Reinforced concrete two-span continuous deep beams

Ye

Shear capacity of reinforced concrete beams using neural network

NoOptimum multi-layered feed-forward neural network (NN) models using a resilient back-propagation algorithm and early stopping technique are built to predict the shear capacity of reinforced concrete deep and slender beams. The input layer neurons represent geometrical and material properties of reinforced concrete beams and the output layer produces the beam shear capacity. Training, validation and testing of the developed neural network have been achieved using 50%, 25%, and 25%, respectively, of a comprehensive database compiled from 631 deep and 549 slender beam specimens. The predictions obtained from the developed neural network models are in much better agreement with test results than those determined from shear provisions of different codes, such as KBCS, ACI 318-05, and EC2. The mean and standard deviation of the ratio between predicted using the neural network models and measured shear capacities are 1.02 and 0.18, respectively, for deep beams, and 1.04 and 0.17, respectively, for slender beams. In addition, the influence of different parameters on the shear capacity of reinforced concrete beams predicted by the developed neural network shows consistent agreement with those experimentally observed

Use of Alkali Metal Salts to Prepare High Purity Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Solutions and Thin Films

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) display interesting electronic and optical properties desired for many advanced thin film applications, such as transparent conductive electrodes or thin-film transistors. Large-scale production of SWCNTs generally results in polydispersed mixtures of nanotube structures. Since SWCNT electronic character (conducting or semiconducting nature) depends on the nanotube structure, application performance is being held back by this inability to discretely control SWCNT synthesis. Although a number of post-production techniques are able to separate SWCNTs based on electronic character, diameter, or chirality, most still suffer from the disadvantage of high costs of materials, equipment, or labor intensity to be relevant for large-scale production. On the other hand, chromatographic separation has emerged as a method that is compatible with large scale separation of metallic and semiconducting SWCNTs. In this work, SWCNTs, in an aqueous surfactant suspension of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), are separated by their electronic character using a gel chromatography process. Metallic SWCNTs (m-SWCNTs) are collected as initial fractions since they show minimum interaction with the gel medium, whereas, semiconducting SWCNTs (sc- SWCNTs) remain adsorbed to the gel. The process of sc-SWCNT retention in the gel is found to be driven by the packing density of SDS around the SWCNTs. Through a series of separation experiments, it is shown that sc-SWCNTs can be eluted from the gel simply by disturbing the configuration of the SDS/SWCNT micellar structure. This is achieved by either introducing a solution containing a co-surfactant, such as sodium cholate (SC), or solutions of alkali metal ionic salts. Analysis of SWCNT suspensions by optical absorption provides insights into the effect of changing the metal ion (M+ = Li+, Na+, and K+) in the eluting solution. Salts with smaller metal ions (e.g. Li+) require higher concentrations to achieve separation. By using salts with different anionic groups (cholate, Cl-, I-, and SCN-), it is concluded that the SWCNT separation using salt solutions is mainly driven by the cations in the solution. Additionally, different methods for depositing separated SWCNTs on glass substrates are described. In one method, SWCNTs are first isolated from their surfactant by introducing organic solvents such as methanol or acetone to aqueous suspensions of previously separated m- and/or sc-SWCNTs. Following the induced SWCNT dissolution, desired nanomaterials can be redispersed directly in another solvent, such as methanol, for deposition on substrates. In another method, separated SWCNTs are deposited on glass substrates by the process of evaporation driven self-assembly. Different morphologies on the substrate are formed by changing the viscosity of the evaporating SWCNT/SDS suspensions. The results are described using the Stokes-Einstein equation for diffusion in one dimension

Modified ACI Drop-Weight Impact Test for Concrete.

yesACI Committee 544’s repeated drop-weight impact test for concrete is often criticized for large variations within the results. This paper identifies the sources of these large variations and accordingly suggests modifications to the ACI test. The proposed modifications were evaluated and compared to the current ACI test by conducting impact resistance tests on 40 specimens from two batches of polypropylene fiber-reinforced concrete (PPFRC). The results obtained from both methods were statistically analyzed and compared. The variations in the results were investigated within the same batch and between different batches of concrete. The impact resistance of PPFRC specimens tested with the current ACI test exhibited large coefficients of variation (COV) of 58.6% and 50.2% for the first-crack and the ultimate impact resistance, respectively. The corresponding COV for PPFRC specimens tested according to the modified technique were 39.4% and 35.2%, indicating that the reliability of the results was significantly improved. It has been shown that, using the current ACI test, the minimum number of replications needed per each concrete mixture to obtain an error below 10% was 41 compared to 20 specimens for the modified test. Although such a large number of specimens is not good enough for practical and economical reasons, the reduction presents a good step on the development of a standard impact test

A Feasibility Study of BBP for predicting shear capacity of FRP reinforced concrete beams without stirrups.

yesShear failure of concrete elements reinforced with Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) bars is generally brittle, requiring accurate predictions to avoid it. In the last decade, a variety of artificial intelligence based approaches have been successfully applied to predict the shear capacity of FRP Reinforced Concrete (FRP-RC). In this paper, a new approach, namely, biogeography-based programming (BBP) is introduced for predicting the shear capacity of FRP-RC beams based on test results available in the literature. The performance of the BBP model is compared with several shear design equations, two previously developed artificial intelligence models and experimental results. It was found that the proposed model provides the most accurate results in calculating the shear capacity of FRP-RC beams among the considered shear capacity models. The proposed BBP model can also correctly predict the trend of different influencing variables on the shear capacity of FRP-RC beams

Mechanism analysis for concrete breakout capacity of single anchors in tension

A numerical technique based on the theory of plasticity is developed to predict an optimum failure surface generatrix and concrete breakout capacity of single anchors away from edges under tensile loads. Concrete is regarded as a rigid, perfectly plastic material obeying a modified coulomb failure criteria with effective compressive and tensile strengths. The failure mode is idealized as an assemblage of two rigid blocks separated by failure surfaces of displacement discontinuity. Minimization of the collapse load predicted by the energy equation produces the optimum shape of the failure surface generatrix. A simplified solution is also developed by approximating the failure surface as two straight lines. The effect of different parameters on the concrete breakout capacity of anchors is reviewed using the developed mechanism analysis, ACI 318-05, and test results of 501 cast-in-place and 442 post-installed anchor specimens. The shape of failure surface and concrete breakout capacity of anchors predicted by the mechanism analysis are significantly affected by the ratio between effective tensile and compressive strengths of concrete. For anchors installed in concrete having a low ratio between effective tensile and compressive strengths, a much larger horizontal extent of failure planes in concrete surface is predicted by the mechanism analysis than recommended by ACI 318-05, similar to test results. Experimental concrete breakout capacity of anchors is closer to the prediction obtained from the mechanism analysis than ACI 318-05. ACI 318-05 provisions for anchors sharply underestimate the breakout capacity of cast-in-place and post-installed anchors having effective embedment depths exceeding 200 and 80 mm (7.87 to 3.15 in.), respectively, installed in concrete of compressive strength larger than 50 MPa (7250 psi)

Effectiveness of Web Reinforcement around Openings in Continuous Concrete Deep Beams.

yesTwenty two reinforced concrete continuous deep beams with openings and two companion solid deep beams were tested to failure. The main variables investigated were the configuration of web reinforcement around openings, location of openings, and shear span-to-overall depth ratio. The influence of web reinforcement on controlling diagonal crack width and load capacity of continuous deep beams with openings was significantly dependent on the location of openings. The development of diagonal crack width and load capacity of beams having openings within exterior shear spans were insensitive to the configuration of web reinforcement. However, for beams having openings within interior shear spans, inclined web reinforcement was the most effective type for controlling diagonal crack width and increasing load capacity. It has also observed that higher load and shear capacities were exhibited by beams with web reinforcement above and below openings than those with web reinforcement only above openings. The shear capacity at failed shear span of continuous beams tested is overestimated using Kong et al’s formula developed for simple deep beams with openings

Bond strength between corroded steel reinforcement and recycled aggregate concrete

YesThis paper investigates the bond performance of recycled coarse aggregate (RCA) concrete with un-corroded/corroded reinforcing steel bars, with the main parameters being RCA content, corrosion level, bar diameter and embedment length. For this purpose, 60 pull-out specimens containing different percentages of RCA (i.e. 0%, 25%, 50% and 100%) and steel bars of two diameters (12 and 20 mm) and different embedment lengths were tested. In order to establish various levels of corrosion, specimens were exposed to an electrochemical corrosion for 2, 5, 10 and 15 days. The bond strength between RAC concrete and un-corroded/corroded steel are compared to current codes and equations proposed by other researchers. Experimental results showed that larger corrosion rate of steel bars was observed with the increase of the replacement level of RCA due to its high porosity and water absorption. The use of RCA had a slight influence on bond strength for un-corroded specimens compared to that obtained from conventional concrete. Furthermore, the bond strength of RCA concrete was strongly affected by corrosion products; bond strength slightly enhanced for up to about 2% corrosion rate, and then significantly decreased as the corrosion time further increased, similar to that of conventional concrete. However, the rate of bond degradation between RCA concrete and corroded steel bars was much faster than that observed in corroded conventional concrete

Transport and urban environment in developing countries: the situation is known, pragmatic policies and understanding of related elements are needed

Environmental impacts of urban transport in developing countries are well known as indicated through many examples from Africa, Asia and Latin America. Policies and countermeasures are classified and listed as well as the numerous involved actors, variables and effects. A pragmatic approach is needed to ensure success and sustainability of the solutions. The paper discusses main barriers impeding applicability, success and sustainability of mitigation policies and countermeasures. It also outlines the complexity of handling and modelling such multivariate problem of policies, actors, variables and effects. A simplified approach is suggested, which can ensure applicability, implement-ability, success and sustainability of policies and countermeasures. The paper addresses the need to achieve balance between facing the problem with “immediate vision” and the importance of looking to “future needs”, between “simplifying the analysis” and “comprehensiveness” and between the ambition of setting out “ideal objectives and policies” and the importance of being “pragmatic” in view of the prevailing city constraints. Recommended practical directions on designing achievable objectives and policies are given