Mode I fracture behavior of glass fiber composite-steel bonded interface: Experiments and CZM

Debonding is characterized as the governing failure mode in the innovative wrapped composite joints made with glass fiber composite material wrapped around steel hollow sections without welding. The prerequisite for predicting debonding failure of wrapped composite joints is to obtain fracture behavior of the composite-steel bonded interface....

Feasibility of bolted connectors in hybrid FRP-steel structures

Due to the low weight and excellent durability of composite materials, Fibre Reinforced Polymer (FRP) decks mounted on steel superstructures are becoming increasingly common in engineering practice. Bolted joints are generally used to facilitate connections between an FRP deck and steel girders in road bridges. The connections are subjected...

Static, fatigue and hygroscopic performance of steel-reinforced resins under various temperatures

Resins are essential structural materials predominantly used in load-bearing connections such as adhesively bonded joints and resin-injected bolted connections. In an effort to improve the latter, a new injection material, Steel Reinforced Resin (SRR), has been developed, consisting of spherical steel particles embedded in a resin. SRR's...

Influence of steel yielding and resin toughness on debonding of wrapped composite joints

The concept of an innovative bonded joining technology where welding is not required is presented as an alternative to traditional welded connection for steel circular hollow section (CHS). Wrapped composite joints have potential to greatly improve fatigue endurance when applied in multi-membered truss structures, e.g. offshore jackets for...

Feasibility of Bolted Connectors in Hybrid FRP-Steel Structures

Due to the low weight and excellent durability of composite materials, Fibre Reinforced Polymer (FRP) decks mounted on steel superstructures are becoming all the more common in engineering practice. Bolted joints are generally used to facilitate connections between an FRP deck and steel girders in road bridges. The connections are subjected...

Fatigue behaviour of non-welded wrapped composite joints for steel hollow sections in axial load experiments

Design and execution of fatigue load dominated circular hollow section (CHS) multi-membered structures, such as offshore jacket and floating structures for wind turbines, truss bridges, etc., is hinged on fatigue performance of critical welded joints. An innovative jointing technology of wrapped composite joint connects steel hollow sections by...

Push-out behaviour of demountable injected vs. blind-bolted connectors in FRP decks

The main challenge for realizing competitive hybrid steel-FRP structures, such as bridges, carparks, is to make the steel and FRP components work together. In this study shear resistance, stiffness and ductility of three types of demountable bolted shear connectors are examined. Two blind-bolted M20 shear connectors and a novel, injected...

Conventional vs. reinforced resin injected connectors’ behaviour in static, fatigue and creep experiments on slip-resistant steel-FRP joints

Due to constantly increasing traffic loads and ageing infrastructure, innovative materials for implementation in renovation and new bridge construction projects are gaining attention. One such innovation is hybrid structures consisting of Glass Fibre-Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) composite decks connected to a steel girder(s) superstructure. By...

Alternative steel lattice structures for wind energy converters

Purpose: In the last decades, the demand and use of renewable energies have been increasing. The increase in renewable energies, particularly wind energy, leads to the development and innovation of powerful wind energy converters as well as increased production requirements. Hence, a higher supporting structure is required to achieve higher wind...

Tensile and shear resistance of bolted connectors in steel-FRP hybrid beams

Demountable connectors have been rarely applied in steel-FRP hybrid structures due to the lack of research, which could prove their reliable structural performance. In typical applications, e.g. in multi-girder hybrid decks, the connectors are not only subjected to longitudinal shear forces, but also to substantial tensile forces originated...

Compact cross-sections of mild and high-strength steel hollow-section beams

The Eurocode 3 rules for the high-strength steel (HSS: f_y > 460 MPa) limit the analysis of beams to elastic global analysis and grades up to S700. In order to fully exploit the potential to design lightweight and sustainable steel structures, plastic analysis and the use of higher steel grades with f_y > 700 MPa are...

Influence of execution tolerances for friction connections in circular and polygonal towers for wind converters

Friction connections with long open slotted holes have been proven to be a competitive alternative to the conventional flange connections in steel tubular towers for wind energy converters. As full-scale tests are not available, results of Finite Element Analysis (FEA) of the real-scale tower geometry are used in this paper to investigate the...