1,721,135 research outputs found
Tensile behaviour and durability assessment of Flax Textile Reinforced Mortar composite systems
No full textThe use of Textile Reinforced Mortar (TRM) composite systems is getting more and more common for enhancing shear and bending capacity masonry walls. In this context, employing natural fabrics deriving from vegetal fibres is a possible evolution in TRM technology, intended at enhancing the sustainability of the material. However, the organic nature of the aforementioned fibres raises new questions about the durability of the material. Therefore, this paper investigates the tensile behaviour of Flax-TRM coupons also considering the effect of their being exposed to different environmental condition. Specifically, according to the acceptance criteria AC434 issued by the ICC-Evaluation Service (USA), the specimens have been immersed either in water or salt-water or alkali solution for a period of 3000h. The composite material components (namely, the mortar matrix and the flax fabric) have been subjected to the same treatments to quantify their influence in the global response. A series of specimens has been left in ambient condition to get a reference behaviour. The obtained results show that neither the composite system as a whole, nor its components have shown any significant decay in terms of mechanical behaviour with respect to the reference series. The results demonstrate that the investigated Flax-TRM system, exposed to the conventional protocols provided by AC434, complies with the acceptance criteria generally considered for qualifying composite materials
Shear strengthening of masonry walls with Flax Textile Reinforced Mortar composite systems
No full textMasonry constructions built in the past decades in earthquake-prone areas are generally characterised by significant levels of seismic vulnerability. Therefore, strengthening and retrofitting of those constructions is more and more perceived as a major societal challenge, also in the light of damages and casualties induced by recent seismic events, such as those occurred in central Italy. Several techniques are nowadays available for enhancing seismic safety of existing masonry structures. Among them, the use of composite materials is widely accepted as one of the most convenient options. Besides the first generation of composites materials, based on polymeric matrix, a new type of materials adopting an inorganic matrix is attracting a growing interest within the scientific and technical community: these materials are often referred to as Textile Reinforced Mortars (TRM). This paper reportsthe results of a series of tests carried out with the aim to investigate the potential of a novel type of TRM in enhancing the in-plane shear capacity of masonry walls. Specifically, the TRM system under consideration is based on adopting a flax fabric as internal reinforcement. Therefore, it is characterised by high sustainability properties and a mechanical behaviour that has been investigated within a companion paper. The experimental activity confirms the potential in the use of plants fibres based composite systems as reinforcement of masonry elements. In comparison with unreinforced walls tested as reference, the peak load doubled. Moreover, the use of Flax-TRM led to a ductile behaviour never shown in unreinforced walls typically characterised by a brittle response. The research study paves the way for further investigation aimed at both identifying the performance under different load configuration and improving the composite material response
Dynamic Characterization of a Real-Scale Prestressed Concrete Beam Tested Until Failure
No full textIn this work, dynamic characterization of a simply supported beam is carried out during different steps in a failure load test. The main goal of this work is to evaluate the evolution of the structural dynamic parameters of the beam with different status of damage. Real-scale prestressed concrete beams are tested to investigate its shear behaviour as a part of a large research program at TU Delft. Four dynamic tests are performed at different damage status of the beam: firstly in the initial or undamaged condition; secondly after the first flexural cracks; then, after shear cracking; and finally in the full damaged condition. The dynamic excitation is performed with an impact load at fixed location on the top of the beam and the vibration data is recorded by three different systems. The first one is a cost-effective and open source monitoring equipment, consisting of seven low-cost accelerometers. The second system is based on five trusted high performance accelerometers. The last one is a commercial alternative consisting of four high accuracy piezoelectric accelerometers. Acceleration data is analysed afterwards using Operational Modal Analysis techniques to obtain modal frequencies, modal shapes and damping of the structure in the different states. The obtained dynamic behaviour of the structure and its results are discussed and compared. It is concluded that a change in the frequency of the first flexural mode is only observed when the damage in the beam is very significant, while no changes are observed with the occurrence of flexural and shear cracks.Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository ‘You share, we take care!’ – Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.Concrete Structure
Structural Behaviour of Slender Geopolymer Concrete BeamsWithout Stirrups
No full textGeopolymer concrete is a new alternative material to conventional concrete with less carbon dioxide emissions. Researchers have reported much research on the material properties of geopolymer concrete. However, research on the behaviour of this newmaterial at the structural level is still limited, especially at a full-scale structural level. Three geopolymer concrete beams with a total height of 700mm were tested till the shear failure. The first two specimens were subjected to the monotonically increasing load until the shear failure. The third specimen was first loaded under sustained load at the level of 80 kN for three weeks to investigate the influence of shrinkage and creep on the cracking behaviour. Then the specimen was then unloaded and reloaded again to failure. Digital Image Correlation (DIC) measurement was used to measure the surface deformation of the whole span of the beam. The crack spacing, crack width and crack development were investigated using the DIC measurement. The experimental results showed that the shear capacity of tested geopolymer concrete beams is lower than the calculated result based on the Eurocode.Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository ‘You share, we take care!’ – Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.Concrete Structure
Experimental and Numerical Assessment of Historical Steel-Concrete Composite Bridge Decks Without Mechanical Connectors
No full textIn old Dutch inner cities like Amsterdam a large number of steel-concrete bridge decks built between 1880 and 1960 remain in service nowadays and currently need assessment of their bearing capacity. A significant number of these decks were designed without any mechanical connectors like shear studs in the interface between concrete and steel. Moreover, the concrete decks were designed with only shrinkage reinforcement in both directions on the top layer of concrete. No additional transverse reinforcement was placed that can ensure proper (re)distribution of loads after cracking. In order to study the bearing capacity of this deck typology, two specimens of an existing bridge were taken to the Stevin Lab of TU Delft and tested until failure. In this work, the experimental results of both tests are presented. Then, finite element models including nonlinear behaviour of the materials and the interface are presented and compared with the experimental observations. Experimental results show that the bearing capacity is achieved after yielding of the steel beams. Nevertheless, the ductility and transverse load distribution of the elements is affected by the interface behaviour and the poor detailing. The finite element simulation strategy used shows good agreement with the experiment and can be used for future assessments.Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository ‘You share, we take care!’ – Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.Concrete Structure
Damage Mode Identification of CFRP-Strengthened Beam Based on Acoustic Emission Technique
No full textExternally bonded (EB) carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) is widely used in structural strengthening and retrofitting. Premature debonding of the FRP severely limits the efficiency of CFRP utilization. The application of CRRP anchorage system offers a solution to the debonding problem. However, the understanding of damage mode identification of this combined system still remains elusive. Acoustic emission (AE) technique is employed to identify the damage mode of this CFRP anchorage system, due to its high sensitivity and the ability to detect damage in real-time. The objective of the current study is to identify the failure mechanisms of CFRP-strengthened beam by applying advanced pattern recognition techniques to the collected AE data. Firstly, four-point test of CFRP-strengthened beam was carried out until failure with simultaneous recording of AE signals. Then, correlation analysis was adopted to select the AE characteristic parameters, and principal component analysis (PCA) was used for dimensionality reduction. Lastly, the AE signals of the CFRP-strengthened beam was clustered to track the evolutionary behavior of the different damage modes by Gaussian mixture model (GMM) algorithm. Three main damage modes of CFRP-strengthened beam were identified by GMM clustering: concrete cracking, debonding of CFRP sheet and fracture of CFRP sheet. This study explores the damage evolution mechanism of combined system and provides a basis for achieving health monitoring of CFRP-strengthened structures.Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository ‘You share, we take care!’ – Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.Concrete Structure
Feasibility of Bolted Connectors in Hybrid FRP-Steel Structures
No full textDue to the low weight and excellent durability of composite materials, Fibre Reinforced Polymer (FRP) decks mounted on steel superstructures are becoming all the more common in engineering practice. Bolted joints are generally used to facilitate connections between an FRP deck and steel girders in road bridges. The connections are subjected to both high magnitude static forces as well as fatigue loading due to overpassing vehicles. With ever increasing traffic on both road and railway bridges, fatigue performance is of critical concern. Bolted FRP joints have been extensively researched in the past under static loading, but less is known about the fatigue and creep behaviour of such joints. Furthermore, little research exists on non-pultruded FRP profiles connected using bolted connections. Therefore, the objective of this research is to investigate connectors’ feasibility by means of static, fatigue and creep experiments on four different types of bolted joints comprising mechanical connectors and injection techniques. The study focuses on application in vacuum infused GFRP panels with integrated webs made of multi-directional laminates, connected to steel bridge superstructures. In addition, experimental results are validated by Finite Element Analyses (FEA). Based on the obtained results, the novel injected steel-reinforced resin (iSRR) connector developed at TU Delft shows promising potential in hybrid steel-FRP bridges where good fatigue endurance of the connection and local loads in FRP panel, are required.Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository 'You share, we take care!' - Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.Steel & Composite Structure
Shear Force in Bolted Connection Due to Traffic and Temperature Loads in Hybrid Steel-FRP Bridges
No full textAs many bridges are reaching the end of their service life, researchers are searching for new solutions to extend the lifespan of those bridges. Fibre reinforce polymers (FRP) could be possible a solution for bridges with deck problems. Lightweight FRP decks can be installed quickly via bolted connectors on steel substructure. In general, shear force in the connector is not taken into account during the design of FRP decks because slip behaviour and interaction with steel substructure is unknown. This research connects to research at TU Delft on non-slip shear connectors for FRP decks. Aim of this paper is to quantify shear forces in bolted connectors due to traffic and temperature loads. The direction of webs, fibres in panel facings and the expansion coefficient of resin has been investigated to determine the influence of the FRP deck on the shear force in the connectors. To investigate the results of traffic loading and temperature loading on real bridges, a database of bridges in the Netherlands has been used. Results from the analyses offer an indication of the influence of the laminates on the shear force in the connectors and show shear force ranges that can occur in existing bridges.Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository 'You share, we take care!' - Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.Steel & Composite Structure
Measurement of Restraint Moment Effect on Lab Specimens with Precast Girders Made Continuous
No full textTypically precast girders are designed and utilized as simple supported members. Alternatively, the precast girders can be made continuous at the intermediate support using cast-in-place concrete topping. Once the girders are made continuous, time-dependent restraint moments will occur. The magnitude of the restraint moment is mainly affected by the creep and shrinkage behaviour of the concrete and the age of the girders at continuity. The developing restraint moment may affect the stress conditions near the support region and, in extreme cases, result in the loss of the integrity of the structural member. Currently, full-scale experimental campaign is underway on the shear behaviour precast continuous girders at Delft University of Technology. Inverted T girders are individually cast and later made continuous after a certain period. To investigate the influence of restrained action and quantify the prestress losses, fiber optic sensors (FOS) are embedded in the girders. By utilizing the FOS, the evolution of the concrete strain is monitored. This paper presents the measurement of the time-dependent strains. Furthermore, the concrete strains are analysed to evaluate the prestress loss and time-dependent restraint moment effect.Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository ‘You share, we take care!’ – Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.Concrete Structure
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