Search results for "020101 civil engineering"

Stochastic Vulnerability Assessment of Masonry Structures: Concepts, Modeling and Restoration Aspects

2019

A methodology aiming to predict the vulnerability of masonry structures under seismic action is presented herein. Masonry structures, among which many are cultural heritage assets, present high vulnerability under earthquake. Reliable simulations of their response to seismic stresses are exceedingly difficult because of the complexity of the structural system and the anisotropic and brittle behavior of the masonry materials. Furthermore, the majority of the parameters involved in the problem such as the masonry material mechanical characteristics and earthquake loading characteristics have a stochastic-probabilistic nature. Within this framework, a detailed analytical methodological approac…

A new hybrid procedure for the definition of seismic vulnerability in Mediterranean cross-border urban areas

2016

Assessment of seismic vulnerability of urban areas provides fundamental information for activities of planning and management of emergencies. The main difficulty encountered when extending vulnerability evaluations to urban contexts is the definition of a framework of assessment appropriate for the specific characteristics of the site and providing reliable results with a reasonable duration of surveys and post-processing of data. The paper proposes a new procedure merging different typologies of information recognized on the territories investigated and for this reason called “hybrid.” Knowledge of historical events influencing urban evolution and analysis of recurrent building technologie…

Simplified analytical model for moment–axial force domain in the presence of shear in R.C. members externally strengthened with steel cages

2015

Equations for a hand calculation of moment–axial force domain in the presence of shear for R.C. beam/column externally strengthened with steel angles and strips are developed. The analytical derivation is made assuming, for axial load and flexure, the equivalent stress-block parameters for internal forces, considering the confinement effects induced in the concrete core by external cages both in the cases of strips or angles yielding. Limit states due to bond failure, concrete crushing and yielding of steel angles and strips in flexure and in shear, including moment-to-shear interaction, are considered. The proposed model gives results in a good agreement with available experimental data an…

Cold recycling of reclaimed asphalt pavements

2018

Pavement engineers have in front of them multiple challenges linked to addressing issues related to social development and society’s expanding needs. One of the most substantial of these issues is perhaps how to effectively rehabilitate and/ or maintain the existing road network while preserving and sustaining limited natural resources. The re-usage of existing pavement materials to reconstruct/ rehabilitate our future pavements is the solution that is now more and more selected by the different road administrations around the world. However, upon closer inspection, one can find many areas and details, not negligible issues, that are simply extensions of HMA technology (i.e. mix design proc…

Novel performance-based technique for predicting maintenance strategy of bitumen stabilised ballast

2018

Abstract Despite being the most used worldwide, railway ballasted tracks presents high maintenance cost related to ballast settlement and particle degradation. With the aim of reducing life cycle costs, bitumen stabilised ballast (BSB) has been recently proposed as a relatively cheap alternative maintenance solution to be applied to existing tracks. This study aims at assessing the potential advantages of this technology, defining a novel maintenance strategy of traditional ballasted track-beds. A protocol for the application of the BSB technology and its associated maintenance strategy is defined. To estimate minor and major maintenance operations of BSB scenario in comparison to tradition…

Static Performances of Timber- and Bamboo-Concrete Composite Beams: A Critical Review of Experimental Results

2021

The use of composite beams made with traditional concrete and bio-based materials (such as timber and bamboo) is a valuable solution to reduce the environmental impact of the building sector. Timber-Concrete Composite (TCC) beams have been used for decades in structural applications such as new buildings, refurbishment of old timber structures, and bridges. Recently, different researchers suggested composite beams based on engineered bamboo, commonly named Bamboo-Concrete Composite (BCC) beams. This study presents a systematic comparison of structural performances and connection behavior of TCC and BCC beams under short-term static load. TCCs beams are compared to BCC ones using similar she…

Occurrence of Fibrous Sepiolite in Alkaline Basalt in the Valley of Alfara (Baix Ebre, Tarragona, Spain)

1994

Effects of halloysite content on the thermo-mechanical performances of composite bioplastics

2020

Abstract The aim of this study is the design and preparation of Mater-Bi/halloysite nanocomposite materials that could be employed as bioplastics alternative to the petroleum derived products. The biocomposite materials at variable halloysite content (from 0 to 30 wt%) were prepared by using the solvent casting method. We investigated the mechanical behaviour and the thermal properties of the prepared nanocomposites in order to estimate their suitability as biocompatible packaging materials. The thermo-mechanical characteristics were correlated to the nanocomposites' morphologies, which were studied by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). As a general result, the physico-chemical performance…

Use of fiber-section beam elements for modelling the monotonic flexural response of RC jacketed columns

2021

Abstract The use of reinforced concrete (RC) jacketing is a common technique for retrofitting existing RC columns with poor structural performances. Literature studies highlighted that the relative slip occurring at the interface between the new and the old concrete can affect substantially the flexibility and the strength of the retrofitted member. For this reason, several interface treatments are usually applied, aiming to induce a monolithic behaviour to the column. However, despite the commonness of RC jacketing, a limited number of studies investigated numerical modelling strategies for including these phenomena, especially with reference to the development of numerical models for desi…

Data Compression Approach for Long-Term Monitoring of Pavement Structures

2019

Pavement structures are designed to withstand continuous damage during their design life. Damage starts as soon as the pavement is open to traffic and increases with time. If maintenance activities are not considered in the initial design or considered but not applied during the service life, damage will grow to a point where rehabilitation may be the only and most expensive option left. In order to monitor the evolution of damage and its severity in pavement structures, a novel data compression approach based on cumulative measurements from a piezoelectric sensor is presented in this paper. Specifically, the piezoelectric sensor uses a thin film of polyvinylidene fluoride to sense the ener…