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This thesis presents a research project aimed at advancing the treatment of cold-formed steel (CFS) structural reliability in roof trusses. Structural design today relies almost exclusively on component-level design, so structural safety is assured by limiting the probability of failure of individual components. Reliability of the entire system is typically not assessed, so in a worst-case scenario the system reliability may be less than the component reliability, or in a best-case scenario the system reliability may be much greater than the component reliability. A roof truss itself, is a subsystem with several possible failure modes that are being studied in this test program. These trusses are constructed of CFS members that nest with one another at the truss nodes and are connected by drilling fasteners through the mated surfaces, as well as having steel sheathing fastened to the top chords for lateral bracing. Presented in this paper is a series of full-scale static tests on single cold-formed steel roof trusses with a unique experimental setup. The test specimens were carefully monitored to address multiple failure modes: buckling of the top chord, buckling of the truss webs, and any connection failures. This research includes the experimental results, the computed system reliability of the trusses as well as their relationship between the components reliability.

It is vital that Turkey keep abreast of developments in the world and build up its technology to become a developed country. Steel construction is one of these areas. In this context, the main purpose of this study was to define, analyze and evaluate the general characteristics of structural steel and steel construction with the purpose of throwing new light on its advantages and disadvantages. Within this framework, a literature survey was conducted on structural steel components and structures / and on steel construction in Turkey. Additionally, a case study was carried out on a steel office building in Ankara. In this, the T&uuml / rkiye Esnaf ve Sanatkar Kredi Kefalet Kooperatifleri Merkez Birligi (TESKOMB) Building was investigated in terms of the design and production criteria for steel structures and to determine problems faced during these processes. As a result of this study, the existing condition of the construction sector and the means to improve use of structural steel in Turkey were discussed more realistically.

The objective of this study was to understand and develop procedures for the use of the AISC 2005 Specification's Direct Analysis Method for the analysis and design of heavy-industry industrial structures, to layout a systematic approach for the engineer to analyze and design using this method, and to determine if there will be any consequences to the practicing engineer in using this method. The relevant 13th Edition AISC stability analysis methods (Effective Length,First-Order, and Direct Analysis Methods) were researched in the 2005 Specification aswell as in available technical literature, and then were critically evaluated by their applicability and limitations. This study will help serve as a guide for the systematic approach for the practicing engineer to apply this method to analyze and design such complex steel frame structures using the computer-aided software called GTSTRUDL. To accomplish this purpose, two analytical models were studied using the Direct Analysis Method. The first model was a simple industrial structure and the second model was a more complex nuclear power plant boiler building.

Concrete-filled buckling restrained braces (BRBs) was first developed in 1988 in Tokyo, Japan, to prevent the steel plates in the core portion from buckling, leading the steel core to exhibiting a more stable and fully hysteretic loop than conventional steel braces. However, past studies have shown that buckling restrained braced frames (BRBFs) have a large residual deformation after a median or high seismic event due to steel’s residual strain. In order to address this issue, innovative self-centering SMA braces are proposed and installed in the originally unbraced bays in existing BRBFs to become a hybrid frame system where the existing steel BRBs dissipate energy induced by external forces and the newly added self-centering SMA braces restore the building configuration after the steel BRBs yield. A case study of conventional three-story BRBF retrofitted by the proposed self-centering SMA braces is carried out to develop systematic retrofit strategies, to investigate the structural behavior, and to probabilistically assess their seismic performance in terms of interstory drifts, residual drifts, and brace deformation, as compared to the original steel BRB frames. Finally, the developed brace component fragility curves and system fragility curves will be further used for the assessment of downtime and repair cost.

The objective of this study is to formulate a general 3D material-structural analysis framework for the thermomechanical behavior of steel-concrete structures in a fire environment. The proposed analysis framework consists of three modeling parts: fire dynamics simulation, heat transfer analysis, and a thermomechanical stress analysis of the structure. The first modeling part consists of applying the NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) fire dynamics simulator (FDS) where coupled Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) with thermodynamics are combined to model the fire progression within the steel-concrete structure. The goal is to generate the spatial-temporal (ST) solution variables (temperature, heat flux) on the surfaces of the structure. The FDS-ST solutions are generated in a discrete numerical form. Continuous FDS-ST approximations are then developed to represent the temperature or heat-flux at any given time or point within the structure. An extensive numerical study is carried out to examine the best ST approximation functions that strike a balance between accuracy and simplicity. The second modeling part consists of a finite-element (FE) transient heat analysis of the structure using the continuous FDS-ST surface variables as prescribed thermal boundary conditions. The third modeling part is a thermomechanical FE structural analysis using both nonlinear material and geometry. The temperature history from the second modeling part is used at all nodal points. The ABAQUS FE code is used with newly developed external user subroutines for the second and third simulation parts. The main objective is to describe the nonlinear temperature-dependency of the specific heat of concrete materials, especially high-strength concretes, that drastically affects their transient thermal solution. New algorithms are also developed to apply the continuous FDS-ST surface nodal boundary conditions in the transient heat FE analysis. The proposed modeling framework is applied to predict the temperature and deflection of the well-documented Cardington fire tests and to predict the time-to-collapse of the recent Oakland bridge fire caused by a fuel-truck accident.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Western Sydney, 2000. / Bibliography : leaves 197-204.

Estima-se que existam cerca de seis mil edifícios tipo caixão na região metropolitana do Recife que apresentam estrutura em situação de risco. Cerca de doze edifícios colapsaram espontaneamente, treze foram demolidos e dezenas de outros foram constatadas manifestações patológicas graves, motivando suas interdições. Este trabalho apresenta uma metodologia para o enfrentamento do problema, contemplando não apenas os aspectos técnicos, mas questões referentes aos riscos. Com isso se espera eliminar o estigma dessas edificações e resgatar a dignidade e segurança dos moradores dos prédios, através de um trabalho que tenham como base conceitos técnicos e científicos consagrados na Engenharia. A solução para o problema trata-se de uma proposta de criação de uma estrutura metálica a ser implantada nos prédios construídos em alvenaria resistente, em casos de falência das alvenarias que originalmente serviram de suporte para cargas que atuam na referida obra. Esta estrutura foi modelada e dimensionada pelo programa computacional Metálica 3D, apresentando resultados que responderam com total segurança todas as ações de carregamento que atuam nesse tipo de edificação para a modelagem adotada. Espera-se que a solução aqui proposta tenha um impacto social bastante significativo, dado a ocorrência de diversos acidentes com edifícios desta natureza, construídos em alvenaria resistente com a utilização de tijolos de vedação, vulgarmente conhecidos como prédios caixão / One can estimate that there are approximately six thousand four storey residential box-type buildings in Recife Metropolitan Region which presents structures in risk situation. Among those buildings, twelve collapsed spontaneously, thirteen were demolished and in many others it was observed serious pathologies that demanded restrictions to their occupation. This work presents a methodology to deal with this problem, contemplating technical aspect as well as risks issues. One expects to eliminate the stigma of these buildings and to contribute to give dignity and security back to their inhabitants through a work that must be done based on technical and scientific concepts accepted worldwide in structural engineering. The solution to the problem consists of a proposal to create a steel structure to be installed in such building that, in case of collapse of their support walls, should carry all loads that act on them. This solution was modeled and designed using a software called Metálica 3D, showing results that assure security to all load cases that usually act in this type of structure. One expects that the proposed solution can generate significant social impact, due to the occurrence of several accidents with this type of buildings constructed with non structural bricks carrying loads beyond its own weight

Orientador: Fernando Alvarez / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Fisica Gleb Wataghin / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-05T23:16:31Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Zagonel_LuizFernando_D.pdf: 13909392 bytes, checksum: 08d9ce72a7691aa00b93b053302e92d1 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006 / Resumo: O objetivo deste trabalho é estudar processos de tratamento superficial por plasma com especial atenção às peculiaridades da técnica frente às demais práticas de nitretação, buscando compreender o processo a partir dos fenômenos observados na superficie. Dois tipos de tratamento foram realizados e três as técnicas utilizadas: nitretação por feixe de íons e por plasma pulsado e carbonitretação por deposição assistida por feixe de íons. A liga tratada foi o aço AISI-H13. As superficies das amostras foram tratadas em diversas temperaturas, de 260°C a 6000C, diversos tempos de processo, de 75 minutos a 5 horas, diversas densidades de corrente e diversas misturas gasosas, permitindo a observação de diferentes estruturas cristalinas, durezas, microestruturas e concentrações de nitrogênio na camada nitretada. Os diferentes estudos realizados dentro dessas amplas condições experimentais permitiram observar e/ou modelar o processo de tratamento superficial em condições diferenciadas. Estudos de nitretação com diferentes composições de feixe iônico de nitrogênio e hidrogênio mostraram que o hidrogênio tem um importante papel no processo, mesmo na ausência de oxigênio. A presença de hidrogênio levou ao aumento da concentração superficial de nitrogênio e à formação de fases de nitretos de ferro tipo E-Fe2-3N. Um estudo da nitretação em diversas temperaturas indicou que o processo de oferta de nitrogênio não depende da temperatura e que a 260°C nitretos de ferro de alta concentração de nitrogênio podem ser formados. A difusão de nitrogênio no aço utilizado mostrou-se ativada pela temperatura, mas efeitos de difusão por bordas de grão pareceram estar presentes, o que causou um aumento da dureza em altas profundidades. A técnica de deposição assistida por íons foi utilizada nesse estudo para o tratamento de superficie de carbonitretação. Nessa técnica, o carbono foi depositado continuamente sobre a superficie da amostra enquanto esta foi bombardeada com íons de nitrogênio. O estudo mostrou que a técnica apresenta características distintas daquelas da carbonitretação a gás ou a plasma. Em especial, foi observada a restauração da fase ferrita com altas concentrações de carbono e nitrogênio para alta deposição de carbono. Um estudo amplo sobre o papel do fluxo de íons, temperatura e tempo no processo de nitretação também foi realizado, visando clarificar as características do potencial químico na nitretação a plasma. Como demonstrado, esse potencial depende do balanço de massa entre o fluxo de íons e a difusão para o volume / Abstract: The objective of this project is to study processes of plasma surface treatment with special emphasis to the differences these techniques might show in relation to others, looking forward to understand the process from surface phenomena. Two kinds of surface treatment have been studied, including three different techniques: ion beam nitriding, pulsed plasma nitriding and carbonitriding by ion beam assisted deposition. The treated alloy was the steel AISI-H13. The samples surfaces have been treated at several different temperatures, from 260°C to 600°C, several process times, from 75 minutes to 5 hours, several ion current densities e several gas mixtures, allowing the observations of different crystalline structures, surface and profile hardness, microstructures, and nitrogen concentration at the surface and within a profile. The undergone studies over these wide conditions leaded to the observation and modeling of the surface treatments at these different situations. Studies of nitriding with different ion beam compositions of nitrogen and hydrogen showed that hydrogen play a major role even in the absence of oxygen. The hydrogen presence within the surface allowed an enhancement on the nitrogen concentration and the formation of iron nitrides 1ike E-Fe2-3N. A study of nitriding over several different temperatures indicates that the nitrogen offer at the surface is not dependent upon temperature and even at very low temperatures like 260°C, high nitrogen concentration iron nitrides can be formed. The nitrogen diffusion is shown to be activated by temperature, but grain boundary effects seam to be present, what caused a hardness increase at high depths. The ion beam assisted deposition technique was used for carbonitriding. In this set-up, carbon is continuously deposited over the surface while the sample is exposed to nitrogen ions. The study showed that the approach displays distinct characteristics with respect to gas or p1asma carbonitriding. By this new technique, high carbon deposition preserves the formation of E-Fe2-3N phase, without loss of diffusion to bulk. A wide study about the role of the ion flux, temperature and time on ion nitriding process was also performed, looking forward to clarify the behavior of the chemical potential of nitrogen at the surface. As it was understood, this quantity will depend on the mass balance between the ion flux and the diffusion to bulk / Doutorado / Física da Matéria Condensada / Doutor em Ciências

The use of the cold-formed steel sheet bolted connections without washers is so significant; however, the North American Specifications for the Design of Cold Formed Steel Structural Members, NASPEC, doesn't provide provisions for such connections. The bearing failure of sheet and the shear failure of sheet were considered in this study. For the sheet shear strength, it was found that the NASPEC (2007) design provisions can be used for oversized holes in both single and double shear configurations and for the double shear connections on short slotted holes. For the sheet bearing strength, a new design method was proposed to be used for low and high ductile steel sheets. The method was compared with the NASPEC and the University of Waterloo approach. Washers were still required for single shear connections on short slotted holes. Besides, connections using ASTM A325 bolts yielded higher bearing strength than connections using ASTM A307 bolts.