Static behavior of semi-rigid thin-walled steel-concrete composite beam-to-column joints with bolted partial-depth flush end plate:experimental study

A new type of semi-rigid thin-walled steel-concrete composite beam-to-column joint has been proposed in this paper.Five semi-rigid composite beam-to-column joint specimens subjected to hogging moments under monotonic loading were tested to study the static behavior of this new type of joint.The main variable parameters for the five joint specimens were the longitudinal reinforcement ratio and the joint type.The experimental results designated that the magnitude of extension of the longitudinal reinforcement is the most important factor that influenced the moment-rotation characteristic of the new type of joint.The concrete slabs could resist 3.8%-19.1% of the total shear load applied to the cross-sections near the beam-to-column connection.The edge stiffened elements,such as the flange of the lipped I-section thin-walled steel beam,were capable of having considerable inelastic deformation capacity although they had comparatively large width-to-thickness ratios.The shear failure of the concrete cantilever edge strip must be taken into account in practical design because it has significant influence on the anchorage of the longitudinal reinforcement in the new type of external joints.

Development of a new connection for precast concrete walls subjected to cyclic loading

The Industrialized Building System （IBS） was recently introduced to minimize the time and cost of project construction. Accordingly, ensuring the integration of the connection of precast components in IBS structures is an important factor that ensures stability of buildings subjected to dynamic loads from earthquakes, vehicles, and machineries. However, structural engineers still lack knowledge on the proper connection and detailed joints o fiBS structure construction. Therefore, this study proposes a special precast concrete wall-to-wall connection system for dynamic loads that resists multidirectional imposed loads and reduces vibration effects （PI2014701723）. This system is designed to connect two adjacent precast wall panels by using two steel U-shaped channels （i.e., male and female joints）. During casting, each joint is adapted for incorporation into a respective wall panel after considering the following conditions： one side of the steel channel opens into the thickness face of the panel; a U-shaped rubber is implemented between the two channels to dissipate the vibration effect; and bolts and nuts are used to create an extension between the two U-shaped male and female steel channels. The developed finite element model of the precast wall is subjected to cyclic loads to evaluate the performance of the proposed connection during an imposed dynamic load. Connection performance is then compared with conventional connections based on the energy dissipation, stress, deformation, and concrete damage in the plastic range. The proposed precast connection is capable of exceeding the energy absorption of precast walls subjected to dynamic load, thereby improving its resistance behavior in all principal directions.

Nonlinear Behavior of Reinforced Concrete Slit Shear Walls under Seismic Actions *

A reinforced concrete slit shear wall is a new breed of earthquake resistant structure recently proposed by the authors. In this paper, the seismic responses of the slit shear walls under the shake of earthquake excitation have been dealt with. Based on a simplified structural model, which is shown to have a sufficient accuracy for the real slit shear wall structure, the analysis focuses on the influence of nonlinear behavior of the connecting beams between the slits on the dynamic performance of the whole slit shear wall structure. It has been found that the yielding of connecting beams in a slit shear wall can provide significant improvement in reducing the structural responses, and by choosing an appropriate strength value for the connecting beams, it is possible to optimize the seismic response of the slit shear wall.

Shaking table experimental study of recycled concrete frame-shear wall structures

In this study, four 1/5 scaled shaking table tests were conducted to investigate the seismic performance of recycled concrete frame-shear wall structures with different recycled aggregates replacement rates and concealed bracing detail. The four tested structures included one normal concrete model, one recycled coarse aggregate concrete model, and two recycled coarse and fi ne aggregate concrete models with or without concealed bracings inside the shear walls. The dynamic characteristics, dynamic response and failure mode of each model were compared and analyzed. Finite element models were also developed and nonlinear time-history response analysis was conducted. The test and analysis results show that the seismic performance of the recycled coarse aggregate concrete frame-shear wall structure is slightly worse than the normal concrete structure. The seismic resistance capacity of the recycled concrete frame-shear wall structure can be greatly improved by setting up concealed bracings inside the walls. With appropriate design, the recycled coarse aggregate concrete frame-shear wall structure and recycled concrete structure with concealed bracings inside the walls can be applied in buildings.

Experimental and analytical study on seismic behavior of steel-concrete multienergy dissipation composite shear walls

In this paper, a steel-concrete multi-energy dissipation composite shear wall, comprised of steel-reinforced concrete （SRC） columns, steel plate （SP） deep beams, a concrete wall and energy dissipation strips, is proposed. In order to study the multi-energy dissipation behavior and restorability after an earthquake, two stages of low cyclic loading tests were carded out on ten test specimens. In the first stage, test on five specimens with different number of SP deep beams was carried out, and the test lasted until the displacement drift reached 2%. In the second stage, thin SPs were welded to both sides of the five specimens tested in the first stage, and the same test was carried out on the repaired specimens （designated as new specimens）. The load-bearing capacity, stiffness, ductility, hysteretic behavior and failure characteristics were analyzed for both stages and the results are discussed herein. Extrapolating from these results, strength calculation models and formulas are proposed herein and simulations using ABAQUS carried out, they show good agreement with the test results. The study demonstrates that SRC columns, SP deep beams, concrete wall and energy dissipation strips cooperate well and play an important role in energy dissipation. In addition, this study shows that the shear wall has good recoverability after an earthquake, and that the welding of thin SP＇s to repair a deformed wall is a practicable technique.

Post-fire cyclic behavior of reinforced concrete shear walls

The effects of fire exposure,reinforcement ratio and the presence of axial load under fire on the seismic behavior of reinforced concrete(RC) shear walls were investigated.Five RC shear walls were tested under low cyclic loading.Prior to the cyclic test,three specimens were exposed to fire and two of them were also subjected to a constant axial load.Test results indicate that the ultimate load of the specimen with lower reinforcement ratio is reduced by 15.8%after exposure to elevated temperatures.While the reductions in the energy dissipation and initial stiffness are 59.2%and 51.8%,respectively,which are much higher than those in the ultimate load.However,this deterioration can be slowed down by properly increasing reinforcement due to the strength and stiffness recovery of steel bars after cooling.In addition,the combined action of elevated temperatures and axial load results in more energy dissipation than the action of fire exposure alone.

Research on seismic performance of shear walls with concrete filled steel tube columns and concealed steel trusses

In order to further improve the seismic performance of RC shear walls, a new composite shear wall with concrete filled steel tube （CFT） columns and concealed steel trusses is proposed. This new shear wall is a double composite shear wall; the first composite being the use of three different force systems, CFT, steel truss and shear wall, and the second the use of two different materials, steel and concrete. Three 1/5 scaled experimental specimens： a traditional RC shear wall, a shear wall with CFT columns, and a shear wall with CFT columns and concealed steel trusses, were tested under cyclic loading and the seismic performance indices of the shear walls were comparatively analyzed. Based on the data from these experiments, a thorough elastic-plastic finite element analysis and parametric analysis of the new shear walls were carried out using ABAQUS software. The finite element results of deformation, stress distribution, and the evolution of cracks in each phase were compared with the experimental results and showed good agreement. A mechanical model was also established for calculating the load-carrying capacity of the new composite shear walls. The results show that this new type of shear wall has improved seismic performance over the other two types of shear wails tested.

Numerical Modeling Strategy for the Simulation of Nonlinear Response of Slender Reinforced Concrete Structural Walls

A three-dimensional nonlinear modeling strategy for simulating the seismic response of slender reinforced concrete structural walls with different cross-sectional shapes is presented in this paper.A combination of nonlinear multi-layer shell elements and displacement-based beam-column elements are used to model the unconfined and confined parts of the walls,respectively.A uniaxial material model for reinforcing steel bars that includes buckling and low-cyclic fatigue effects is used to model the longitudinal steel bars within the structural walls.The material model parameters related to the buckling length are defined based on an analytical expression for reinforcing steel bars embedded in reinforced concrete elements,which are developed based on beam-on-springs model,and validated with experimental tests of boundary elements of structural walls available in the literature.Six experimental case studies of reinforced concrete walls with rectangularshape,T-shape,and U-shape cross-section are used to validate the structural wall numerical modeling strategy.

Study and application of a new type of foamed concrete wall in coal mines

A new type of airtight wall with the combination of foamed concrete and pier support was designed in this study. Based on the theories and models related to the foamed concrete and blasting shock load, using the numerical analysis method, this study obtains the new material＇s mechanical and destruction laws through analyzing its reaction to different conditions of load （mining and shock waves）, airtight wall thickness （1.2, 1.5, 1.8, 2.1 m） and steel pipe diameters （400, 450, 500 and 600 mm）. The results show that： ①foamed concrete can have very good suspension, and the pier column support is the main carrier of roof pressure; ② the damaged area of foamed concrete decreases as the foamed concrete thickness increases. Under impact loading, the thickness of the foamed concrete wall plays a more obvious role in retaining its integrity; ③under the same mining pressure, the damage area increases as the steel pipe diameter increases; ④ with additional mining stress increase, under whether static load or impact load, the stress on the foamed concrete and steel pipe will also increase gradually, therefore the actual airtight wall design will need to be based on specific circumstances in steel stress.

Nonlinear Finite Element Analysis of Mechanical Performance of Reinforced Concrete Short-Limb Shear Wall

On the basis of test, nonlinear finite element analysis of reinforcedconcrete (R. C) short-limb shear walls under monotonic horizontal load are carried out by ANSYSprogram in order to understand the evolution of cracking, deformation and failure course of thespecimens. At the same time, the results of numerical calculation are compared with the results oftest. The results indicate that, under monotonic horizontal load the failures of the specimens withflange wall and without flange wall all occur at the intersections of lintel bottom and limb ofwall, the failures also occur at the bottom of limb; the load-displacement curve of wall withoutflange is steeper than that of wall with flange, and the ductility is worse than that of wall withflange; the results, such as cracking, deformation, yield load and so on of finite element analysisagree well with the results of test. These results provide theoretical basis of study andapplication of R. C short-limb shear wall.

Flexural Capacity Formula of Diaphragm-Through Joints of Concrete-Filled Square Steel Tubular Columns

Finite element analysis and parametric studies were performed to investigate the flexural capacity of the panel zone of diaphragm-through joints between concrete-filled square steel tubular columns and H-shaped steel beams. Through the comparisons of failure modes, load–displacement curves, and bearing capacity, it was found that the flexural capacity of the panel zone of diaphragm-through joints was determined by the tensile action and influence of the web of H-shaped steel beams, and the axial load should be taken into account. The steel tube and the diaphragm were the major parts of the joint that resisted the bending moment. The contribution of in-filled concrete had little influence on the flexural capacity of the panel zone of the joint and could be neglected. According to the results of these numerical studies, a formula that considered the influence of the web of H-shaped steel beams and the axial load was developed based on the yield lines in the diaphragm and the steel tube. The results of the proposed formula were in good agreement with the numerical data of this investigation. © 2017, Tianjin University and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Performance index limits of high reinforced concrete shear wall components

The deformation performance index limits of high reinforced concrete （RC） shear wall components based on Chinese codes were discussed by the nonlinear finite element method. Two typical RC shear wall specimens in the previous work were first used to verify the correctness of the nonlinear finite element method. Then, the nonlinear finite element method was applied to study the deformability of a set of high RC shear wall components designed according to current Chinese codes and with shear span ratio λ≥2.0. Parametric studies were made on the influence of shear span ratio, axial compression ratio, ratio of flexural capacity to shear capacity and main flexural reinforcement ratio of confined botmdary members. Finally, the deformation performance index and its limits of high RC shear wall components under severe earthquakes were proposed by the finite element model results, which offers a reference in determining the performance status of RC shear wall components designed based on Chinese codes.

Seismic Enhancement of Existing Buildings by Means of Fiber Reinforced Concrete Diaphragms

Floor diaphragms may provide an effective solution for reducing the seismic vulnerability of masonry buildings. Unfortunately, diaphragms are usually not present in historical building with wooden floors but often they are non present even in old R/C buildings where floors were made without shear reinforcement. A possible strengthening technique could be based on the application of a thin concrete plate reintbrced with a welded mesh. In order to reduce the thickness of the plate, some suitable solutions may be obtained by using Fiber Reinforced Concrete （FRC） since the minimum concrete cover is no longer required because the reinforcement （fibers） is spread all over the concrete matrix. The adoption of FRC floor diaphragms is proposed and discussed in this paper; the early results from a preliminary numerical study are analyzed in order to asses the feasibility of this new strengthening technique and better organize an experimental program that is currently in progress.

Seismic Behavior of Diaphragm-Through Connections of Concrete-Filled Square Steel Tubular Columns and H-Shaped Steel Beams

Based on the introductions of a type of diaphragm-through connection between concrete-filled square steel tubular columns (CFSSTCs) and H-shaped steel beams,a finite element model of the connection is developed and used to investigate the seismic behavior of the connection.The results of the finite element model are validated by a set of cyclic loading tests.The cyclic loading tests and the finite element analyses indicate that the failure mode of the suggested connections is plastic hinge at the beam with inelastic rotation angle exceeding 0.04 rad.The suggested connections have sufficient strength,plastic deformation and energy dissipation capacity to be used in composite moment frames as beam-to-column rigid connections.

Experimental Study on Improving Seismic Behavior of Load-Bearing Masonry Wall Made of Autoclaved Aerated Concrete

To investigate the seismic behavior of autoclaved aerated concrete load-bearing masonry wall(AACLMW), a piece of control block wall without constructional measures and five pieces of block walls with different constructional measures were tested under low reversed cyclic loading which imitated low to moderate earthquake force. The seismic behavior of AACLMW with different constructional measures in terms of failure mode, hysteretic curve, deformation capacity and displacement ductility was studied and compared with that without constructional measures. The experimental results indicate that the constructional measures comprising constructional columns and horizontal concrete strips are effective for improving the seismic behavior of AACLMW. The study in this paper can provide a reliable experimental basis for further analysis and engineering application of AACLMW in the future.

Progressive collapse resisting capacity of reinforced concrete load bearing wall structures

Reinforced concrete(RC) load bearing wall is widely used in high-rise and mid-rise buildings. Due to the number of walls in plan and reduction in lateral force portion, this system is not only stronger against earthquakes, but also more economical. The effect of progressive collapse caused by removal of load bearing elements, in various positions in plan and stories of the RC load bearing wall system was evaluated by nonlinear dynamic and static analyses. For this purpose, three-dimensional model of 10-story structure was selected. The analysis results indicated stability, strength and stiffness of the RC load-bearing wall system against progressive collapse. It was observed that the most critical condition for removal of load bearing walls was the instantaneous removal of the surrounding walls located at the corners of the building where the sections of the load bearing elements were changed. In this case, the maximum vertical displacement was limited to 6.3 mm and the structure failed after applying the load of 10 times the axial load bored by removed elements. Comparison between the results of the nonlinear dynamic and static analyses demonstrated that the "load factor" parameter was a reasonable criterion to evaluate the progressive collapse potential of the structure.

Influence of Axial Load Ratio on Shear Behavior of Through-Diaphragm Connections of Concrete-Filled Square Steel Tubular Columns

Nonlinear finite element analysis and parametric studies were carried out to study the influence of axial load ratio on the shear behavior of the through-diaphragm connections of concrete-filled square steel tubular columns. The analysis reveals that smaller axial load ratio can improve the shear bearing capacity and ductility while larger axial load ratio will decrease the shear behavior of the through-diaphragm connections. The parametric studies indicate that the axial load ratio should be limited to less than 0.4 and its influence should be considered in the analysis and design of such connections.

Investigation on Cracking of Concrete Shear Wall under Exceeded Temperature Differences Rate

In situ, the changes of temperature, deformation, and stressing of steel bar of C40 reinforced concrete shear wall were measured, respectively. The results are obvious that the temperature change of climate is one of the most effective factors which could lead the concrete shear wall to cracking at earlier age. The temperature differences between inside and outside concrete shear wall are so large that the concrete will gain larger shrinkage. This larger shrinkage which is caused by the temperature reducing ratio will gain the strained action of head, end and reinforced steel bar of concrete shear wall. This action can lead to tensile stress on the surface and inside concrete shear wall. If the tensile stress would exceed the pull strength of concrete, the concrete shear wall would crack and cause deterioration. Thus, the enhancing curing of concrete shear wall in suit at earlier age, and controlling temperature reducing ratio and deform caused by shrinkage, will be available treatments which control occurring and developing of cracking on concrete shear wall.

EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF TENSILE CAPACITY OF CONCRETE IN RC SHEAR WALLS AFTER CRACKING

Through the test of 8 RC shear wall specimens and computer analysis ofstrains of steel bars with keyways in the specimens,the authors have studied the remains oftensile stress of concrete between cracks after concrete cracking and put forward a formulato calculate coefficient Ψ,the ununiform distribution factor of steel strain.This coefficientcan be used to modify the calculated steel strain in cracked zone,so as to make the resultsof using finite clement method to analyze shear walls more accurate.

Formwork lateral pressure of precast normal-concrete composite shear walls infilled with self-compacting concrete

Wall cracking and mold expanding due to concrete vibrations can be effectively solved through the application of precast normal-concrete composite shear walls infilled with self-compacting concrete(SCC). However, the high liquidity of SCC will induce a higher lateral pressure. Therefore, it is important to obtain a better understanding of the template lateral pressure. In this work, nine composite shear walls were experimentally investigated, focusing on the effects of two parameters, i.e., the casting rate and the section width of the formwork. The time-varying pressure was monitored during the SCC pouring. It is found that the increase of casting rate from 3.2 m/h to 10.3 m/h resulted in a higher maximum lateral pressure. The higher casting rate led to a longer time required for the lateral pressure to drop to a steady value. There was no correlation between the section width and the rate of decrease in the initial formwork pressure and stable value. Based on the test results, a formula considering the effect of casting speed for the calculation of SCC formwork pressure was established to fill the gap in the current standards and for engineering applications.