Measurement and theoretical analysis of solar temperature field in steel-concrete composite girder

The solar temperature field of a large three-span continuous bridge with steel-concrete composite box girder and variable cross-section is measured to verify a calculation method for the temperature field of steel-concrete composite beams. The test results show that the temperature of an external steel web- plate is higher than that of an internal web-plate due to the difference in solar radiation. Air temperature inside the box matches the average temperature of the whole steel box. Based on actual measurements, a transient thermal analysis with multiple boundary conditions is also carried out by a software program ANSYS. Convective boundary situation and states of solar radiation on steel web plates in different situations are determined in the analysis. The feature of the temperature field is preliminarily achieved through a comparative study between the actual measurement and the finite element analysis. The computed results are in good consistence with the actual measurement results, with the maximum difference within 2 ℃. This indicates that the theoretical calculation method is reliable and it provides a foundation for further research on temperature field distribution in the steel-concrete composite box girder.

Ultimate negative bending-moment capacity of outer-plated steel-concrete continuous composite beams

Static load tests and bearing capacity analyses are carried out for two outer-plated steel-concrete continuous composite beams. The load-deflection curve and the load-strain curve of specimens are obtained and analyzed. The test results indicate that effective cooperation can be achieved by the shearresistant connection between the reinforcement in the negative moment area and the outer-plated steel beam, and the overall working performance of the composite beams is favorable. At the load-bearing limiting state, the plastic strain on the maximum negative and positive moment section becomes fully developed so as to form relatively ideal plastic hinges. With the increase in the reinforcement ratio, the moment-carrying capacity of the composite beams improves significantly, but the ductility of the beams and the rotation ability of the plastic hinges decrease. The formulae for calculating the limit bending capacity in the negative moment area of outer-plated steel-concrete composite beams are proposed based on the test data. The calculated results agree well with the test results.

Double-layer model updating for steel-concrete composite beam cable-stayed bridge based on GPS

In order to establish the relationship between the measured dynamic response and the health status of long-span bridges, a double-layer model updating method for steel-concrete composite beam cable-stayed bridges is proposed. Measured frequencies are selected as the first-layer reference data, and the mass of the bridge deck, the grid density, the modulus of concrete and the ballast on the side span are modified by using a manual tuning technique. Measured global positioning system （GPS） data is selected as the second-layer reference data, and the degradation of the integral structure stiffness EI of the whole bridge is taken into account for the second-layer model updating by using the finite element iteration algorithm. The Nanpu Bridge in Shanghai is taken as a case to verify the applicability of the proposed model updating method. After the first-layer model updating, the standard deviation of modal frequencies is smaller than 7%. After the second-layer model updating, the error of the deflection of the mid-span is smaller than 10%. The integral structure stiffness of the whole bridge decreases about 20%. The research results show a good agreement between the calculated response and the measured response.

Seismic performance of double-skin steel-concrete composite box piers: Part Ⅱ—Nonlinear finite element analysis

An accurate finite element （ FE） model was constructed to examine the hysteretic behavior of double-skin steel-concrete composite box （ DSCB） piers for further understanding the seismic performance of DSCB piers; where the local buckling behavior of steel tubes, the confinement of the in-filled concrete and the interface action between steel tube and in-filled concrete were considered. The accuracy of the proposed FE model was verified by the bidirectional cyclic loading test results. Based on the validated FE model, the effects of some key parameters, such as section width to steel thickness ratio, slenderness ratio, aspect ratio and axial load ratio on the hysteretic behavior of DSCB piers were investigated. Finally, the skeleton curve model of DSCB piers was proposed. The numerical simulation results reveal that the peak strength and elastic stiffness decrease with the increase of the section width to steel thickness ratio. Moreover, the increase of the slenderness ratio may result in a significant reduction in the peak strength and elastic stiffness while the ultimate displacement increases. The proposed skeleton curve model can be taken as a reference for seismic performance analyses of the DSCB piers.

Analysis of free vibration characteristic of steel-concrete composite box-girder considering shear lag and slip

Based on Hamilton principle,the governing differential equations and the corresponding boundary conditions of steel-concrete composite box girder with consideration of the shear lag effect meeting self equilibrated stress,shear deformation,slip,as well as rotational inertia were induced.Therefore,natural frequency equations were obtained for the boundary types,such as simple support,cantilever,continuous girder and fixed support at two ends.The ANSYS finite element solutions were compared with the analytical solutions by calculation examples and the validity of the proposed approach was verified,which also shows the correctness of longitudinal warping displacement functions.Some meaningful conclusions for engineering design were obtained.The decrease extent of each order natural frequency of the steel-concrete composite box-girder is great under action of the shear lag effect.The shear-lag effect of steel-concrete composite box girder increases when frequency order rises,and increases while span-width ratio decreases.The proposed approach provides theoretical basis for further research of free vibration characteristics of steel-concrete composite box-girder.

Closed-form solution for shear lag effects of steel-concrete composite box beams considering shear deformation and slip

Based on the consideration of longitudinal warp caused by shear lag effects on concrete slabs and bottom plates of steel beams,shear deformation of steel beams and interface slip between steel beams and concrete slabs,the governing differential equations and boundary conditions of the steel-concrete composite box beams under lateral loading were derived using energy-variational method.The closed-form solutions for stress,deflection and slip of box beams under lateral loading were obtained,and the comparison of the analytical results and the experimental results for steel-concrete composite box beams under concentrated loading or uniform loading verifies the closed-form solution.The investigation of the parameters of load effects on composite box beams shows that:1) Slip stiffness has considerable impact on mid-span deflection and end slip when it is comparatively small;the mid-span deflection and end slip decrease significantly with the increase of slip stiffness,but when the slip stiffness reaches a certain value,its impact on mid-span deflection and end slip decreases to be negligible.2) The shear deformation has certain influence on mid-span deflection,and the larger the load is,the greater the influence is.3) The impact of shear deformation on end slip can be neglected.4) The strain of bottom plate of steel beam decreases with the increase of slip stiffness,while the shear lag effect becomes more significant.

Experimental study on seismic behaviors of steel-concrete composite frames

Steel-concrete composite frames are seeing increased use in earthquake region because of their excellent structural characteristics, including high strength, stiffness, and good ductility. However, there exist gaps in the knowledge of seismic behavior and the design provisions for these structures. In order to better understand the seismic behaviors of composite frame systems, eight steel-concrete composite frames were designed. These composite frames were composed of steel-concrete composite beams and concrete filled steel tube columns. The axial compression ratio of column, slenderness ratio and linear stiffness ratio of beam to column were selected as main design parameters. The low reversed cyclic loading tests of composite frame system were carried out. Based on test results, the seismic behaviors of composite frames such as failure mode, hysteresis curve, strength degradation, rigidity degradation, ductility and energy dissipation were studied. Known from the test phenomenon, the main cause of damage is the out-of-plane deformation of steel beam and the yielding destruction of column heel. The hysteretic loops of composite frame appear a spindle shape and no obvious pinch phenomenon. The results demonstrate that this type of composite frame has favorable seismic behaviors. Furthermore, the effects of design parameters on seismic behaviors were also discussed. The results of the experiment show that the different design parameter has different influence rule on seismic behaviors of composite frame.

Nonlinear finite element analysis of steel-concrete composite beams

Proposes a simplified finite element model for steel-concrete composite beams. The effects of slip can be taken into account by creating a special matrix of shear connector stiffness and using the iteration method. Meanwhile, the effect of material non-linearity of steel and concrete on rigidity and strength of composite beams is considered. With the age-adjusted effective modulus method, the analysis for the whole process of shrinkage and creep under long-term load can be performed. The ultimate load, deflection, stress and slip of continuous composite beams under short-term and long-term load are computed using the proposed finite element model. The numerical results are compared with the experimental results and existing values based on other numerical methods, and are found to be in good agreement.

Internal Force Distribution in Steel-Concrete Composite Structure for Pylon of Cable-Stayed Bridge

Adopting a steel-anchor beam and steel corbel composite structure in the anchor zone on pylon is one of the key techniques for the design of Jintang bridge, a cable-stayed bridge in Zhoushan, China. In order to ensure the safety of the steel-concrete composite structure, a stud connector model for the joint section was put forward. Experiments were conducted to obtain the relation between load and slip of specimen, the failure pattern of stud connector, the yield bearing capacity and ultimate bearing capacity of a single stud, etc. The whole process of the structural behavior of the specimen was comprehensively analyzed. The features of the internal force distribution in the steel-concrete composite structure and the strain distribution of stud connector under different loads were emphatically studied. The test results show that the stud connector is applicable for the steel-concrete composite structure for pylon of Jintang bridge. The stud has a good ductility performance and a obvious yield process before its destruction. The stud connector basically works in a state of elasticity under a load less than the yield load.

A new 3-D element formulation on displacement of steel-concrete composite box beam

Slip of a composite box beam may reduce its stiffness, enlarge its deformation and affect its performance. In this work, the governing differential equations and boundary conditions of composite box beams were established. Analytic solutions of combined differential equations were also established. Partial degree of freedom was adopted to establish a new FEA element of three-dimensional beam, taking into account the slip effect. Slip and its first-order derivative were introduced into the nodes of composite box beams as generalized degree of freedom. Stiffness matrix and load array of beam elements were established. A three-dimensional nonlinear calculation program was worked out. The results show that the element is reliable and easy to divide and is suitable for special nonlinear analysis of large-span composite box beams.

Mechanical performance of shear studs and application in steel-concrete composite beams

This work experimentally investigates the effects of shear stud characteristics on the interface slippage of steel-concrete composite push-out specimens. ABAQUS is used to establish a detailed 3D finite element(FE) model and analyze the behavior of push-out specimens. The modeling results are in good agreement with the experimental results. Based on parametrical analysis using the validated FE approaches, the effects of important design parameters, such as the diameter, number, length to diameter ratio, and yield strength of studs, concrete strength and steel transverse reinforcement ratio, on the load-slip relationship at the interface of composite beams are discussed. In addition, a simplified approach to model studs is developed using virtual springs with an equivalent stiffness. This approach is demonstrated to be able to predict the load-displacement response and ultimate bearing capacity of steel-concrete composite beams. The predicted results show satisfactory agreement with experimental results from the literature.

The Study of Force and the Mechanical Characteristic of Incremental Launching Construction Method on a Steel-Concrete Continuous Beam Bridge

The usage of steel-mixed composite beams is quite extensive today.During an event of constructing steel-mixed composite bridges,the incremental launching construction method is generally adopted.This paper mainly analyzes the force of incremental launching construction on a steel-concrete continuous beam bridge,the classification of incremental launching construction,the application of incremental launching construction in steel-mixed composite beams,the temporary facilities existing in incremental launching construction as well as their existing problems.Lastly,the analysis of the stress of composite beams in incremental launching construction is described by using the reference for the construction of mixed composite continuous beam bridges provided.

Comparative analysis of cast-in-place post-tensioned and steel-concrete composite bridge bent caps

The complexity of the IH-635 Managed Lanes Project, located in Dallas County, Texas, posed several technical and constructive challenges, leading to the adoption of solutions different from the traditional. Two alternative solutions for the pier cap on one of the bridge crossings over IH-35E in the IH-635 project were analyzed in this case study, a cast-in-place post-tensioned concrete cap and an innovative prefabricated steel-concrete com- posite cap. The approach was to use an estimation of direct costs for material and labor and consideration of con- struction time schedules. A supplementary numerical modeling confirmed that both alternatives behave elasti- cally under imposed loads. The direct cost of material and labor for the two alternatives were close. However, the composite alternative required 13 days less construction time, resulting in substantial cost savings from traffic closing in the very busy traffic corridor. Traffic closing costs were substantially higher than the direct costs, especially for the post-tensioned cap. The quantification of the benefits allows more confidence in the utilization of the composites caps, leading to faster completion of bridge projects and substantial economic savings.

The Effects of Degradation Phenomena of the Steel-Concrete Interface in Reinforced Concrete Structures

Reinforced concrete (RC) constructions are the innovation of sustainable constructions replacing masonry constructions. Despite this, the use of concrete and steel to improve the performance of structural members in service is a recurring problem due to the immediate or overtime appearance of cracks. The objective of this work was therefore to assess the damage phenomena of the steel-concrete interface in order to assess the performance of an RC structure. Samples of approximately 30 cm of reinforcement attacked by rust were taken from broken reinforced concrete columns and beams in order to determine the impact of corrosion on high adhesion steel (HA) and therefore on its ability to resist. The experimental results have shown that the corrosion degradation rates of reinforcing bars of different diameters increase as the diameter of the reinforcing bars decreases: 5% for HA12;23.75% for HA8 and 50% for HA6. Using the approach proposed by Mangat and Elgalf on the bearing capacity as a function of the progress of the corrosion phenomenon, these rates made it possible to assess the new fracture limits of corroded HA steels. For HA6 respectively HA8 and HA12, their initial limit resistances will decrease by 4/4, 3/4 and 1/4. Based on the results of this study and in order to guarantee their durability, an RC structure can be dimensioned by taking into account the effects of reinforcement corrosion.

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.

Distortional buckling analysis of steel-concrete composite box beams considering effect of stud rotational restraint under hogging moment

Restrained distortional buckling is an important buckling mode of steel-concrete composite box beams(SCCBB)under the hogging moment.Rotational and lateral deformation restraints of the bottom plate by the webs are essential factors affecting SCCBB distortional buckling.Based on the stationary potential energy principle,the analytical expressions for the rotational restraint stiffness(RRS)of the web upper edge as well as the RRS and the lateral restraint stiffness(LRS)of the bottom plate were derived.Also,the SCCBB critical moment formula under the hogging moment was derived.Using twenty specimens,the theoretical calculation method is compared with the finite-element method.Results indicate that the theoretical calculation method can effectively and accurately reflect the restraint effect of the studs,top steel flange,and other factors on the bottom plate.Both the RRS and the LRS have a nonlinear coupling relationship with the external loads and the RRS of the web’s upper edge.Under the hogging moment,the RRS of the web upper edge has a certain influence on the SCCBB distortional buckling critical moment.With increasing RRS of the web upper edge,the SCCBB critical moment increases at first and then tends to be stable.

Human Comfort Evaluation of a Steel-Concrete Composite Building Subjected to Aerobics

The current steel-concrete composite floors design might be susceptible to the resonance phenomenon, causing undesirable vibrations in the frequency range that is the most noticeable to humans, i.e., 4 Hz to 8 Hz. This way, the main objective of this work is to investigate the dynamic structural behaviour of a steel-concrete composite multi-storey building when subjected to human rhythmic activities （aerobics）. The studied structural model represents a typical interior floor bay of a commercial building used for gym and is composed by three floor levels spanning 20 m by 20 m, with a total area of 3×400 m2. An extensive parametric study was developed aiming to obtain the peak accelerations, RMS （root mean square） accelerations and VDV （vibration dose value） values, based on two different mathematical formulations. The human comfort of the building was analysed and the vibration transmissibility related to the steel columns was verified. Based on the found results, the investigated structural model presented high vibration levels that compromise the human comfort.

Bending Stiffness of Truss-Reinforced Steel-Concrete Composite Beams

This paper is concerned with a special steel-concrete composite beam in which the resisting system is a truss structure whose bottom chord is made of a steel plate supporting the precast floor system. This system works in two distinct phases with two different resisting mechanisms: during the construction phase, the truss structure bears the precast floor system and the resisting system is that of a simply supported steel truss;once the concrete has hardened, the truss structure becomes the reinforcing element of a steel-concrete composite beam, where it is also in a pre-stressed condition due to the loads carried before the hardening of concrete. Within this framework, the effects of the diagonal bars on the bending stiffness of this composite beam are investigated. First, a closed-form solution for the evaluation of the equivalent bending stiffness is derived. Subsequently, the influence of geometrical and mechanical characteristics of shear reinforcement is studied. Finally, results obtained from parametric and numerical analyses are discussed.

Identification of Connection Flexibility Effects Based on Load Testing of a Steel-Concrete Bridge

In the case of composite girders, an effective cooperation of both parts of the section is influenced by deformability of connectors. Limited flexural stiffness of welded studs, used commonly in bridge structures, does not provide full interaction of a steel beam and a concrete slab. This changes strain distribution in cross-sections of a composite girder and results in redistribution of internal forces in steel and concrete element. In the paper partial interaction index defined on the basis of a neutral axis position, which can be used for verification of steel-concrete interaction in real bridge structures rather than in specimens is proposed. The range of the index value changes, obtained during load testing of a typical steel-concrete composite beam bridge, is presented. The investigation was carried out on a motorway viaduct, consisting of two parallel structures. During the testing values of strains in girders under static and quasi-static loads were measured. The readings from the gauges were used to determine the index, characterizing composite action of the girders. Results of bridge testing under movable load, changing position along the bridge span is presented and obtained in-situ influence functions of strains and index values are commented in the paper.

Numerical study on effects of the cofferdam area in liquefied natural gas storage tank on the leakage and diffusion characteristics of natural gas

The leakage and diffusion characteristics of natural gas were investigated in the condition of the leakage of liquefied natural gas(LNG) in the storage tank.Fluent was adopted to simulate the process in a series of three-dimension unsteady state calculations.The effects of different heights of the cofferdam(1.0 m, 2.0 m and 3.0 m),wind directions,ambient temperature,leakage location,leakage volume on the diffusion process of natural gas were investigated.The diffusion characteristics of the natural gas clouds over cofferdam were found.Under windless condition,when the gas clouds met,the gas clouds rose due to the collision,which made them easier to cross the cofferdam and spread out.The higher the ambient temperature was,the higher the gas concentration around the cofferdam was,and the smaller the gas concentration difference was.When the leakage occurred,the higher coffe rdam was more beneficial to delay the outward diffusion of gas clouds.However,when the leaka ge stopped,the higher cofferdam went against the dissipation of gas clouds.Under windy condition,the time to form stable leakage flow field was faster than that of windless,and the lower cofferdam further reduced this time.Therefore,considering the effect of barrier and dissipation,it was suggested that the rational height of cofferdam should be designed in the range of 1.0 m to 2.0 m.In case of emergency,the leakage of gas should be deduced reasonably by combining the measurement of gas concentration with the rolling of gas clouds.When windless,the leakage area should be entered between the overflows of gas clouds.