CFRP strengthening and rehabilitation of degraded steel welded RHS beams under combined bending and bearing

To rehabilitate damaged or sub-standard box girders, techniques utilising the lightweight, high strength and corrosion resistance of carbon fibres reinforced polymers (CFRP) composites have been proposed. This paper presents experimental results for two series of CFRP strengthened and rehabilitated model box girders under quasi-static large deformation 3-point bending. The first series represents strengthening 12 un-degraded rectangular hollow section (RHS) beams from the manufacturer using externally wrapped CFRP sheets. The second series was for rehabilitation of 41 artificially degraded RHS beams strengthened using externally wrapped sheets or bonded plates. The main parameters examined in this paper were the section type, section and member slenderness and the type and number of the CFRP sheets. The flange and web slenderness examined in this paper was in the range of b/t=20 to 66.67 and d/t_w=20 to 75. The CFRP sheets were wrapped around the section in the transverse direction with a sufficient overlap. The results show that the combined flexural and bearing strength of the steel box girder can be significantly increased by adhesively bonding CFRP. Expressions for the bearing strength and plastic moment of the composite section were obtained by means of an equivalent thickness approach. The newly derived interaction equations were compared against the present design rules in steel specifications. The average gain in strength due to bonding the CFRP laminate was 65% and 19.9% for the strengthening and rehabilitations series, respectively. The percent increase in strength was mostly affected by the section slenderness where the maximum gain was obtained for the slender section.     

Stability of web plates in W-shape columns accounting for flange/web interaction

North American, British and European codes of practice provide design equations for local buckling limit state of W-shape columns, by assuming the web and the flanges are either simply supported or clamped along their lines of junctions. In doing so, the geometric interactions between the web and flange are ignored. In practice, the column webs rarely have simply supported or clamped edges but are rather elastically restrained against rotation. In addition, the in-plane boundary conditions of the web, which is dictated by geometric properties of the flanges, have a great influence on its buckling and post-buckling stiffness. The paper highlights the influence of the flange/web geometric proportions on the stability of web plates in W-shape columns under uniform compression. Results are obtained showing the influence of the flange/web thickness (t_f/t_w) on the buckling and post buckling stiffness of the web. Also, the influence of the flange/web width (b_f/b_w) on the web stability is highlighted. Graphs are presented showing the transitions between various “theoretical” boundary conditions by adjusting the flange/web geometric proportions. These graphs are useful to use in practice in order to achieve economical design of column section.     

Strengthening of steel–concrete composite girders using carbon fiber reinforced polymer plates

Strengthening and rehabilitation of structures is a major concern for researchers in the civil engineering community in recent years due to the aging of these structures and the need for effective methods of strengthening. This paper presents the results of an experimental study of the behavior of strengthened steel–concrete composite girders using Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymers (CFRP) plates. Strengthening was achieved by attaching the CFRP plates to the bottom flange and in some beams the CFRP plates were also attached to the beam web. Two different types of CFRP plates were used being mainly different in the tensile modulus of elasticity. Shear stress distribution along the bond line between CFRP plates and steel was recorded and reported. The test results showed that using lightweight CFRP plates could enhance the strength and stiffness of steel–concrete composite girders up to 45% of the original strength.     

Ultimate capacity of axially loaded thin-walled tapered columns with doubly symmetric sections

The behaviour of thin-walled I-section tapered members is governed by the width–thickness ratio of the plate elements along with the member slenderness and tapering ratios. The effect of this interaction has been studied theoretically in this work. A nonlinear finite element model which allows for geometric non-linearities is constructed for the study. Large number of members having different values of flange and web width–thickness ratios along with different member lengths and tapering ratios were selected to draw complete ultimate strength–slenderness ratio curves and to study the different modes of failure. A series of curves were drawn for design purpose. Finally, an empirical equation to get the ultimate axial capacity of tapered slender I-section members (using the whole section) is presented. The equation alleviates the current complexity in the calculation of the effective width, providing more flexible design procedure.     

Structural behavior of hybrid FRP composite I-beam

This paper presents the structural behavior of an innovative hybrid Fiber Reinforced Polymers (FRP) beam consisting of carbon/glass fibers and vinyl-ester resin. The advanced feature of this hybridization is the optimum use of carbon and glass fibers in the flanges to maximize structural performance while reducing the overall cost by using only glass fibers in the web section. A series of beam tests were conducted under four-point bending varying ratio of flange to web width (b_f/b_w) and volume content of carbon and glass fiber in the flanges. Experimental investigations revealed that the ratio of flange to web width of hybrid FRP I-shaped beams plays an important role in their structural behavior. Small flange beams (b_f/b_w = 0.43) showed stable and linear behavior under bending moment and failed in a brittle manner by delamination of the compressive flange at the interfacial layers while wide flange beams (b_f/b_w = 1.13) exhibited unstable and nonlinear behavior in the buckling and post-buckling region leading to delamination failure of the compressive flange. The experimental and analytical results discussed in this paper emphasize on the best composition of carbon and glass fibers for the optimum design of such hybrid beams. It is found that the maximum strength of hybrid FRP beams can be obtained with the volume content of carbon fiber to be 25–33%. Furthermore, the results of this study show the potential of applying hybrid FRP beams for bridge components.     

Eccentrically patch-loaded steel I-girders: The influence of patch load length on the ultimate strength

The ultimate strength of steel I-girders is reduced when the loads are applied at an eccentricity relative to the center of the section, compared with the centric case, for which the loads are applied in the plane of the web. Current expressions for the strength reduction coefficient for eccentrically patch-loaded steel I-girders do not account for the length of the patch loading. In this paper, the effect of patch load length is investigated using a substantially larger data set than was available in the past. The length of the patch load is found to have a significant influence on the strength reduction coefficient for small ratios of flange thickness to web thickness, t_f/t_w.     

Curved concrete filled steel tubular (CCFST) built-up members under axial compression: Experiments

A series of tests on curved concrete filled steel tubular (CCFST) built-up members subjected to axial compression is described in this paper. Twenty specimens, including 18 CCFST built-up members and 2 curved hollow tubular built-up columns, were tested to investigate the influence of variations in the tube shape (circular and square), initial curvature ratio (β_r, from 0 to 7.4%), nominal slenderness ratio (λ_n, from 9.9 to 18.9), section pattern (two main components, three main components and four main components), as well as brace pattern (battened and laced) on the performance of such composite built-up members. The experimental results showed that the ultimate strength and stiffness of CCFST built-up specimens decreased with increasing β_r or λ_n. Different load-bearing capacities and failure modes were obtained for the battened and laced built-up members. A simplified method using an equivalent slenderness ratio was suggested to calculate the strength of CCFST built-up members under axial compression.     

Flexural behavior of strengthened steel–concrete composite beams by various plating methods

The effect of pre-intermediate separation on the flexural behavior of strengthened steel–concrete composite beams by either adhesively bonded carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRP) sheet or welded/bonded steel plate was studied. In the case of strengthened by CFRP sheet, two different attachment patterns, namely, CFRP sheet wrapped around the flange of the I-beam and CFRP sheet wrapped around the flange along with a part of the web, were examined by testing four different strengthened steel–concrete composite beams under four point bending (4PB). Two of these beams were strengthened by fully bonded CFRP sheet with the two different patterns, while, the others are similar but have pre-intermediate debonding area of 50 mm length × flange width at the bottom surface of the lower flange. In the case of strengthened by steel plate, three different attachment patterns of steel plate to the soffit of the beams, namely, discontinuously welded, end welded, and bonded/welded steel plates, were also tested under 4PB.The experimental results showed that, there is no growth of the intermediate debonding before the yield of the lower flange occurred for all strengthened beams by CFRP sheet. After yielding, the beams with pre-debonding area showed lower flexural capacity than those with fully bonding due to the rapid growth of the intermediate debonding. On the other hand, there is a difference in the yield load between the three different patterns of the welded steel plates with a marginal difference in the elastic stiffness.     

Shear strength of horizontally curved steel I-girders — finite element analysis studies

This paper presents the results of finite element analysis (FEA) studies of four curved steel I-girder shear components tested experimentally in previous research, as well as parametric extensions of these tests. These studies focus on the influence of horizontal curvature on the maximum strength of transversely stiffened members with web slenderness D/t_w approximately equal to the largest value permitted in AASHTO [AASHTO LRFD bridge design specifications. 3rd ed. In: 2005 Interim Provisions, Washington (DC): American Association of State and Highway Transportation Officials; 2004], and with panel aspect ratios of d_o/D=1.5 and 3.0. These ratios are larger than previously considered in experimental tests of curved I-girders with similar or larger slenderness. The girders studied have subtended angles between their bracing locations of L_b/R=0.05 and 0.10, and web panel d_o/R values ranging from 0.03 to 0.10. The FEA models incorporate the measured material stress-strain relationships and section dimensions from the physical tests, detailed modeling of the test boundary conditions, residual stresses due to flame cutting and welding, and initial geometric imperfections in the form of buckling mode shapes. The load transfer mechanisms of the test girders are investigated via elastic buckling and full nonlinear analyses. The parametric studies are performed to investigate the effects of residual stresses and geometric imperfections, the behavior of equivalent straight girders, and the influence of reduced flange size on the peak shear capacity and moment-shear interaction.     

Stiffened steel plates under uniaxial compression

The stability of steel plates stiffened with tee-shape sections under uniaxial compression and combined uniaxial compression and bending was investigated using a finite element model. The emphasis of the work presented in this paper was to find the parameters that uniquely describe the strength and behaviour of stiffened steel plates. A finite element model, validated using the results of tests on full-size stiffened plate panels, was used to investigate the scale effect for five dimensionless parameters. The parameters investigated were: the transverse slenderness of the plate, the slenderness of the web and flange of the stiffener, the ratio of torsional slenderness of the stiffener to the transverse slenderness of the plate, and the stiffener-to-plate area ratio. Average magnitude residual stresses and initial imperfections were assumed for this study.A parametric study covering a wide range of dimensionless parameters indicated that stiffened steel plates do not fail by stiffener tripping unless a bending moment is applied to create flexural compressive stresses in the stiffener. Although plate buckling and overall buckling were found to lead to a very stable post-buckling behaviour, the interaction between these two buckling modes was found to give rise to a sudden loss of capacity following initial plate buckling. The plate transverse slenderness, the stiffener slenderness-to-plate slenderness ratio, and the stiffener-to-plate area ratio were found to have a significant effect on this behaviour.A comparison of the numerical analysis results with API and DnV design guidelines indicates that the guidelines predict stiffened steel plate capacity with various degrees of success, depending on the governing mode of failure. Neither guidelines address the potential interaction-buckling phenomenon.     

压弯钢构件在循环荷载作用下的非线性弯扭屈曲

本文根据非线性有限元的基本理论,采用基于修正的拉格朗日法描述的八节点超参数壳体单元,考虑几何非线性和材料非线性,结合混合强化本构关系,编制了非线性有限元计算程序。对压弯钢构件在循环荷载作用下的弹塑性弯扭屈曲进行计算机模拟,系统分析了H形截面压弯钢构件的滞回特性,以及翼缘宽厚比、腹板高厚比、构件轴压比和长细比对压弯钢构件弯扭屈曲的影响规律。通过对计算结果的比较,提出了强烈地震条件下,H形截面压弯钢构件在循环荷载作用下保持整体稳定,满足延性要求,具有较高屈曲后强度的长细比和板件宽厚比限值。     

CFRP布对不同截面混凝土柱加固性能分析

为了探究碳纤维增强复合材料(CFRP)布对不同截面混凝土柱的加固性能,以条带用量、条带净间距、条带净宽等参数为控制变量,设计并制作了3组钢筋混凝土柱,第1组试件为方形截面柱,第2组试件为T形截面柱,第3组试件是在第2组试件的基础上,在翼缘与腹板转角处利用角钢对CFRP布进行锚固。通过对3组钢筋混凝土试件进行轴心受压试验,得到了试件极限荷载、轴向变形以及破坏形态等试验数据。采用有限元软件ABAQUS建立了一批CFRP布约束状态下的混凝土短柱,并对其力学性能进行了分析。根据试验数据及有限元分析结果,提出了CFRP条带约束状态下方形截面钢筋混凝土柱和角钢锚固CFRP条带约束状态下T形截面钢筋混凝土柱极限承载力的计算公式。结果表明：随着CFRP条带用量的增加,加固混凝土柱的承载力增大;当CFRP条带的用量相同时,极限承载力随条带净间距的减小而增大;使用角钢在T形截面柱的翼缘与腹板转角位置对CFRP条带锚固,可以更好地发挥出CFRP条带的抗拉强度,使混凝土柱的极限承载力有所提升。     

中国现行钢结构规范(规程)与美国ASD规范的主要限值

通过比较现行中、美两国的钢结构设计规范、规程中对受压杆件的长细比、翼缘宽厚比、腹板高厚比的极限值规定，阐述两国规范、规程中的差异和近似之处。     

Investigation of ductility in hybrid and high strength steel beams

Compactness and lateral support configuration provisions for design of steel beams are formulated so as to ensure that the resulting beam exhibits adequate ductility. It appears from the current research that slenderness limitations are not valid for beams made of the high strength steel grades. In this paper an attempt is made to study on influence of flange and web slenderness as well as lateral support spacing of homogenous and hybrid welded I-sections made of high strength steel on member ductility. For this purpose an experimentally verified nonlinear numerical analysis of the local and overall stability was performed. These beams are subjected to constant moment loading a new theoretical method is proposed to calculate the rotation capacity for this loading type. A comparative study was carried out between this method and numerical study results to ensure the accuracy of proposed method. In this research realistic material behavior and residual stresses were adopted in finite element models. Results have shown that using the high strength steel in cross sections subjected to bending has a significant effect on flexural behavior of these members. Meanwhile, in present study, interaction between the flange and web slenderness ratios was evaluated in accordance to AISC criteria for compact sections.     

Plastic collapse analysis of CFRP strengthened and rehabilitated degraded steel welded RHS beams subjected to combined bending and bearing

Innovative techniques using the lightweight, high strength and corrosion resistance of carbon fibres reinforced polymers (CFRP) composites have been proposed in a recent paper by the author. The present paper presents plastic mechanism analyses of CFRP strengthened and rehabilitated rectangular hollow sections (RHS) under quasi-static large deformation 3-point bending. The strengthening series was for un-degraded RHS beams from the manufacturer reinforced using externally wrapped CFRP sheets. The rehabilitation series was for artificially degraded RHS beams repaired using externally wrapped sheets or bonded plates. The main parameters examined in this paper were the section type, section and member slenderness and the type and number of the CFRP sheets. Three different phases of plastic deformation were observed during the test, namely, denting, denting and bending, and structural collapse. Two methods were used to model the large plastic deformation measured during plastic collapse of the composite RHS beams, namely, equilibrium and energy methods of analysis. It was found that the predicted collapse curves using the equilibrium approach were in good agreement with the measured curves for the bare and composite specimens examined in the strengthening and rehabilitation series, particularly for the latter series. This may be caused by a number of factors such as the specimens in the rehabilitations series were comparatively longer and had larger bearing width. The energy theory was found to have deficiencies represented in the simplified linear polygon shape adopted for the mechanism geometry, and adopting the plastic 1/2-wave length used for I-sections, as well as the use of a simplified formulae to describe the relationship between the local denting displacement and global bending rotation angle for the three phases of deformation observed during the test.     

工字型铝合金轴心受压构件中美设计规范对比

对比GB50429-2007《铝合金结构设计规范》、DGJ08-95-2001《铝合金格构结构技术规程》（试行）、美国铝合金设计规范中6061-T6工字型铝合金构件的整体稳定系数,求出了铝合金板材不同宽厚比下弹性屈曲允许应力,得到了铝合金构件不同长细比与宽厚比之间的关系.工程设计中应综合考虑整体稳定、局部稳定及局部屈曲的影响,以确定最合理的截面形式.     

高强钢焊接薄腹工形截面双向压弯构件的稳定性

应用ANSYS有限元,分析了Q460高强钢焊接薄腹工形截面双向压弯构件的稳定性能,提出了可供实际应用参考的设计公式。分析中考虑的主要参数有腹板高厚比,构件长细比,翼缘宽厚比及荷载偏心率。结果表明,对受压为主的构件,腹板局部屈曲对构件稳定承载力影响较大,而对受弯为主的构件,这一因素对构件稳定承载力影响较小。有限元分析结果与现行规范方法计算结果比较表明,目前规范方法尚不能较好地计算高强钢焊接薄腹工形截面双向压弯构件的稳定承载力,因而提出了修正直接强度法,该法精度较好且偏于安全。     

竖向钢筋套筒挤压连接的预制钢筋混凝土剪力墙抗震性能试验研究

对4个剪跨比为2.11,竖向钢筋套筒挤压连接的预制钢筋混凝土剪力墙试件进行了拟静力试验。其中,3个试件为一字形截面剪力墙,轴压比分别为0.5、0.6和0.2;1个试件为T形截面剪力墙,轴压比为0.5。试验结果表明：剪力墙以压弯破坏为主,边缘构件竖向钢筋受拉屈服、墙底两端混凝土受压破坏;水平荷载 位移滞回曲线有一定程度捏拢;一字形截面剪力墙及T形截面剪力墙翼缘端受压时极限位移角不小于1/80,T形截面剪力墙腹板端受压时极限位移角为1/110;对于偏心受压承载力试验值与GB 50010-2010规范公式计算值之比,一字形截面剪力墙约为1.20,T形截面剪力墙翼缘端受压和腹板端受压时分别为1.04和1.11;套筒挤压连接能有效传递钢筋拉、压荷载作用。竖向钢筋套筒挤压连接的预制钢筋混凝土剪力墙的抗震性能满足现行规范的要求。     

Strength,stiffness, ductility,and dissipated energy reduction of semisupported steel shear walls (SSSW) due to a circular opening

Semisupported steel shear walls (SSSWs) with web plates that are only connected to the beams were proposed as a means of mitigating column demands. In this research, equations for evaluating the reduction factors of performance characteristics (i.e., shear strength, initial stiffness, ductility, and energy dissipation) for SSSWs with the circular opening at the center are proposed. Nonlinear quasistatic analyses under cyclic loading were conducted on a series of perforated SSSWs with different slenderness ratio and different perforation diameters to assess the effectiveness of the proposed equations. Based on the results, the performance characteristics of SSSWs are affected directly by the square D/L_PTF (D and L_PTF are the perforation diameter and the length of the partial tension field along the beam, respectively). Furthermore, the proposed equations underestimate the reduction factors for web plates with higher perforation ratios, D/H (H is the height of web plate). With an increase in the perforation ratio, deterioration of shear strength and dissipated energy is so severe compared with that of initial stiffness and ductility factor. The proposed equations for performance characteristics deterioration have been validated by the good correlation between predicted values and experimental data.     

Horizontally curved composite plate girders with trapezoidally corrugated webs

This paper is concerned with horizontally curved composite plate girders with trapezoidally corrugated webs. Finite element analysis using the computer package LUSAS is employed to investigate the behaviour and ultimate strength capacity of the girders. The presence of web openings of different proportions and their effects on the behaviour and ultimate strength of the girders are also investigated. Parameters that affect the behaviour of these girders are slenderness of the web d/t, web panel aspect ratio b/d, width to the depth of corrugation ratio b_h/h and size of openings. Influence of these parameters on the collapse behaviour is examined. Results are obtained in terms of ultimate strength, failure mechanism and load-deflection curves from the finite element analyses and, some typical results are presented herein. An approximate method to compute the shear capacity of these girders is presented. Comparison of the results with those predicted using the finite element method established the accuracy of the proposed method.