14 research outputs found
Experimental Investigation of Hybrid Beams Utilizing Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) as Tension Reinforcement
Ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) is a new generation concrete with extremely high tensile and compressive strength, high durability, and ductility. UHPC offers tremendous opportunities for use in new thin and slender structural concrete elements and repair of existing concrete structures and has an excellent potential to replace conventional steel reinforcement in normal concrete (NC) members. This paper investigated the potential application of a hybrid NC-UHPC beam using a thin UHPC layer on the tension face to cater to tensile stresses, eliminating the need for passive steel reinforcement. Four-point flexural load tests were performed on 24 composite beams with a thin UHPC layer overlaid with NC. The parameters considered include the thickness of the UHPC layer, depth, and span of the beam. A linear behavior categorizes the flexural behavior of the hybrid NC-UHPC beam up to the ultimate load, after which the hybrid beam shows a non-brittle failure, and softening ensues associated with cracking, increased deflection, and loss of load resisting capacity. The unfinished top surface of the UHPC layer and the overlying NC developed a full composite action without any slip. It was found that a two-day self-curing of the UHPC layer was found to be essential for the development of a strong bond between the layers. The random dispersion and orientation of steel fibers in the UHPC can lead to a decreased tensile response for larger hybrid NC-UHPC beams. The experimental results validate the potential of hybrid NC-UHPC beams as an attractive, structurally feasible, and alternative sound form of construction in terms of their high flexural strength and corrosion-free service life. The proposed unreinforced hybrid system could be used in the construction of precast beams and slabs for residential as well as industrial buildings. Further research, including full-scale load testing of the hybrid beam, is needed prior to practical applications
Dynamic Response of Reinforced Concrete Bridge Piers Subjected to Combined Axial and Blast Loading
Application of Nanotechnology in Oil Well Cementing
Abstract
Nanotechnology provides a wide variety of methods to resolve industrial issues, which could not be addressed previously using customary methods. It helps enable researchers to alter properties of bulk materials at the nanometer scale. Various nanomaterials have been successfully applied in many areas of petroleum engineering, particularly in drilling fluids, lost circulation, enhanced oil recovery (EOR), and cementing. This study examines the mechanical and microstructural properties of oil well cement with nanozeolite.
During this research, API Class G cement was used with various concentrations of nanozeolite. Compressive strength development of Class G cement, with and without nanozeolite, was studied using an ultrasonic cement analyzer (UCA) for 24 hours under high-pressure and high-temperature (HP/HT) conditions. The porosity and permeability of set Class G cement admixed with nanozeolite was also analyzed in an automated permeameter/porosimeter after 24 hours of curing. Microstructural examination of cement samples was performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
Three important parameters during well cementing operations included time to achieve 50- and 500-psi compressive strength and time to achieve 2,000-psi compressive strength. These parameters were significantly altered by adding a small percentage of nanozeolite to the neat Class G cement. The addition of nanozeolite resulted in a decrease in transition time and accelerated achievement of 2,000-psi strength. Furthermore, the porosity and permeability of the set Class G cement specimens with nanozeolite decreased substantially, thus indicating a dense microstructure of the matrix. This was confirmed by microstructural investigations using SEM. Nanozeolite is nonhazardous, nontoxic and is compatible with API Class G cement.
Nanozeolite can be an effective oil well cement additive because it enhances early strength, and the final compressive strength helps improve cement durability. The accelerated compressive strength development can help decrease wait-on-cement (WOC) time, thus lowering operation costs. Additionally, denser microstructure can help restrain the invasion of corrosive formation fluids.</jats:p
Seismic behavior of beam-column joints strengthened with ultra-high performance fiber reinforced concrete
Experimental Study of Externally Flange Bonded CFRP for Retrofitting Beam-Column Joints with High Concrete Compressive Strength
Influence of nano-SiO2 on the strength and microstructure of natural pozzolan based alkali activated concrete
Effects of Variation of Axial Load on Seismic Performance of Shear Deficient RC Exterior BCJs
Abstract The focus of this paper is to investigate the effect of column axial load levels on the performance of shear deficient reinforced concrete beam column joints (BCJs) under monotonic and cyclic loading. The problem of interaction between shear stress in BCJ and axial load on column has been addressed in this work by initially postulating a mechanistic model and substantiated by an experimental test program. This was achieved by conducting appropriate tests on seven BCJ sub-assemblies subjected to monotonic and reversed cyclic loading, with varying levels of the column axial load. Experimental results were further validated using a finite element model in an ABAQUS environment. The effect of variation of compressive strength of concrete was considered in a subsequent parametric study, in order to obtain sufficient data, and utilized to develop a new shear strength model for BCJs which includes influences of all the important parameters required to predict the shear strength of BCJs. The results showed that column axial load affects the seismic performance of BCJs significantly. Experimental results demonstrated that at initial stages of loading, increase in axial load enhances the shear capacity of the joint and reduces its ductility. However, when the column axial load/axial strength ratio increases to about 0.6–0.7, shear strength starts to decrease rapidly, leading to pure axial failure of the joint. The magnitude of axial load/axial capacity ratio also dictates the failure mode and development of crack patterns in BCJs. Results of reverse cyclic tests on BCJs showed that high value of axial load/axial capacity ratio increases the initial stiffness of BCJ but rate of stiffness degradation is accelerated after peak strength attenuation
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