Improved Mechanical Properties of Textile Reinforced Concrete Thin Plate

Textile reinforced concrete （TRC） is especially suitable for the thin-walled and light-weight structural elements with a high load-bearing capacity. For this thin element, the concrete cover thickness is an important factor in affecting the mechanical and anti-crack performance. Therefore, the influences of the surface treatment of the textile and mixing polypropylene fiber into the concrete on the properties of the components with different cover thickness were experimentally studied with four-point bending tests. The experimental results show that for the components with the same cover thickness, sticking sand on epoxy resin-impregnated textile and adding short fiber into the concrete are helpful to improve their mechanical performance. The 2-3 mm cover thickness is enough to meet the anchorage requirements of the reinforcement fiber and the component has good crack pattern and mechanical behavior at this condition. Comparison between the calculated and the experimental Values of flexural capacity reveals satisfactory agreement. Finally, based on the calculation model of the crack spacing of reinforced concrete structures, the crack extension of this thin-wall component was qualitatively analyzed and the same results with the experimental were obtained.

The wave and vibratory power transmission in a finite L-shaped Mindlin plate with two simply supported opposite edges

In this paper,wave and vibratory power transmission in a finite L-shaped Mindlin plate with two simply supported opposite edges are investigated using the wave approach.The dynamic responses,active and reactive power flow in the finite plate are calculated by the Mindlin plate theory （MPT） and classic plate theory （CPT）.To satisfy the boundary conditions and continuous conditions at the coupled junction of the finite L-shaped plate,the near-field and far-field waves are entirely contained in the wave approach.The in-plane longitudinal and shear waves are also considered.The results indicate that the vibratory power flow based on the MPT is different from that based on the CPT not only at high frequencies but also at low and medium frequencies.The influence of the plate thickness on the vibrational power flow is investigated.From the results it is seen that the shear and rotary inertia correction of the MPT can influence the active and reactive power at the junction of the L-shaped plate not only at high frequencies but also at low and medium frequencies.Furthermore,the effects of structural damping on the active and reactive power flow at the junction are also analyzed.

Research on vibration characteristics of L-shaped plate using a mobility power flow approach

L-shaped plates have become an important focuses in structural vibration research. To determine their vibration characteristics, this paper applied a mobility power flow method. Firstly, the L-shaped plate was divided into two substructures to simplify analysis. The coupled bending moment was then deduced by applying a continuous vibration property on the common edge. Next, the response on any point of the plate and the input and transmitted power flow formulas were calculated. Numerical simulations showed the distribution of the coupled bending moment and the response of the whole structure. The validity of this method was verified by the SEA approach.

Nonlocal thermal buckling and postbuckling of functionally graded graphene nanoplatelet reinforced piezoelectric micro-plate

This paper analyzes the nonlocal thermal buckling and postbuckling behaviors of a multi-layered graphene nanoplatelet(GPL)reinforced piezoelectric micro-plate.The GPLs are supposed to disperse as a gradient pattern in the composite micro-plate along its thickness.The effective material properties are calculated by the Halpin-Tsai parallel model and mixture rule for the functionally graded GPL reinforced piezoelectric(FG-GRP)micro-plate.Governing equations for the nonlocal thermal buckling and postbuckling behaviors of the FG-GRP micro-plate are obtained by the first-order shear deformation theory,the von Kármán nonlinear theory,and the minimum potential energy principle.The differential quadrature(DQ)method and iterative method are introduced to numerically analyze the effects of the external electric voltage,the distribution pattern and characteristic of GPLs,and the nonlocal parameter on the critical buckling behaviors and postbuckling equilibrium path of the FG-GRP micro-plate in thermal environment.

The ultimate strength of doubler plate reinforced Y-joints under compression loading

It is common practice in the offshore industry to solve the punching shear problem due to compression by using doubler plate. The finite-element method is a useful tool for studying this problem. The aim of this paper is to study the static strength of doubler plate reinforced Y-joints subjected to compression loading. The finite-element method is adopted in numerical parametric studies. The individual influences of the geometric parameters βand τd （doubler plate to chord wall thickness ratio） and ld/d1（dubler plate length to brace diameter ratio） on the ultimate strength are made clear. The results show the size of plate may have important effects on the strength of reinforced joints. It is found that the ultimate strength of Y-joints reinforced with appropriately proportioned doubler plates can be greatly improved nearly up tothree times to un-reinforced Y-joints.

Compressive Behavior of Steel Members Reinforced by Patch Plate with Welding and Bonding

Repair and reinformcement of aged civil steel structures is one of the important issues for maintaining and using them for a long term. For repair and reinforcement of deteriorated civil steel structures due to fatigue and corrosion, patch plate reinforcement is widely applied. Bolting is generally used because of easy quality control and many construction achievements. However, bolting has downsides including holes made and weight increase. Welding is considered to overcome these demerits but in reality the application of welding is unsatisfactory due to the possibility of fatigue crack occurring from the welded part. In this study, a patch plate strengthening system of welded joint assisted with bonding has been proposed. The compressive behaviors of weld-bond jointed specimen were investigated by a series of experiments and FE analysis. It was confirmed that use of welding and bonding was effective to enhance compressive strength of specimen, due to better load-carrying capacity of patch plate compared with sole use of welding.

A refined finite element method for bending analysis of laminated plates integrated with piezoelectric fiber-reinforced composite actuators

This research presents a finite element formulation based on four-variable refined plate theory for bending analysis of cross-ply and angle-ply laminated composite plates integrated with a piezoelectric fiber-reinforced composite actuator under electromechanical loading. The four-variable refined plate theory is a simple and efficient higher-order shear deformation theory, which predicts parabolic variation of transverse shear stresses across the plate thickness and satisfies zero traction conditions on the plate free surfaces. The weak form of governing equations is derived using the principle of minimum potential energy, and a 4-node non-conforming rectangular plate element with 8 degrees of freedom per node is introduced for discretizing the domain. Several benchmark problems are solved by the developed MATLAB code and the obtained results are compared with those from exact and other numerical solutions, showing good agreement.

Plate reinforced square hollow section X-joints subjected to in-plane moment

The static test of 13 square hollow section(SHS) X-joints with different β and different types of plate reinforcement under in-plane moment in brace was carried out. Experimental test schemes, failure modes of specimens, moment-vertical displacement curves, moment-deformation of the chord, and strain strength distribution curves were presented. The effect of β and plate reinforcement types on in-plane flexural property of SHS X-joints was studied. Results show that punching shear of chord face disappears, brace material fracture appears and concave and convex deformation of chord decrease when either collar plates or doubler plates were welded on chord face. Moment-vertical displacement curves of all specimens have obvious elastic, elastic-plastic and plastic stages. As β increases, the in-plane flexural ultimate capacity and initial stiffness of joints of the same plate reinforcement type increase, but ductility of joints decreases. With the same β, the in-plane flexural initial stiffness and ultimate capacity of doubler plate reinforced joints, collar plate reinforced joints, and unreinforced joints decrease progressively. Thickness of reinforcement plate has no obvious effect on in-plane flexural initial stiffness and ultimate capacity of joints. As thickness of reinforcement plate increases, the ductility of reinforced X-joints decreases. The concave and convex deformation of every specimen has good symmetry;as β increases, the yield and ultimate deformation of chord decrease.

Uplift of Symmetrical Anchor Plates by Using Grid-Fixed Reinforced Reinforcement in Cohesionless Soil

Uplift response of symmetrical anchor plates with and without grid fixed reinforced （GFR） reinforcement was evaluated in model tests and numerical simulations by Plaxis. Many variations of reinforcement layers were used to reinforce the sandy soil over symmetrical anchor plates. In the current research, different factors such as relative density of sand, embedment ratios, and various GFR parameters including size, number of layers, and the proximity of the layer to the symmetrical anchor plate were investigated in a scale model. The failure mechanism and the associated rupture surface were observed and evaluated. GFR, a tied up system made of fiber reinforcement polymer （FRP） strips and end balls, was connected to the geosynthetic material and anchored into the soil. Test results showed that using GFR reinforcement significantly improved the uplift capacity of anchor plates. It was found that the inclusion of one layer of GFR, which rested directly on the top of the anchor plate, was more effective in enhancing the anchor capacity itself than other methods. It was found that by including GFR the uplift response was improved by 29%. Multi layers of GFR proved more effective in enhancing the uplift capacity than a single GFR reinforcement. This is due to the additional anchorage provided by the GFR at each level of reinforcement. In general, the results show that the uplift capacity of symmetrical anchor plates in loose and dense sand can be significantly increased by the inclusion of GFR. It was also observed that the inclusion of GFR reduced the requirement for a large L/D ratio to achieve the required uplift capacity. The laboratory and numerical analysis results are found to be in agreement in terms of breakout factor and failure mechanism pattern.

Finite Element Analysis of Reinforced Concrete Plate Impacted by Block

A new concept of structurally dissipating rock-shed (SDR) was developed by the lab of Tonello IC and LOCIE-ESIGEC (France). To decide the dimension of the plate used in SDR, an ANSYS model which could simulate the impact of rock in the centre of the plate was established by Fabien Delhomme. By using this model, some finite element analyses are carried out in the present paper. Firstly, a plate impacted by a block is numerically simulated, the numerical results obtained from different mesh sizes are compared and the accuracy of the finite element model is verified. Then, the dynamic response of the plate impacted at the boundary and in the medium part is computed. By analyzing the stress in rebar, the most dangerous region of impact of plate was found. For a rectangular plate, the most dangerous region is at the corner of the plate when a block drops in. Finally, the whole deformation process of the plate under dropping block was simulated and a simplified definition (effect zone) to describe the deformation process in different positions of plate was given. From this study, it is found that the impact only affects heavily within the effect zone.

Bending and stress analysis of polymeric composite plates reinforced with functionally graded graphene platelets based on sinusoidal shear-deformation plate theory

The bending and stress analysis of a functionally graded polymer composite plate reinforced with graphene platelets are studied in this paper.The governing equations are derived by using principle of virtual work for a plate which is rested on Pasternak’s foundation.Sinusoidal shear deformation theory is used to describe displacement field.Four different distribution patterns are employed in our analysis.The analytical solution is presented for a functionally graded plate to investigate the influence of important parameters.The numerical results are presented to show the deflection and stress results of the problem for four employed patterns in terms of geometric parameters such as number of layers,weight fraction and two parameters of Pasternak’s foundation.

The effect of initial geometric imperfection on the nonlinear resonance of functionally graded carbon nanotube-reinforced composite rectangular plates

The purpose of the present study is to examine the impact of initial geometric imperfection on the nonlinear dynamical characteristics of functionally graded carbon nanotube-reinforced composite(FG-CNTRC) rectangular plates under a harmonic excitation transverse load. The considered plate is assumed to be made of matrix and single-walled carbon nanotubes(SWCNTs). The rule of mixture is employed to calculate the effective material properties of the plate. Within the framework of the parabolic shear deformation plate theory with taking the influence of transverse shear deformation and rotary inertia into account, Hamilton’s principle is utilized to derive the geometrically nonlinear mathematical formulation including the governing equations and corresponding boundary conditions of initially imperfect FG-CNTRC plates. Afterwards, with the aid of an efficient multistep numerical solution methodology, the frequency-amplitude and forcing-amplitude curves of initially imperfect FG-CNTRC rectangular plates with various edge conditions are provided, demonstrating the influence of initial imperfection,geometrical parameters, and edge conditions. It is displayed that an increase in the initial geometric imperfection intensifies the softening-type behavior of system, while no softening behavior can be found in the frequency-amplitude curve of a perfect plate.

Experimental study and analysis on fatigue stiffness of RC beams strengthened with CFRP and steel plate

The objective of this work is to investigate the fatigue behavior of reinforced concrete(RC) beams strengthened with externally bonded carbon fiber reinforced polymer(CFRP) and steel plate. An experimental investigation and theoretical analysis were made on the law of deflection development and stiffness degradation, as well as the influence of fatigue load ranges. Test results indicate that the law of three-stage change under fatigue loading is followed by both midspan deflection and permanent deflection, which also have positive correlation with fatigue load amplitude. Fatigue stiffness of composite strengthened beams degrades gradually with the increasing of number of cycles. Based on the experimental results, a theoretical model by effective moment of inertia method is developed for calculating the sectional stiffness of such composite strengthened beams under fatigue loading, and the calculated results are in good agreement with the experimental results.

Experimental Study on Tensile Properties of Steel Plate Bonded by CFRP

The tensile properties of five groups of composite specimens, which consist of steel plate bonded by CFRP,were experimentally researched. The failure types, performing characteristics and failure mechanism of the composite specimens were investigated in detail. The influence of different ratio of CFRP on bearing capacity, loading-strain curves, compound modulus, rigidity and ductility of the composite specimens was analyzed. The experimental results indicate that the composite specimen can work harmonically and the steel plate does not break in tension. Comparing with steel plate, the bearing capacity and the rigidity of the composite specimens increase and ductility decreases. The bearing capacity increases sharply with the increase in the number of layers of CFRP. With the increase in CFRP, the yield strength increases slightly and ductility decreases. The experimental researches can provide a theoretical basis for engineering application of combination strengthening.

Test on mechanical behavior of SRC L-shaped columns under combined torsion and bending moment

Investigations of the seismic behavior of steel reinforced concrete L-shaped columns under constant axial compression and cycled bending-shear-torsion load were performed.Six specimens,which considered two parameters,i.e.,the moment ratio of torsion to bending(γ)and the aspect ratio(column length-to-depth ratio,φ),were prepared for the experiment.In this study,the failure process,torsion-displacement hysteresis curves,and flexure-displacement hysteresis curves were obtained.The failure characteristics,mechanical behavior of specimens such as the failure patterns,hysteresis curves,rigidity degradation,ductility and energy dissipation,are analyzed.The experimental research indicated that the major failures of the specimens were bending failure,bending-shear failure and bending-torsion failure as the moment ratio of torsion to bending(γ)increased.The torsion-displacement hysteresis curves were pinched in the middle,formed a slip platform,and the phenomenon of“load drop”occurred after the peak load.The bending-displacement hysteresis curves were plump,which showed that bending capacity of the specimen was better than its torsion capacity.Additionally,the energy dissipation of the specimen was dominated by torsion in the early stage and ultimately governed by the bending moment in the later phase.Test results also indicated that the displacement ductility coefficient and interstory rotation angle of the failure point were less than 3.0 and 1/50,respectively,which means the test specimen performance does not meet the requirement of the Chinese Code for Seismic Design of Buildings(GB 50011-2014)in this respect.

Experimental study on mechanical property of stiffening-ribbed-hollow-pipe cast-in place reinforced concrete girderless floor

Stiffening-ribbed-hollow-pipe cast-in place reinforced concrete girderless floor is a new-style hollow girderless floor system. Model experimental researches of simply-supported floor and four-corners bearing floor have been done on this new kind of floor system in this paper. The experiment results show that the floor system has good mechanical property such as high bearing capacity, big rigidity and good tensility. A theoretical method is presented in this paper that the stiffening-ribbed-hollow-pipe girderless floor can be analyzed by being converted equivalently to orthotropic solid slab. It is indicated that the method is correct and reasonable according to the contrast between theoretical calculated results and experimental measured results. The theoretical results coincide with the measured results well.

Reinforcement Method of the Tubular Joints under Combined Loads Based on ANSYS Software

The jacket offshore platform structures working in the environment are subjected to various external conditions,such as wave loads,wind loads and corrosion of sea water.Therefore,the research on reinforcement of tubular joints has great practical value for the safety of offshore platforms.In this article,the finite element(FE)models of T-type tubular joint(T-joint)and K-type tubular joint(K-joint)are established by ANSYS software.Triangular rib reinforcement and collar plate reinforcement are used to reinforce the tubular joints.The reinforcement effects are assessed through the ultimate bearing capacity,and the influences of parameters of the rib and the collar plate on the ultimate capacity are analyzed.Besides,the effects of the two reinforcement methods are compared under the combined loads,and the results show that the reinforcement of the ribbed plate is more effective in resisting the deformation caused by bending moment,while the reinforcement of the collar plate is more effective to avoid the plastic damage caused by the axial pressure.

Tailoring microstructure and mechanical properties of aluminum matrix composites reinforced with novel Al/CuFe multi-layered core-shell particles

Aluminum matrix composites(AMCs), reinforced with novel pre-synthesized Al/Cu Fe multi-layered coreshell particles, were fabricated by different consolidation techniques to investigate their effect on microstructure and mechanical properties. To synthesize multi-layered Al/Cu Fe core-shell particles, Cu and Fe layers were deposited on Al powder particles by galvanic replacement and electroless plating method, respectively. The core-shell powder and sintered compacts were characterized by using X-ray diffraction(XRD), scanning electron microscopy(SEM) equipped with energy dispersive spectroscopy(EDX), pycnometer, microhardness and compression tests. The results revealed that a higher extent of interfacial reactions, due to the transformation of the deposited layer into intermetallic phases in spark plasma sintered composite, resulted in high relative density(99.26%), microhardness(165 HV0.3) and strength(572 MPa). Further, the presence of un-transformed Cu in the shell structure of hot-pressed composite resulted in the highest fracture strain(20.4%). The obtained results provide stronger implications for tailoring the microstructure of AMCs through selecting appropriate sintering paths to control mechanical properties.

Reinforcement and numerical analysis on the corbel of a halfthrough arch bridge

Corbels support the crossbeams of half-through arch bridges. They are prone to cracking easily due to their characteristics and complicated loading conditions. Based on a practical diagnosis of a bridge crossbeam, we bonded steel plates onto bridge corbels to strengthen them. We carried out a numerical analysis on the effectiveness of the reinforcement by using the commercial sof^are ANSYS. The numerical analysis shows that the stresses near the section break increased slightly, but the variation amplitude was small and all the stresses were within an allowable range. The loading test indicates that it is feasible to strengthen the corbel with vertical bonded steel plates. Therefore, the reinforcement is effective and economical. This reinforcement method is suitable for this type of corbel and can be applied in similar cases.

The Effects of Cross Sectional Dimensions on the Behavior of L-Shaped RC Structural Members

The behavior of L-Shaped RC （reinforced concrete） shear walls was investigated in the Erciyes University Earthquake Investigation Laboratory under the influence of constant axial load together with reversed cyclic lateral load. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of cross sectional dimensions on the behavior of L-shaped structural members and to assess their earthquake performance. In order to investigate L-shaped RC structural members, the special experiment setup and four type of 1/2 scaled specimens which have different aspect ratio were constructed. The specimens were loaded in line with the major principal axes direction laterally. Axial load ratio was 0.1 and cross section height to thickness ratios were＇ 3：1, 5：1, 8：1, 10：1. Cross section thickness was 120 mm which corresponds to （360：120）, （600：120）, （960：120）, （1,200：120） wall legs cross sectional dimensions in mm. The specimens height was 1,500 mm, together with upper and lower slabs overall height was 2,000 mm. Concrete compression strength was 30 N/mm2, steel yield stress 420 N/mm2 and vertical reinforcement ratio was 1% for all specimens. According to the test results, the specimen of which the aspect ratio is 3 （360：120） has shown column behavior, the specimen of which the aspect ratio is 5 （600：120） has shown slender wall behavior and last two specimens of which the aspect ratios are 8 （960：120） and 10 （1,200：120） have shown squat wall behavior. When considering the cracking patterns and hysteretic behavior, since the aspect ratio 8, the specimens show flexure-shear interaction behavior and prone to brittle failure.