos avanços tecnológicos, que possibilitam a automação do corte e solda da alma do perfil e com o inicio das produções de perfis I laminados no Brasil em 2002. Apresenta grandes vantagens proporcionando a passagem de dutos e tubulações, aumento na rigidez no plano de flexão e boa estética. O presente trabalho apresenta um estudo analítico-numérico realizado com objetivo de verificar o comportamento de vigas casteladas e vigas casteladas mistas, a fim de apresentar e/ou propor dimensionamentos conforme a norma brasileira para as mesmas. Os trabalhos apresentados por Cimadevila (2000) e Veríssimo (2012) foram utilizados para formulação da análise de vigas casteladas. O trabalho de Lawson (2011) que aborda vigas casteladas mistas com aberturas (circulares e retangulares), que é baseado no EUROCODE 3 (2005), foi utilizado para formulação da metodologia de análise de vigas casteladas mistas. Foram realizadas planilhas para análise de vigas casteladas e vigas mistas com aberturas utilizando as metodologias estudadas, e planilhas de análise de vigas casteladas mistas com a metodologia proposta. Utilizando-se o software ANSYS as planilhas e metodologias puderam ser testadas e validadas. Foram selecionados alguns projetos de dimensionamento para comparar vigas de alma cheia, vigas casteladas, vigas mistas, vigas mistas com aberturas e vigas mistas casteladas. / Castellated beams are made of metal I-beams, in which the webs are first divided by a lengthwise zigzag cut, then these parts are welded together in order to join the peaks of both parts, thus increasing its depth and strength, without mass increasing. Castellated beams are again competitive due to technological advances, which enabled automatic cut and welding the web of the I-beams, and with the beginning of the production of rolled metal I-beams in Brazil in 2002. They exhibit great advantages, such as passing of ducts and pipes, increasing bending stiffness, and having good aesthetics. This work presents analytical and numerical studies looking for analysis the behavior of castellated beams and composite castellated beams in order to develop design methods satisfying the corresponding Brazilian code. The castellated beams analysis were based in the works of Cimadevila (2000) and Veríssimo (2012). The work of Lawson (2011), which concerns composite castellated beams and is based on EUROCODE 3 (2005), was used for the formulation of the methodology of the analysis of composite castellated and cellular beams. Spreadsheets were developed for analysis of castellated beams and composite beams with web openings, using both, the studied methodologies and the suggested methodologies for the composite beams. Using ANSYS software, it was possible to test and validate the developed spreadsheets. Design projects of full web beams, castellated beams, composite beams, composite castellated beams and composite beams with web openings were selected for comparison.

As vigas casteladas são fabricadas a partir do corte em zigue-zague da alma de perfis I, após são deslocados e soldados, fazendo com que a viga tenha uma expansão na altura, porém sem aumentar a massa do perfil. As mesmas voltaram a ser uma opção competitiva devido aos avanços tecnológicos, que possibilitam a automação do corte e solda da alma do perfil e com o inicio das produções de perfis I laminados no Brasil em 2002. Apresenta grandes vantagens proporcionando a passagem de dutos e tubulações, aumento na rigidez no plano de flexão e boa estética. O presente trabalho apresenta um estudo analítico-numérico realizado com objetivo de verificar o comportamento de vigas casteladas e vigas casteladas mistas, a fim de apresentar e/ou propor dimensionamentos conforme a norma brasileira para as mesmas. Os trabalhos apresentados por Cimadevila (2000) e Veríssimo (2012) foram utilizados para formulação da análise de vigas casteladas. O trabalho de Lawson (2011) que aborda vigas casteladas mistas com aberturas (circulares e retangulares), que é baseado no EUROCODE 3 (2005), foi utilizado para formulação da metodologia de análise de vigas casteladas mistas. Foram realizadas planilhas para análise de vigas casteladas e vigas mistas com aberturas utilizando as metodologias estudadas, e planilhas de análise de vigas casteladas mistas com a metodologia proposta. Utilizando-se o software ANSYS as planilhas e metodologias puderam ser testadas e validadas. Foram selecionados alguns projetos de dimensionamento para comparar vigas de alma cheia, vigas casteladas, vigas mistas, vigas mistas com aberturas e vigas mistas casteladas. / Castellated beams are made of metal I-beams, in which the webs are first divided by a lengthwise zigzag cut, then these parts are welded together in order to join the peaks of both parts, thus increasing its depth and strength, without mass increasing. Castellated beams are again competitive due to technological advances, which enabled automatic cut and welding the web of the I-beams, and with the beginning of the production of rolled metal I-beams in Brazil in 2002. They exhibit great advantages, such as passing of ducts and pipes, increasing bending stiffness, and having good aesthetics. This work presents analytical and numerical studies looking for analysis the behavior of castellated beams and composite castellated beams in order to develop design methods satisfying the corresponding Brazilian code. The castellated beams analysis were based in the works of Cimadevila (2000) and Veríssimo (2012). The work of Lawson (2011), which concerns composite castellated beams and is based on EUROCODE 3 (2005), was used for the formulation of the methodology of the analysis of composite castellated and cellular beams. Spreadsheets were developed for analysis of castellated beams and composite beams with web openings, using both, the studied methodologies and the suggested methodologies for the composite beams. Using ANSYS software, it was possible to test and validate the developed spreadsheets. Design projects of full web beams, castellated beams, composite beams, composite castellated beams and composite beams with web openings were selected for comparison.

As vigas casteladas são fabricadas a partir do corte em zigue-zague da alma de perfis I, após são deslocados e soldados, fazendo com que a viga tenha uma expansão na altura, porém sem aumentar a massa do perfil. As mesmas voltaram a ser uma opção competitiva devido aos avanços tecnológicos, que possibilitam a automação do corte e solda da alma do perfil e com o inicio das produções de perfis I laminados no Brasil em 2002. Apresenta grandes vantagens proporcionando a passagem de dutos e tubulações, aumento na rigidez no plano de flexão e boa estética. O presente trabalho apresenta um estudo analítico-numérico realizado com objetivo de verificar o comportamento de vigas casteladas e vigas casteladas mistas, a fim de apresentar e/ou propor dimensionamentos conforme a norma brasileira para as mesmas. Os trabalhos apresentados por Cimadevila (2000) e Veríssimo (2012) foram utilizados para formulação da análise de vigas casteladas. O trabalho de Lawson (2011) que aborda vigas casteladas mistas com aberturas (circulares e retangulares), que é baseado no EUROCODE 3 (2005), foi utilizado para formulação da metodologia de análise de vigas casteladas mistas. Foram realizadas planilhas para análise de vigas casteladas e vigas mistas com aberturas utilizando as metodologias estudadas, e planilhas de análise de vigas casteladas mistas com a metodologia proposta. Utilizando-se o software ANSYS as planilhas e metodologias puderam ser testadas e validadas. Foram selecionados alguns projetos de dimensionamento para comparar vigas de alma cheia, vigas casteladas, vigas mistas, vigas mistas com aberturas e vigas mistas casteladas. / Castellated beams are made of metal I-beams, in which the webs are first divided by a lengthwise zigzag cut, then these parts are welded together in order to join the peaks of both parts, thus increasing its depth and strength, without mass increasing. Castellated beams are again competitive due to technological advances, which enabled automatic cut and welding the web of the I-beams, and with the beginning of the production of rolled metal I-beams in Brazil in 2002. They exhibit great advantages, such as passing of ducts and pipes, increasing bending stiffness, and having good aesthetics. This work presents analytical and numerical studies looking for analysis the behavior of castellated beams and composite castellated beams in order to develop design methods satisfying the corresponding Brazilian code. The castellated beams analysis were based in the works of Cimadevila (2000) and Veríssimo (2012). The work of Lawson (2011), which concerns composite castellated beams and is based on EUROCODE 3 (2005), was used for the formulation of the methodology of the analysis of composite castellated and cellular beams. Spreadsheets were developed for analysis of castellated beams and composite beams with web openings, using both, the studied methodologies and the suggested methodologies for the composite beams. Using ANSYS software, it was possible to test and validate the developed spreadsheets. Design projects of full web beams, castellated beams, composite beams, composite castellated beams and composite beams with web openings were selected for comparison.

Fiber reinforced polymeric (FRP) composite materials are beginning to find use in construction and infrastructure applications. Composite members may potentially provide more durable replacements for steel and concrete in primary and secondary bridge structures, but the experience with composites in these applications is minimal. Recently, however, a number of groups in the United States have constructed short-span traffic bridges utilizing FRP members. These demonstration cases will facilitate the development of design guidelines and durability data for FRP materials. The Tom's Creek Bridge rehabilitation is one such project that utilizes a hybrid FRP composite beam in an actual field application. This thesis details much of the experimental work conducted in conjunction with the Tom's Creek Bridge rehabilitation. All of the composite beams used in the rehabilitation were first proof tested in four-point bending. A mock-up of the bridge was then constructed in the laboratory using the actual FRP beams and timber decking. The mock-up was tested in several static loading schemes to evaluate the bridge response under HS20 loading. The lab testing indicated a deflection criterion of nearly L/200; the actual field structure was stiffer at L/450. This was attributed to the difference in boundary conditions for the girders and timber panels. Finally, the bridge response was verified with an analytical model that treats the bridge structure as a wood beam resting upon discrete elastic springs. The model permits both bending and torsional stiffness in the composite beams, as well as shear deformation. A parametric study was conducted utilizing this model and a mechanics of laminated beam theory to provide recommendations for alternate bridge designs and modified composite beam designs. / Master of Science