Effects of frequency dimming electronic ballast on a high‐pressure mercury thallium iodide discharge

This study focuses on the behavior of a cylindrical metal halide discharge lamp powered by frequency‐controlled electronic ballast. Half‐bridge electronic ballast was designed and achieved.     

Interface Characteristics and Laboratory Constructability Tests of Novel Fiber-Reinforced Polymer/Concrete Piles

Conventional pile materials such as steel, concrete, and timber are prone to deterioration for many reasons. Fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) concrete composites represent an alternative construction material for deep foundations that can eliminate many of the performance disadvantages of traditional piling materials. However, FRP composites present several difficulties related to constructability, and the lack of design tools for their implementation as a foundation element. This paper describes the results of an experimental study on frictional FRP/dense sand interface characteristics and the constructability of FRP–concrete composite piles. An innovative toe driving technique is developed to install the empty FRP shells in the soil and self-consolidating concrete is subsequently cast in them. The experimental program involves interface shear tests on small FRP samples and uplift load tests on large-scale model piles. Two different FRP pile materials with different roughness and a reference steel pile are examined. Static uplift load tests are conducted on different piles installed in soil samples subjected to different confining pressures in the pressure chamber. The results showed that the interface friction for FRP materials compared favorably with conventional steel material. It was shown that toe driving is suitable for installation of FRP piles in dense soils.     

Use of FRP for RC Frames in Seismic Zones: Part II. Performance of Steel-Free GFRP-Reinforced Beam-Column Joints

The use of FRP as reinforcement in concrete structures has been growing rapidly due to its advantages over conventional steel reinforcement (e.g., corrosion resistance, light weight, magnetic neutrality). A potential application of FRP reinforcement is in structural concrete frames. However, current seismic design standards and detailing criteria for beam-column joints were established for steel reinforcement and may be unsuitable for FRP reinforcement due to its different mechanical properties. During recent earthquakes, many structural collapses were initiated or caused by beam-column joint failures. Since there are no detailed specifications for the application of FRP reinforcement in seismic zones, research is needed to gain a better understanding of the behaviour of FRP-reinforced concrete under seismic loading. In this study, two full-scale beam-column joint specimens reinforced with steel and GFRP, respectively, were tested in order to investigate their performance in the event of an earthquake. The control steel-reinforced specimen is detailed according to the Canadian Code (CSA A23.3-94) recommendations. The GFRP-reinforced specimen is detailed in a similar scheme but using a GFRP grid. The behaviour of the two specimens under reversed cyclic loading, their load-storey drift envelope relationship and energy dissipation ability were compared. The GFRP-reinforced specimen showed a predominantly elastic behaviour up to failure. While its energy dissipation was low, its performance was acceptable in terms of total storey drift demand.     

The effects of physical refining on the formation of 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol esters in relation to palm oil minor components

The formation of 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol (3-MCPD) esters in refined palm oil during deodorisation is attributed to the intrinsic composition of crude palm oil. Utilising D-optimal design, the effects of the degumming and bleaching processes on the reduction in 3-MCPD ester formation in refined palm oil from poor-quality crude palm oil were studied relative to the palm oil minor components that are likely to be their precursors. Water degumming remarkably reduced 3-MCPD ester formation by up to 84%, from 9.79 mg/kg to 1.55 mg/kg. Bleaching with synthetic magnesium silicate caused a further 10% reduction, to 0.487 mg/kg. The reduction in 3-MCPD ester formation could be due to the removal of related precursors prior to the deodorisation step. The phosphorus content of bleached palm oil showed a significant correlation with 3-MCPD ester formation.     

Durability of self-consolidating concrete to combined effects of sulphate attack and frost action

The worldwide shift towards performance-based standards for concrete demands the advent of performance tests that combine more than one damage mechanism. Such tests can be more reliable in evaluating emerging concrete types such as self-consolidating concrete (SCC). Several applications of SCC involve its exposure to both freezing–thawing cycles and chemical attack, particularly to sulphate-rich media. This study aims at investigating the durability of SCC to sulphate attack coupled with frost action. Potential performance risks of SCC under this dual exposure were identified in terms of various mixture design parameters. Deterioration in physico-mechanical parameters was related to thermal, mineralogical and microscopy analyses, which demonstrated the complex mutual effects of sulphate attack and frost action on SCC specimens. It is shown that SCC mixtures that perform well under the classical ASTM C 1012 test can fail under coupled exposure to freezing–thawing cycles and sulphate attack.     

Performance of RC frames with hybrid reinforcement under reversed cyclic loading

The use of FRP as reinforcement in concrete structures has been growing rapidly. A potential application of FRP reinforcement is in reinforced concrete (RC) frames. However, due to FRP's predominantly elastic behaviour, FRP-RC members exhibit low ductility and energy dissipation. Hybrid steel-FRP reinforcement can be a viable solution to the lack of ductility of FRP-RC members. Using two layers of reinforcement in a section, FRP rebars can be placed in the outer layer and steel rebars in the inner layer away from the effects of carbonation and chloride intrusion. Combined with the use of FRP stirrups, this approach can enhance the corrosion resistance of RC members. However, current design standards and detailing criteria for FRP-RC structures do not provide detailed seismic provisions. In particular, the design and detailing of beam-column joints is a key issue in seismic design. During recent earthquakes, many structural collapses were initiated or caused by beam-column joint failures. Thus, research is needed to gain a better understanding of the behaviour of FRP and hybrid FRP-steel-RC under seismic loading. In this study, three full-scale beam-column joint specimens reinforced with steel, GFRP and a hybrid GFRP-steel configuration, respectively were tested in order to investigate their performance in the event of an earthquake.

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Résumé L'utilisation de barres en polymères renforcés de fibres (PRF) comme armature dans les structures en béton est en train d'augmenter rapidement. Une application prometteuse des armatures en PRF est dans les structures en cadres de béton armé à multi-étages. Cependant, à cause de leur comportement élastique, les membres renforcés avec des armatures en PRF démontrent une ductilité limitée et une faible capacité de dissipation d'énergie. Les systèmes hybrides (combinaison d'armatures en acier et en polymères renforcés de fibres de verre (PRFV) se présentent comme une solution pratique pour remédier aux inconvénients des systèmes renforcés uniquement avec PRFV. En utilisant deux couches d'armatures, les barres en PRFV peuvent être placées à l'extérieur et ceux en acier à l'intérieur, loin des effets de la carbonatation et l'intrusion des ions chlores. En plus, l'utilisation des étriers en PRFV peut améliorer la durabilité de ces structures. Cependant, les normes de conception actuelles pour PRF n'offrent pas assez de détails sur les provisions sismiques, en particulaier sur la conception des joints de poutres-colonnes. De récents tremblements de terre ont démontré sans équivoque que les joints de poutres-colonnes sont critiques pour assurer l'intégrité structurale. Alors, il est important d'étudier le comportement de tels assemblages utilisant des armatures en PRFV ou des armatures hybrides (acier-PRFV). Dans cette étude, trois assemblages poutrecolonne en grandeur nature renforcés avec des armatures en acier, PRFV, et hybride (acier-PRFV) ont été construits et testés sous charges cycliques pour examiner leur comportement durant des tremblements de terre.

     

Optimization of ternary cementitious mortar blends using factorial experimental plans

Producing cements incorporating high-volume replacement of ordinary portland cement (OPC) by recycled industrial by-products is perceived as the most promising venture for the cement and concrete industry to meet its environmental obligations. However, the two-component (binary) cements thus produced are often associated with shortcomings such as the need for extended moist-curing, increased use of chemical admixtures, low early age strength, increased cracking tendency due to drying shrinkage, and de-icing salt scaling problems. There is need for research to investigate whether high-volume replacement multi-component (ternary and quaternary) cements could be optimized with synergistic effects allowing component ingredients to compensate for any mutual shortcomings. This study uses factorial experimental plans to investigate the performance of OPC-silica fume (SF)-class F fly ash (FA) and OPC-SF-ground granulated blast furnace slag (GBFS) ternary cementitious blends. Response surfaces for the superplasticizer requirement to achieve a constant flow, setting time, drying shrinkage up to 112 days, compressive strength at 1, 7, 28 and 56 days, and for the sulfate expansion up to 9-months were obtained for up to 20%, 60%, and 60% replacement levels of OPC by SF, FA and GBFS, respectively. A multiparametric optimization is used to establish response surfaces for a desirability function, which is used to rate ternary cementitious blends. Results indicate that when rheological, mechanical, durability and cost requirements are combined; the use of costly mineral admixtures such as silica fume is not economic in ternary OPC-SF-FA or OPC-SF-GBFS blends beyond levels of about 3 to 5% Moreover, it is shown that the major hurdle for high-volume replacement of OPC with class F fly ash is compromising the early age performance. Results also indicate that a good quality high-fineness GBFS can be used at replacement levels of OPC up to 60% without major disadvantages.     

Durability of self-consolidating concrete incorporating high-volume replacement composite cements

Self-consolidating concrete (SCC) decreases construction time, labor and equipment on construction sites, makes the construction of heavily congested structural elements and hard to reach areas easier, reduces noise- and vibration-related injuries, and helps in achieving higher quality finish surfaces. However, because it usually requires a larger content of binder and chemical admixtures compared to ordinary concrete, its material cost is generally 20-50% higher, which has been a major hindrance to a wider implementation of its use. There is growing evidence that incorporating high volumes of mineral admixtures and microfillers as partial replacement for portland cement in SCC can make it cost effective. However, the durability of such SCC needs to be proven. This research investigates the rapid chloride ion penetrability, sulfate expansion and deicing salt surface scaling resistance of SCC mixtures made with high-volume replacement binary, ternary, and quaternary cements. The fresh concrete properties and compressive strength at 1, 7, 28 and 91 days of such SCC mixtures were measured. Moreover, rapid chloride ion penetrability was investigated for the various SCC mixtures at 28 and 91 days, while the deicing salt surface scaling under 50 freezing-thawing cycles and sulfate expansion after up to 9 months of immersion in a 5% Na₂SO₄ solution were investigated as per the ASTM C-672 and ASTM C1012 guidelines, respectively. Results indicate that SCC can be made with high-volume replacement composite cements and achieve good workability, high long-term strength, good deicing salt surface scaling resistance, low sulfate expansion and very low chloride ion penetrability.