Non-prismatic reinforced concrete (RC) beams are widely used for various practical purposes, including enhancing architectural aesthetics and increasing the overall thickness in the support area above the column, which gives high assurance to services that this will not result in the distortion of construction features and can reduce heights. The hollow sections (recess) can also be used for the maintenance of large structural sections and the safe passage of utility lines of water, gas, telecommunications, electricity, etc. They are generally used in large and complex civil engineering works like bridges. This study conducted a numerical study using the commercial finite element software ANSYS version 15 for analysing RC beams, hollow longitudinally sectioned and retrofitted with carbon fibre reinforced polymers (CFRPs), which were subjected to concentrated vertical loads. The numerical analysis results on the simulated beam models were in excellent agreements with the previous experimental test results. This convergence was confirmed by a statistical analysis, which considered the correlation coefficients, individual arithmetic means and standard deviations for all the calculated deflections of the simulated beam models. A proposed numerical simulation model with the hypotheses can be considered suitable for modelling the behaviours of simple supported non-prismatic RC beams under vertical concentrated loads. The numerical results showed that altering the cross-section from solid to hollow could reduce the load carrying capacities of the beams by up to 53% and increase the corresponding deflections by up to 40%, respectively. Using steel pipes for making recesses could enhance the loading capacity by up to 56%, increase the ductility, and reduce the corresponding deflections by up to 30%, respectively. Finally, it was found that bonding the CFRP sheets in the lower middle tensile areas of the hollow beams could improve the resistance and reduce the deformations by up to 27%. The failure patterns for all the numerical models were shear failure. The cylinder compressive strength could be used as a mechanical parameter for modelling and assessing the structural behaviours of the beam models, as its increase could improve the load carrying capacities and reduce the deflections by 30–50%.
In this work, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)/ Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) nanocomposites were prepared with two concentrations of MWCNTs by casting method. Morphological, structural characteristics and electrical properties were investigated. The state of MWCNTs dispersion in a PVP matrix was indicated by Field Effect-Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) which showed a uniform dispersion of MWCNTs within the PVP matrix. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) indicate strong bonding of carbonyl groups of PVP composite chains with MWCNTs. Fourier transfer infrared (FTIR) studies shows characteristics of various stretching and bending vibration bands, as well as shifts in some band locations and intensity changes in others. Hall effect was studied
... Show MoreGallium arsenide diamondoids structural and vibrational properties are investigated using density functional theory at the PBE/6-31(d) level and basis including polarization functions. Variation of energy gap as these diamondoids increase in size is seen to follow confinement theory for diamondoids having nearly equiaxed dimensions. Density of energy states transforms from nearly single levels to band structure as we reach larger diamondoids. Bonds of surface hydrogen with As atoms are relatively localized and shorter than that bonded to Ga atoms. Ga-As bonds have a distribution range of values due to surface reconstruction and effect of bonding to hydrogen atoms. Experimental bulk Ga-As bond length (2.45 Å) is within this distribu
... Show MoreZnS:MnP2+P nanoparticles were prepared by a simple microwave irradiation method under mild condition. The starting materials for the synthesis of ZnS:MnP 2+P quantum dots were zinc acetate as zinc source, thioacetamide as a sulfur source, manganese chloride as manganese source (R & M Chemical) and ethylene glycol as a solvent. All chemicals were analytical grade products and used without further purification. The quantum dots of ZnS:MnP 2+P with cubic structure were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), the morphology of the film is seen by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) also by field effect scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The composition of the samples is analysed by EDS. UV-Visible absorption spectroscopy analysis
... Show MoreIn this work, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)/ Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) nanocomposites were prepared with two concentrations of MWCNTs by casting method. Morphological, structural characteristics and electrical properties were investigated. The state of MWCNTs dispersion in a PVP matrix was indicated by Field Effect-Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) which showed a uniform dispersion of MWCNTs within the PVP matrix. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) indicate strong bonding of carbonyl groups of PVP composite chains with MWCNTs. Fourier transfer infrared (FTIR) studies shows characteristics of various stretching and bending vibration bands, as well as shifts in some band locations and intensity changes in others. Hall effect was stu
... Show MoreFrequently, Load associated mode of failure (rutting and fatigue) as well as, occasionally, moisture damage in some sections poorly drained are the main failure types found in some of the newly constructed road within Baghdad as well as other cities in Iraq. The use of hydrated lime in pavement construction could be one of the possible steps taken in the direction of improving pavement performance and meeting the required standards. In this study, the mechanistic properties of asphalt concrete mixes modified with hydrated lime as a partial replacement of limestone dust mineral filler were evaluated. Seven replacement rates were used; 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5 and 3 percent by weight of aggregate. Asphalt concrete mixes were prepared at their
... Show MoreThis paper presents the application of nonlinear finite element models in the analysis of dappedends pre-stressed reinforced concrete girders under static loading by using ANSYS software. The girder dimensions are (4.90 m span, 0.40 m depth, 0.20 m width, 0.20 m nib depth, and 0.10 m nib length) and the parameters considered in this research are the pre-stress effect, and strand profile (straight and draped). The numerical results are compared with the experimental results of the same girders. The comparisons are carried out in terms of initial prestress effect, load- deflection curve, and failure load. Good agreement was obtained between the analytical and experimental results. Even that, the numerical model was stiffer than the experiment
... Show MoreThis article investigates the development of the following material properties of concrete with time: compressive strength, tensile strength, modulus of elasticity, and fracture energy. These properties were determined at seven different hydration ages (18 h, 30 h, 48 h, 72 h, 7 days, 14 days, 28 days) for four pure cement concrete mixes totaling 336 specimens tested throughout the study. Experimental data obtained were used to assess the relationship of the above properties with the concrete compressive strength and how these relationships are affected with age. Further, this study investigates prediction models available in literature and recommendations are made for models that are found suitable for application to early age conc
... Show MoreFrequently, Load associated mode of failure (rutting and fatigue) as well as, occasionally, moisture damage in some sections poorly drained are the main failure types found in some of the newly constructed road within Baghdad as well as other cities in Iraq. The use of hydrated lime in pavement construction could be one of the possible steps taken in the direction of improving pavement performance and meeting the required standards. In this study, the mechanistic properties of asphalt concrete mixes modified with hydrated lime as a partial replacement of limestone dust mineral filler were evaluated. Seven replacement rates were used; 0,0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5 and 3 percent by weight of aggregate. Asphalt concrete mixes were prepared at their
... Show MoreThis paper presents the application of nonlinear finite element models in the analysis of dapped-ends pre-stressed reinforced concrete girders under static loading by using ANSYS software. The girder dimensions are (4.90 m span, 0.40 m depth, 0.20 m width, 0.20 m nib depth, and 0.10 m nib length) and the parameters considered in this research are the pre-stress effect, and strand profile (straight and draped).
The numerical results are compared with the experimental results of the same girders. The comparisons are carried out in terms of initial prestress effect, load- deflection curve, and failure load. Good agreement was obtained between the analytical and experimental results. Even that, the
... Show MoreUndoubtedly, rutting in asphalt concrete pavement is considered a major dilemma in terms of pavement performance and safety faced by road users as well as the road authorities. Rutting is a bowl-shaped depression in the wheel paths that develop gradually with the increasing number of load applications. Heavy axle loadings besides the high pavement summer temperature enhance the problem of rutting. According to the AASHTO design equation for flexible pavements, a 1.1 in rut depth will reduce the present serviceability index of relatively new pavement, having no other distress, from 4.2 to 2.5. With this amount of drop in serviceability, the entire life of the pavement in effect has been lost. Therefore, it is crucial to look at the mechani
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