The objective of this thesis is to determine if the single sided resistance spot weld (RSW) can be used as a feasible connection method for cold formed steel (CFS) shear walls subject to lateral force of either seismic or wind loads on mobile shelters. The research consisted of three phases which include: a design as a 3D BIM model, connection tests of the resistance spot weld, and full-scale testing of the designed solid wall panels. The shear wall testing was conducted on specimens with both resistance spot weld and self-drilling screws and the results from tests gave a direct comparison of these connections when the solid wall panel was subjected to in-plane shear forces. The full-scale tests also included 4-point bending tests which was designed to investigate the wall panel's resistance to the lateral loads applied perpendicularly to the surface. The research discovered that the singled sided resistance spot weld achieved similar performance as the self-drilling screws in the applications of CFS wall panels for mobile shelters. The proposed single sided resistance spot weld has advantages of low cost, no added weight, fast fabrication, and it is a feasible connection method for CFS wall panels.

No description available.

Throughout the years earthquakes are a huge concern for structures; causing losses of peoples’ lives, damages and collapse of homes. Usually, most of the buildings that collapse or have serious damages are mostly old buildings that do not fulfil any longer the updated regulations and building codes concerning seismic design. The purpose of this Master’s thesis is to analyse and strengthen an existing building given by the company Sweco, by using proper and innovative retrofitting techniques; considering Eurocode 8 and collected data from previous studies. The selected building is a seven-storey structure in Stockholm; consists of prefabricated concrete and steel elements and is tested under seismic loading to investigate the global behaviour of the structure using the software MIDAS GEN. Two analyses are performed; assessment analysis which includes modelling of the given structure where the structural capacities are studied. The second analysis is the seismic analysis which includes two secondary analyses; before seismic retrofitting and after seismic retrofitting respectively. In the seismic analysis before the seismic retrofitting is applied, the main scope is to identify the most critical positions of the building where it behaves abnormally and the displacements are high enough in order to modify the structure to decrease displacements. Moreover, the frequencies were obtained and examined. The second seismic analysis includes the modified structure; where it was tested with different alternative methods of seismic retrofitting in order to identify which technique is the most proper one to optimise the strength and the structural performance of the given building. Finally, it appeared that a combination of seismic retrofitting methodologies was the most suitable selection. The selected combination consists of steel bracings and prefabricated reinforced concrete walls (shear walls). After performing the seismic retrofitting analysis, results of the frequencies and displacements of the structure were acquired and compared with the un-retrofitted analysis. The obtained results displayed that using this structural modification improved by increasing the frequency in the transverse direction (y) by 57.2%, in the longitudinal direction (x) by 27.6% and rotational along the z-axis by 12.9%; lastly, by decreasing the displacements in the x- and y-direction remarkably. Consequently, a combination of innovative seismic retrofitting methods appeared to be more effective, achieving a more resistant building under seismic hazards, by improving the stability and ductility of the structure. This gives rise to further researches and investigations for future solutions regarding seismic retrofitting applications and methodologies. / Jordbävningar är skakningar i marken som orsakar förluster av människors liv och leder till skador och kollaps av byggnader. Vanligtvis är de flesta byggnader som har allvarligt skadats eller kollapsat, äldre byggnader som inte längre uppfyller de uppdaterade byggreglerna för seismisk design. Syftet med detta examensarbete är att analysera och stärka en befintlig byggnad som har distribuerats av konsult företaget Sweco; lämpliga och innovativa seismisk eftermonteringsmetoder har använts för att förbättra byggnadens tillstånd med hjälp av insamlat vetenskapliga artiklar, tidskrifter och tidigare examensarbete samt svensk standard (Eurokod 8 - för dimensionering av bärverk med avseende på jordbävning). Den utdelade byggnaden är sju våningar hög och ligger i Stockholm. Den består av prefabricerade betong- och stålelement. Byggnaden kommer att testas under seismisk belastning med hjälp av programvaran MIDAS GEN, för att sedan examinera byggnadens globala beteende. Två analyser har utförts; en bedömningsanalys som innefattar granskning av den givna byggnadens kapacitet. Den andra analysen är den seismiska analysen som omfattar två sekundära analyser; en ’före applikation av seismisk eftermonteringsmetod’ och en ’efter applikation av seismisk eftermonteringsmetod’. I den första seismiska analysen, identifieras de mest kritiska positionerna där byggnadens beteende är avvikande med höga förskjutningar och låga frekvenser; således, är behovet av att modifiera och förbättra byggnadens prestanda betydande. Den andra seismiska analysen innefattar den modifierade byggnaden, som har testats med olika alternativa seismiska eftermonteringsmetoder för att identifiera vilken teknik som är mest passande för att optimera byggnadens hållfasthet, elasticitet och prestanda. Efter många experimentella försök, framgick det att en kombination av varierande seismiska eftermonteringsmetoder var det mest lämpliga urvalet. Den valda kombinationen består av stålfackverk och skjuvväggar. Efter genomförandet av den seismiska eftermonteringsanalysen erhölls resultat av frekvensen och förskjutningarna av byggnaden som sedan jämfördes med den första seismiska analysen, innan en eftermonteringsmetod var tillämpad. De erhållna resultaten visade att valet av denna modifikation har förbättrat byggnadens prestanda genom att öka frekvensen i tvärriktningen (y) med 57,2%, i längdriktningen (x) med 27.6% och rotationsfrekvensen längs z-axeln med 12.9%; slutligen, genom att minska förskjutningarna i x- och y-riktningen anmärkningsvärt. Följaktligen, verkade en kombination av varierande seismiska eftermonteringsmetoder vara effektiv, vilket resulterade i en seismisk resistent byggnad med avsevärt god hållfasthet, elasticitet och stabilitet. Denna forskning ger upphov till ytterligare efterforskningar och undersökningar för framtida lösningar avseende seismiska eftermonteringsapplikationer och metoder.

No description available.

Le comportement des structures en béton armé peut s’avérer extrêmement complexe en cas de dépassement de la limite de fissuration du béton. Le caractère composite du béton armé doit être représenté finement. Pour la simulation des structures industrielles, les modèles numériques employés supposent une relation parfaite entre le béton et les armatures qui non seulement ne prennent pas en compte la complexité de la relation entre les deux matériaux mais aussi ne permet pas de présenter finement les caractéristiques de la fissuration étant directement liée à celle des aciers. Dans la littérature, plusieurs méthodes numériques sont proposées pour étudier finement les caractéristiques de la liaison acier-béton, mais toutes ces méthodes posent des difficultés pour les calculs de structures complexes en 3D. En partant des résultats obtenus dans le cadre de la thèse de Torre-Casanova (2012), une nouvelle formation d’un modèle de liaison acier-béton a été développée pour améliorer les performances et la représentativité (comportement cyclique). Ce nouveau modèle a été validé sur un tirant par comparaison avec une solution analytique et des résultats expérimentaux et également testé à l’échelle structurelle pour simuler le comportement d’un voile en cisaillement. Compte tenu de la difficulté pour caractériser numériquement l’ouverture de fissure en cas de fissuration complexe, une nouvelle méthode de post-traitement a également été développée. Finalement, le développement du comportement cyclique de la loi d’adhérence avec enveloppe non-réduite est intégré dans le modèle de liaison acier-béton pour prendre en compte l’irréversibilité du glissement et le boucle d’hystérésis lors du chargement en charge-décharge ou du chargement cyclique. L’application sur un tirant et sur un voile en cisaillement est également effectuée afin d’investiguer le comportement global et local. / Reinforced concrete structure behavior can be extremely complex in the case of exceeding the cracking threshold. The composite characteristics of reinforced concrete structure should be finely presented. In order to compute the industrial structures, a perfect relation hypothesis between steel and concrete is supposed in which not only the complex phenomenon of the two-material relation is not taken into account, but it is also unable to predict the crack characteristics, which is directly linked to the steel. In literature, several numerical methods are proposed in order to finely study the concrete-steel bond behavior, but these methods give many difficulties in computing complex structures in 3D. With the results obtained in the thesis framework of Torre-Casanova (2012), the new concrete-steel bond model has been developed to improve performances (iteration numbers and computational time) and the representation (cyclic behavior) of the initial one. The new model has been verified with analytical solution of steel-concrete tie and validated with the experimental results and equally tested with the structural scale to compute the shear wall behavior. Because of the numerical difficulty in post-processing the crack opening in the complex crack formation, a new crack opening method is also developed. Finally, the cyclic behavior of the bond law with the non-reduced envelope is adopted and integrated in the new bond model in order to take into account the slip irreversibility and the hysteresis during the cyclic load. The application of the model is carried out on a steel-concrete tie and a shear-wall.

Dans le cadre de la mise à niveau sismique des bâtiments existants, la technique de renforcement par placage et enrobage de polymères renforcés de fibres (FRP) offre une réponse pertinente. L’objectif de cette thèse est de proposer une modélisation fiable pour la détermination de la réponse quasi-statique et dynamique d’une grande variété d’éléments de structure et d’identifier les apports possibles d’une telle modélisation à la conception. Les stratégies de modélisation s’appuient sur l’utilisation d’éléments finis massifs ou basés sur une cinématique simplifiée (coques multicouches et poutres multifibres), associés à des modèles locaux d’endommagement et de plasticité pour les matériaux en présence (béton, armatures et FRP). L’hypothèse d’adhérence parfaite, d’une part, entre les armatures et le béton, et d’autre part, entre les bandes de FRP et le béton, permet de calculer efficacement les cas des poteaux courants, des poteaux courts, des voiles longs et courts, dans les régimes quasi-statique (pushover) et dynamique. Le renforcement par placage et enrobage FRP pour des structures en béton armé, est reproduit au sein de la modélisation par un apport de matière (éléments de type barre avec les caractéristiques propres des FRP) et des modifications des paramètres de la loi de comportement du béton, justifiées par l’expérimentation et la littérature. La pertinence de l’approche est finalement démontrée en confrontant la réponse temporelle de structures à l’échelle 1, de type ossature ou de type contreventé par des voiles, aux résultats expérimentaux issus de benchmarks internationaux. / In the context of the building’s protection against seismic risk, the strengthening technique by FRP (Fiber Reinforced Polymers) plating and wrapping provides a relevant solution. The objective of this thesis is to propose a reliable modeling for determining the quasi-static and dynamic responses of a wide variety of structural elements and to draw advantage in design. The modeling strategies make use of 3D elements or finite elements based on simplified kinematics (multilayer shells or multifiber beams), associated with local damage and plasticity laws for the constitutive materials (concrete, rebar and FRP). The perfect bond assumption between steel-concrete and FRP-concrete allows efficiently calculating the quasi-static and dynamic behaviors of short and slender columns, as well as short and slender walls. The mechanical contribution of FRP plating and wrapping is reproduced in the modeling by adding material (bar type elements with FRP characteristics) and by changing the parameters of the concrete model on the basis of the experience and analytical formula issued from the literature. The relevance of the approach is finally highlighted by comparing the time-history response of real braced frame or wall structures with the experimental results.

The prediction of shear capacity of light timber frame walls in a multi-storey arrangement is the main focus of this dissertation. The available theories neglect to account for the fact that the shear resistance of the walls may depend on the actual vertical position of the applied horizontal force. However, the actual arrangement of the structures in practice introduces a vertical offset between the wall head height and the position of the resultant of the external horizontal forces. Thus, the horizontal shear force is accompanied by dependent overturning moment. Solving such a problem for partially anchored walls inevitably leads to an iterative calculation. The aim is to provide a comprehensible and less calculation-intensive procedure for multi-storey buildings that would be competitive with existing simplified methods. A model derived from lower bound plastic method was successfully put to the test in a parametric study and compared with limited test results. The results show that the capacities predicted using the novel method compare favourably with the results obtained from traditional theories using a more complicated iterative process. Therefore, the presented single-step approach may be appealing to the industry. A test program was formulated to understand better the implications of the recommended best practice of introducing gaps between sheathing panels. It was set to experimentally verify the difference in the shear capacity for setups with and without gaps between the sheathing panels. The significance of this study is that it informs the industry that the manufacturers’ recommendation to incorporate a gap between sheathing panels would not compromise the structural integrity. Considering the model uncertainty and the safety margins, the introduction of gaps does not alter the strength or stiffness of the wall.

The Vertically Oriented Interlocking Timber (VOIT) panel is a new solid wood panel similar to Interlocking Cross Laminated Timber (ICLT) and the more commonly known Cross Laminated Timber (CLT). Like ICLT, VOIT panels use timber connections instead of the adhesives or metal fasteners common to CLT. The difference of VOIT is the orientation of the layers. Where CLT and ICLT panels alternate the orientation of each layer, VOIT panels orient all the layers in the same direction. The vertically oriented layers are then attached to one another by smaller horizontal dovetail members.Two types of VOIT panels were provided to be tested for in-plane lateral loading. Type I had three rows of horizontal dovetail members connecting the layers and Type II had four rows of dovetail members as well as two diagonal members to provide stiffness. Two panels of each type were provided, measuring 8 ft. wide, 8 ft. tall, and 13.75 in. thick. Each panel was disassembled after monotonic lateral in-plane loading to determine possible failure modes. Testing results suggest the VOIT panels to be comparable in shear strength to other wood shear walls, including light frame, CLT, and ICLT walls. A two-part analytical model was created to determine the deflection of the wall when loaded as well as the shear strength of the wall. The model predicted deflection and wall strength reasonably well. Due to the small sample size, additional testing is necessary to confirm the results of the Type I and Type II VOIT panels. Additional testing with more variations of the panel and member geometries is also needed to validate the scope of the model.

No description available.

The provision of clean drinking water typically involves treatment processes to remove contaminants. The conventional process involves coagulation with hydrolysing metal salts, typically of aluminium (‘alum’) or trivalent iron (‘ferric’). Along with the product water this also produces a waste by-product, or sludge. The fact of increasing sludge production — due to higher levels of treatment and greater volume of water supply — conflicts with modern demands for environmental best practice, leading to higher financial costs. A further issue is the significant quantity of water that is held up in the sludge, and wasted. / One means of dealing with these problems is to dewater the sludge further. This reduces the volume of waste to be disposed of. The consistency is also improved (e.g. for the purpose of landfilling). And a significant amount of water can be recovered. The efficiency, and efficacy, of this process depends on the dewaterability of the sludge.In fact, good dewaterability is vital to the operation of conventional drinking water treatment plants (WTP’s). The usual process of separating the particulates, formed from a blend of contaminants and coagulated precipitate, relies on ‘clarification’ and ‘thickening’, which are essentially settling operations of solid–liquid separation.WTP operators — and researchers — do attempt to measure sludge dewaterability, but usually rely on empirical characterisation techniques that do not tell the full story and can even mislead. Understanding of the physical and chemical nature of the sludge is also surprisingly rudimentary, considering the long history of these processes. / The present work begins by reviewing the current state of knowledge on raw water and sludge composition, with special focus on solid aluminium and iron phases and on fractal aggregate structure. Next the theory of dewatering is examined, with the adopted phenomenological theory contrasted with empirical techniques and other theories.The foundation for subsequent analyses is laid by experimental work which establishes the solid phase density of WTP sludges. Additionally, alum sludges are found to contain pseudoböhmite, while 2-line ferrihydrite and goethite are identified in ferric sludges. / A key hypothesis is that dewaterability is partly determined by the treatment conditions. To investigate this, numerous WTP sludges were studied that had been generated under diverse conditions: some plant samples were obtained, and the remainder were generated in the laboratory (results were consistent). Dewaterability was characterised for each sludge in concentration ranges relevant to settling, centrifugation and filtration using models developed by LANDMAN and WHITE inter alia; it is expressed in terms of both equilibrium and kinetic parameters, py(φ) and R(φ) respectively.This work confirmed that dewaterability is significantly influenced by treatment conditions.The strongest correlations were observed when varying coagulation pH and coagulant dose. At high doses precipitated coagulant controls the sludge behaviour, and dewaterability is poor. Dewaterability deteriorates as pH is increased for high-dose alum sludges; other sludges are less sensitive to pH. These findings can be linked to the faster coagulation dynamics prevailing at high coagulant and alkali dose.Alum and ferric sludges in general had comparable dewaterabilities, and the characteristics of a magnesium sludge were similar too.Small effects on dewaterability were observed in response to variations in raw water organic content and shearing. Polymer flocculation and conditioning appeared mainly to affect dewaterability at low sludge concentrations. Ageing did not produce clear changes in dewaterability.Dense, compact particles are known to dewater better than ‘fluffy’ aggregates or flocs usually encountered in drinking water treatment. This explains the superior dewaterability of a sludge containing powdered activated carbon (PAC). Even greater improvements were observed following a cycle of sludge freezing and thawing for a wide range of WTP sludges. / Further aspects considered in the present work include deviations from simplifying assumptions that are usually made. Specifically: investigation of long-time dewatering behaviour, wall effects, non-isotropic stresses, and reversibility of dewatering (or ‘elasticity’).Several other results and conclusions, of both theoretical and experimental nature, are presented on topics of subsidiary or peripheral interest that are nonetheless important for establishing a reliable basis for research in this area. / This work has proposed links between industrial drinking water coagulation conditions, sludge dewaterability from settling to filtration, and the microstructure of the aggregates making up that sludge. This information can be used when considering the operation or design of a WTP in order to optimise sludge dewaterability, within the constraints of producing drinking water of acceptable quality.