Performance of variously shaped glass-fibre-reinforced polymer bars in concrete columns

An investigation was carried out into the structural performance of concrete columns reinforced with various shapes of glass-fibre-reinforced polymer bars and stainless-steel stirrups under concentric loading at ultimate limit state. Six square-section columns were cast to investigate the effects of different reinforcement types. The results showed failure modes depended on reinforcement material, shape and stirrup spacing. Across all specimens, steel-reinforced columns had higher loading capacity and better ductile performance, followed by L-shape and then round polymer bars. Smaller spiral spacing increased confinement efficiency and ductility and provided sufficient restraint against longitudinal polymer bar buckling. Finite-element models were also calibrated, and the results were in close agreement with experimental measurements. Based on the calibrated models, numerical parameters were studied to understand further the behavior of composite columns reinforced with glass-fibre-reinforced polymer.

Designing and detailing transverse reinforcement to control bar buckling in rectangular RC walls

Bar buckling in RC structures is a commonly-observed failure mode that adversely affects their deformation capacity. To restrict bar buckling in ductile RC walls, design codes only emphasises on restricting the spacing of transverse reinforcement and does not recognise the importance of the effective stiffness of the ties (which is a combination of the tie leg axial stiffness and spacing) to restrict bar buckling. Therefore, in this paper the design requirements for anti-buckling transverse reinforcement are summarised, and improvements to the current design methodology for anti-buckling transverse reinforcement are proposed. To ensure that the transverse reinforcement detailing in plastic hinge regions is adequate to restrict bar buckling to single tie spacing and the compressive stress deterioration in bars due to buckling is controlled, refinements to the current detailing procedures are proposed. The buckling restraining ability of transverse reinforcement depends on the axial stiffness of the tie legs, while the compressive stress reduction in reinforcing bars due to buckling depends on their unsupported length (in bare bar tests) or buckling length that can include multiple tie spacing (inside RC members). Therefore, restrictions on both the axial stiffness of the tie legs and spacing of transverse reinforcement along the longitudinal reinforcing bars are proposed. The effective axial stiffness of tie legs is controlled by ensuring that the length of the tie legs in the direction of potential buckling is well below the critical length evaluated using a mechanics-based approach. Additionally, compressive stress degradation in reinforcing bars is controlled by limiting the ratio of the transverse reinforcement spacing and the longitudinal bar diameter such that any reduction of compressive stress carried by the longitudinal bars due to buckling at the limiting curvature recommended by New Zealand Concrete Standard is within an acceptable range. Furthermore, recommendations to avoid buckling of unrestrained reinforcing bars in the boundary zone and the wall web are proposed. Using the proposed design methodology, buckling of longitudinal reinforcing bars in ductile RC walls can be delayed and the detrimental effects of buckling on the lateral response of walls can be controlled until the design drift or curvature demands are met.

The chemical properties of the Milky Way’s on-bar and off-bar regions: evidence for inhomogeneous star formation history in the bulge

ABSTRACT Numerous studies of integrated starlight, stellar counts, and kinematics have confirmed that the Milky Way is a barred galaxy. However, far fewer studies have investigated the bar’s stellar population properties, which carry valuable independent information regarding the bar’s formation history. Here, we conduct a detailed analysis of chemical abundance distributions ([Fe/H] and [Mg/Fe]) in the on-bar and off-bar regions to study the azimuthal variation of star formation history (SFH) in the inner Galaxy. We find that the on-bar and off-bar stars at Galactocentric radii 3 kpc < rGC < 5 kpc have remarkably consistent [Fe/H] and [Mg/Fe] distribution functions and [Mg/Fe]–[Fe/H] relation, suggesting a common SFH shared by the long bar and the disc. In contrast, the bar and disc at smaller radii (2 kpc < rGC < 3 kpc) show noticeable differences, with relatively more very metal-rich ($\rm [Fe/H] \sim 0.4$) stars but fewer solar abundance stars in the bar. Given the three-phase star formation history proposed for the inner Galaxy in Lian et al., these differences could be explained by the off-bar disc having experienced either a faster early quenching process or recent metal-poor gas accretion. Vertical variations of the abundance distributions at small rGC suggest a wider vertical distribution of low-α stars in the bar, which may serve as chemical evidence for vertical heating through the bar buckling process. The lack of such vertical variations outside the bulge may then suggest a lack of vertical heating in the long bar.

Straight and Bent Bars Buckling Considered as the Axial Displacement of One Bar End

A new approach has been taken to the problem of straight and bent bar buckling, where bar buckling is considered as a function of axial displacement of one end. It was assumed that the length of a bar being buckled at any instant of buckling is the same as that of a straight bar, regardless of the size of axial displacement of one end of the bar. Based on energy equations, a formula was derived for the value of axial displacement of one bar end or buckling amplitude in the middle of bar length as a function of compressive force. The established relationships were confirmed by simulation tests using the finite element software Midas NFX and by experimental tests.

Flexible bar buckling under short-time and long-term compressions

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to expand possibilities of stability computing method when performing a dynamic analysis of bar- or rod-shaped elements for actual structures.Design/methodology/approachThe methodology is based on the changes of stress–strain state of the bar-shaped elements at the moment of buckling. The proposed method is based on three assumptions. Firstly, the spatial stress–strain state is determined in the bar. Secondly, technological deviations inherent in real structures are introduced into the bar. Thirdly, mechanical behaviour of the bar is investigated in the mode of real time, which makes it possible to take into account wave deformation processes in the bar. To implement the suggested method of analysis, LS-DYNA package was selected in a dynamic formulation using solid finite elements.FindingsValidity of the proposed method is shown by an example of dynamic stability analysis of a steel flat thin bar with two types of loads: short-time and long-term axial compressions. Comparison of the results showed different nature of the mechanical behaviour of the bar: wave processes are observed under short-time loading, and continuous monotone ones are stated under long-term loads.Practical implicationsResearch results are applicable in the rocket and space industry.Originality/valueA new computer-based methodology for dynamic analysis of heterogeneous elastic-plastic bar-, rod-shaped structures under shock axial compressive loads is proposed.

Deformation Capacity Limits for Reinforced Concrete Walls

The use of deformation capacity limits is becoming increasingly common in seismic design and assessment of reinforced concrete (RC) walls. Deformation capacity limits for RC walls in existing design and assessment documents are reviewed using a comprehensive database. It is found that the existing models are inconsistent and do not account for variation in deformation capacity with changes in the ratio of neutral axis depth to wall length ( c/ L w) and ratio of transverse reinforcement spacing to longitudinal bar diameter ( s/ d b) at the wall end region. A new mechanics-based model considering strain limits on the concrete and reinforcement is recommended. Concrete compressive strain limits for different levels of wall end region detailing are selected based on curvature ductilities for the walls in the database. Reinforcement tensile strain is limited based on a model for bar buckling. The proposed model, which accounts for c/ L w and s/ d b, is shown to have less dispersion and more accuracy than existing models when compared against experimental data and provides consistency between assessment and design provisions.

Dissecting the phase space snail shell

The on-going phase mixing in the vertical direction of the Galactic disk has been discovered with the revolutionary Gaia DR2 data. It manifests itself as the snail shell in the Z–Vz phase space. To better understand the origin and properties of the phase mixing process, we study the phase-mixing signatures in moving groups (also known as the kinematic streams) with the Gaia DR2 data in the Galactic disk near the Solar circle. Interestingly, the phase space snail shell exists only in the main kinematic streams with |VR|≲ 50 km/s and |Vφ –VLSR|≲30 km/s, i.e., stars on dynamically “colder” orbits. Compared to the colder orbits, the hotter orbits may have phase-wrapped away already due to the much larger dynamical range in radial variation to facilitate faster phase mixing. These results help put tighter constraints on the vertical perturbation history of the Milky Way disk. To explain the lack of a well-defined snail shell in the hotter orbits, the disk should have been perturbed at least ∼400–500 Myr ago. Our results offer more support to the recent satellite-disk encounter scenario than the internal bar buckling perturbation scenario as the origin of the phase space mixing.

Footprints of the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy in the Gaia data set

ABSTRACT We analyse an N-body simulation of the interaction of the Milky Way (MW) with a Sagittarius-like dSph (Sgr), looking for signatures which may be attributed to its orbital history in the phase space volume around the Sun in light of Gaia DR2 discoveries. The repeated impacts of Sgr excite coupled vertical and radial oscillations in the disc which qualitatively, and to a large degree quantitatively are able to reproduce many features in the 6D Gaia DR2 samples, from the median VR, Vϕ, V$z$ velocity maps to the local δρ($v$$z$, $z$) phase-space spiral which is a manifestation of the global disc response to coupled oscillations within a given volume. The patterns in the large-scale velocity field are well described by tightly wound spirals and vertical corrugations excited from Sgr’s impacts. We show that the last pericentric passage of Sgr resets the formation of the local present-day δρ($v$$z$, $z$) spiral and situate its formation around 500-800 Myr. As expected δρ(vz, $z$) grows in size and decreases in woundedness as a function of radius in both the Gaia DR2 data and simulations. This is the first N-body model able to explain so many of the features in the data on different scales. We demonstrate how to use the full extent of the Galactic disc to date perturbations dating from Myr to Gyr, probe the underlying potential and constrain the mass-loss history of Sgr. δρ(vz, $z$) looks the same in all stellar populations age bins down to the youngest ages which rules out a bar buckling origin.