Engineering Commons^™

Steel Compression Members With Partial-Length Reinforcement, Morgan Herrell

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Steel wide-flange columns in existing truss bridges may be built-up with flange cover plate reinforcement to increase compressive capacity. This thesis investigates the use of partial-length steel cover plates about column mid-height to improve the weak-axis buckling resistance.

The present research first reviews literature concerning the Euler buckling of members with partial-length reinforcement. Inelastic buckling is simulated by 3-D finite element analysis accounting for cover plate length, cover plate area, bolt hole perforations, yield stresses, residual and locked-in dead load stresses, and initial out-of-straightness. The model is validated by a load test of a full-scale column with bolted reinforcement plates. …

Heterogeneous Thermal Effects On Structural-Grade Steel, Eric Wickersham

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The AISC Steel Construction Manual covers structural steel design while at atmospheric and elevated temperatures. The manual does not, though, cover what happens to the steel after it has cooled from elevated temperatures. To fill in this knowledge gap, A36 steel was studied with respect to three main criteria: time, temperature, and cooling. Time was sub-divided into a standard burn (17-20min) and a prolonged burn (90min). Temperature was sub-divided into an average burn (600-800⁰F) and an extreme burn (>1200⁰F). To reach such temperatures, a forge was constructed and used during the burning process. Cooling was sub-divided into standard (air …