An algorithm to simulate the nonlinear behavior of RC 1D structural members under monotonic or cyclic combined loading

Fatemeh Nouban,Kabir Sadeghi 국제구조공학회 2018 Structural Engineering and Mechanics, An Int'l Jou Vol.66 No.3

Interaction of lateral loading, combined with axial force needs to be determined with care in reinforced concrete (RC) one-dimensional structural members (1D SMs) such as beam-columns (BCs) and columns. RC 1D SMs under heavy axial loading are known to fail by brittle mode and small lateral displacements. In this paper, a macro element-based algorithm is proposed to analyze the RC 1D SMs under monotonic or cyclic combined loading. The 1D SMs are discretized into macro-elements (MEs) located between the critical sections and the inflection points. The critical sections are discretized into fixed rectangular finite elements (FRFE). The nonlinear behavior of confined and unconfined concretes and steel elements are considered in the proposed algorithm. The proposed algorithm has been validated by the results of experimental tests carried out on full-scale RC structural members. The evolution of ultimate strain at extreme compression fiber of a rectangular RC section for different orientations of lateral loading shows that the ultimate strain decreases with increasing the axial force. In the examined cases, this ultimate strain ranges from 0.0024 to 0.0038. Therefore, the 0.003 value given by ACI-318 code for ultimate strain, is not conservative and valid for the combined load cases with significant values of axial force (i.e. for the axial forces heavier than 70% of the ultimate axial force).

An algorithm to simulate the nonlinear behavior of RC 1D structural members under monotonic or cyclic combined loading

Nouban, Fatemeh,Sadeghi, Kabir Techno-Press 2018 Structural Engineering and Mechanics, An Int'l Jou Vol.66 No.3

Interaction of lateral loading, combined with axial force needs to be determined with care in reinforced concrete (RC) one-dimensional structural members (1D SMs) such as beam-columns (BCs) and columns. RC 1D SMs under heavy axial loading are known to fail by brittle mode and small lateral displacements. In this paper, a macro element-based algorithm is proposed to analyze the RC 1D SMs under monotonic or cyclic combined loading. The 1D SMs are discretized into macro-elements (MEs) located between the critical sections and the inflection points. The critical sections are discretized into fixed rectangular finite elements (FRFE). The nonlinear behavior of confined and unconfined concretes and steel elements are considered in the proposed algorithm. The proposed algorithm has been validated by the results of experimental tests carried out on full-scale RC structural members. The evolution of ultimate strain at extreme compression fiber of a rectangular RC section for different orientations of lateral loading shows that the ultimate strain decreases with increasing the axial force. In the examined cases, this ultimate strain ranges from 0.0024 to 0.0038. Therefore, the 0.003 value given by ACI-318 code for ultimate strain, is not conservative and valid for the combined load cases with significant values of axial force (i.e. for the axial forces heavier than 70% of the ultimate axial force).

Damage and fatigue quantification of RC structures

Kabir Sadeghi,Fatemeh Nouban 국제구조공학회 2016 Structural Engineering and Mechanics, An Int'l Jou Vol.58 No.6

Different versions of a damage index (DI) along with a formulation to find the number of cycles at failure due to fatigue, applicable to reinforced concrete (RC) structures are presented. These are based on an energetic analysis method and applicable to both global and local levels. The required data can be found either from the numerical simulation of structures or from the experimental tests. A computer program has been developed to simulate numerically the nonlinear behavior of RC columns under cyclic loading. The proposed DI gives a regular distribution of structural damages up to failure and is validated by the results of the tests carried out on RC columns subjected to cyclic loading. In general, the local and global damage indices give approximately similar results, while each of them has its own advantages. The advantage of the implicit version of DI is that, it allows the comparison of the results with those of the monotonic loading case, while the explicit version makes it possible to estimate the number of loading cycles at failure due to fatigue, and the advantage of the simplified version is that; the monotonic loading data is not needed for the cyclic loading case.

Behavior modeling and damage quantification of confined concrete under cyclic loading

Kabir Sadeghi,Fatemeh Nouban 국제구조공학회 2017 Structural Engineering and Mechanics, An Int'l Jou Vol.61 No.5

Sets of nonlinear formulations together with an energy-based damage index (DI) are proposed to model the behavior and quantify the damage of the confined and unconfined concretes under monotonic and cyclic loading. The proposed formulations and DI can be employed in numerical simulations to determine the stresses and the damages to the fibers or the layers within the sections of reinforced concrete (RC) components. To verify the proposed formulations, an adaptive finite element computer program was generated to simulate the RC structures subjected to monotonic and cyclic loading. By comparing the simulated and the experimental test results, on both the full-scale structural members and concrete cylindrical samples, the proposed uniaxial behavior modeling formulations for confined and unconfined concretes under monotonic and cyclic loading, based on an iterative process, were accordingly adjusted, and then validated. The proposed formulations have strong mathematical structures and can readily be adapted to achieve a higher degree of precision by improving the relevant coefficients based on more precise tests. To apply the proposed DI, the stress-strain data of concrete elements is required. It can easily be calculated by using the proposed nonlinear constitutive laws for confined and unconfined concretes in this paper.

A simplified algorithm for conceptual estimation of the material quantities of rubble-mound breakwaters

Sadeghi, Kabir,Nouban, Fatemeh Techno-Press 2020 Ocean systems engineering Vol.10 No.1

A simplified algorithm is proposed for fast estimation of the material quantities required for the construction of rubble-mound breakwaters. The proposed algorithm is able to employ only the data available at feasibility study phase such as the maximum draught of the design ship selected to transport the cargos to the harbor despite, because at the feasibility phase, information for the planned harbor is likely to be very limited. A linear-constant waterdepth model together with a proposed section configuration for the breakwaters, which is customary for harbors, is considered to calculate the quantity of materials. The numerical simulation of the wave characteristics has been verified using the recorded wave data collected by a buoy installed near the Neka harbor in Caspian Sea waters. A case study has been also applied to four harbors to validate the proposed algorithm. The estimated weights using the proposed linear-constant and multi-linear waterdepth models were compared using the bathymetry maps and layouts of these harbors. A computer program, written in QBasic language, has been developed to simulate the wave characteristics and to estimate the material quantities needed to construct a rubble-mound breakwater. The obtained results show that taking into account the acceptable accuracies normally applied to the feasibility study and conceptual design phases, the proposed algorithm is sufficiently accurate and highly effective for the conceptual estimation of materials' quantities of breakwaters in the feasibility study phase of harbor projects.

An algorithm for simulation of cyclic eccentrically-loaded RC columns using fixed rectangular finite elements discretization

Kabir Sadeghi,Fatemeh Nouban 사단법인 한국계산역학회 2019 Computers and Concrete, An International Journal Vol.23 No.1

In this paper, an algorithm is presented to simulate numerically the reinforced concrete (RC) columns having any geometric form of section, loaded eccentrically along one or two axes. To apply the algorithm, the columns are discretized into two macro-elements (MEs) globally and the critical sections of columns are discretized into fixed rectangular finite elements locally. A proposed triple simultaneous dichotomy convergence method is applied to find the equilibrium state in the critical section of the column considering the three strains at three corners of the critical section as the main characteristic variables. Based on the proposed algorithm a computer program has been developed for simulation of the nonlinear behavior of the eccentrically-loaded columns. A good agreement has been witnessed between the results obtained applying the proposed algorithm and the experimental test results. The simulated results indicate that the ultimate strength and stiffness of the RC columns increase with the increase in axial force value, but large axial loads reduce the ductility of the column, make it brittle, impose great loss of material, and cause early failure.

Non-destructive assessment of carbonation in concrete using the ultrasonic test: Influenced parameters

Javad Royaei,Fatemeh Nouban,Kabir Sadeghi 국제구조공학회 2024 Structural Engineering and Mechanics, An Int'l Jou Vol.89 No.3

Concrete carbonation is a continuous and slow process from the outside to the inside, in which its penetration slows down with the increased depth of carbonation. In this paper, the results of the evaluation of the measurement of concrete carbonation depth using a non-destructive ultrasonic testing method are presented. According to the results, the relative nonlinear parameter caused more sensitivity in carbonation changes compared to Rayleigh’s fuzzy velocity. Thus, the acoustic nonlinear parameter is expected to be applied as a quantitative index to recognize carbonation effects. In this research, combo diagrams were developed based on the results of ultrasonic testing and the experiment to determine carbonation depth using a phenolphthalein solution, which could be considered as instructions in the projects involving non-destructive ultrasonic test methods. The minimum and maximum accuracy of this method were 89% and 97%, respectively, which is a reasonable range for operational projects. From the analysis performed, some useful expressions are found by applying the regression analysis for the nonlinearity index and the carbonation penetration depth values as a guideline.