This paper presents the results of an experimental campaign in which the buckling resistance of 12 concrete-filled dual steel columns was ascertained. Whereas some papers in the literature describe investigations into concentrically loaded stub columns with such typology, no investigations of slender columns have been found to date. The tests presented in this paper are the preliminary results of an extensive experimental campaign (28 tests) that analysed the effects of two parameters: strength of concrete (normal- and ultrahigh-strength concrete) and the ratio between the thicknesses of the inner and outer steel tubes. A numerical model was also developed and validated, which helps further investigations. The buckling load of the specimens at room temperature is analysed in terms of the strength of the concrete and the appropriate distribution of the steel in the composite column. By maintaining the same total area of steel, two combinations were initially studied: “thick outer tube-thin inner tube” and “thin outer tube-thick inner tube”. Finally, a discussion about the Eurocode 4 simplified method for composite columns, applied to these innovative specimens, is presented and shows unreliable results. Therefore, further tests would be needed to assess accurately the Eurocode 4 simplified method.

A series of full-scale laboratory experiments was conducted to investigate the cyclic behaviour of an external diaphragm joint between a steel I-beam and a circular hollow section column. The joint incorporated two diaphragm plates (DPs) welded to the column's external wall and bolted to the flanges of the beam using tapered cover plates (TCPs). The joint was designed to limit yielding and plastic hinging of the TCPs while the other joint components remained elastic. This is necessary if the joint is to qualify for use in structures classified in the damage control structural performance range according to FEMA 356. Two parameters of the TCPs are investigated in this paper: steel grade and bolt preload force. The use of higher steel grades was found to impose undesirable higher strain demands on the beam and DPs and dissipate less energy than the joints with the lower grade. A controlled reduction in the bolt preload force allowed connection slippage to occur beyond the serviceability limit, created an additional energy dissipation fuse and allowed rotation of the plastic hinge region to exceed the 25 mrad required for medium ductility class structures.

Keine Kurzfassung verfügbar.

This paper deals with a proposal to revise the effective width terms in the brace shear criterion for overlap joints in rectangular hollow sections (RHS). The background to the design equations in ISO 14346 for the failure modes, brace effective width, chord M-N interaction and brace shear are described first. That is followed by the relation between overlap joints in circular hollow sections and those in rectangular hollow sections and those with an I- or H-section chord. Finally, it is shown that the effective width terms in the brace shear criterion can - in the case of 100 % overlap joints - be better related to the thickness of the overlapped brace. In the case of smaller overlaps, &lgr;ov, limit ≤ &lgr;ov ≤ 100 %, the effective width should also be related to the thickness of the overlapping brace, where &lgr;ov, limit depends on whether the hidden seam at the toe of the overlapped brace has been welded.

The resistance of compression members may be calculated by the design buckling resistance based on the reduction factor &ggr;, which depends on the slenderness, or by the cross-section resistance based on internal forces according to a second-order analysis taking into account equivalent initial bow imperfections as well. The second way is especially advantageous in the case of axial forces and bending. Values for equivalent initial bow imperfections are given in codes such as Eurocode 3 [5] or DIN 18800 [4]. For comparison, initial bow imperfections are derived here from the buckling curves for compression members with different cross-sections, buckling directions and steel grades based on different types of cross-sectional interaction. The results are discussed and commented with regard to the design of compression members. Furthermore, investigations are carried out for cases of axial compression and bending moments My or Mz. Data available from ultimate load calculations are used for comparison. The consequences for the assumed design verification according to second-order theory are discussed and a proposal is presented.

ZJA Zwarts & Jansma Architects have designed a new light rail departure station in The Hague, The Netherlands. The spatial roof structure of the station is made of rolled steel rectangular hollow sections arranged in two independent layers rigidly connected to each other. A glass envelope covering the roof structure matches the contours of the steel exactly. Since the diamond-shaped glass panes could only be attached to the outer layer of the steel grid, the panes (with edge lengths of approx. 1.30 m) are supported on two sides only. When optimizing the overall geometry, the double-curvature area at the nose of the roof structure became a special focus. Knippers Helbig Advanced Engineering has managed to minimize the deviation of each single glass pane from the single-curvature geometry to a maximum out-of-plane deformation of only 3 mm. Therefore, the project is a great example of how geometry development can influence structural design and enable new approaches.

Keine Kurzfassung verfügbar.

Keine Kurzfassung verfügbar.

Keine Kurzfassung verfügbar.

Keine Kurzfassung verfügbar.

Keine Kurzfassung verfügbar.

Keine Kurzfassung verfügbar.

Keine Kurzfassung verfügbar.

At present, prescriptive regulations with regard to concrete cover and composition are applied to provide sufficient durability of reinforced concrete members under exposure conditions with different degrees of severity. In view of current knowledge on deterioration mechanisms and their modelling, it is planned to change from these deemed-to-satisfy specifications to a performance-based design approach in future standards. In such specifications, concrete durability design is based on the statistically characterized performance of concrete, determined in standardized tests with respect to defined classes of concretes with similar performance.
This paper presents the results of a study in which concrete mixes were tested and analysed with respect to their carbonation resistance. Compositions with similar performance are grouped into carbonation resistance classes. These classes are described statistically and requirements for performance testing are given. In addition, composition requirements are introduced in order to determine concrete performance depending on mix composition prescriptively. Finally, an example is given for the assessment of concrete performance with regard to carbonation.
This work was carried out at the request of JWG under CEN TC 250/SC2 and CEN TC 104/SC1 as an input and starting point for the ongoing committee work to implement the methodology from the fib Model Code for Concrete Structures 2010 in the next generation (2021) of European concrete standards.

The corrosion of reinforcement in concrete is the most common degradation phenomenon of reinforced concrete structures. Reinforced concrete elements subjected to corrosion generally crack due to the expansive nature of oxides. One very important task is estimating the corrosion level using a non-destructive method in order to establish both the actual safety of the structure and a priority intervention plan.
Many researchers have studied the relationship between the corrosion phenomenon and the corresponding crack openings and their evolution; several statistical analyses, based on test data from experimental campaigns under a wide range of test conditions, are available.
The present work attempts to contribute to finding a relationship between the crack opening and the amount of corrosion induced in the reinforcing bars. The result of the analysis is that only a reduced number of tests can be used to establish an empirical model based on a reliable set of test data. A simple relationship between crack opening and corrosion penetration is not recommended, due to the different parameters that are able to influence this correlation. Therefore, two fundamental parameters, the ratio of the concrete cover to the rebar diameter and the concrete strength, have also been considered. The considerations made regarding these parameter test results have been rearranged and the result is a formulation that shows reduced scatter.

An analytical model is proposed for bond stresses at the corroded steel-concrete interface in reinforced concrete. The concrete around the corroded bar is modelled as a thick-walled cylinder - consisting of an inner cylinder of an anisotropic material and an outer cylinder made of an isotropic material - subjected to internal pressure exerted by the growth of corrosion products on the concrete wall at the interface. A frictional model is used to combine the action of confining pressure due to radial pressure produced by principal bar ribs and the pressure resulting from expansion of corrosion products. The analysis results using the proposed model show good agreement with the experimental results of several researchers.

The methods of crack control for liquid-retaining RC tank walls are analysed taking into account external load (EN 1992-1-1) and imposed strain occurring at the construction stage (EN 1992-3), i.e. during the concrete-hardening period. The convergence ranges of the simplified method of crack control included in EN 1992-3 and the detailed calculation methods included in EN 1992-1-1 and EN 1992-3 are defined. Apart from the compatibility areas, overestimation of the acceptable reinforcing bar diameter &phgr;s*, illustrated in Fig. 7.103N in EN 1992-3, was proved. Coefficients k&phgr;1 and k&phgr;2 are defined, which enable the calculation of the acceptable reinforcing bar diameter &phgr;s* in order to obtain the values complying with the direct calculations. For practical purposes, graphs have been plotted to facilitate the definition of coefficients k&phgr;1 and k&phgr;2 without performing direct calculations. On the basis of the analyses performed and the relations proposed, it can be concluded that there is a possibility or a necessity to increase or decrease the acceptable reinforcing bar diameter &phgr;s* depending on the concrete mechanical properties and geometrical properties of an RC tank wall.

This paper presents a review of recent research and development work involving natural fibre-reinforced concrete (NFRC). The recent developments in NFRC reinforced with different types of natural fibre, such as sisal fibre, bagasse fibre, coir fibre, banana fibre, eucalyptus fibre, flax fibre, jute fibre and pinus radiate fibre, are covered. Natural fibres and their modification methods are introduced first and the development history of natural fibre-reinforced concrete and the relevant research into the mechanical behaviour of NFRC in both the short- and long-term are reviewed. The applications of NFRC are also summarized.

Previous research with fibre-reinforced slab elements has shown that the surface roughness of formwork and the presence of rebars affect fibre orientation and fibre volume distribution. This paper discusses the orientation and volume distribution of steel fibres in wall elements cast from a single point. Aparticular focus of the work was the effect of formwork tie ba rs on fibre orientation and distribution. Numerical simulations and X-ray computed tomography were appliedto quantify the fibre orientation and distribution, and the mechanical performance was determined using three-point bending tests on sawn beams. The Thorenfeldt model (applied in the Norwegian proposal for the new fibre-reinforced concrete guideline) was used to estimate the residual flexural tensile strength based on fibre orientation and distribution.
The simulation results show that the fibre orientation can be related to the flow pattern. The results indicate a large variation in fibre orientation, which was confirmedexperimentally. The fibre volume distribution was mostly uniform, except for an area with fewer fibres at the casting point. The large variation in fibre orientation was reflected in a large variation in residual flexural tensile strengths. Weak zones due to anisotropic fibre orientation, caused by formwork tie bars, were observed.

This paper focuses on the reliability of the design approach proposed in the fib Model Code for Concrete Structures 2010 for estimating the ultimate capacity of fibre-reinforced concrete (FRC) elevated slabs on the basis of different tests for material characterization. The fracture properties of the material are determined through three-point bending tests on notched beams and through double edge wedge splitting (DEWS) tests carried out on cylinders cored in the full-size test structure. As a case study, an FRC elevated flat slab 0.2 m thick is considered which consists of nine bays (panels) measuring 6 × 6 m (overall size 18.3 × 18.3 m) and is supported by 16 circular concrete columns. The ultimate bearing capacity of the slab determined experimentally is compared with the design value predicted by means of a procedure based on limit analysis following fib Model Code 2010. The results show that the method proposed in fib Model Code 2010 using the characteristic values and the classification is reliable. Even if the tests are affected by a significant standard deviation and the two experimental campaigns with three-point bending tests give a significant difference between class “5c” and class “3e”, the structural test results in a loadbearing capacity that is always larger than the predicted one, which considers a safety coefficient for the material &ggr;F = 1.5.

Punching shear is usually the governing failure criterion when selecting the depth of reinforced concrete footings. Despite the fact that large experimental programmes aimed at the punching strength of slender flat slabs have been performed in the past, only a few experimental campaigns on full-scale compact reinforced concrete footings can be found in the literature. This paper presents the results of an experimental programme including eight reinforced concrete footings with a nominal thickness of 550 mm. These experiments investigated the influence of column size, member slenderness and the presence of compression and shear reinforcement. The tests were performed using an innovative test setup to ensure a uniform soil pressure. The experimental results show that slenderness influences the punching shear strength as well as the effectiveness of the shear reinforcement. The experiments also show that an important interaction occurs between bending and shear for high levels of shear force near the column (the typical case of compact footings or members with large amounts of shear reinforcement). Different continuous measurements recorded during the experimental tests allow a complete description of the kinematics and strains at failure. On that basis, experimental evidence is obtained showing that crushing of the concrete struts near the column is the phenomenon that triggers the punching failure of compact footings.

A significant amount of research on self-consolidating concrete (SCC) technology has been devoted to evaluating the suitability of the material for its use in structural applications. However, more research is required to confirm the adequacy of SCC structural members for resisting gravity and seismic loads. This study focuses on the experimental investigation of the seismic performance of interior reinforced concrete beam-column connections with SCC. Four beam-column connection specimens, three with SCC and one with normally vibrated concrete (NC), were designed for this experimental study. Factors such as concrete type (SCC or NC) and axial load ratio (0, 7.5 and 15 % of column section capacity) were assumed to be the variables in designing the specimens. Beam-column connections made with NC and SCC were studied and compared under reversed cyclic loading. The performance of SCC specimens is comparable with NC specimens in terms of strength, displacement and ductility, but SCC specimens show lower energy dissipation capacity.

Damage processes in fatigue loaded concrete structures depend on the number and amplitude of the load cycles applied. Damage evolution is linked to a reduction in concrete stiffness, and it is thought that this reduction causes stress redistributions at component level which have a favourable impact on the service life of a structure. Until now, the stiffness reduction and stress redistribution have never been successfully measured in laboratory tests or in situ. It is only known that the real service life is longer than the calculated one and that indicators of stiffness reduction, such as component deflection, increase with the number of load cycles applied.
Ultrasonic measurement techniques are considered to be well suited to detecting degradation processes caused by cyclic loading. It is expected that the stiffness reduction in fatigue loaded concrete structures can be recorded reliably with ultrasonic pulse velocity measurements. In the light of this, fatigue tests were performed on small-scale concrete specimens. The aims of the tests were to understand the correlation between the observed stiffness degradation of the specimens and the results of ultrasonic pulse velocity measurements and to estimate the potential for using ultrasonic pulse velocity measurements in continuous structural health monitoring.

The fatigue behaviour of concrete is gaining new relevance against the backdrop of continuous developments in concrete construction. Modern types of concrete are achieving ever higher strengths; hence, concrete structures are becoming increasingly attractive for new fields of application such as onshore and offshore wind turbines. The fatigue of concrete has a special relevance for these cyclically loaded structures and knowledge of the number of cycles to failure is no longer sufficient for their design. There are further questions concerning strain and stiffness development and the combination of fatigue loading and maritime environmental conditions which have been investigated with new testing methods at Leibniz Universität Hannover within the scope of the “ProBeton” research project. The first results of this project, which is supported by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, are presented here.

Today, the development of innovative shear connectors for steel-concrete composites is accompanied by a large number of experimental investigations, which are obligatory when proposing suitable design formula and carving out their limitations of use. Using the example of the so-called pin connector, the present paper illustrates to what extent validated finite element models of novel shear connectors can be used to replace expensive and time-consuming shear tests and how these finite element models can support the deduction of design concepts. The pin connector considered was developed for connecting steel sections to very slender high-strength concrete slabs in which conventional shear connectors such as headed studs cannot be used due to the limited embedment depth. In order to clarify the shear behaviour and load-carrying mechanisms of these novel connectors, non-linear finite element models were set up using the commercial FE software Abaqus. Subsequently, the FE models were used to perform systematic parametric studies. This paper describes the numerical results and also explains the stepwise development of an entire engineering model for determining the longitudinal shear capacity of small-scale pin connectors, including all the necessary limitations of use. The proposed modelling strategy and the methodology for the deduction of design rules can be transferred and assigned to other types of shear connectors.