Effect of concrete and reinforcement continuity on repairing mid-span zone in simply supported one-way slab

The flexural strength of slabs may be reduced due to accidents and environmental effects. This study focuses on the rehabilitation of the one-way reinforced concrete slab. Experimental works include five simply supported one-way reinforced concrete slabs with width, depth, and length of 400, 120, and 2200 mm, respectively. Different configurations of steel continuity between old and new concrete have been tested. Moreover, in the control specimen (steel is continued overall, the specimen and concrete are cast in one stage over the entire slab). In the other four specimens, the concrete is cast in two stages, the left and right parts representing the old concrete are cast first, and the middle part representing a new concrete is cast after that. In these four specimens, new steel is connected to old one by different configuration (original steel remain to continue, new steel connected to old one by weld, new steel connected to old one by making 90° hooks, and new steel bars is put inside bores using epoxy). After testing, the welding method of connecting new to old steel is the best one.

Numerical evaluation of expansion loops for pipe subjected to thermal displacements

The thermal expansion can lead to the high stress on the pipe. The problem can be overcome using expansion loops in a certain length depending on the material’s elastic modulus, diameter, the amount of expansion, and the pipe’s allowable stresses. Currently, there is no exact definition for the dimension of expansion loops design both for loop width (W) and loop footing height (H) sizes. In this study, expansion loops were investigated with using ratio of width and height (W/H) variations to understand pipe stress occurring on the expansion loops and the expansion loops’ safety factor. Relationship between non dimensional stress on the expansion loop pipe was studied numerically by finite element software on several working temperatures of 400oF, 500oF, 600oF, and 700oF. It can be found that stress occurring on the pipes increases as the increases of W/H of the expansion loops and results in a lower safety factor. The safety factor of the expansion loops pipe has a value of 1 when the ratio of loop width and loop footing height (W/H) value was 1.2 for a 16-inch diameter pipe. Stress occurring on the pipe increases with the increase of the working temperature. Expansion loops pipe designed for 400oF can still work well to handle thermal extension pipe occurring on 500oF.

Application of generalized equations of finite difference method to computation of bent isotropic stretched and/or compressed plates of variable stiffness under elastic foundation

The computation of bent isotropic plates, stretched and/or compressed, is a topic widely explored in the literature from both experimental and numerical point of view. We expose in this work an application of the generalized equations of Finite difference method to that topic. The strength of the proposed method is the ability to reconstruct the approximate solution with respect of eventual discontinuities involved in the investigated function as well as its first and second derivatives, including the right-hand side of the equilibrium equation. It is worth mentioning that by opposition to finite element methods our method needs neither fictitious points nor a special condensation of grid. Well-known benchmarks are used in this work to illustrate the efficiency of our numerical and the high accuracy of calculation as well. A comparison of our results with those available in the literature also shows good agreement.

Application of physical theory of cavity in the construction of double skin facades

The article deals with the issue of double skin transparent facades as a new technological-operational system of transparent exterior walls. Especially of high-rise buildings, which with its operating modes ingeniously uses a renewable source of solar energy to reduce the energy needs of the building. The basic precondition for the correct function of the double skin facade is its functional aerodynamics in any climatic conditions of the outdoor climate. In the critical state of windlessness, the aerodynamic quantification of a double skin facade is the total aerodynamic resistance of the cavity, which consists of the aerodynamic frictional resistances along the length of the air flow line and local aerodynamic resistances of the cavity. The article analyses the functional aerodynamics on two frequented types of double skin facades with a narrow type and corridor type cavity. At the end it confronts functional aerodynamics with the results of their temperature, aerodynamic and energy regime obtained from in-situ experiments.

A study on the construction technology of the Seljuk minarets in Isfahan with focus on their geometric brick pattern

Using decorative elements is an inseparable aspect of Iranian architecture. Architectural ornaments in many buildings, including the minarets, represent the architect’s craftsmanship. As such, the minarets in Isfahan have different types of brickwork ornamentations, such as 90-degree herringbone (Khofteh-Rasteh), basket weave bond (Hasiri), and other complex types. Additionally, the highest minarets are usually constructed in a truncated conical shape to reduce their overall weight and ameliorate their stability against the wind, and lateral forces. Therefore, while the geometric integrity of brickwork patterns should be maintained, all the ornamentations are applied on a shrinking surface area. However, the practical solutions for the construction processes in these structures haven’t been sufficiently investigated. Hence, this study aims to explore the methods of brickwork projection on the minarets and analyse the changes in girih patterns at different height levels. Accordingly, after surveying the selected single minarets in Isfahan, they were modeled using drafting software applications and then analysed.

On the deformation of laminated composite and sandwich curved beams

Plenty of research articles are available on the static deformation analysis of laminated straight beams using refined shear deformation theories. However, research on the deformation of laminated curved beams with simply supported boundary conditions is limited and needs more attention nowadays. With this objective, the present study deals with the static analysis of laminated composite and sandwich beams curved in elevation using a new quasi-3D polynomial type beam theory. The theory considers the effects of both transverse shear and normal strains, i.e. thickness stretching effects. In the present theory, axial displacement has expanded up to the fifth-order polynomial in terms of thickness coordinates to effectively account for the effects of curvature and deformations. The present theory satisfies the zero traction boundary condition on the top and bottom surfaces of the beam. Governing differential equations and associated boundary conditions are established by using the Principal of virtual work. Navier’s solution technique is used to obtain displacements and stresses for simply supported beams curved in elevation and subjected to uniformly distributed load. The present results can be benefited to the upcoming researchers.

Impact of the reinforced metal structure on the mechanical properties foamed aluminium composites at the load

This paper is an experimental study of the quasi-static mechanical compressive properties of the reinforced closed-cell aluminum alloy foams with different cell orientations at different strain rates. The reinforced foam samples were obtained via the powder metallurgical route. The results of the compression tests revealed that the deformation behavior and mechanical properties of foamed aluminum composites are highly dependent on the orientation of the reinforcing mesh. Differences in the deformation behavior of foams appear to be influenced by the mechanical properties of the matrix material, by foam deformation mechanisms, and by the mechanical properties of the reinforcement. The yield stress, plateau stress, densification stress, and energy absorption capacity of unreinforced foam samples improved linearly with increasing strain rate due to dynamic recrystallization and softening of the foam matrix material. The reinforced foam samples exhibit nonlinear deformation behavior. It was also found that the mechanical properties reduction of transverse reinforced foams was slightly lower compared to foams with longitudinal reinforcement at varying strain rates because of the large contribution of the mechanical properties of the reinforcement. The results of the present study can be employed to modelling and obtain impact-resistant fillers for complex structures in transport construction.

Stress analysis of infinite laminated composite plate with elliptical cutout under different in plane loadings in hygrothermal environment

This paper presents the solution of stress distribution around elliptical cutout in an infinite laminated composite plate. Analysis is done for in plane loading under hygrothermal environment. The formulation to obtain stresses around elliptical hole is based on Muskhelishvili’s complex variable method. The effect of fibre angle, type of in plane loading, volume fraction of fibre, change in temperature, fibre materials, stacking sequence and environmental conditions on stress distribution around elliptical hole is presented. The study revealed, these factors have significant effect on stress concentration in hygrothermal environment and stress concentration changes are significant with change in temperature.

Target metric and Shell Shaping

We exploit the possibility of deforming a shell by assigning a target metric, which, for 2D structures, is decomposed into the first and second target fundamental-forms. As well known, an elastic shell may change its shape under two different kinds of actions: one are the loadings, the other one are the distortions, also known as the pre-strains. Actually, the target fundamental forms prescribe a sought shape for the solid, and the metric effectively realized is the one that minimizes the distance, measured through an elastic energy, between the target and the actual fundamental forms. The proposed method is very effective in deforming shells.

AE propagation velocity calculation for stiffness estimation in Pier Luigi Nervi’s concrete structures

In the present paper, the acoustic emission (AE) device is used with an innovative approach, based on the calculation of P-wave propagation velocity (vp ), to detect the stiffness characteristics and the diffused damage of in-service old concrete structures. The paper presents the result of a recent testing campaign carried out on the slant pillars composing the vertical bearing structures designed by Pier Luigi Nervi in one of his most iconic buildings: the Hall B of Torino Esposizioni. In order to investigate the properties of these inclined pillars, localizations of artificial sources (hammer impacts), by the triangulation procedure, were performed on three different inclined elements characterized by stiffness discrepancies due to different causes: the casting procedures, executed in different stages, and the enlargement of the hall happened a few years later the beginning of the construction. In the present work, the relationship between the velocity of AE signals and the elastic characteristics (principally elastic modulus, E) is evaluated in order to discriminate the stiffness level of the slanted pillars. The procedure presented made it possible to develop an innovative investigation method able to estimate, by means of AE, the state of conservation and the elastic properties and the damage level of the monitored concrete and reinforced concrete structures.