This study determined whether variation in clone, weed control treatment, or stem dimensions, could have an impact upon outerwood stiffness in 17 year old Pinus radiata stems. An experiment located south west of the Dunsandel township in Canterbury, New Zealand, was used to collect measures of acoustic velocity (windward and downward sides) from each of the 278 trees. Diameter at breast height, tree height, and height to live crown were also recorded for each tree. Findings from this research were compared with previous research carried out when the trees were ages eight and eleven. Assuming a green density of 1,000 kg/m3, Young’s Modulus equation was used to convert acoustic velocity to wood stiffness, or, Modulus of Elasticity (MOE). The effect of wind direction upon mean wood stiffness was not significant (α = 0.05). Consequently, one measure of wood stiffness was calculated per tree. Mean stem slenderness and mean wood stiffness values were calculated by block, weed control treatment, and clone. Weed control treatments had a significant impact upon mean wood stiffness in comparison to the control treatment (0.03 m2 area of weed control). Significant differences did not exist between different levels of weed control, ie., 0.75 m2, 3.14 m2 and 9 m2 chemical spot spray area. Clonal variation and stem slenderness significantly affected mean wood stiffness measures. Stem slenderness appeared to be correlated with clonal variation (interaction between clone and slenderness was not significant), however, according to Dr. Euan Mason, this finding is not corroborated by findings from other research on the wood quality of clones in Canterbury (personal communication, September 16, 2013). An analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) determined that mean height to the live crown was not a significant predictor of wood stiffness. Comparison with earlier research showed no change in the ranking of wood stiffness values by clone or treatment.

This thesis investigates the application of ultra-high modulus carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) plates to strengthen damaged reinforced concrete beams and slender columns. In the first phase, two different pre-repair loading histories were simulated in seven 3000x300x150 mm reinforced concrete beams, namely cracking within the elastic range, and overloading in the plastic range. After unloading, the beams were repaired with either high- or ultra-high modulus (210 or 400 GPa) CFRP plates, or a hybrid system, and then reloaded to failure. It was shown that the level of pre-existing damage has an insignificant effect on the strengthening effectiveness and the failure mode at ultimate. The 210 and 400 GPa CFRP of reinforcement ratio ρf = 0.17% increased the ultimate strength by up to 29 and 51%, respectively, despite the 40% lower tensile strength of the 400 GPa CFRP, due to the change in failure mode from debonding to rupture. Doubling ρf of the 400 GPa CFRP to 0.34% resulted in a 63% overall gain in flexural strength, only 8% increase in ultimate strength over ρf = 0.17%, due to change in failure mode from rupture to concrete cover delamination. The beam retrofitted by hybrid CFRP showed remarkable pseudo ductility and warning signs before failure. However, a parametric study revealed a critical balance in proportioning the areas of hybrid CFRP to achieve reliable pseudo ductility. In the beam with ρf =0.34%, this was achieved using a maximum of 30% ρf of the 400 GPa CFRP. The second phase of this thesis presents an analytical model developed by modifying the provisions of the ACI 318-08 code and employing the computer software Response 2000, to predict the performance of CFRP strengthened slender reinforced concrete columns. Response 2000 is used to establish the interaction curve while the modified ACI 318-08 code is used to acquire the slender column loading path to failure including the second order effects. The model predicts that the effectiveness of the FRP strengthening system increases as the slenderness ratio and FRP reinforcement ratio increase. / Thesis (Master, Civil Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2013-09-24 12:36:48.352

The objective of this study is to examine the effect of rotational restraints on thermal post-buckling response of sway columns using geometrically nonlinear analysis. The present design approach considers columns to have failed once they buckle. However, the columns under fire load are found to exhibit significant post-buckling strength which could be utilized for more economical design. The past researchers on the nonlinear thermal analysis used isolated columns with idealized support conditions which mean the columns are assumed to be free or fully restrained in the rotation, lateral and, axial directions. However, that is seldom the case in real structures and the restraint at an end of the column depends upon the members connected at that joint. The restraint provided to the column by the members connected at the joint will be in between the free case and fully restrained case. This study incorporates the variation in rotational restraint due to changes in the properties of members connected at the ends of the column. The columns are assumed to be fully restrained in the axial direction. Since the study is being carried out on sway columns, the restraint in the lateral direction is zero.

Increasing demand from flourishing construction markets led to the successful development of high strength steels (HSS). The new structural steel has exceptional high strength, high fracture toughness, long fatigue life, high corrosion resistance, and better weldability making the material attractive for structural design applications in the modern steel buildings and bridges. With their high strength, typically in the range of 500~700 MPa, and reduced weight/dimensions, it frees imaginations of modern designers and opens up new possibilities. Although HSS cost more, this is more than offset by reduced fabrication and erection costs. The advantage of the intrinsic properties of the HSS makes it possible to achieve successful applications in a cost-effective manner. At present, the Australian steel design standard, AS 4100 (SA, 1998), is limited to conventional low strength steels (LSS) with yield stress less than 450 MPa, (i.e. fy . 450 MPa). As a result steel structural members fabricated from HSS in Australia are usually designed according to overseas specifications, such as AISC-LRFD (AISC, 2003) which allows the design for structures fabricated from HSS materials. However, the design provisions of AISC-LRFD were mainly based on experimental and analytical studies on standard LSS. HSS exhibits mechanical properties that are quite different from conventional LSS. On the other hand, the design procedure and approach of the American specifications (AISC, 2003) are unfamiliar with Australian design engineers, which explains why practising engineers in Australia are reluctant to use AISC-LRFD specification in the design of HSS members. Therefore research into the behaviour of HSS members is essential to address this shortcoming. However, since the use of HSS often leads to smaller sections, hence thinner plates, the elastic and inelastic instability of these thin-walled and HSS members become highly critical. Conservatively, the local instabilities of the constituent plate element interactions in the cross-section have been ignored in the current steel practices. Increasing the slenderness of either plate elements within a cross-section leads to a significant reduction in the section capacity of the structural member. Therefore, the interactive effects between flange and web plate elements have to be considered in the strength, stability and deformation studies of HSS members. Furthermore, the current definitions and values of the plate slenderness limits also vary among major steel design codes (AS4100, 1998; AISC, 2003; EN1993, 2003; BS5950, 2000). The main aim of this research project is to investigate the structural behaviour of Ishaped HSS members subjected to local buckling effects in the elastic and inelastic ranges. For this purpose, it will use advanced numerical analyses and laboratory experiments to study the structural behaviour of these HSS members in compression and bending, respectively. The critical review has found that various inconsistencies among the major steel design specifications (AS4100, 1998; AISC, 2003; EN1993, 2003, BS5950, 2000) in the current practice produce conflicting design predictions of section capacities. The experimental measurements of residual stress distributions have confirmed that the ECCS recommendation (1984) is inappropriate for crosssections fabricated from typical HSS materials (i.e. BISPLATE80). The experimental measurements and numerical studies carried out in this project have produced a better understanding of the structural behaviour of HSS members subjected to local instabilities. The study has enabled to provide a series of proposals for proper assessment of plate slenderness limits for structural members made of HSS materials. It may also enable the inclusion of future version of the AS4100 code for HSS materials to be used in the design of steel building and bridge constructions. It is believed that the use of HSS in building and bridge constructions will increase significantly in the very near future, and to fully-facilitate this, the future versions of national and international steel design specifications must include rational and reliable design rules for members made of all steel grades by including the effects of HSS special characteristics and true interactive local buckling behaviour of HSS members. This research project has contributed towards this.

No description available.

A demanda por estruturas mais leves implica num ganho em economia, porém o aumento de esbeltez da estrutura pode tornar ela susceptível a instabilidade frente a tensões compressivas estáticas ou dinâmicas. A instabilidade acontece em várias escalas da estrutura analisada e pode interagir com outras formas de colapso como a propagação instável de fissuras, problema governado pela mecânica da fratura, pela plastificacão do material, ou por uma combinação dos efeitos citados. Neste contexto, no presente trabalho, se explora a capacidade do método dos elementos discretizados por barras (LDEM) na simulação de problemas de instabilidade estática e dinâmica devido as tensões de compressão. Este método permite simular o sólido como um arranjo de barras com rigidez equivalente ao contínuo que se quer representar. Leis constitutivas não lineares permitem modelar ruptura de forma simples. A equação de movimento resultante da discretização permite formular uma equação de movimento desacoplada que pode ser integrada no domínio do tempo com um método explícito (Método das Diferencias Finitas Centrais). O fato das barras serem rotuladas nos seus extremos e a solução do problema ser obtida de forma incremental permite capturar problemas com não linearidade geométrica, entre eles a instabilidade estrutural frente a tensões compressivas. Como último exemplo se realiza a análise de um painel sanduiche por flexão em três pontos, que é composto por um núcleo de poliuretano, com duas lâminas externas de material compósito, neste caso a instabilidade estrutural está associada a flambagem da camada da lâmina comprimida. Finalmente a potencialidade da metodologia de análise utilizada é discutida. / The demand for lighter structures implies a gain in economy, but the increase in slenderness of the structure may make it susceptible to instability against static or dynamic compressive stresses. Instability occurs at various scales of the analyzed structure and may interact with other forms of collapse such as unstable crack propagation, problem governed by fracture mechanics, plastification of the material, or a combination of the cited effects. In this context, in the present work, we explore the ability of the discrete elements methods by bars (LDEM) in the simulation of problems of static and dynamic instability due to the compression stresses. This method allows to simulate the solid as an arrangement of bars with rigidity equivalent to the continuum that one wants to represent. Constitutive non-linear laws allow simple modeling of rupture. The equation of motion resulting from the discretization allows us to formulate a decoupled motion equation that can be integrated in the time domain with an explicit method (Central Finite Differences Method). The fact that the bars are labeled at their ends and the solution of the problem is obtained in an incremental way allows to capture problems with geometric non-linearity, among them the structural instability against compressive tensions. The last example, the analysis of a sandwich panel by three-point bending, which is composed of a polyurethane core, with two external blades of composite material, in this case the structural instability is associated with buckling of the layer of the compressed blade . Finally, the potential of the analysis methodology is discussed.

AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF Sujan Shrestha, for the Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering, presented on March 3, 2015, at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. TITLE: POST BUCKLING RESPONSE OF SWAY COLUMNS UNDER MECHANICAL AND THERMAL (FIRE) LOADS MAJOR PROFESSOR: Dr. Aslam Kassimali, Ph.D. The post-buckling response of sway columns under mechanical and thermal loadings are presented by using the geometrical nonlinear analysis. For thermal analysis, the columns are assumed to be fully restrained in their axial directions. The method of analysis uses Beam-Column theory which is based on an Eulerian (corotational) formulation. Numerical solutions are shown for the post-buckling response of sway columns. The numerical investigations of the geometrically nonlinear analysis of sway columns were carried out with three different boundary conditions of sway columns as suggested by AISC, under mechanical loading and temperature changes. The sway columns considered are the cases `c', `e' and `f' in Table C-A-7.1 of AISC Manual (2011). These were modeled and analyzed to predict the post-buckling response under the mechanical and thermal loads. Furthermore, for each of these support conditions, the effects of slenderness ratios on the post-buckling response were analyzed by considering the slenderness ratios of 50,125 and 200. Also, the effects on post-buckling strength were observed keeping the same slenderness ratios but varying rotational end conditions of sway columns. Many useful conclusions can be drawn from this study. The more important conclusions are: 1) As all unrestrained sway columns undergo excessive deformation under mechanical loading, they do not possess significant post-buckling strength once the loading reaches the buckling load. 2) All restrained sway columns undergo much smaller deformations under thermal loading as compared to mechanical loading; thus significant post-buckling strength is achieved even after reaching the buckling temperature. This post-buckling strength can be considered during the design of structures which will aid in safe and economical structures. 3) Slenderness ratios play an important role on post-buckling strength only in thermal analysis but not in mechanical analysis. Increase in slenderness ratio tends to decrease the post-buckling relative deformation of the columns under thermal loading but has no such effect under mechanical loading. 4) Rotational end conditions also play significant role on post-buckling strength during thermal analysis but not during mechanical analysis. Keeping the slenderness ratio constant and varying the rotational end conditions, the post-buckling strength of all sway columns remains same under mechanical loading but is different under thermal loading.

A demanda por estruturas mais leves implica num ganho em economia, porém o aumento de esbeltez da estrutura pode tornar ela susceptível a instabilidade frente a tensões compressivas estáticas ou dinâmicas. A instabilidade acontece em várias escalas da estrutura analisada e pode interagir com outras formas de colapso como a propagação instável de fissuras, problema governado pela mecânica da fratura, pela plastificacão do material, ou por uma combinação dos efeitos citados. Neste contexto, no presente trabalho, se explora a capacidade do método dos elementos discretizados por barras (LDEM) na simulação de problemas de instabilidade estática e dinâmica devido as tensões de compressão. Este método permite simular o sólido como um arranjo de barras com rigidez equivalente ao contínuo que se quer representar. Leis constitutivas não lineares permitem modelar ruptura de forma simples. A equação de movimento resultante da discretização permite formular uma equação de movimento desacoplada que pode ser integrada no domínio do tempo com um método explícito (Método das Diferencias Finitas Centrais). O fato das barras serem rotuladas nos seus extremos e a solução do problema ser obtida de forma incremental permite capturar problemas com não linearidade geométrica, entre eles a instabilidade estrutural frente a tensões compressivas. Como último exemplo se realiza a análise de um painel sanduiche por flexão em três pontos, que é composto por um núcleo de poliuretano, com duas lâminas externas de material compósito, neste caso a instabilidade estrutural está associada a flambagem da camada da lâmina comprimida. Finalmente a potencialidade da metodologia de análise utilizada é discutida. / The demand for lighter structures implies a gain in economy, but the increase in slenderness of the structure may make it susceptible to instability against static or dynamic compressive stresses. Instability occurs at various scales of the analyzed structure and may interact with other forms of collapse such as unstable crack propagation, problem governed by fracture mechanics, plastification of the material, or a combination of the cited effects. In this context, in the present work, we explore the ability of the discrete elements methods by bars (LDEM) in the simulation of problems of static and dynamic instability due to the compression stresses. This method allows to simulate the solid as an arrangement of bars with rigidity equivalent to the continuum that one wants to represent. Constitutive non-linear laws allow simple modeling of rupture. The equation of motion resulting from the discretization allows us to formulate a decoupled motion equation that can be integrated in the time domain with an explicit method (Central Finite Differences Method). The fact that the bars are labeled at their ends and the solution of the problem is obtained in an incremental way allows to capture problems with geometric non-linearity, among them the structural instability against compressive tensions. The last example, the analysis of a sandwich panel by three-point bending, which is composed of a polyurethane core, with two external blades of composite material, in this case the structural instability is associated with buckling of the layer of the compressed blade . Finally, the potential of the analysis methodology is discussed.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T20:09:19Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 5795.pdf: 7169522 bytes, checksum: 82089f61a5b06c7100940687172cc2e6 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-02-19 / Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais / The resistance to compression is the property that determines the use of masonry as a structural system since the great majority of structural elements in such systems are generally subjected to compressive stresses. One of the factors to be taken into account in the design of these compression elements is their slenderness. For design in Brazil it is still used the concept of simplified slenderness where the buckling length is determined by an effective depth (hef) and the radius of gyration is replaced by a parameter called the effective thickness (tef) for calculating a resistance reduction factor. This reduction factor has its origin in very old international standards and building codes, dating back to when these codes used the allowable stresses method for the dimensioning of structural elements; due to its age, an effective explanation and derivation of this factor, therefore, has been lost and is unknown at this time. With the various updates of international standards for structural masonry and the consequent adoption of the limit state design method for dimensioning of elements, this factor has been abolished. In the Brazilian standards, however, even with the adoption of the limit state design method, this factor is still used, which is a contradiction. Studies on the strength reduction due to slenderness effects show that there are large differences when comparing the results given by the simplified method in the NBR with those given by international standards. These differences probably don t lead to loss of structural integrity of structures in Brazil because the slenderness ratio has been limited to low values, particularly in the case of unreinforced masonry. / A resistência a compressão é propriedade determinante no uso da alvenaria como estrutura, uma vez que a grande maioria dos elementos estruturais nesse tipo de sistema construtivo são submetidos preponderadamente ao esforço de compressão. Um dos fatores a ser levado em conta no dimensionamento de elementos comprimidos é a esbeltez desse elemento. Até hoje no Brasil utiliza-se o conceito de esbeltez simplificado, onde o comprimento de flambagem é determinado por uma altura efetiva (hef) e o raio de giração é substituído por um parâmetro chamado espessura efetiva (tef) para cálculo de fator minorador de resistência. Esse fator tem sua origem em normas e códigos de construção internacionais bastante antigos, remontando a épocas em que esses códigos tratavam o dimensionamento pelo Método das Tensões Admissíveis, tendo sido perdida e, portanto, sendo desconhecida a efetiva explicação da sua dedução. Com as diversas atualizações de normas internacionais em alvenaria estrutural e com a consequente adoção do Método dos Estados Limites para dimensionamento, esse fator foi abolido. Na normalização brasileira, mesmo com a adoção do Método dos Estados Limites, esse fator continua vigente, o que gera uma contradição. Estudos sobre o efeito da redução da resistência devido à esbeltez, mostram que existem grandes diferenças nos resultados quando se compara o método simplificado na NBR com os de outras normas internacionais. Essas diferenças provavelmente não induzem a perda de segurança nas estruturas nacionais porque o índice de esbeltez tem sido limitado a valores baixos, em especial no caso de alvenaria não-armada.

A demanda por estruturas mais leves implica num ganho em economia, porém o aumento de esbeltez da estrutura pode tornar ela susceptível a instabilidade frente a tensões compressivas estáticas ou dinâmicas. A instabilidade acontece em várias escalas da estrutura analisada e pode interagir com outras formas de colapso como a propagação instável de fissuras, problema governado pela mecânica da fratura, pela plastificacão do material, ou por uma combinação dos efeitos citados. Neste contexto, no presente trabalho, se explora a capacidade do método dos elementos discretizados por barras (LDEM) na simulação de problemas de instabilidade estática e dinâmica devido as tensões de compressão. Este método permite simular o sólido como um arranjo de barras com rigidez equivalente ao contínuo que se quer representar. Leis constitutivas não lineares permitem modelar ruptura de forma simples. A equação de movimento resultante da discretização permite formular uma equação de movimento desacoplada que pode ser integrada no domínio do tempo com um método explícito (Método das Diferencias Finitas Centrais). O fato das barras serem rotuladas nos seus extremos e a solução do problema ser obtida de forma incremental permite capturar problemas com não linearidade geométrica, entre eles a instabilidade estrutural frente a tensões compressivas. Como último exemplo se realiza a análise de um painel sanduiche por flexão em três pontos, que é composto por um núcleo de poliuretano, com duas lâminas externas de material compósito, neste caso a instabilidade estrutural está associada a flambagem da camada da lâmina comprimida. Finalmente a potencialidade da metodologia de análise utilizada é discutida. / The demand for lighter structures implies a gain in economy, but the increase in slenderness of the structure may make it susceptible to instability against static or dynamic compressive stresses. Instability occurs at various scales of the analyzed structure and may interact with other forms of collapse such as unstable crack propagation, problem governed by fracture mechanics, plastification of the material, or a combination of the cited effects. In this context, in the present work, we explore the ability of the discrete elements methods by bars (LDEM) in the simulation of problems of static and dynamic instability due to the compression stresses. This method allows to simulate the solid as an arrangement of bars with rigidity equivalent to the continuum that one wants to represent. Constitutive non-linear laws allow simple modeling of rupture. The equation of motion resulting from the discretization allows us to formulate a decoupled motion equation that can be integrated in the time domain with an explicit method (Central Finite Differences Method). The fact that the bars are labeled at their ends and the solution of the problem is obtained in an incremental way allows to capture problems with geometric non-linearity, among them the structural instability against compressive tensions. The last example, the analysis of a sandwich panel by three-point bending, which is composed of a polyurethane core, with two external blades of composite material, in this case the structural instability is associated with buckling of the layer of the compressed blade . Finally, the potential of the analysis methodology is discussed.