Typescript (photocopy). / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

Civil engineers are presently faced with the challenge of strengthening and repairing many existing structures to assure or increase their structural safety. The reasons for this include changes in the use of structures, and increased traffic loads on bridges. In Iraq, for example, several highway bridges needed to accommodate increased axle load during the transportation of huge turbines for electricity generating stations. The requirement for structural strengthening and repair methods is, however, driven by the worldwide need to ensure the safety and sustainability of our aging infrastructure which is deteriorating at a rate faster than it can be renovated. The ever increasing damage caused by environmental effects and the corrosion of steel and deterioration of concrete, reduce structural safety and lead to disruption for the users, which can have serious economic consequences. In a plate girder bridge, the plate girders are typically I-beams made up from separate structural steel plates (rather than rolled as a single cross-section), which are welded or, in older bridges, bolted or riveted together to form the vertical web and horizontal flanges of the beam. The two primary functions of the web plate in a plate girder are to maintain a relative distance between the top and bottom flanges and to resist the induced shear stresses. In most practical ranges of plate girder bridges’ spans, the induced shear stresses are relatively low compared to the bending stresses in the flanges induced by flexure. As a result the web plate is generally chosen to be much thinner than the flanges. The web panel consequently buckles at a relatively low shear force. For steel girder structures dominated by cyclic loading, as is the case with repeated vehicle axle loads on bridges, this can lead to the so-called ‘breathing’ phenomenon; an out-of-plane buckling displacement that can induce high secondary bending stresses at the welded plate boundaries. In the current work, a novel FRP strengthening technique using bonded shapes is applied to resist these out of plane deformations, and hence reduce the breathing stresses, and improve the fatigue life of the plate girder which is very different to the majority of applications of FRP strengthening that exploit the FRP for its direct tensile strength and stiffness. The objective of the current experimental programme is to strengthen thinwalled steel girders against web shear buckling using a corrugated CFRP or GFRP panel bonded externally along the compression diagonal of the web plate. The programme was divided into three main phases, including: (1) the development of a new preformed corrugated FRP panel, and (2, 3) testing its performance in two main experimental series. The initial series involved tests on 13 steel plates strengthened with the proposed preformed corrugated FRP panel and subjected to in-plane shear loading using a specially manufactured “picture-frame” arrangement designed to induce the appropriate boundary conditions and stresses in the web plates. This initial test series investigated the performance of different forms of strengthening under static load, in preparation for another series of cyclic tests to investigate their fatigue performance. The test variables included FRP type (CFRP or GFRP), form of FRP (closed or open section), number of FRP layers, and orientation of GFRP fibres used to produce the FRP panel. In the second series, six specimens were manufactured to simulate the end panel of a plate girder. These were strengthened with the optimized FRP panel from the initial series and tested for shear buckling under repeated cyclic loading with a stress range 40-80% of the static ultimate capacity. A considerable increase in the stiffness of the strengthened specimens is evident in the observed reductions of the maximum out-of-plane displacement. The stiffness of the strengthened specimens is assessed to be increased by a factor ranging between 3 to 9 times the stiffness of the corresponding unstrengthened specimen, depending upon the type of the FRP panel used and the aspect ratio of the tested specimens. The breathing phenomena is also significantly reduced, consequently the surface, membrane and secondary bending stresses are reduced. The 45° strengthening scheme succeeded the best both in reducing the breathing stresses and increasing the ultimate shear capacity of the specimen by 88%. Fatigue analyses indicated that the proposed strengthening technique is able to considerably elongate the life expectancy of the strengthened plate girders by a factor ranging between 2.5 and 7 depending on the applied cyclic load amplitude. In addition, the proposed strengthening technique did not show any debonding or delamination under both static and cyclic loading which makes it a good candidate for strengthening thin-walled structural members, especially, when ductility is a concern. In fact, the proposed strengthening technique succeeded in improving the energy absorption capacity of the strengthened specimens by a factor ranging between 1.5 and 2.5 times the corresponding control specimen which means that the ductile failure type associated with shear buckling of steel plate girders is not only maintained, but it was improved as well. This type of ductile failure is not common in other types of FRP strengthening techniques. Finally, a geometrical and material non-linear finite element model is presented both for the steel and composite sections which showed very good correlation with test results and was capable of predicting both the strength and deformational behaviour of the tested specimens. This numerical model is used for a parametric study to support the proposed design method.

Thesis (M.C.E.)--University of Delaware, 2006. / Principal faculty advisor: Dennis R. Mertz, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Includes bibliographical references.

Corrugated web plate girders (CWPGs) have become an increasingly popular structural member in Canada in recent years. This is because of their economic efficiency over standard wide flange members. Although the flexural performance of such has been increasingly studied in recent years there is still advancements that can be made in their design. No research has been completed in Canada on the subject of lateral torsional buckling (LTB) strength and very minimal research has been published on sinusoidal CWPGs. In order to examine the LTB strength of a CWPG with a sinusoidally shaped web, nine specimens were loaded and failed in simply supported arrangement that favours lateral torsional buckling. Specimens were chosen to observe the difference in strength due to web thickness, web depth and variation in identical beams. All of the specimens recorded strengths that exceeded the theoretical design strengths confirming that the current design procedure is conservative. A trend of ultimate capacity increasing was observed with the increase of web thickness. The depth of the web had no significant effect on the torsional strength besides what is gained from the increased flange distance. An equivalent web thickness equation was formulated based on the results for the purpose of calculating LTB strength. To test the proposed equation a numerical analysis was run on a wider range of beams and compared with the testing results. It was determined the physical testing results can be effectively captured by the proposed equation among more than just the tested beams. Two additional analyses were prepared to lay the foundation for further investigation of the proposed equation. The first was a Monte Carlo simulation to test the risk of using the proposed equation which requires additional data. Secondly, a preliminary finite element analysis (FEA) model was developed and presented for future use to expand this research. / Thesis / Master of Applied Science (MASc) / Corrugated web plate girders (CWPG) have grown in popularity due to their economic efficiency. No research has been presented in Canada and very minimal research has been published on the lateral torsional strength of CWPGs with sinusoidally corrugated webs. This research studied the lateral torsional buckling (LTB) strength of CWPGs through the experimental testing of physical members and a new equation for the calculation of the LTB strength is proposed. This equation and design process was then numerically tested to determine its viability as a design process.

The current end web crippling design equations are based on a collapse mechanism developed for interior web crippling of short-span plate girders. Yield-line theory and the mechanism solution were used to derive an expression for the web crippling capacity of a plate girder subjected to an interior patch load. The general form of this equation was then calibrated using available data to obtain an equation for end web crippling as well. This study examines the origin of the equation and identifies inconsistencies, which result from using the same assumptions for both types of web crippling. A new collapse mechanism, based on modified assumptions, is used to derive a new equation that applies specifically to end web crippling of hot-rolled sections. In addition, three full-scale tests were conducted on steel-concrete composite beams to verify the accuracy of the proposed equation. Finally, the current web crippling equations and the proposed equation are compared for all available end web crippling data, and conclusions and recommendations are made concerning the validity of the proposed end web crippling equation. / Master of Science

AASHTO LRFD requires the use of longitudinal stiffeners in plate girder webs when the web slenderness D/tw is greater than 150. This practice is intended to limit the lateral flexing of the web plate during construction and at service conditions. AASHTO accounts for an increase in the web bend buckling resistance due to the presence of a longitudinal stiffener. However, when the theoretical bend buckling capacity of the stiffened web is exceeded under strength load conditions, the Specifications do not consider any contribution from the longitudinal stiffener to the girder resistance. That is, the AASHTO LRFD web bend buckling strength reduction factor Rb applied in these cases is based on an idealization of the web neglecting the longitudinal stiffener. This deficiency can have significant impact on girder resistance in regions of negative flexure. This research is aimed at evaluating the improvements that may be achieved by fully considering the contribution of web longitudinal stiffeners to the girder flexural resistance. Based on refined FE test simulations, this research establishes that minimum size longitudinal stiffeners, per current AASHTO LRFD requirements, contribute significantly to the post buckling flexural resistance of plate girders, and can bring as much as a 60% increase in the flexural strength of the girder. A simple cross-section Rb model is proposed that can be used to calculate the girder flexural resistance at the yield limit state. This model is developed based on test simulations of straight homogenous girders subjected to pure bending, and is tested extensively and validated for hybrid girders and other limit states. It is found that there is a substantial deviation between the AISC/AASHTO LTB resistance equations and common FE test simulations. Research is conducted to determine the appropriate parameters to use in FE test simulations. Recommended parameters are identified that provide a best fit to the mean of experimental data. Based on FE simulations on unstiffened girders using these recommended parameters, a modified LTB resistance equation is proposed. This equation, used in conjunction with the proposed Rb model also provides an improved handling of combined web buckling and LTB of longitudinally stiffened plate girders. It is observed that the noncompact web slenderness limit in the Specifications, which is an approximation based on nearly rigid edge conditions for the buckling of the web plate in flexure is optimistic for certain cross-sections with narrow flanges. This research establishes that the degree of restraint at the edges of the web depend largely on the relative areas of the adjoining flanges and the area of the web. An improved equation for the noncompact web slenderness limit is proposed which leads to a better understanding and representation of the behavior of these types of members.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-07-29T15:03:35Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 pre-textuais Rodrigo Fernandes.pdf: 349523 bytes, checksum: 27a5e6d7df167303c662872391301d36 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-10-01 / This work contains a theoretical analysis of the behavior of plate girders. A plate girder has been calculated based on the criteria of the American standard Manual of Steel Construction Load and Resistance Factor Design (AISC, 1994), and checked by the Brazilian standard NBR 8800: Projeto e execução de estruturas de aço de edifícios (método dos estados limites) (ABNT, 1986), the revision project of the Brazilian standard Projeto de Revisão da NBR 8800: Projeto e execução de estruturas de aço e de estruturas mistas aço-concreto de edifícios (ABNT, 2003), the revision project of the Brazilian standard Projeto de Revisão da NBR 8800: Projeto de estruturas de aço e de estruturas mistas de aço e concreto de edifícios (ABNT, 2007) and the European standard Eurocode 3: Design of steel structures Part 1.1: General rules and rules for buildings (CEN, 1992). PFEIL (1989) has calculated a plate girder by using the Brazilian standard NBR 8800/86. The calculated dimension have been checked by the mentioned standards. NARAYANAN (1992 apud OWENS, KNOWLES E DOWLING, 1992) has dimensioned a plate girder by using the British standard BS 5950: Structural use of steelwork in building. Part 1: Code of practice for design in simple and continuous construction: hot rolled sections (BSI, 1990), which has also been checked by the mentioned standards. Furthermore, theoretical analyses related to the calculus of plate girders presented by many authors have been considered. The main goal is to assess the criteria utilized by the standards for the calculus of plate girders. From the obtained results, for the checked girders, by the standards and related theories, a comparative analysis among the utilized criteria by the standards has been made. The reached conclusion is that the Brazilian standard and its revision projects has identical criteria compared to the American standard for the calculus of plate girders. The European standard presents slightly different criteria compared to the American standard; however, both provide close results one compared to another. The theories utilized have also provided close results from those obtained by the standards. / Neste trabalho é feita uma análise teórica sobre o comportamento de vigas esbeltas. Uma viga esbelta foi dimensionada com base nos critérios da norma americana Manual of Steel Construction Load and Resistance Factor Design (AISC, 1994), e depois verificada pela norma brasileira NBR 8800: Projeto e execução de estruturas de aço de edifícios (método dos estados limites) (ABNT, 1986), pelo projeto de revisão da norma brasileira Projeto de Revisão da NBR 8800: Projeto e execução de estruturas de aço e de estruturas mistas aço-concreto de edifícios (ABNT, 2003), pelo projeto de revisão da norma brasileira Projeto de Revisão da NBR 8800: Projeto de estruturas de aço e de estruturas mistas de aço e concreto de edifícios (ABNT, 2007) e pela norma européia Eurocode 3: Design of steel structures Part 1.1: General rules and rules for buildings (CEN, 1992). PFEIL (1989) dimensionou uma viga esbelta utilizando a norma brasileira NBR 8800/86. As dimensões calculadas foram verificadas pelas normas citadas. NARAYANAN (1992 apud OWENS, KNOWLES E DOWLING, 1992) dimensionou uma viga esbelta utilizando a norma britânica BS 5950: Structural use of steelwork in building. Part 1: Code of practice for design in simple and continuous construction: hot rolled sections (BSI, 1990), a qual foi também verificada pelas normas citadas. Também foram consideradas análises teóricas relativas ao cálculo de vigas esbeltas apresentadas por diversos autores. O objetivo principal é avaliar os critérios utilizados pelas normas para o cálculo de vigas esbeltas. A partir dos resultados obtidos, para as vigas analisadas, pelas normas e pelas teorias existentes, foi feita uma análise comparativa entre os critérios utilizados pelas normas. A conclusão a que se pôde chegar é que a norma brasileira e seus projetos de revisão apresentam critérios idênticos aos da norma americana para o cálculo de vigas esbeltas. A norma européia apresenta critérios um pouco diferenciados dos critérios da norma americana, mas fornecem resultados aproximados entre si. As teorias utilizadas também forneceram resultados aproximados dos resultados obtidos pelas normas.

Master´s thesis describes the design and check of the construction of botanical pavillion in Brno. The structure has an elliptical ground plan with dimensions 34 x 20 m, height of 9 m. The supporting structure consists of 16 support curved ribs which are braced at the top of the elliptical steel ring. Between the ribs are inserted purlins which support the perimeter cladding. The supporting structure is designed as an alternative system as girders of glued laminated timber and as system of steel truss girders.