• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.383-407
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• 2012

A numerical approach to simulate the behaviour of timber shear walls under both static and dynamic loading is proposed. Because the behaviour of timber shear walls hinges on the behaviour of the nail connections, the force-displacement behaviour of sheathing-to-framing nail connections are first determined and then used to define the hysteretic properties of finite elements representing these connections. The model nails are subsequently implemented into model walls. The model walls are verified using experimental results for both monotonic and cyclic loading. It is demonstrated that the complex hysteretic behaviour of timber shear walls can be reasonably represented using model shear walls in which nonlinear material failure is concentrated only at the sheathing-to-framing nail connections.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.173-193
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• 2013

In this paper, influence of geometric configurations of multi-story bracing on shear lag behaviour of braced tube structures is investigated. The shear lag of 24-, 36- and 72-story braced tube structures are assessed considering all possible configurations of overall X and Chevron bracing types. Based on the analytical results, empirical equations, useful for the preliminary design phase, are proposed to provide the optimum number of stories that braced, in order to exert minimum shear lag on structures. Studying the interaction behaviour of a tube and different bracing types along with paying attention to the shear lag behaviour, a better explanation about the reasons behind the efficiency of a specific bracing module in decreasing the shear lag is developed. The analytical results show that there are distinct differences between the anatomy of braced tube structures with X and Chevron bracing regarding the shear lag behaviour.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.469-487
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• 2012

This paper presents a study on the behaviour of the joints of segmental concrete bridges with external prestressing, focusing on the structural response of dry non-epoxied joints with shear keys. A Finite Element joint model to study such structures is validated modelling eight concrete panel tests. The most important feature of this model is that it has been validated with experimental tests on concrete panels which were specifically designed to fail in shear. Interface elements are used to reproduce the non linear behaviour of the joint and parameters deduced from the tests are used to define the constitutive law of these elements. This joint model is of great importance because it will permit the development of a structural model that faithfully reproduces the behaviour of these structures under combined flexure and shear and the study of its global behaviour after the opening of the joints. Interesting conclusions about the behaviour of the dry joints, about the contribution of the different mechanisms transferring shear (friction and cohesion) and about the shear stress distribution in the joint have been reached.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.475-486
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• 2023

Ballast particles have an irregular shape and are discrete in nature. Due to the discrete nature of ballast, it exhibits complex mechanical behaviour under loading conditions. The discrete element method (DEM) can model the behaviour of discrete particles under a multitude of loading conditions. DEM is used in this paper to simulate a series of three-dimensional direct shear tests in order to investigate the shear behaviour of railway ballast and its interaction at the microscopic level. Particle flow code in three dimension (PFC3D) models the irregular shape of ballast particles as clump particles. To investigate the influence of particle size distribution (PSD), real PSD of Indian railway ballast specification IRS:GE:1:2004, China high-speed rail (HSR) and French rail specifications are generated. PFC3D built-in linear contact model is used to simulate the interaction of ballast particles under various normal stresses, shearing rate and shear box sizes. The results indicate how shear resistance and volumetric changes in ballast assembly are affected by normal stress, shearing rate, PSD and shear box size. In addition to macroscopic behaviour, DEM represents the microscopic behaviour of ballast particles in the form of particle displacement at different stages of the shearing process.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.89-98
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• 2021

The paper presents an experimental study on the strength behaviour of a coral gravelly sand from Vietnam subjected to monotonic and cyclic loading. A series of direct shear tests were carried out to investigate the shear strength behaviour and the factors affecting the shear strength of the sand such as relative density, cyclic load, amplitude of the cyclic load and loading rate. The study results indicate that the shear strength parameters of the coral gravelly sand include not only internal friction angle but also apparent cohesion. These parameters vary with the relative density, cyclic load, the amplitude of the cyclic load and loading rate. The shear strength increases with the increase of the relative density. The shear strength increases after subjecting to cyclic loading. The amplitude of the cyclic load affects the shear strength of coral gravelly sand, the shear strength increases as the amplitude of the cyclic load increases. The loading rate has insignificantly effect on the shear strength of the coral gravelly sand.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.45-67
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• 2010

Composite steel-concrete structures are employed extensively in modern high rise buildings and bridges. This concept has achieved wide spread acceptance because it guarantees economic benefits attributable to reduced construction time and large improvements in stiffness. Even though the combination of steel and concrete enhances the strength and stiffness of composite beams, the time-dependent behaviour of concrete may weaken the strength of the shear connection. When the concrete loses its strength, it will transfer its stresses to the structural steel through the shear studs. This behaviour will reduce the strength of the composite member. This paper presents the development of an accurate finite element model using ABAQUS to study the behaviour of shear connectors in push tests incorporating the time-dependent behaviour of concrete. The structure is modelled using three-dimensional solid elements for the structural steel beam, shear connectors, concrete slab and profiled steel sheeting. Adequate care is taken in the modelling of the concrete behaviour when creep is taken into account owing to the change in the elastic modulus with respect to time. The finite element analyses indicated that the slip ductility, the strength and the stiffness of the composite member were all reduced with respect to time. The results of this paper will prove useful in the modelling of the overall composite beam behaviour. Further experiments to validate the models presented herein will be conducted and reported at a later stage.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.241-260
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• 2002

The effect of shear coupled with axial force variation on the inelastic seismic behaviour of reinforced concrete bridge piers is investigated in this paper. For this purpose, a hysteretic axial-shear interaction model was developed and implemented in a nonlinear finite element analysis program. Thus, flexure-shear-axial interaction is simulated under variable amplitude reversed actions. Comparative studies for shear-dominated reinforced concrete columns indicated that a conventional FE model based on flexure-axial interaction only gave wholly inadequate results and was therefore incapable of predicting the behaviour of such members. Analysis of a reinforced concrete bridge damaged during the Northridge (California 1994) earthquake demonstrated the importance of shear modelling. The contribution of shear deformation to total displacement was considerable, leading to increased ductility demand. Moreover, the effect of shear with axial force variation can significantly affect strength, stiffness and energy dissipation capacity of reinforced concrete members. It is concluded that flexure-shear-axial interaction should be taken into account in assessing the behaviour of reinforced concrete bridge columns, especially in the presence of high vertical ground motion.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.39-58
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• 2011

The subject of the ongoing research work is to analyze the composite action of the structural elements of composite slabs with profiled steel decking by experimental and numerical studies. The mechanical and frictional interlocks result in a complex behaviour and failure under horizontal shear action. This is why the design characteristics can be determined only by standardized experiments. The aim of the current research is to develop a computational method which can predict the behaviour of embossed mechanical bond under shear actions, in order to derive the design characteristics of composite slabs with profiled steel decking. In the first phase of the research a novel experimental analysis is completed on an individual concrete encased embossment of steel strip under shear action. The experimental behaviour modes and failure mechanisms are determined. In parallel with the tests a finite element model is developed to follow the ultimate behaviour of this type of embossment, assuming that the phenomenon is governed by the failure of the steel part. The model is verified and applied to analyse the effect of embossment's parameters on the behaviour. In the extended investigation different friction coefficients, plate thicknesses, heights and the size effects are studied. On the basis of the results the tendencies of the ultimate behaviour and resistance by the studied embossment's characteristics are concluded.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.257-272
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• 2018

The research of shear connectors composed from mechanical couplers with rebar anchors, embedded in concrete, and steel bolts, as a mean of shear transfer in composite connections is presented in the paper. Specific issues related to this type of connections are local concrete pressure in the connector vicinity as well as the shear flow along the connector axis. The experimental research included 18 specimens, arranged in 5 series. Nonlinear numerical analyses using Abaqus software was conducted on corresponding FE models. Different failure modes were analysed, with emphasis on concrete edge failure and bolt shear failure. The influence of key parameters on the behaviour of shear connector was examined: (1) concrete compression strength, (2) bolt tensile strength and diameter and (3) concrete edge distance. It is concluded that bolted shear connectors with mechanical couplers have sufficient capacity to be used as shear connectors in composite structures and that their behaviour is similar to the behaviour of post installed anchors as well as other types of connectors anchored without the head.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.83 no.2
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• pp.179-193
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• 2022

The shear behaviour of reinforced concrete members has been studied over the past decades by various researchers, and it can be simulated by analysing shear panel elements which has been regarded as a basic element of reinforced concrete members subjected to in-plane biaxial stresses. Despite various experimental studies on shear panel element which have been conducted so far, there are still a lot of uncertainties related to what influencing factors govern the shear behaviour and affect failure mechanism in reinforced concrete members. To identify the uncertainties, a finite element analysis can be used, which enables to investigate the impact of specific variables such as the reinforcement ratio, the shear retention factor, and the material characteristics including aggregate interlock, tension stiffening, compressive softening, and shear behaviour at the crack surface. In this study, a non-linear probabilistic analysis was conducted on reinforced concrete panels using a finite element method optimized for reinforced concrete members and advanced sampling techniques so that probabilistic analysis can be performed effectively. Consequently, this study figures out what analysis methodology and input parameters have the most influence on shear behaviour of reinforced concrete panels.