To promote sustainable steel-concrete composite structures, it is essential to develop special shear connectors that facilitate accelerated construction and deconstruction. A lockbolt demountable shear connector (LBDSC) was recently proposed. While the LBDSC has been evaluated using horizontal and vertical (standard) push-out tests, it is essential to further assess the disassembly mechanism and the positive flexural performance of prefabricated demountable composite beams (PDCBs) under both serviceability and ultimate limit states. Two full-scale test specimens of PDCBs with LBDSC were designed with partial shear connections and assessed using a three or four-point load beam setup under both cyclic and static monotonic loading conditions. The experimental results indicate that the failure modes of the PDCBs include longitudinal cracking in the grout between concrete slabs along the composite beam. Additionally, the demountable composite beams exhibited typical ductile flexural failure. The disassembly and reassembly of the PDCB were evaluated using a cyclic loading setup, and the results indicated that the structural performance of the PDCB was not compromised. The experimental results for load-carrying capacity and elastic stiffness of the PDCB were compared to the corresponding values from composite beam theory and the provisions in Eurocode 4. The agreement between the tested and calculated results validates the applicability of the Eurocode 4 equations to demountable composite beams utilizing LBDSCs.
Construction is a hazardous industry with a high number of injuries. Prior research found that many industry injuries can be prevented by implementing an effective safety plan if prepared and maintained by qualified safety personnel. However, there are no specific guidelines on how to select qualified construction safety personnel and what criteria should be used to select an individual for a safety position in the United States (US) construction industry. To fill this gap in knowledge, the study goal was to identify the desired qualifications of safety personnel in the US construction industry. To achieve the study goal, the Delphi technique was used as the main methodology for determining the desired qualifications for constructio
... Show MoreIn this research, the use of natural materials like wool and cannabis as intermediate reinforcement for prosthetic limbs due to their comfort, affordability, and local availability was discussed. As part of this study on below-the-knee (BK) prosthetic sockets, two sets of samples were made using a vacuum method. These sets were made of natural fiber-reinforced polymer composites with lamination 80:20: group (Y) had 4 perlon, 1 wool 4 perlon, and group (G) had 4 perlon, 1 cannabis 4 perlon. The two groups were compared with a socket made of polypropylene. Tensile testing was used to determine the mechanical characteristics of the socket materials. The Y group has a yield stress of 17 MPs, an ultimate strength of 18.75 MPa, and an elastic
... Show MoreThe rheological and fusion behavior of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) compounds plays a dominant role in
the processing operations and in the development of physical properties in the processed material. A
comprehensive study was made in this work to evaluate the effect of shear and thermal history on stability, mechanical and rheological properties of rigid PVC compounds. Different samples of Rigid Poly vinyl chloride including dry blend powder, granules, and bottles molded from both were examined. A study was also made on recycled RPVC where 25% of reclaimed material was continuously blended with fresh dry blend and processed for 15 cycles. Results showed that compaction of the PVC material took place in the brabender plastograph at co
For structural concrete members that may expose to serious earthquake, overload or accident impact, the design of ductility must be given the same importance as the flexural strength. The aim of this investigation is to study the change in ductility of structural concrete flexural members during their exposure to limited cycles of repeated loading. Twenty full-scale beam specimens have been fabricated in to two identical groups; each group consisted of ten specimens. The first group was tested under monotonic static loading to failure and regarded as control beams, while the specimens of the second group were subjected to ten cycles of repeated loading with constant load interval, which ranged between 40% and 60% of ultimate load. S
... Show MoreFor structural concrete members that may expose to serious earthquake, overload or accident impact, the design of ductility must be given the same importance as the flexural strength. The aim of this investigation is to study the change in ductility of structural concrete flexural members during their exposure to limited cycles of repeated loading. Twenty full-scale beam specimens have been fabricated in to two identical groups; each group consisted of ten specimens. The first group was tested under monotonic static loading to failure and regarded as control beams, while the specimens of the second group were subjected to ten cycles of repeated loading with constant load interval, which ranged between 40% and 60% of ultimate load. S
... Show MoreThe primary objective of this study was to identify the mechanisms for the development and propagation of longitudinal cracks that initiate at the surface of composite pavement. In this study the finite element program ANSYS version (5.4) was used and the model worked out using this program has the ability to analyze a composite pavement structure of different layer properties. Also, the aim of this study was modeling and analyzing of the composite pavement structure with the physical presence of crack induced in concrete underlying layer. The results obtained indicates that increasing the thickness of the asphalt layer tends to decrease the stress intensity factor, which may be attributed to the rapidly decrease of horizontal tensile st
... Show MoreA particulate composite material was prepared by adding the Titanium dioxide (TiO2) with a particle size of (75-150) µm to Epoxy resin at weight percentage of (10%,20%,30%,40%,50%).The following some mechanical properties were studied,fracture toughness, hardness.casting preparation methods were used in this study includes preparing plate of matrix and composites. specimens were prepared according to ASTM for the Mechanical properties tests. After that Another samples were heat treated for three and six hour at 65C?. Fracture toughness (Kic) represent for stress intensity factor results were showed that the curve of three hours aging increases in fracture toughness (Kic) for composites but for six hours aging increases fracture tough
... Show More