No description available.

Components found within many industries contain crack like defects. The work detailed here considers such a component under the combined influence of primary and secondary stresses; where primary stresses contribute to plastic collapse and secondary stresses are redistributed under plastic deformation. A number of approaches are available to detail the combined loading on the crack tip parameter J, or KJ, which is used to assess proximity to failure from crack extension. However, these approaches are recognised to be conservative and can lead to the unnecessary replacement of components, stricter surveillance and inspection regulations, and further costs associated with downtime.The aim of the work presented is to investigate these conservatisms and develop a further approach to quantify the interaction of primary and secondary stresses on fracture. A large matrix of cracked body finite element analyses of a circumferentially cracked cylinder has been performed under a range of loadings. This is then used to detail the interaction of primary and secondary stresses on fracture by providing a function to describe a scaling term, g, that multiplies the secondary crack driving force contribution. This term has been shown to be relatively independent on the magnitude of secondary stresses and is also dependent on the material stress strain relation. This relation for g has also been shown to be compatible with the R6 defect assessment procedures V factor approach, through the Vg plasticity interaction term, that provides a scaling term to the secondary contribution in R6. A review of experiments considering combined loading has indicated that the number of tests that cover a range of primary stress induced plasticity levels is limited. Further experiments were therefore considered within this research to provide added experimental fracture toughness data by which to compare the R6 V factor and Vg approaches. These experiments introduced a compressive pre-load to the ends of three-point bend specimens so that a tensile residual stress resulted on unloading. A crack was introduced and the specimens tested at one of three temperatures so that changes in the materials fracture toughness with temperature ensured different levels of plasticity at failure; so that crack growth occurred over three sets of load normalised to the load for plastic collapse. Tests were also conducted that did not include the residual stress so that the effect of residual stress could be shown under different levels of plastic redistribution. The Vg Approach and the existing Complex R6 V Approach have then been applied to all available experimental data for validation. The results show that both approaches conservatively predict the failure of all tests and that the Vg Approach can reduce the level of conservatism.

Metal-plate-connected (MPC) splice joints were tested in combined tension and bending to generate data that were used in the development of a design procedure for determining the steel net-section strength of bottom chord splice joints of MPC wood trusses. Several common wood truss splice joint configurations were tested at varying levels of combined tension and bending loading. The joint configurations were 2x4 lumber with 20-gauge truss plates, 2x6 lumber with 20-gauge truss plates, and 2x6 lumber with 16-gauge truss plates. All the joints tested failed in the steel net-section of the truss plates. The combined loading was achieved by applying an eccentric axial tension load to the ends of each splice joint specimen. Three structural models were developed to predict the ultimate strength of the steel net-section of the splice joints tested under combined tension and bending loading. The test data were fitted to each model, and the most accurate model was selected. Data from other published tests of splice joints were used to validate the accuracy of the selected model. A design procedure for determining the allowable design strength of the steel net-section of a splice joint subjected to combined tension and bending was developed based on the selected model. The new design procedure was compared with two existing design methods. The proposed design procedure is recommended for checking the safe capacity of the steel net-section of bottom chord splice joints of MPC wood trusses subjected to combined tension and bending. / Master of Science

This thesis presents experimental work and numerical analysis that has been undertaken to assess the bearing capacity of perforated offshore foundations. Perforated foundations may be used to support subsea infrastructure, including as mudmats into which a number of perforations have been made, or as grillages which consist of a series of structurally connected strip footings. Larger gravity base foundations, such as for offshore wind turbines or oil and gas platforms, may adopt a single central perforation. The advantages of using perforated foundations can include reduced material requirements and easier offshore handling as a result of smaller weight and lower hydrodynamic forces during deployment. Limited guidance currently exists for assessing the bearing capacity of these foundation types. Bearing capacity of perforated foundations has been examined in this thesis under conditions of combined vertical, horizontal and moment loading which is typical in offshore settings. Undrained soil conditions have been considered, except for the case of grillages in which drained conditions are often most relevant. Experimental work has included centrifuge testing of ring and square annular foundations on clay, and 1g testing of grillage foundations on sand. Finite element modelling has also been undertaken to assess perforated foundation capacity. A Tresca material subroutine (UMAT) and an adaptive meshing scheme have been developed to improve the accuracy of the finite element analysis carried out. The results showed that perforated foundations can be an efficient foundation solution for accommodating combined loading. As a ratio of their vertical load capacity, perforated foundations may be able to withstand higher moment and horizontal loads compared with unperforated foundations. The experimental and numerical results have been used to develop design expressions that could be employed by practitioners to estimate the vertical and combined load bearing capacity of these foundation types.

No description available.

No description available.

The primary purpose of pile foundations is to transfer vertical loads due to the transfer of the weight of the superstructure to the deeper ground. However, many civil engineering structures, such as bridges, transmission towers, tall chimneys, and solar panels, are subjected to significant lateral loads and overturning moments in addition to axial loads. Potential sources of lateral loads (not due to earthquakes) include wind, waves, ice forces, passive earth pressure, etc. On the other hand, axial loadings can be live loads from a structure, forces developed due to ground freezing, etc. Consequently, pile foundations for these structures should be adequately designed to resist compressive loads combined with lateral and uplift loads and moments. In most cases, these forces (compressive, lateral, and uplift) and moments are often simultaneously applied on the piles. One of the key objectives for the engineer and designer is to determine the deflections and stresses in a pile in order to keep them within tolerable limits. Passive soil resistance can be very effective in proving lateral support for the pile. However, passive soil resistance is a function of the soil thermal regime (freezing, thawing, and temperature). Due to global warming, the thermal regimes of the soils in Canada and other cold regions in the world have changed in the past decades. The change in the thermal regimes of the soil may affect the geotechnical response or performance of the pile foundations. This thesis presents and discusses the results of physical model testing on model piles in unfrozen, frozen, and thawing fine sand, which are subjected to individual and combined axial (uplift) and lateral loads. The dimensions of the pile model are established by using physical scaling laws. The physical model is also equipped with various sensors and instruments (e.g., linear variable differential transformer (LVDT), and temperature sensors) to monitor the pile and soil response during and after loading. The results of the study show that the thermal regime in the soil significantly affects the performance of the pile under combined loadings (lateral and uplift). The lateral capacity of the pile under combined loads in frozen soil is increased by 648% compared to that in unfrozen ground whereas the uplift capacity under combined loadings in frozen soil is increased by 29%. Due to the effects of the freezing and thawing (F-T) cycles of the soil, a steady increase in the lateral capacity of the pile under the combined loadings is observed. On the other hand, the uplift capacity under the combined loadings in soil subjected to F-T cycles remains constant. The results will be useful in the geotechnical design of pile foundations for bridges and other structures in Canada and other cold regions in the world. The findings of this research will contribute to efficient design practices for pile foundations in cold regions with rapid changing climatic conditions.

[pt] O concreto armado (CA) tem sido amplamente utilizado em construções civis durante quase dois séculos devido a sua versatilidade e relativamente baixo custobenefício quando comparado com outros sistemas estruturais. É, notoriamente, o sistema mais adotado na construção de obras estratégicas e de infraestrutura. No entanto, as construções de CA estão em constante deterioração. Sobretudo nas últimas décadas, atenção especial vem sendo dada à influência de cenários dinâmicos nesse tipo de sistema estrutural devido à intrínseca baixa resistência à tração e fragilidade do concreto, que promovem extensos horizontes de fissuração na ocorrência desses eventos. A presente investigação dedicou-se à avaliação de duas variações de compósitos cimentícios de comportamento strain-hardening (SHCC) como material de reforço para melhorar a resistência ao impacto de edifícios existentes, em especial membros estruturais com falhas críticas por cisalhamento. SHCC é uma classe relativamente nova de compósito cimentício reforçado com fibras, em geral microfibras sintéticas com fração volumétrica média de 2 %. Estudos recentes já demonstraram que este compósito é capaz de deformarse substancialmente quando submetido à tração direta (até 6% dependendo da dosagem) durante o estágio de múltipla-fissuração, enquanto sustenta uma abertura de fissura de até 100 μm. O SHCC parece especialmente adequado para resistir a impactos de alta velocidade devido ao número relevante de superfícies que se formam durante a sua fase de deformação, uma vez que a grande quantidade de superfícies que são formadas durante o processo de múltipla-fissuração representa uma perspectiva elevada de dissipação de energia sem reduzir a capacidade de carregamento. Dois tipos de SHCC de resistência normal foram escolhidos para serem avaliados nesta investigação. Os compósitos diferenciavam-se principalmente no tipo de fibra de reforço: PVA e UHMWPE. Como os elementos estruturais incorporados em estruturas estão frequentemente sujeitos a estados multiaxiais de tensão, para avaliar o potencial de SHCC como material de reforço, ensaios combinados de torção e tensão foram desenvolvidos. Tais resultados permitiram o aprofundamento da compreensão do desempenho mecânico dos SHCC em análise sob cisalhamento, ao mesmo tempo que permitem a combinação desses esforços com tensões normais de tração. Em seguida, o potencial efetivo do SHCC no melhoramento da resistência e resiliência de elementos estruturais existentes a cargas de impacto foi investigado por um extenso programa experimental que contou com 24 vigas de escala real. Os parâmetros variados foram: (i) o tipo de SHCC; (ii) a configuração de reforço interno (espécimes com e sem estribos); (iii) a energia de impacto (que variou entre 2,1 kJ e 6,4 kJ, correspondendo a velocidades aproximadas de 17 m/s a 30 m/s, respectivamente). Os resultados foram avaliados em termos da resposta mecânica, padrões de fissuração, e análise modal. Foi demonstrado que ambos os tipos de SHCC contribuíram para a melhora da resistência ao impacto das vigas de CA reforçadas, melhorando expressivamente a resposta dinâmica residual e de estabilidade, enquanto contribuíram efetivamente para segurança de usuários ao propiciar uma redução substancial de detritos desprendidos durante os testes. O SHCC reforçado com fibras de UHMWPE mostrou-se menos sensível à presença ou ausência de estribos, sugerindo que esse compósito seja o mais adequado para aplicações de reforço de cisalhamento em cenários dinâmicos onde existe uma deficiência, ou incerteza, sobre o reforço transversal interno dos membros existentes. / [en] Reinforced concrete (RC) has been widely used in civil constructions for almost two centuries due to its versatility and relatively low cost-effectiveness ratio when compared with other structural systems. It is notably the preferred material for the construction of strategic infrastructures. However, RC constructions are in constant deterioration. Special attention had been given in the last decades to the influence of dynamic scenarios on RC structures due to concrete s inherent low tensile strength and brittle nature, which promotes intense cracking during these events. The present research focused on the assessment of two variations of strainhardening cementitious composites (SHCC) as strengthening material to improve the impact resistance of existing buildings, moreover structural members with critical shear failure. SHCC is a somewhat new class of fiber-reinforced composite reinforced with synthetic microfibers with an average content of 2 % in volume. Previous research studies already demonstrated that this composite is able to yield substantial deformations under tension (up to 6 % depending on the dosage) during its multiple-cracking phase, while enduring a crack-width limit of 100 μm. SHCC seems especially appropriate to withstand high-velocity impacts due to the relevant number of surfaces that are formed during its deformation phase since it represents a high perspective of energy dissipation without reducing load-bearing capacity. Two types of normal-strength SHCC were chosen to be assessed in this research. The composites differed mainly in the type of reinforcing fiber: PVA, and UHMWPE. As structural members embodied in structures are often subjected to multiaxial stress states, to evaluate SHCC´s potential as a strengthening material, combined torsion and tension tests were developed. These tests deepen the understanding of SHCC s mechanical performance under shear, while also enabled the combination with normal stresses. Then, SHCC s actual potential to improve the impact resistance and afterlife of existing structural members was investigated during an extensive experimental program that counted with 24 real-scale beams. The varied parameters were: (i) the type of SHCC; (ii) the internal reinforcement configuration (specimens with, and without stirrups); (iii) the impact energy (which was varied between 2.1 kJ and 6.4 kJ, corresponding to approximated velocities of 17 m/s to 30 m/s, respectively). The results were assessed in terms of their mechanical response, cracking patterns, and modal analysis. It was demonstrated that both types of composites improved the impact resistance of the strengthened RC members, outstandingly improving the impact safety with regards to residual dynamic response and stability while presenting a substantial reduction of spalling and scabbing material. The SHCC produced with UHMWPE fibers appeared to be less sensitive to the presence or absence of stirrups, posing as more suitable alternative for shear strengthening applications within dynamic scenarios where there is a deficient, or even uncertainty, about the internal transversal reinforcement of the existing members.

During an earthquake, columns in a one-story building must support vertical gravity loads while undergoing large lateral drifts associated with deflections of the vertical seismic force resisting system and deflections of the flexible roof diaphragm. Analyzing the behavior of these gravity columns is complex since not only is there an interaction between compression and bending, but also the boundary conditions are not perfectly pinned or fixed. In this research, the behavior of steel columns that are square hollow structural sections (HSS) is investigated for stability using three design methods: elastic design, plastic hinge design, and pinned base design. First, for elastic design, the compression and flexural strength of the HSS columns are calculated according to the AISC specifications, and the story drift ratio that causes the interaction equation to be violated for varying axial force demands is examined. Then, a simplified design procedure is proposed; this procedure includes a modified interaction equation applicable to HSS column design based on a parameter, Pnh/Mn, and a set of design charts are provided. Second, a plastic hinge design is grounded in the concept that a stable plastic hinge makes the column continue to resist the gravity load while undergoing large drifts. Based on the available test data and the analytical results from finite element models, three limits on the width to thickness ratios are developed for steel square HSS columns. Lastly, for pinned base design, the detailing of a column base connection is schematically described. Using FE modeling, it is shown that it is possible to create rotational stiffness below a limit such that negligible moment develops at the column base. All the design methods are demonstrated with a design example / Master of Science / One-story buildings are one of the most economical types of structures built for industrial, commercial, or recreational use. During an earthquake, columns in a one-story building must support vertical gravity loads while undergoing large lateral displacements, referred to as story drift. Vertical loads cause compression forces, and lateral drifts produce bending moments. The interaction between these forces makes it more complex to analyze the behavior of these gravity columns. Moreover, since the column base is not perfectly fixed to the ground, there are many boundary conditions applicable to the column base depending on the fixity condition. For these reasons, the design for columns subjected to lateral drifts while supporting axial compressive forces has been a growing interest of researchers in the field. However, many researchers have focused more on wide-flange section (I-shape) steel columns rather than on tube section columns, known as hollow structural section (HSS) steel columns. In this research, the behavior of steel square tube section columns is investigated for stability using three design methods: elastic design, plastic hinge design, and pinned base design. First, for elastic design, the compression and flexural strength of the HSS columns are calculated according to current code equations, and the story drift that causes failure for varying axial force demands is examined. Then, a simplified design procedure is proposed including design charts. Second, a plastic hinge design is grounded in the concept that controlled yielding at the column base makes the column continue to resist the gravity load while undergoing large drifts. Based on the available test data and results from computational models, three limits on the width to thickness ratios of the tubes are developed. Lastly, for pinned base design, concepts for detailing a column base connection with negligible bending resistance is schematically described. Using a computational model, it is shown that the column base can be detailed to be sufficiently flexible to allow rotation. All the design methods are demonstrated with a design example.

Yes / Construction and demolition waste (CDW) has reached severe environmental and economic dimensions due to its large volume among all solid waste, highlighting the importance of local actions to manage, recycle, and reuse CDW. Ductile demountable connections are necessary to disassemble and reuse the concrete structural members and fast assembly of precast structures in seismic regions without generating waste. In this study, the seismic performance of CDW-based reinforced geopolymer concrete columns has been investigated. Six ½ scaled columns (half of which were demountable and the other half monolithic) were experimentally tested under reversed cyclic lateral displacement excursions, considering three different levels of constant axial loading to determine failure mechanisms, load–displacement responses, ductilities, energy dissipation capacities, stiffness degradation relations, and curvature distributions. The obtained test results were used to determine the performance of CDWbased geopolymer concrete columns and compare the performances of the demountable connection with the monolithic connection. The test results showed that the novel demountable connection for precast concrete frames exhibited better seismic performance in terms of maximum lateral load capacity, initial stiffness, energy dissipation capacity, and maximum curvature than their monolithic counterparts. Besides, increasing the axial compression ratio on the columns caused an increase in lateral load capacity, energy dissipation capacity, energy dissipation ratio, and initial curvature stiffness; however, it decreased the ductility. Finally, the capacity predictions of current codes, i.e., TS500 and ACI318, were conservative when compared with experimental results. / This publication is a part of doctoral dissertation work by the first author in the Academic Program of Civil Engineering, Institute of Science, Hacettepe University. The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial assistance of the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No: 869336, ICEBERG (Innovative Circular Economy Based solutions demonstrating the Efficient recovery of valuable material Resources from the Generation of representative End-of-Life building material). This work was also supported by Newton Prize 2020. The fifth and seventh authors acknowledge the financial support received from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the Marie SkłodowskaCurie grant agreement No 894100. / The full-text of this article will be released for public view at the end of the publisher embargo on 4th Oct 2024.