Γίνεται μια γενική ανφορά στο πρόβλημα της ενίσχυσης φέρουσας τοιχοποιίας με σύνθετα υλικά και παρουσιάζονται οι μέχρι τώρα τεχνικές και τρόποι εφαρμογής της μεθόδου. Στη συνέχεια αναπτύσεται λογισμικό το οποίο συνδιάζει την χρήση των πεπερασμένων στοιχείων και των προσομοιωμάτων θλιπτήρων-ελκυστήρων για την σύνθεση του τασικού πεδίου μεμονομένων δομικών στοιχείων Φ.Τ. Αντικειμενικός σκοπός είναι η σύνθεση ενός δικτυώματος από την επίλυση του οποίου να προκύπτει η τοπολογία των οπλισμών και η εκτίμηση του απαιτούμενου εμβαδού σύνθετου υλικού. Παρουσιάζονται τα πειραματικά αποτελέσματα που έχουν προκύψει απο δοκίμια περισφιγμένα διαφόρους τύπους σύνθετου υλικού, για διαφορετικά γεωμετρικέ χαρακτηριστικά και ποσότητες οπλισμού, καθώς και υλικό εμποτισμού. Βαθμονομείται ένα αναλτυικό προσομοίωμα για την περισφιγμένη τοιχοποιία με σύνθετα υλικά. Καταστρώνονται οι εξισώσεις σχεδιασμού Φ.Τ. ενισχυμένης με σύνθετα υλικά για τις κλασσικές περιπτώσεις καταπόνησης και συντίθεται λογισμικό που χρησιμοποιεί τις εξισώσεις αυτές. / Strengthening of masonry structures with FRPs. A general overview of the method and presentation of all the related topics that are known until today. Evaluation of a software that combines the finite element method with the strut-and -tie models in the composition of the stress field of a given load bearing masonry element. The purpose of the method is to compose a truss, from the given stress field, in order to identify the topology of the reinforcment (FRP strips), as well as the amount of the strips needed to be placed in the positions of the struts. Experimental investigation of the confined masonry with FRPs. Presentation of the experimental data using specimens with various b/h ratios confined with different type of fibers, layers of reinforcement, smoothening radious of the corners and with different type of impregnation materials. Synthesis of the equations governing the most important cases of strengthening masonry structures with FRPs and composition of a software for the design of such cases.

External post-tensioning is an attractive technique for strengthening reinforced concrete structures because of its ability to actively control stresses and deflections, speed of installation, minimum interruption for the existing structure, and ease of inspection under service conditions. However, external prestressing implies exposing the tendons to the environment outside the concrete section, which may lead to corrosion in steel tendons. Therefore, the interest in using fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) tendons, which are corrosion resistant, has increased. The present work investigated, experimentally and analytically, the flexural performance of reinforced concrete beams strengthened with externally post-tensioned Carbon FRP (CFRP) tendons, under monotonic and fatigue loadings. Initially, tensile fatigue tests were carried out on CFRP tendon-anchor assemblies to assess their response under repeated cyclic loads, before implementing them in the beam tests. New wedge-type anchors (Waterloo anchors) were used in gripping the CFRP specimens. The assemblies exhibited excellent fatigue performance with no premature failure occurring at the anchorage zone. The fatigue tests suggested a fatigue limit of a stress range of 10% of the tendon ultimate capacity (approximately 216 MPa). Monotonic and fatigue experiments on twenty-eight beams (152x254x3500 mm) were then undertaken. Test parameters included the tendon profile (straight and double draped), the initial loading condition of the beam prior to post-tensioning (in-service and overloading), the partial prestressing ratio (0.36 and 0.46), and the load ranges applied to the beam during the fatigue life (39% to 76% of the yield load). The CFRP tendons were post-tensioned at 40% of their ultimate capacity. The monotonic tests of the post-tensioned beams suggested that overloading the beam prior to post-tensioning increased the beam deflections and the strains developed in the steel reinforcing bars at any stage of loading. However, overloading had no significant effect on the yield load of the strengthened beam and the mode of failure at ultimate. It also had no discernable effect on the increase in the tendon stress at yielding. The maximum increase in the CFRP stress at yield load was approximately 20% of the initial post-tensioning stress, for the in-service and overloaded beams. A very good performance of the strengthened beams was observed under fatigue loading. The fatigue life of the beams was mainly governed by the fatigue fracture of the internal steel reinforcing bars at a flexural crack location. Fracture of the bars occurred at the root of a rib where high stress concentration was likely to occur. No evidence of wear or stress concentration were observed at the deviated points of the CFRP tendons due to fatigue. The enhancement in the fatigue life of the strengthened beams was noticeable at all load ranges applied. Post-tensioning considerably decreased the stresses in the steel reinforcing bars and, consequently, increased the fatigue life of the beams. The increase in the fatigue life was slightly affected by the loading history of the beams. At the same load range applied to the beam, increasing the amount of the steel reinforcing bars for the same post-tensioning level decreased the stress range in the bars and significantly increased the fatigue life of the strengthened beams. In the analytical study, a monotonic model that predicts the non-linear flexural response of the CFRP post-tensioned beams was developed and implemented into a computer program. The model takes into account the loading history of the strengthened beams prior to post-tensioning (in-service and overloading). Good agreement was obtained between the measured and the predicted monotonic results. A strain-life based fatigue model was proposed to predict the fatigue life of the CFRP post-tensioned beams. The model takes into consideration the stress-strain history at the stress raisers in the steel bars. It accounts for the inelastic deformation occurring at the ribs during cycling and the resulting changes in the local mean stresses induced. Good agreement between the experimental and predicted fatigue results was observed. A step-by-step fatigue design approach is proposed for the CFRP externally post-tensioned beams. General conclusions of the study and recommendations of future work are given.

Reduced activation oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) steels are candidate alloys for use in fusion reactor systems and are fabricated by mechanically alloying yttrium oxide to a reduced activation ferritic steel powder. The product is consolidated at high temperature by hot isostatic pressing (HIP), producing a dispersion of nanometre sized oxide particles throughout the ferritic microstructure. These particles have been shown to both improve the high temperature mechanical properties of the alloy and provide trapping sites for helium gas. The use of these particles to sequester helium is of particular significance in the development of a structural ODS steel for fusion reactor systems. A fusion power reactor, based on the ITER design, is expected to produce over 2000 appm transmutant helium in any steel components exposed to the core neutron flux. At these gas concentrations, conventional steels undergo severe swelling and embrittlement, motivating the development of materials capable of managing helium accumulation. This thesis investigates the use of the oxide particle dispersion in sequestering helium introduced by ion implantation. An initial characterisation of a model Fe-14Cr-0.25Y₂O₃ (wt%) system was completed using high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and atom probe tomography (APT). This demonstrated the efficacy of the production methods and the gas trapping capabilities of the oxide particles via argon gas, introduced during the mechanical alloying process. The subsequent consolidation of a full set of Fe-14Cr-3W-0.2Ti-0.25Y₂O₃ (wt%) ODS alloys at 1150°C, 1050 °C and 950 °C produced a systematic variation in the density of the particle dispersion. The characterisation of these materials using APT provided an insight into the consistent Y₂Ti₃O₅ particle chemistry found in each consolidation, and identified a stoichiometric shift from Y₂Ti₃O₅ to YTiO2 following short term annealing periods at 1000°C. Though further work is required, this shift is thought to be consistent with a thermodynamically mediated transition of the metastable clusters to stable oxide particles. Following implantation with 2000 appm helium and examination under TEM, the helium bubble and particle densities were found to be closely correlated thus providing evidence for an association between the particles and the gas bubbles. Controlling the helium bubble density via the particle dispersion demonstrates the potential use of processing temperature in controlling how helium accumulates in an implanted ODS microstructure. The effects of both bubble and particle densities on mechanical properties were investigated further using nanoindentation methods. Significant local variation in the hardness of the ODS steels was found to result from the bimodal grain size distribution of the material. By using only those measurements taken from large grained regions of the ODS, the grain refinement and particle hardening effects could be deconvolved and used to quantify particle hardening using a dispersed barrier model. The significant hardening effects with helium addition observed in the reference alloys were found to be almost entirely absent from the ODS systems, though anomalous softening in the 950°C consolidation indicated a potentially unexpected interaction between the bubble and particle populations. A possible explanation for this anomaly and a proposal for further work to establish its origin is discussed.

Lors de la synthèse des aciers ODS, la première étape consiste à réaliser un broyage actif, appelé mécano-synthèse, entre les matériaux de départ qui sont la poudre métallique et les renforts d’oxyde. Ce procédé peut se réaliser au moyen d’un broyeur à boulets, constitué d’une cuve cylindrique à l’intérieur de laquelle des billes en acier sont introduites. Le broyage résulte des combinaisons de chocs entre billes, poudre et paroi de la cuve, ce qui conduit à une évolution de la de la taille, de leur forme et de leur polydispersité. La première partie de cette thèse s’est attachée à élaborer un moyen de caractérisation de la poudre par des mesures ultrasonores. Une méthode qui consiste à sonder un échantillon de poudre métallique pour la mesure des paramètres acoustiques s’est avérée être adaptée pour la qualification de la poudre métallique en cours de broyage. Une dépendance des paramètres acoustiques avec les caractéristiques morphologiques du milieu a également été mise en évidence pour des échantillons granulaires. Dans une deuxième partie, l’optimisation du procédé par l’identification de la vitesse optimale de rotation de la cuve est recherchée dans un premier temps. Une mise en parallèle des signaux acoustiques et vibratoires en fonction de la vitesse de rotation de la cuve avec le mouvement des billes, montre que les énergies acoustique et vibratoire sont des indicateurs pouvant conduire à la vitesse de rotation optimale. Puis, il est montré comment des mesures acoustiques et vibratoires durant un broyage permettent de caractériser l’évolution de la nature des poudres et d’identifier la présence de colmatage de la poudre sur les parois de la cuve. / During the ODS steel (Oxide Dispersion Strengthened) synthesis, the first stage consists in an active milling between original materials, which are metallic powder and oxide to obtain reinforced micro/nanoscale dispersions. This process, known as mechanical alloying, could be realized by balls milling composed by a cylindrical tank rotating around its main axis, within which steel beads are introduced. The grinding results from different combinations of collisions between beads and powders on the tank walls, that lead to morphological grain powder evolution (grain size and shape). The first part of this thesis proposes an ultrasonic method to characterize the metallic powder. An experimental method, which consists in acoustic probing for measuring linear acoustic parameters (longitudinal wave velocity and elastic modulus) of a slab of powder sample, appears to be suitable to follow different mechanical alloying stages. A dependence of the acoustic parameters on the morphological characteristics of metallic powder (grain shape and grain size distribution) is shown with the same sample preparation and the same confining pressure. In the second part, optimization process by identification of ball milling optimal rotation speed is researched in a first step. Correlation between acoustic or vibration signals and bead motion versus rotation speed, shows that acoustic and vibration energy are good indicators that can be used to find the optimal rotation speed. In a second step, acoustic and vibration measures are used to follow grain material properties evolution during a grinding (for a period of 176hrs) and to identify powder clogging mechanism on a milling tank.

Masonry structures constitute a significant portion of building stock worldwide. Seismic performance of unreinforced masonry has been far from satisfactory. Masonry is purported to be a major source of hazard during earthquakes by reconnaissance surveys conducted aftermath of an earthquake. Reasons for the poor performance of masonry structures are more than one namely lack of deformational capacity, poor tensile strength & lack of earthquake resistance features coupled with poor quality control and large variation in strength of materials employed. Fibre Reinforced Plastic (FRP) composites have emerged as an efficient strengthening technique for reinforced concrete structures over the past two decades. Present thesis is focused towards analysing the behaviour of Fibre Reinforced Plastic (FRP) strengthened masonry under axial compression and in-plane shear loading. Determination of in-planes hear resistance of large masonry panels requires tremendous effort in terms of cost, labour and time. Masonry assemblages like prisms and triplets that represent the state of stress present in masonry walls and masonry in-fills when under the action of in-planes hear forces present an alternative option for research and analysis purposes. Hence, present research is focused towards analysing the performance of FRP strengthened masonry assemblages and unreinforced masonry assemblages. Chapter1 provides a brief review on the behaviour of masonry shear walls and masonry in-fills under the action of in-plane shear forces in addition to the performance of masonry structures during past earthquakes. Review of available literature on FRP confinement of masonry prisms with bed joints inclined from 00 to 900 to the loading axis under axial compression, analytical models available for FRP confined concrete, shear strength of masonry triplets attached with FRP is presented. Chapter 2 primarily focuses on determining the various properties of the materials involved in this research investigation. Test procedure and results of the tests conducted to determine the mechanical and related properties of the materials involved are presented. Elastic properties and stress-strain response of burnt clay brick, mortar and FRP laminates are presented. Studies conducted on behaviour of GFRP confined masonry prisms under monotonic axial compression are included in Chapter 3. The study comprised of testing masonry prisms, both unconfined and FRP confined masonry prisms under axial compression. Stretcher bond and English bond prisms, with bed joints normal and parallel to loading axis are included in this study. Two grades of GFRP,360g/m2 and 600 g/m2 are employed to confine masonry prisms. The experimental program involved masonry prism types that accounted for variations in masonry bonding pattern, bed joint inclination to the loading axis and grade of GFRP. Review of the available analytical models predicting compressive strength of FRP confined masonry prism is presented. Available models for FRP confinement of masonry are re-calibrated using the present experimental data generating new coefficients for the already existing model to develop new expression for predicting the compressive strength of FRP confined prisms. In addition to the prism types mentioned earlier, behaviour of unconfined and GFRP confined stretcher bond prisms with bed joints inclined at 300, 450 & 600 to the loading axis are further investigated. Chapter 4 primarily deals with the shear strength and deformational capacity of masonry triplets that represent joint shear failure in masonry. An experimental program involving masonry triplets attached with different types of FRP(GFRP and CFRP), grade of FRP, percentage area covered by FRP and reinforcement pattern is executed. This exercise determined the influence of these parameters over the enhancement achieved in terms of shear strength and ultimate displacement. Results of tests conducted on stretcher bond prisms presented in chapter 3 and results of tests on shear triplets presented in this chapter are combined to study the interaction between shear and normal stresses acting along the masonry bed joint at different angles of inclination. The thesis culminated with chapter 5 as concluding remarks highlighting the salient Information pertaining to the behaviour of FRP strengthened masonry under axial compression and in-plane shear loading obtained as an outcome of the research conducted as a part of this thesis.

No description available.

External post-tensioning is an attractive technique for strengthening reinforced concrete structures because of its ability to actively control stresses and deflections, speed of installation, minimum interruption for the existing structure, and ease of inspection under service conditions. However, external prestressing implies exposing the tendons to the environment outside the concrete section, which may lead to corrosion in steel tendons. Therefore, the interest in using fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) tendons, which are corrosion resistant, has increased. The present work investigated, experimentally and analytically, the flexural performance of reinforced concrete beams strengthened with externally post-tensioned Carbon FRP (CFRP) tendons, under monotonic and fatigue loadings. Initially, tensile fatigue tests were carried out on CFRP tendon-anchor assemblies to assess their response under repeated cyclic loads, before implementing them in the beam tests. New wedge-type anchors (Waterloo anchors) were used in gripping the CFRP specimens. The assemblies exhibited excellent fatigue performance with no premature failure occurring at the anchorage zone. The fatigue tests suggested a fatigue limit of a stress range of 10% of the tendon ultimate capacity (approximately 216 MPa). Monotonic and fatigue experiments on twenty-eight beams (152x254x3500 mm) were then undertaken. Test parameters included the tendon profile (straight and double draped), the initial loading condition of the beam prior to post-tensioning (in-service and overloading), the partial prestressing ratio (0.36 and 0.46), and the load ranges applied to the beam during the fatigue life (39% to 76% of the yield load). The CFRP tendons were post-tensioned at 40% of their ultimate capacity. The monotonic tests of the post-tensioned beams suggested that overloading the beam prior to post-tensioning increased the beam deflections and the strains developed in the steel reinforcing bars at any stage of loading. However, overloading had no significant effect on the yield load of the strengthened beam and the mode of failure at ultimate. It also had no discernable effect on the increase in the tendon stress at yielding. The maximum increase in the CFRP stress at yield load was approximately 20% of the initial post-tensioning stress, for the in-service and overloaded beams. A very good performance of the strengthened beams was observed under fatigue loading. The fatigue life of the beams was mainly governed by the fatigue fracture of the internal steel reinforcing bars at a flexural crack location. Fracture of the bars occurred at the root of a rib where high stress concentration was likely to occur. No evidence of wear or stress concentration were observed at the deviated points of the CFRP tendons due to fatigue. The enhancement in the fatigue life of the strengthened beams was noticeable at all load ranges applied. Post-tensioning considerably decreased the stresses in the steel reinforcing bars and, consequently, increased the fatigue life of the beams. The increase in the fatigue life was slightly affected by the loading history of the beams. At the same load range applied to the beam, increasing the amount of the steel reinforcing bars for the same post-tensioning level decreased the stress range in the bars and significantly increased the fatigue life of the strengthened beams. In the analytical study, a monotonic model that predicts the non-linear flexural response of the CFRP post-tensioned beams was developed and implemented into a computer program. The model takes into account the loading history of the strengthened beams prior to post-tensioning (in-service and overloading). Good agreement was obtained between the measured and the predicted monotonic results. A strain-life based fatigue model was proposed to predict the fatigue life of the CFRP post-tensioned beams. The model takes into consideration the stress-strain history at the stress raisers in the steel bars. It accounts for the inelastic deformation occurring at the ribs during cycling and the resulting changes in the local mean stresses induced. Good agreement between the experimental and predicted fatigue results was observed. A step-by-step fatigue design approach is proposed for the CFRP externally post-tensioned beams. General conclusions of the study and recommendations of future work are given.

Mit der Fuzzy-Stochastischen Finite-Elemente-Methode (FSFEM) kann die nachgewiesene stochastische und nichtstochastische Datenunschärfe des stahlbewehrten Altbetons und des Textilbeton bei der Strukturanalyse berücksichtigt werden. Die für die deterministische Analyse textilverstärkter Tragwerke auf der Basis des Multi-Referenzebenen-Modells (MRM) entwickelten finiten MRM-Elemente wurden zu FSMRM-Elementen weiterentwickelt. Das Stoffmodell des mit AR-Glas bewehrten Feinbetons wurde für textile Gelege aus Carbon erweitert. Die entwickelten Modelle und Algorithmen werden zur fuzzystochastischen Tragwerksanalyse textilverstärkter Tragwerke eingesetzt.

Durch die beanspruchungsgerechte Anordnung von Fasermaterialien wie Glas oder Carbon mit hervorragenden Trageigenschaften entstehen technische Textilien, die in eine Betonmatrix eingebracht werden können, so daß ein neuer, innovativer Verbundwerkstoff entsteht, der sowohl bei der Herstellung neuer Betonbauteile verwendet werden kann als auch für den Einsatz in der Instandsetzung und Verstärkung bestehender Bauwerke geeignet ist. Da die verwendeten Materialien im Gegensatz zum Stahl nicht korrosionsempfindlich sind und gleichzeitig hohe Festigkeiten aufweisen, können Verstärkungen aus textilbewehrtem Beton mit sehr geringen Abmessungen ausgeführt werden. Bei Holzkonstruktionen können textile Verstärkungen die durch die Anisotropie bedingten Festigkeits- und Steifigkeitsunterschiede kompensieren und die Dauerhaftigkeit erhöhen. Bei Verzicht auf Knotenbleche aus Stahl und durch Applikation von textilen Strukturen können beachtliche Steigerungen der Tragfähigkeit und der Duktilität von Verbindungen erreicht werden. In den fünf Projektbereichen werden in theoretischen und experimentellen Untersuchungen die Grundlagen für die Werkstoffe, die mechanische Beschreibung, die konstruktive Durchbildung und die Bemessung, die technologische Aufbringung, bautechnische Umsetzung und die Langzeiteigenschaften und damit für die Sicherheit und die Lebensdauer bei der Verwendung textiler Bewehrungen für die Instandsetzung und Verstärkung geschaffen. / The stress-oriented arrangement of fibre materials, such as glass or carbon, which have an excellent load-bearing capacity, leads to technical textiles that may be incorporated into a concrete matrix. So a new, innovative composite material is produced, which can be used for the production of new concrete members and also for the restoration and strengthening of existing structures. As the materials used are noncorrosive compared to steel and as they show great strength at the same time, textile-reinforced concrete can be used for strengthening tasks of small dimensions. With regard to timber structures, textile reinforcement can compensate the strength and stiffness differences caused by anisotropy and can increase durability. If textile structures are used instead of steel gussets this may lead to a considerable increase in the ultimate strength and the ductility of joints. The five fields of the project are designed that theoretical and experimental investigations are carried out to provide the fundamentals of the materials. Additionally information will be obtained about the mechanical description, the detailing and the dimensioning, the techniques of applying, the realisation on the site and the long-term behaviour. All leading to a safety concept and also a service life concept for the use of textile reinforcements for restoration and strengthening.

This thesis was most concerned with the mechanical response to irradiation of two in-house produced oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) steels and two non-ODS coun- terparts. The steels, manufactured by Dr. M. J. Gorley (University of Oxford), were me- chanically alloyed from gas-atomised Fe-14Cr-3W-0.2Ti, with the addition of 0.25Y₂O₃ powder in the case of the ODS variants. The powders were hot isostatic pressed at consolidation temperatures of 950 °C and 1150 °C. The four steels were designated 14WT 950 (non-ODS), 14YWT 950 (ODS), 14WT 1150 (non-ODS) and 14YWT 1150 (ODS), and were used in the as-produced condition. Initially, the macroscale elastic modulus and yield stress were determined using a four-point flexure test, employing digital image correlation (DIC) as a strain gauge. The microcantilever size eects were then characterised, and it was determined that the yield stress signicantly diverged from macroscale values at microcantilever beam depths of < 4.5 μm. Using knowledge of this, the in-house produced alloys were irradiated with 2 MeV protons at the Surrey Ion Beam Centre (University of Surrey, UK) to a displacement damage of ∼ 0.02 dpa and 0.2 dpa (Bragg peak). This was to produce a deep irradiated layer for the fabrication of large microcantilevers with reduced size effects. The cross-sectional surface of the irradiated layer was then exposed and inclined linear arrays of 250 nm deep indents were placed across the damage prole. 14WT 1150 (non-ODS) revealed a clear proton damage prole in plots of hardness against irradiation depth, 14WT 950 (non-ODS) also showed modest hardening in the region of the Bragg peak. No appreciable hardening was observed in either 14YWT specimens, attributed to the fine dispersion of nanoscale oxides providing a high number density of defect sink sites. However, a large bimodal variation in hardness was measured in both ODS variants. This was investigated using EBSD and EDX, and was determined to be caused by a pronounced heterogeneity of the microstructure. While Hall-Petch strengthening and changes in the local chemistry had some effect on the measured hardness, the most likely cause of the large variation in local hardness was heterogeneity in the nanoscale oxide population. Microcantilevers were fabricated out of the irradiated layer cross-section in 14WT 1150 and 14YWT 1150. Larger microcantilevers, with ∼ 5 μm beam depth, were placed with their beam centre at ∼ 0.026 dpa. Smaller microcantilevers, with ∼ 1.5 μm beam depth, were placed with their beam centre at the Bragg peak, 0.2 dpa. Both the large and the small microcantilevers fabricated in 14WT 1150 (non-ODS) displayed significant irradiation hardening. In the ODS variant, 14YWT 1150, irradiation hardening appeared to be reduced. The work in this thesis successfully showed that it was possible to extract a close approximation of the macroscale yield stress from shallow irradiated layers, providing that the irradiation condition is carefully chosen in response to known size dependent behaviour. This thesis also investigated the size dependent behaviour of microcantilevers using a lengthscale dependent crystal plasticity UMAT, developed by Dunne et al. and implemented within ABAQUS 6.14-2 commercially available nite element software. The simulation of the GND density evolution with increasing plastic strain allowed their contribution to the microcantilever size effect, through mobile dislocation pinning, to be determined. This novel approach to modelling size effects in three dimensional finite element microcantilever models demonstrated that while it was possible to simulate a lengthscale-dependent response in finite element microcantilever models, the constitutive equation for the plastic velocity gradient needs to be more physically based in order the match the experimentally derived results; for example, a lengthscale-dependent term relating to the dislocation source density of the material. Although the apparent reduction of irradiation hardening in ODS in-house produced alloys showed great promise, these alloys also displayed a large amount of scatter in measured hardness and yield stress, attributed to the pronounced heterogeneity in the microstructure. Alloys with such signicant microstructural heterogeneity are not suitable for engineering or commercial use.