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The present study is focussed on assessment of cyclic deformation response and fatigue behaviour of bare and precorroded AZ31 magnesium alloys. Corrosion degradation was carried out in a salt spray fog (5% solution of sodium chloride) for 480 and 1000 hrs. Microstructure, mechanical properties, low- and high-cycle fatigue behaviour of experimental material in as-cast condition has been evaluated. Furthermore, the corrosion behaviour of material has been investigated. The fatigue tests have been performed using precorroded specimens to assess influence of corrosion degradation on cyclic deformation response and on low- and high-cycle fatigue behaviour. Influence of local corrosion degradation on initiation of fatigue cracks has been studied.

The experimental studies performed on the behaviour of very thick concrete beams subjected to static loads have revealed that the shear mechanisms play an important role in the overall response and failure behaviour. The aim of this thesis is to recommend suitable design methods for thick concrete beams subjected to off-centre static concentrated load according Eurocode 2 by using non-linear finite element analysis (NLFEA). To achieve this task, Abaqus/Explicit has been used by employing constitutive material models to capture the material non-linearity and stiffness degradation of concrete. Concrete damaged plasticity model and perfect plasticity model has been used for concrete and steel respectively. Three dilation angles (30º, 38º and 45º) and fracture energy from FIB 1990 (76 N/m) and FIB 2010 (142 N/m) has been used to investigate their influence on the finite element model. The dilation angle of 38º and FIB 2010 fracture energy was adopted as the suitable choice that reasonably matched with the experimental results. In verifying and calibrating the finite element model, the experimental results of the thick reinforced concrete beam conducted by the American Concrete Institute have been used. Three design approaches in the ultimate and serviceability limit state according to Eurocode 2 recommendations have been used namely; the beam method, strut and tie method and shell element method. Using the reinforcement detailing of the hand calculations of beam method and strut and tie method and linear finite element analysis of shell element method, non-linear finite element models have been pre-processed and analysed in Abaqus/Explicit. During the post-processing, the results have been interpreted and compared between the three design methods. The results under consideration are hand-calculated load at 0.3 mm crack width, FE-load at 0.3 mm crack width, amount of reinforcement and FE-failure load. The comparison of the results between the three design approaches (beam method, strut and tie method and shell element method) indicates that strut and tie method is better design approach, because it is relatively economic with regards to the quantity of reinforcement bars, has the higher load capacity and has a higher load at crack width of 0.3 mm crack width. / De experimentella studier som utförts på tjocka betongbalkar som utsätts för statisk last har visat att skjuvning spelar en viktig roll i brottmekanismen. Syftet med detta examensarbete är att rekommendera lämpliga dimensioneringsmetoder för tjock betongbalkar utsatt for statisk koncentrerad last enligt Eurokod 2 med hjälp av ickelinjära finita element metod. Abaqus/Explicit användes genom att utnyttja konstitutiva materialmodeller för att fånga materialens icke-linjäritet och minskad styvhet. Tre dilatationsvinklar (30°, 38° och 45°) och två brottenergi från FIB 1990 (76 N/m) och FIB 2010 (142 N/m) tillämpas för att kontrollera deras inverkan på FE-modellerna. Dilatationsvinkel med 38° och FIB 2010 med högre brottenergi valdes i de icke-linjära finita elementanalyserna. Kontroll av FE-modellerna är baserad på ”American Concret Institutes” experimentella resultat på de tjocka betongbalkarna. Handberäkningar av tjocka betongbalkar har utförts i brott- och bruksgränstillstånd med tre dimensioneringsmetoder i Eurokod 2 nämligen balk metoden, fackverksmetoden och linjära-FE skalelementmetoden. Jämförelse har gjorts för de olika dimensioneringsmetoderna, genom att använda de armeringsdetaljer av handberäkningar i de verifierade och kalibrerade icke linjära FE-modellerna i Abaqus/Explicit. Resultaten i fråga är last för 0.3 mm handberäknad sprikvidd, FE-last för 0.3 mm sprikvidd, armeringsmängd och FE-brottlast. Jämförelse av resultaten mellan de tre dimensioneringsmetoder (balkmetod, fackverksmetod och skalelementmetod) visar att fackverksmetod är bättre design metod, eftersom det är relativt ekonomiskt med avseende på armeringsmängd, har högre lastkapacitet och last på 0.3 mm sprickvidd.