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.

The shear stress in an unsaturated soil increases rapidly with limited shear strain to a peak value and then drops gradually with a further increase in the shear strain until a residual value is reached. In other words, there is a significant strain-softening behavior under large shear deformation. A variety of geotechnical structures (e.g., slopes, foundations, retaining walls and piles) associated with unsaturated soils typically undergo a large progressive deformation prior to reaching failure conditions due to the influence of environmental factors (e.g., rainfall infiltration and wetting-drying cycles). As a result, the shear strength of soils in sliding zones typically reduces from a peak to a residual value with the progressive development of large shear deformation, while the shear strength of soils in other zones are still at the peak level. In other words, in many scenarios the strain-softening behavior of unsaturated soils can significantly influence the mechanical behavior of geo-structures. Therefore, a thorough understanding of the shear strength behavior of unsaturated soils during strain-softening is required to reliably interpret the mechanical behavior of geo-structures that undergo large shear deformation. Significant advances have been made during the last thirty years to understand and model the strain-softening behavior of unsaturated soils. Most of these studies however focus on the strain-softening behavior within a relatively small shear deformation due to the limitations of the experimental apparatuses. Only limited experimental studies under large shear deformation were reported based on the modified suction-controlled ring shear apparatus. Therefore, more investigations are still required to provide a comprehensive understanding of the shear strength behavior of unsaturated soils during strain-softening under large shear deformation. Studies presented in this thesis are directed towards investigating the shear strength behavior of unsaturated soils during strain-softening and its application in geotechnical engineering practice. The following studies have been conducted: (i) A state-of-the-art review of the strain-softening behavior of unsaturated soils published in the literature during the past three decades is summarized. The physical mechanisms and modelling methods of the strain-softening behavior and the peak, critical and residual shear strength of unsaturated soils are investigated. (ii) A disturbed state concept model is proposed to predict the variation of shear stress in unsaturated soils during strain-softening process under drained condition. Five sets of experimental data gathered from the literature on unsaturated soils varying from coarse- to fine-grained soils are used to verify the proposed model. The proposed model can provide reasonable predictions for the strain-softening stress-strain relationships of various types of unsaturated soils. The model is simple in concept and all the required parameters can be obtained from conventional saturated and unsaturated shearing tests and pressure plate tests. (iii) Two sets of suction-controlled multistage ring shear tests are conducted on unsaturated SP-SM soil and Indian Head till (IHT), respectively. The variation of the shear stress, void ratio, and water content of specimens during shearing (the shear displacement reaches 100 mm) under multi levels of net normal stress and matric suction are described and discussed. The influence of matric suction and net normal stress on the residual shear strength envelops of unsaturated soils are critically discussed. (iv) A model for predicting the residual shear strength for a wide range of unsaturated soils comprising coarse- to fine-grained soils is developed in terms of two stress state variables (i.e., the net normal stress and matric suction) by using the soil water characteristic curve as a tool. The model is formulated and validated based on experimental data in a series of suction-controlled ring shear tests using the axis-translation technique, including the two sets of tests (SP-SM and IHT) conducted in this research and another three sets of tests (SM, SC-SM and CH) gathered from the literature. The fitting parameters are related to the plasticity index (Iₚ); thus, only four basic parameters (i.e., cᵣ', φᵣ', Sᵣ and Iₚ) are included in this approach. (v) A series of slope stability analyses of a landslide in unsaturated condition are conducted using Geoslope software based on the peak and residual shear strength parameters. The analyses results highlight the role of residual shear strength in the slope stability of unsaturated soils. In summary, the mechanical behavior of unsaturated soils under large shear deformation is comprehensively investigated in this thesis. The experimental results of the suction-controlled ring shear tests reported in this research contribute towards understanding the fundamental shear strength behavior of unsaturated soils during strain-softening under large shear deformation. The models proposed in this research provide simple tools to predict the shear strength of unsaturated soils under different levels of shear deformation.

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<p>The masonry construction industry represents a historically significant and substantial portion of both existing and new residential, commercial and institutional low- to medium-rise structures across Canada. Although commonly chosen for its aesthetic qualities by architects, structural masonry walls constructed with concrete block units are also an effective lateral force (wind or seismic) resisting system. The purpose of this dissertation is to address what are perceived to be overly conservative and outdated practices within masonry construction and design by adopting analysis and design practices which have had success with similar reinforced concrete wall systems. The results from a test program reporting on the behavior of nine fully-grouted reinforced masonry (RM) structural walls containing confined boundary elements are analyzed and presented according to force-, displacement- and performance-based seismic design considerations. The boundary element containing four vertical bars with lateral confinement stirrups selected represents a readily codified and practically achievable means of achieving seismic performance enhancement. The design and detailing of the specimens represented a range of parameters that would be anticipated to vary within low- to medium-rise RM buildings. In addition, an analytical study is carried out to derive, from first principles of stress equilibrium and strain compatibility, the necessary constitutive material and mechanics-based equations needed to solve for the state of shear stress and strain in an idealized cracked masonry macro-element. The algorithm proposed is validated by comparing the proposed model to existing test data and is further developed towards predicting the design shear strength of RM structural walls. The results from these experimental and analytical research programs are subsequently used to provide a set of proposed code clauses at the end of the thesis. Prescriptive design requirements are proposed for a new category of <em>Special Ductile Masonry Shear Wall</em> containing boundary elements including integration of a new shear strength expression. These clauses have been written with the intention of adoption within the CSA S304.1 and the MSJC North American masonry designs standards.</p> / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

yes / The validity of the modification factor specified in the ACI 318-11 shear provision for concrete members to account for the reduced frictional properties along crack interfaces is examined using a comprehensive database comprised of 1716 normalweight concrete (NWC) beam specimens, 73 all-lightweight concrete (ALWC) beam specimens, and 54 sand-lightweight concrete (SLWC) beam specimens without shear reinforcement. Comparisons of measured and predicted shear capacities of concrete beams in the database show that ACI 318-11 provisions for shear-transfer capacity of concrete are less conservative for lightweight concrete (LWC) beams than NWC beams. A rational approach based on the upper-bound theorem of concrete plasticity has been developed to assess the reduced aggregate interlock along the crack interfaces and predict the shear-transfer capacity of concrete. A simplified model for the modification factor is then proposed as a function of the compressive strength and dry density of concrete and maximum aggregate size on the basis of analytical parametric studies on the ratios of shear-transfer capacity of LWC to that of the companion NWC. The proposed modification factor decreases with the decrease in the dry density of concrete, gives closer predictions to experimental results than does the ACI 318-11 shear provision and, overall, improves the safety of shear capacity of LWC beams.

Yes / This paper presents an integrated model for shear friction strength of monolithic concrete interfaces derived from the upper-bound theorem of concrete plasticity. The model accounts for the effects of applied axial stresses and transverse reinforcement on the shear friction action at interfacial shear cracks. Simple equations were also developed to generalize the effectiveness factor for compression, ratio of effective tensile to compressive strengths and angle of concrete friction. The reliability of the proposed model was then verified through comparisons with previous empirical equations and 103 push-off test specimens compiled from different sources in the literature. The previous equations considerably underestimate the concrete shear transfer capacity and the underestimation is notable for the interfaces subjected to additional axial stresses. The proposed model provides superior accuracy in predicting the shear friction strength, resulting in a mean between experimental and predicted friction strengths of 0.97 and least scatter. Moreover, the proposed model has consistent trends with test results in evaluating the effect of various parameters on the shear friction strength.