Axial behavior of reinforced concrete short columns strengthened with wire rope and T-shaped steel plate units.

yesThis paper presents a relatively simple column strengthening procedure using unbonded wire rope and T-shaped steel plate units. Twelve strengthened columns and an unstrengthened control column were tested to failure under concentric axial load to explore the significance and shortcomings of the proposed strengthening technique. The main variables investigated were the volume ratio of wire ropes as well as geometrical size and configuration of T-shaped steel plates. Axial load capacity and ductility ratio of columns tested were compared with predictions obtained from the equation specified in ACI 318-05 and models developed for conventionally tied columns, respectively. The measured axial load capacities of all strengthened columns were higher than predictions obtained from ACI 318-05, indicating that the ratio of the measured and predicted values increased with the increase of volume ratio of wire ropes and flange width of T-shaped steel plates. In addition, at the same lateral reinforcement index, a much higher ductility ratio was exhibited by strengthened columns having a volume ratio of wire ropes above 0·0039 than tied columns. The ductility ratio of strengthened columns tested increased with the increase of flange width, thickness, and web height of T-shaped steel plates. A mathematical model for the prediction of stress–strain characteristics of confined concrete using the proposed strengthening technique is developed, that was in good agreement with test results

Experimental Study on Demountable Shear Connectors in Composite Slabs with Profiled Decking

yesThis paper presents an experimental study on shear strength, stiffness and ductility of demountable shear connectors in metal decking composite slabs through push-off tests. Twelve full-scale push-off tests were carried out using different concrete strength, number of connectors and different connector diameter. The experimental results showed that the demountable shear connectors in metal decking composite slabs have similar shear capacity and behaviour as welded shear studs and fulfilled the minimum ductility requirement of 6mm required by Eurocode 4. The shear capacity was compared against the prediction methods used for the welded shear connections given in Eurocode 4, AISC 360-10, ACI 318-08 and method used for bolted connection in Eurocode 3. It was found that the AISC 360-10 method overestimated the shear capacity while the ACI 318-08 method underestimated the shear capacity of specimens with single shear connector per trough. The Eurocodes method was found to provide a safe prediction for specimens with single and pair demountable connectors per trough. In addition, prediction methods given in both AISC 360-10 and ACI 318-08 for welded shear studs overestimated the shear capacity of specimens with 22 mm diameter demountable connectors that failed in concrete crushing.PhD work from EPSRC studentshi

Behaviour and strength of reinforced concrete continuous deep beams

Available from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:D063547 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreSIGLEGBUnited Kingdo

Moment/thrust interaction diagrams for reinforced masonry sections

This paper presents a numerical analysis for estimating moment/thrust interaction diagrams for reinforced masonry sections. Realistic constitutive models are used for the masonry and steel reinforcement. Considering compatibility of strains and equilibrium of forces on reinforced masonry sections, the moment–curvature relationships for different axial thrusts are first produced. The moment–thrust interaction diagrams are then developed. Comparisons between the behaviour predicted using the current method and experiments conducted on reinforced and unreinforced masonry short columns are presented to examine the validity of the developed method. Finally, a parametric study of the material properties is undertaken

The Induction of Electric Currents in a Conducting Spherical Cap with Geomagnetic Applications: A Semi-analytical Approach for the Axisymmetric Case

The objective is to introduce a semi-analytical method for solving axisymmetric problems of electromagnetic induction in thin spherical caps placed in a time-varying magnetic field due to an axial magnetic dipole or in a time-varying uniform axial magnetic field. This method provides approximate solutions to mathematically difficult mixed boundary-value problems governing the induction of electric currents in thin sheets, for arbitrary angles of the cap. Numerical results are given and discussed. The best approximations were obtained for sheets with integrated conductivity decreasing to zero towards the edge of the sheet. The case of uniform conductivity, characterized by weak singularities of the induced magnetic vector potential at the rim of the cap, yielded relatively large errors and is dealt with separately within an improved model. The method may be adequately extended to deal with other problems involving more complicated geometries, arbitrary electric conductivity distributions and inducing magnetic fields, in two or three dimensions, for various geophysical applications

Tests of Continuous Concrete Slabs Reinforced with Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer Bars

NoPaper accepted for conference

Experimental response and code modelling of continuous concrete slabs reinforced with BFRP bars

This paper presents test results and code predictions of four continuously and two simply supported concrete slabs reinforced with basalt fibre reinforced polymer (BFRP) bars. One continuously supported steel reinforced concrete slab was also tested for comparison purposes. All slabs tested were 500 mm in width and 150 mm in depth. The simply supported slabs had a span of 2000 mm, whereas the continuous slabs had two equal spans, each of 2000 mm. Different combinations of under and over BFRP reinforcement at the top and bottom layers of slabs were investigated. The continuously supported BFRP reinforced concrete slabs exhibited larger deflections and wider cracks than the counterpart reinforced with steel. Furthermore, the over reinforced BFRP reinforced concrete slab at the top and bottom layers showed the highest load capacity and the least deflection of all BFRP slabs tested. All continuous BFRP reinforced concrete slabs failed owing to combined shear and flexure at the middle support region. ISIS-M03-07 and CSA S806-06 design guidelines reasonably predicted the deflection of the BFRP slabs tested. However, ACI 440-1R-06 underestimated the BFRP slab deflections and overestimated the moment capacities at mid-span and over support sections