Article
Engineering, Civil
Rudhra Halder, Terry Y. P. Yuen, Wang-Wen Chen, Xiangming Zhou, Trissa Deb, Hexin Zhang, Tzu-Han Wen
Summary: This paper investigated the combined effects of prestress change and aspect ratios on the nonlinear structural performances of externally prestressed precast concrete segmental bridges. Results showed that the change in prestress level significantly influenced the structural response, failure behavior, and tendon stress at the ultimate limit state. Response surface methodology was used to establish the dependency of stress in the unbonded tendon at ULS to the normalized prestress factor associated with the aspect ratio.
ENGINEERING STRUCTURES
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Civil
Zhi-Qi He, Yonghui Li, Tian Xu, Zhao Liu, Zhongguo John Ma
Summary: The study introduces a crack-based approach for evaluating the serviceability of cracked box-girders. By utilizing visual crack data as input, quantitative output regarding the performance of cracked box-girders can be obtained. This method has been applied in the condition evaluation of two real bridges.
Article
Engineering, Civil
Neryvaldo Galvao, Jose C. Matos, Rade Hajdin, Luis Ferreira, Mark G. Stewart
Summary: The ageing of bridges in developed countries and the increase in bridge collapses have highlighted the need for more sophisticated assessment procedures for structural safety. This research aims to quantify the impact of construction errors on the safety of a bridge by considering probabilistic models characterizing the occurrence rate and severity of these errors. The novelty of this paper lies in considering the additional uncertainty of construction errors and using refined numerical methods to estimate the probability of failure more accurately.
ENGINEERING STRUCTURES
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Civil
Yakov Zelickman, Oded Amir
Summary: A methodology and computational procedure for optimizing arbitrary post-tensioned slabs is presented. The optimized designs achieve significant cost and cable mass savings, while satisfying stress, deflection, and curvature constraints.
ENGINEERING STRUCTURES
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Civil
Baolin Sun, Yongqing Yang, Xiaobin Li, Meng Yan, Jianmin Xia, Yi Bao
Summary: This case study proposes and evaluates an approach to repair post-tensioned prestressed concrete bridge girders in cold regions. The girders were repaired with polymeric adhesives, which significantly enhanced their load capacity, ductility, and crack resistance. The study provides practical solutions and insights into the mechanisms for repairing frost-heaving damage in prestressed concrete girders.
JOURNAL OF BRIDGE ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Yakov Zelickman, Oded Amir
Summary: This paper introduces a new method for optimizing post-tensioned cable layout in concrete slabs using 3D B-splines. Control points of the splines act as design variables, allowing for non-trivial 3D layouts and extending design capabilities beyond traditional concepts. Realistic design examples show significant reduction in cable weight, with savings of up to 20% for simple and regular floor plans and over 50% for irregular plans compared to contemporary approaches.
STRUCTURAL AND MULTIDISCIPLINARY OPTIMIZATION
(2021)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Zheng He, Maoxing Gao, Zhenhui Li, Zhuang Guo, Shanjie Ke, Zhe Qi, Xiang Tu, Bin Du, Xiao Lai
Summary: A novel post-tensioned energy dissipation joint with replaceable rhombus driving friction damper (RDF) is developed for earthquake resilience and building functionality. A multi-objective seismic optimization strategy is proposed to achieve a well-balanced design scheme for precast concrete frames with the NPTED joints. The effectiveness of the optimization strategy and the NPTED joints is demonstrated through a case study, showing improved seismic performance and cost-effectiveness. The modified non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm is used for efficient optimization, and the finite element platform and Grasshopper (R) tool automate the parametric modeling and structural analysis.
COMPUTERS & STRUCTURES
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Civil
Doha Al-Mosawe, Luis Neves, John Owen
Summary: The aim of this paper is to establish a framework to assess the reliability of existing post-tensioned concrete bridges. The effect of corrosion on bridge safety is evaluated through a time dependent reliability analysis of the Ynys-y-Gwas bridge. Uncertainties associated with material properties, geometry, loads and corrosion parameters are taken into account. The proposed framework combines probabilistic models and nonlinear finite element analysis to study the effect of tendons corrosion on the post-tensioned concrete bridge.
Article
Engineering, Civil
Omar El-Hawat, Behzad Fatahi, Ertugrul Taciroglu
Summary: The rocking pile foundation system is a new design concept that aims to improve seismic performance of bridges by preventing plastic damage and reducing deck displacements. By integrating post-tensioned piles with rocking foundation, the proposed system shows superior performance compared to conventional fixed-base foundation systems.
EARTHQUAKE ENGINEERING & STRUCTURAL DYNAMICS
(2022)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Sebastian Castellanos-Toro, Angelica M. Panesso, Johannio Marulanda, Albert R. Ortiz, Alejandro Cruz, Peter Thomson
Summary: This paper investigates the impact of damage on the flexural performance indicators and dynamic characteristics of post-tensioned concrete beams through static and vibration tests. The study evaluates the performance of these elements based on static data, energy calculations, and ACI 437 recommendations. The results demonstrate the relationship between flexural performance, presence of damage, and natural frequencies.
CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Anna Jancy, Adam Stolarski, Jacek Zychowicz
Summary: The paper proposes a new approach for modelling post-tensioned beams by calibrating the finite element model to experimental results. Two beams with different tendon layouts were analyzed, and material testing and numerical analysis were performed. The presented model approach ensures good agreement between numerical and experimental results and accurately represents the behavior of structural elements at each loading stage. Random imperfections found during experimental studies on the results of numerical analyses were also discussed.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Elzbieta Janowska-Renkas, Przemyslaw Jakiel, Dariusz Fabianowski, Damian Matyjaszczyk
Summary: This paper focuses on studying the optimal composition of high-performance concrete for monolithic girder structures of post-tension bridges. A set of new-generation concretes were designed and tested using an advanced hybrid algorithm to select the optimal alternative. The results indicate the practical application of the proposed algorithm for decision-making by engineering staff and provide a basis for further research.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Gebrail Bekdas, Celal Cakiroglu, Sanghun Kim, Zong Woo Geem
Summary: The optimal design of prestressed concrete cylindrical walls has significant economic and environmental benefits. The lack of sufficient training datasets for robust machine learning models has hindered the widespread use of machine learning techniques in structural design. This study demonstrates the application of the harmony search methodology to create a large database of optimal design configurations, and trains ensemble learning models to accurately predict the optimum wall thickness in prestressed concrete cylindrical wall design.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Tomas Luis Ripa Alonso, Noemi Corral Moraleda, Marcos Garcia Alberti, Ruben Munoz Pavon, Jaime C. Galvez
Summary: This article discusses the issue of using de-icing salts in the corrosion of steel rebars in bridge decks and their impact on post-tensioning elements. It focuses on structures affected by an aggregate-alkali reaction and without any waterproof treatment, using a structure repaired in 2020 as an example. The internal stresses resulting from the aggregate-alkali reaction caused longitudinal cracks in the upper face of the deck, allowing concentrated penetration of chloride ions, ultimately leading to the brittle fracture of the steel bars and corrosion of the prestressing elements. The article also provides insights into the most probable mechanisms behind the unexpected brittle fracture of the steel bars, highlighting the importance of these conclusions.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Geological
Wenpeng Wu, Lin Yang, Lifeng Li
Summary: This study proposed a replaceable concrete retaining block as an alternative to sacrificial shear keys, which can provide similar functionality. The influence of structural materials and forms on seismic failure modes of different blocks was investigated through experiments and finite element analysis.
SOIL DYNAMICS AND EARTHQUAKE ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Civil
Xu Han, Dan M. M. Frangopol
Summary: Structural deterioration can be caused by multiple mechanisms, such as aging, corrosion, and fatigue, as well as sudden events like earthquakes and hurricanes. These mechanisms have a significant impact on the performance indicators of structural components and systems throughout their lifespan. Most existing studies on structural deterioration focus on the effect of a single mechanism in a deterministic context, so further research is needed to understand the joint effects of multiple deterioration mechanisms in a probabilistic context. This paper presents a risk-based optimal management strategy that considers corrosion and seismic hazards in a bridge network.
JOURNAL OF BRIDGE ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Civil
Siyi Jia, Mitsuyoshi Akiyama, Bing Han, Huibing Xie, Dan M. Frangopol
Summary: This paper presents an inference framework for a stochastic volatility model (SVM) conditioned on the time-dependent deflection of prestressed concrete bridges (PSCBs). The framework includes a cyclic Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) sampler to draw samples from the joint posterior distribution of the unobserved state variables and volatility parameters. The proposed framework supports accurate probabilistic analysis of the time-dependent deflection of PSCBs.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Andres Ruiz-Velez, Julian Alcala, Victor Yepes
Summary: This paper studies cost-optimal road modular hinged frames and evaluates their performance through three hybrid metaheuristics. The experiments involve varying the horizontal span and earth cover to study different structural configurations. The calibrated methodology is then applied to obtain optimal cost frames for each configuration. Regression analysis is used to study the economic, environmental, and geometrical characteristics of the optimum structures, providing valuable tools for calculating costs, emissions, energy consumption, and geometric properties. The optimum structures exhibit slender and densely reinforced designs, solving shear reinforcement issues with localized increases in longitudinal reinforcement.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Andres Ruiz-Velez, Julian Alcala, Victor Yepes
Summary: The study focuses on optimizing material usage in the construction of precast hinged frames to achieve sustainable development. Custom software was developed using Python programming language to calculate, verify, and optimize the structure using metaheuristic techniques. Three algorithms were applied to achieve non-traditional designs that maximize the use of natural resources while maintaining a restricted final cost. By reducing upper slab and lateral wall depth and using dense passive reinforcement, the optimized designs reduced the structure's final cost by up to 24% and associated emissions by over 30%.
Article
Education, Scientific Disciplines
Tatiana Garcia-Segura, Laura Montalban-Domingo, Amalia Sanz-Benlloch, Alberto Domingo, Joaquin Catala, Eugenio Pellicer
Summary: This paper describes a teaching innovation project that uses project-based learning to familiarize civil engineering students with their future roles and tasks in the infrastructure life cycle. Results show that students are aware of their learning improvement and are able to develop the necessary professional competencies.
JOURNAL OF CIVIL ENGINEERING EDUCATION
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Civil
Supasit Srivaranun, Mitsuyoshi Akiyama, Taiki Yamada, Dan M. Frangopol, Jiyu Xin
Summary: Chloride-induced corrosion of tensile rebars in reinforced concrete structures causes cracking in the concrete surface along corroded rebars. The width of these cracks could provide valuable information for estimating the amount of steel weight loss inside concrete beams. However, the distribution of cracks in beams with multiple rebars is affected by both the corrosion expansion of the corresponding rebar and that of adjacent rebars, resulting in a complex nonlinear relationship between crack width and amount of steel corrosion. A combined experimental-machine learning approach using generative adversarial networks (GANs) is developed in this study to estimate steel corrosion distributions in RC beams. A pix2pix network is trained using a dataset of steel weight loss generated based on random field theory and the distributions of corrosion crack widths constructed using finite element analysis. Monte Carlo-based FE analysis is then used to obtain the probability density function (PDF) of the flexural capacity for corroded RC beams. A case study is presented to investigate the effect of observed crack width distributions on the PDF of the flexural capacity for aging RC beams with spatially correlated rebar corrosion in transverse and longitudinal directions.
ENGINEERING STRUCTURES
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Civil
Weiming Chen, Changqing Gong, Ziqi Wang, Dan M. Frangopol
Summary: The increasing complexity of modern engineering systems has led to a shift in research focus towards system reliability with interdependent components. This paper proposes an improved FORM-based method, integrating orthogonal plane sampling, to tackle the curse of dimensionality for high-dimensional systems. The method constructs secant hyperplanes using orthogonal plane samples and computes the series system reliability as a high-dimensional multi-normal integral. Numerical examples demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method, which outperforms Monte Carlo simulation and conventional FORM.
ENGINEERING STRUCTURES
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Zhi Wu Zhou, Julian Alcala, Victor Yepes
Summary: The stability, comfort, and safety of high-speed railway systems are crucial worldwide, with multiorder elastic modes of components being the key factors. Ensuring the quality of the backfill layer of flexible cement-emulsified asphalt mortar (CA mortar) to reduce elastic vibration in the car body is the core technology. This research, based on the manufacturability verification of the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway, used four theoretical model methods to improve the performance indicators of CA mortar. The research concluded that the best mix ratio, high gas content, and poor fluidity are the core factors affecting the technical indicators of mortar and quality control. The research findings provided valuable theoretical methods and practical experience data for ensuring the quality and qualified indicators of mortar, leading to the prevention of acute diseases and ensuring safe operation of high-speed railways.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS IN CIVIL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Civil
Siyi Jia, Mitsuyoshi Akiyama, Bing Han, Dan M. Frangopol
Summary: This paper presents a model-based probabilistic structural identification method using the deflection of prestressed concrete bridges as observational information. The method incorporates a stochastic process for creep development and a stochastic field for structural rigidity. The Hamiltonian Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm is used to derive the posterior distributions of the high-dimensional state variables. A case bridge is used as an example to update the state variables and perform probabilistic condition assessment.
STRUCTURE AND INFRASTRUCTURE ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Alfred Strauss, Andre Orcesi, Andreas Lampropoulos, Bruno Briseghella, Dan M. Frangopol, Helder S. Sousa, Joan Casas, Jose C. Matos, Kristian Schellenberg, Matias Valenzuela, Mitsuyoshi Akiyama, Poul Linneberg, Rade Hajdin, Thomas Moser
Summary: Infrastructure systems, such as bridges, play a crucial role in the economic growth and sustainable development of countries. Decision-making in infrastructure management involves a combination of qualitative and quantitative data, models, and expert judgement. However, there is still a gap between implemented decision-making models and research, which calls for further research and training.
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Marine
Mehrdad Hadizadeh-Bazaz, Ignacio J. Navarro, Victor Yepes
Summary: In this study, the power spectral density (PSD) method was used to monitor the location and amount of damage caused by chloride ions and to determine the structure's life. The results showed that this method was effective in reducing and optimizing maintenance and repair costs caused by chloride corrosion.
JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2023)
Review
Engineering, Civil
Ivan Negrin, Moacir Kripka, Victor Yepes
Summary: Metamodel-assisted optimization is a valuable alternative for expensive structural design optimization procedures. This paper provides an up-to-date literature review on metamodel-assisted structural design optimization (MASDO) with 111 publications and 169 case studies analyzed. The study reveals a limited number of published papers and highlights the importance of statistical analysis for practical recommendations in incorporating metamodeling strategies in future projects.
Article
Mathematics
Jose Lemus-Romani, Diego Ossandon, Rocio Sepulveda, Nicolas Carrasco-Astudillo, Victor Yepes, Jose Garcia
Summary: The structural design of civil works is based on empirical knowledge and the experience of design professionals. In this study, a new discretization technique using reinforcement learning and transfer functions is developed to optimize design and reduce associated costs and CO2 emissions. The application of metaheuristic techniques to the retaining wall problem is examined, showing that the use of S-shaped transfer functions consistently yields more robust outcomes.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Lorena Yepes-Bellver, Alejandro Brun-Izquierdo, Julian Alcala, Victor Yepes
Summary: This study establishes a methodology for optimizing embodied energy in the construction of lightened road flyovers. The methodology includes a two-phase process of statistical sampling and optimization modeling to reduce energy cost and improve efficiency.
Article
Engineering, Industrial
Yu Zhang, You Dong, Dan M. Frangopol
Summary: This paper proposes a new stopping criterion for the adaptive Kriging model with SDMCS, aiming to reduce the computational effort while maintaining accuracy in reliability analysis.
RELIABILITY ENGINEERING & SYSTEM SAFETY
(2024)
