Civil Engineering Applications Research Articles

Two-scale finite element simulations for UT inspection of micro-structured materials in CIVA

Ultrasonic testing (UT) of highly heterogeneous structures is an important issue for many industrial applications in civil engineering for concrete inspection as well as in nuclear and oil & gas, where it applies to cast steels and weld joints. In these materials, performance is limited by the phenomenon of multiple wave scattering at the microstructure scale. In this context, the use of effective simulation tools is particularly useful both for improving interpretation of UT and for optimizing or demonstrating the performance of inspections. However, the scales of heterogeneity to be taken into account are often smaller than fractions of a tenth of a wavelength. In 3D simulations, it is therefore difficult, if not impossible, to combine computational performances with the refinement of the modelled interactions. To meet this challenge, CEA is developing an original approach based on two applications of the finite element (FE) method implemented in CIVA. The first application uses micro-scale heterogeneous material data on small representative elemental volumes (REVs) to feed a second code dedicated to macro-scale with effective medium characteristic. This second code relies on a high-order finite element model that is very efficient at the scale of the inspected industrial component. In this communication we present the main features of these FE tools and illustrate their performances on different application cases for welded parts and concrete

Sustainable End-of-Life Tyre Management: A Comprehensive Analysis of Environmental Impacts and Crumb Rubber Integration in Composite Concretes

The research explores pollution prevention strategies associated with end-of-life tyres (ELTs) through sustainable practices, focusing on repurposing ELTs into crumb rubber (CR) for use in composite concretes for civil engineering applications. Three disposal approaches are considered: recycling into crumb rubber for use in cement composites to enhance acoustic properties, incineration for cement production, and landfill disposal. The study aims to assess the environmental impact of each method, particularly in terms of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions during the recycling phase, utilizing the OpenLCA program for a comprehensive life cycle analysis. The primary objective is to provide insights into the sustainability of incorporating recycled rubber in concrete mixes as fine aggregate to improve concrete acoustic and shock absorbance properties. The research also gathers data on CO2 emissions from ELT incineration for cement production and the environmental implications of ELT’s landfill disposal. By comparing these three strategies, the study offers a holistic perspective on the environmental ramifications of ELT management. Notably, a recent study highlights the energy recovery and CO2 emissions from ELT incineration, demonstrating the potential benefits of recycling. The research identifies a gap in existing studies, emphasizing the need to consider the entire life cycle, including the transportation and use stages. Notably, the use stage significantly contributes to environmental impacts, with carbon emissions ranging from 550 to 840 kg CO2 eq., per car tyre. Additionally, a proposed inventory analysis method evaluates greenhouse gas emissions from Portland cement concrete pavement construction, revealing that raw material production accounts for most emissions. The findings of this research are providing valuable insights for policymakers, industry professionals, and environmentalists aiming for sustainable practices in the construction sector. By allocating a fraction of tyre production CO2 emissions to obtain raw material for concrete composites, the study suggests a potential avenue for reducing environmental impact. Further calculations using the OpenLCA program may refine these recommendations.

Enhancing Load-Bearing Capacity of Calcareous Sands through Gel Stabilization: A Mechanical and Material Characterization Study

Calcareous sands often display wide ring grain configurations, high intragranular porosity, a complex structure, and low grain hardness. These attributes typically do not meet the strength criteria necessary to sustain overlying infrastructure in civil engineering applications. This study investigates gel stabilization techniques, blending gel material with calcareous sand at concentrations ranging from 5% to 22%, followed by curing periods of 3 to 28 days to evaluate the load-bearing capacity. Subsequently, an unconfined compressive test is performed to determine the gel material content in stabilized specimens and investigate the influence of gel material types. The gel material-to-sand ratios employed are set at 5%, 10%, and 16% for Portland cement and 13%, 16%, and 22% for gypsum. After that, a triaxial consolidated undrained test is conducted to assess mechanical behavior, pore water pressure, and mechanical properties. The findings reveal increased dilation, stress–strain hardening, and softening post-yield, regardless of gel material type. Principal stress ratios, secant modulus, and cohesion show a positive correlation with maintenance duration and binder content, with implications for improved load-bearing capacity. The study also elucidates the qualitative relationship between secant modulus E50 and confining pressure.

Cement kiln dust and polypropylene fiber in expansive clay improvement

For civil engineers, expansive soils pose a great deal of difficulty because of their sensitivity to volume changes with different moisture levels. These difficulties are compounded by the widespread occurrence of swelling clay, which can seriously harm infrastructure, especially in arid or semi-arid areas. The geotechnical qualities of these soils have been improved through the use of various additives and techniques, resolving this problem and making the soils suitable for building. Numerous stabilization techniques, nevertheless, may have negative environmental effects. Therefore, it is imperative to investigate the use of local waste or by-products to stabilize soil in order to preserve the environment and lower stabilization costs, especially in road construction projects.To address these issues, an experiment was conducted to determine how locally obtained cement kiln dust (CKD), both alone and combined with polypropylene fibers, affected the properties of plastic clay soil, also referred to as expansive clay from Cheffia.The main objective of this study is to assess how well different CKD percentages (from 5% to 25%) stabilize soil while improving its mechanical and physical properties. The study also aims to explain how the addition of polypropylene fiber affects the unconfined compressive strength and compaction behavior of the soil in the optimal CKD-soil mixture. The results of the analysis show that the addition of cement kiln dust (CKD) significantly improved the studied soil's workability, compaction, and strength. Additionally, adding polypropylene fibers strengthens the clay's resistance to compression, which presents encouraging opportunities for reducing the difficulties brought on by expansive soils in civil engineering applications.

Optimizing compressive strength of quaternary-blended cement concrete through ensemble-instance-based machine learning

Optimizing the composition of concrete, particularly when incorporating ordinary Portland cement (OPC) along with supplementary materials such as ground granulated blast furnace slag (BF), fly ash (FA), and silica fume (SF), poses challenges due to the intricate nonlinearity inherent in concrete properties. Addressing this challenge has urged growing interest in employing Machine Learning (ML) techniques for precise property assessment. In this investigation, various predictive models, encompassing eXtra Gradient Boosting (XGB), random forests (RF), and K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN) algorithms were formulated to predict the compressive strength (CS) of ternary-blended concrete incorporating OPC, BF, FA, and SF. Through comprehensive analysis of an extensive dataset comprising 810 distinct records, the study identifies optimal concrete blends, providing invaluable insights for practical applications. Evaluation of ML models underscores the superior performance of XGB, with a coefficient of multiple determination (R2) values of 0.923 and 0.997 for training and testing datasets, respectively, indicative of exceptional predictive accuracy. Additionally, SHAP values underscore the importance of input age, water–binder ratio, and OPC content. This research enhances understanding of ternary-blended concrete characteristics, offering practical implications for construction practices and laying a foundation for future research endeavors to refine ML models, explore attribute interactions, and optimize concrete constituent proportions for broader civil engineering applications.

Ground Tire Rubber as a Sustainable Additive: Transforming Desert Sand Behavior

AbstractManaging waste tires presents a significant challenge globally, particularly in regions experiencing high temperatures and shortage of landfill sites. This issue is affecting countries like Kuwait, where the abundance of waste tires is a major source of environmental and safety risks, particularly during the intensely hot summer months. This extreme heat has sparked numerous fires, leading to substantial air pollution due to thick black smoke. Given the limited disposal options, recycling waste tires and finding practical applications for ground tire rubber (GTR) is essential. To address the challenge, a comprehensive laboratory testing program was conducted, using locally produced rubber aggregates as an additive to Kuwait's local surface sands. Two new variables were examined namely the size and gradation of the GTR, and the density of the compacted mixes. For this purpose, two different sizes of rubber aggregates, fine and coarse produced locally, were utilized, and the impact of relative compaction on the strength and compressibility of the mixtures was investigated by testing samples compacted to the maximum density and to 95% of the maximum density. The results suggest that combining local surface sands with rubber tire additives results in a lighter, more permeable, and compressible material, contributing significantly to sustainable waste management. With 20% rubber additive the maximum dry density decreased by nearly 20%, and the permeability increased by 1.74–3.11 times and the compression index increased by 6.15 and 3.8 times with fine and coarse rubber respectively. The angle of friction remained unchanged at 36° with the addition of coarse rubber and decreased by 3°–4° with fine rubber. The change in behavior although not an increase in the strength and stiffness, offers a range of suitable practical applications in civil engineering and environmental management, including use as a drainage layer, embankment construction on soft ground, earth fill around retaining walls, an additive in asphalt mixes, and in manufacturing compressible tiles for sports facilities.

Application of Waste Tire in Construction: A Road towards Sustainability and Circular Economy

The global demand for rubber is on a steady rise, which is driven by the increasing production of automobiles and the growing need for industrial, medical, and household products. This surge in demand has led to a significant increase in rubber waste, posing a major global environmental challenge. End-of-life tire (ELT) is a primary source of rubber waste, having significant environmental hazards due to its massive stockpiles. While landfilling is a low-cost and easy-to-implement solution, it is now largely prohibited due to environmental concerns. Recently, ELT rubber waste has received considerable attention for its potential applications in civil engineering and construction. These applications not only enhance sustainability but also foster a circular economy between ELT rubber waste with the civil engineering and construction sectors. This review article presents a general overview of the recent research progress and challenges in the civil engineering applications of ELT rubber waste. It also discusses commercially available recycled rubber-based construction materials, their properties, testing standards, and certification. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first time such a discussion on commercial products has been presented, especially for civil engineering applications.

Determining the number of soil layers using the surface wave method based on decision tree and random forest

The surface wave method is an efficient non-invasive technique to infer shear wave velocity profiles and has wide applications in civil engineering, earthquake engineering, and geophysics. Inversion analysis is a key step in this method. However, inferring the soil layer number is a challenging problem in inversion analysis and needs improvement. Machine-learning algorithms, including decision tree and random forest, are used in this study to infer the number of soil layers based on the dispersion curve of the surface wave. This process includes two steps for obtaining the model. In Step 1, a large set of synthetic dispersion curves is produced, and in Step 2, a model using machine-learning algorithms is trained based on the synthetic data. The analysis results showed that the obtained model could gain more than 75% accuracy in the test data. Comparing the results from the two machine learning models indicated that the random forest method produced a more favorable prediction. Furthermore, investigating the importance of features implied that the longest and shortest wavelengths were more important than other features.

Microstructural mechanism underlying the stress recovery behavior of a Fe–Mn–Si shape memory alloy

Recovery stress governs the prestress strengthening effect of Fe–Mn–Si-based shape memory alloys in civil engineering applications. Although the effects of grain size, texture, and precipitates on recovery stresses have been extensively studied, the generation of recovery stress has not been thoroughly discussed regarding martensite growth behavior, especially considering the interaction of martensite variants. This study investigates the stress recovery and ε martensite growth behavior of a Fe–30Mn–6Si–5Cr (wt.%) alloy subjected to varying levels of deformation. The Fe–30Mn–6Si–5Cr (wt.%) alloy exhibits a yield strength of approximately 450 MPa, with an ultimate elongation of 44 % and a tensile strength of 950 MPa observed in uniaxial incremental cyclic tensile tests. Additionally, the results reveal an initial increase in recovery stress with pre-strain, peaking at 7 %, followed by a subsequent decrease with further deformation. With increasing pre-strain, the primary ε martensites initially grow parallelly, followed by the appearance of secondary martensites with a different orientation, intersecting multiple parallel primary martensites along with the increasing density of dislocations and stacking faults. A microstructural mechanism is proposed to elucidate the stress recovery behavior, encompassing the impact of primary martensites and secondary martensites interaction, and the influence of dislocations and stacking faults. This work offers microstructural scenarios that help to understand the generation of recovery stress and provides guidance for regulating recovery stress in Fe–Mn–Si-based shape memory alloys for civil engineering applications requiring prestress strengthening.

INTERACTION BETWEEN GEOGRID REINFORCEMENT AND STONE AGGREGATES MIXED WITH TIRE-DERIVED AGGREGATES

The disposal of discarded tires creates a major problem, as they are non-biodegradable and occupy huge landfill space. The scrap tires can be utilized in civil engineering applications as an alternative material by partial or complete substitution of conventional materials. In many of these applications, scrap tires are not utilized directly; instead, they are shredded to produce a material known as tire-derived aggregate (TDA). In this study, an attempt is made to understand the interaction between geogrid reinforcement and stone aggregates mixed with TDA using a large-scale triaxial test with a specimen diameter of 150 mm and height (Hs) of 300. The geogrid reinforcement is placed at a spacing of Hs/2, Hs/3, Hs/4, and Hs/5 along the length of the sample. The results are analyzed to understand the effect of geogrid reinforcement on stone aggregate mixed with TDA, and it is noticed that the deviatoric stress increases with the inclusion of geogrid reinforcement in the mix proportion.

Reliability and sensitivity analysis of delamination growth of composite laminate structures using two efficient sampling methods

In recent years, composite structures have been used in a large number of applications in aerospace, machinery, marine, and civil engineering. However, there are inevitably many uncertainties in the whole life cycle of composite structures, which can easily lead to structural damage and failure. Therefore, it is important to analyze the reliability and sensitivity of composite structures. At present, most of the contributions use the first-order reliability method (FORM) and the second-order reliability method (SORM) to study the reliability of composite structures and compare them with the results of the Monte Carlo simulation. However, both methods have their limitations. FORM cannot guarantee the calculation accuracy for the highly nonlinear limit state equation, and the calculation efficiency of SORM is too low. Therefore, this paper proposes to use importance sampling (IS) and backpropagation neural network-based Monte Carlo (MC-BPNN) to study the reliability, sensitivity, and dispersion of delamination growth of composite laminates. The results show that compared with FORM and SORM, IS and MC-BPNN have higher calculation accuracy and efficiency and can more accurately evaluate the failure degree of composite structures and ensure their safe operation in the field of aerospace equipment. The universality of this method can make it being widely used in the reliability and sensitivity analysis of different composite materials as well as dispersion analysis.

Comparative study on convolutional neural network and regression analysis to evaluate uniaxial compressive strength of Sandy Dolomite

Sandy Dolomite is a kind of widely distributed rock. The uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) of Sandy Dolomite is an important metric in the application in civil engineering, geotechnical engineering, and underground engineering. Direct measurement of UCS is costly, time-consuming, and even infeasible in some cases. To address this problem, we establish an indirect measuring method based on the convolutional neural network (CNN) and regression analysis (RA). The new method is straightforward and effective for UCS prediction, and has significant practical implications. To evaluate the performance of the new method, 158 dolomite samples of different sandification grades are collected for testing their UCS along and near the Yuxi section of the Central Yunnan Water Diversion (CYWD) Project in Yunnan Province, Southwest of China. Two regression equations with high correlation coefficients are established according to the RA results, to predict the UCS of Sandy Dolomites. Moreover, the minimum thickness of Sandy Dolomite was determined by the Schmidt hammer rebound test. Results show that CNN outperforms RA in terms of prediction the precision of Sandy Dolomite UCS. In addition, CNN can effectively deal with uncertainty in test results, making it one of the most effective tools for predicting the UCS of Sandy Dolomite.

Damage detection on cooling tower shell based on model textures

Ensuring the structural integrity of cooling towers is paramount for safety and efficient operation. This paper presents a novel approach for detecting damage on cooling tower shells, utilising textures derived from laser scanning and close-range photogrammetry. The proposed method delves beyond the limitations of solely relying on colour information by harnessing the rich details embedded in various textures, including diffuse, normal, displacement, and occlusion. The study demonstrates the efficacy of this approach for identifying significant concrete damage. A Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) trained on diffuse textures successfully detects high damage instances with minimal misdetection. However, accurately pinpointing low damage, often manifesting as subtle cracks, and mimicking other patterns like air pores, ribbing, and colour variations, presents a formidable challenge. To tackle this challenge, the authors introduce a novel "composed raster layer" that merges information from multiple textures. This pre-processed layer amplifies the visual cues associated with low damage, facilitating its differentiation from similar patterns. While the current implementation employing multi-resolution segmentation and rule-based classification exhibits promising results, further optimization is acknowledged to refine the accuracy of low damage detection. The successful application of textures commonly used in rendering techniques underscores their remarkable potential for enhancing damage detection in civil engineering applications. While acknowledging limitations such as the analysis of a single cooling tower and the reliance on specific software for damage detection, the study proposes future research directions. This research holds significant implications for the field of civil engineering by offering a promising approach for automated and efficient damage detection on cooling tower shells.

Active and passive soil wedges influence on the natural frequency of retaining structures

Studying the behavior of retaining structures has been very important issue due to their large application in civil engineering. An accurate determination of the earth pressure and the natural frequency is elemental for studying the dynamic behavior of these structures. In the most previous investigations, the soil backfill was considered sufficient width as rectangular mass whereas in the real. the backfill behind retaining structures repartitioned as triangular active and passive soil wedges. Rectifying this weakness, this study proposed an analytical model for calculating the natural frequency of retaining structures by considering the triangular active and passive soil failure wedges, which take into account the variation of earth pressure behind retaining structures. The soil wedge causes an increase in the value of natural frequency. It is clarified that the soil wedge has a large influence on the natural frequency of retaining structures. In this regard, the consideration of active and passive soil wedges behind retaining structures plays an important influence in determining of the natural frequency.

Numerical Modelling simulation technology of Nonlinear Multi-Field Coupled Ground Foundation

Contemporary civil engineering practices demand sophisticated computational tools to navigate the complexities of structural systems and their interactions with the ground. This paper introduces a novel numerical modelling simulation technology tailored for nonlinear multi-field coupled ground foundations. Ground foundations, pivotal interfaces between structures and underlying soil, undergo intricate interactions influenced by various physical phenomena, including soil-structure interaction, soil-structure-fluid interaction, and thermal effects. Traditional analytical methods often falter in capturing the nuanced nonlinear behavior of these coupled systems. Consequently, this paper proposes a comprehensive numerical modelling framework integrating advanced computational techniques to accurately simulate the complex interplay of multiple fields within ground foundations. The methodology incorporates finite element analysis, multi-physics coupling algorithms, and advanced constitutive models to capture the nonlinear behavior of soil, structure, and fluid interactions. Through detailed case studies and validation against experimental data, the efficacy and accuracy of the proposed simulation technology are demonstrated, emphasizing its potential to revolutionize the design and analysis of ground foundation systems in civil engineering applications. This paper represents a foundational contribution towards advancing the state-of-the-art in numerical modelling simulation technologies for nonlinear multi-field coupled ground foundations, fostering innovation and optimization in civil engineering practice.

Bond performance of NSM FRP–concrete interfaces with epoxy under chloride‐salt conditioned environments

AbstractConcrete in coastal areas is susceptible to structural damage caused by corrosion and expansion of reinforcement. Near‐surface mounted (NSM) fiber‐reinforced polymer (FRP) bars have become effective for strengthening damaged reinforced concrete structures. The bonding performance of NSM FRP bars in concrete is a key factor limiting their application and promotion in civil engineering. In this study, the influences of the conditioned environment, such as the chloride salt concentration, immersion time, and bond length of the FRP bar, on the bonding performance were investigated experimentally. First, material properties in a conditioned environment were studied. Subsequently, the failure mode, bond stress–slip curve, and bond strength of the NSM FRP bar in concrete were investigated. Finally, the microstructure and chemical composition of the materials were revealed using scanning electron microscopy and energy‐dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) images of the materials under environmental conditions. The transfer mechanism of NSM FRP bars in concrete with epoxy was revealed. The results showed that the failure modes of the pullout specimens can be divided into epoxy splitting failure and basalt fiber‐reinforced polymer (BFRP) pulling failure. The chloride‐salt concentration was a critical factor affecting the bond properties, and the longer the bond length, the lower the bond strength. The microstructure clearly shows that the degradation of the bonding behavior at the interface of the NSM FRP bar in concrete in a conditioned environment is attributable primarily to the resin damage of the epoxy, resulting in pit corrosion. There was no significant damage to the fibers in the FRP bar, and the degradation was primarily due to resin matrix damage and interfacial debonding. The EDS results showed that the degradation of the epoxy resin and BFRP bars was caused by CO bond and SiO bond fractures, respectively.

Shear behavior of cement-stabilized silty clay exposed to low-temperature curing

Cement-stabilized soils are widely used in civil engineering applications. However, they inevitably encounter low-temperature curing conditions, particularly in cold regions. In this study, shear experiments were conducted on cement-stabilized silty clays with different dry densities, cement contents, curing ages and temperatures. The factors influencing the shear performance of cement-stabilized soils were analyzed. The results showed that the peak value of the shear stress-displacement curve of the cement-stabilized silty clay increased with the vertical pressure, and the failure patterns for soils with and without cement significantly differed. Generally, the soils without cement underwent ductile failure, whereas the cement-stabilized soils experienced brittle failure. The shear strength and cohesion of the cement-stabilized soils increased with cement content, dry density, curing age and temperature. In addition, the ice and hydration products significantly influenced the internal friction angle of the cement-stabilized soils. An optimal cement content for silty clay was determined to obtain the largest internal friction angle, which ranged from 12% to 15%. Furthermore, at the curing temperature of −2 °C, the edge-face contact form accounted for the majority with a relatively high porosity, but the morphology of C-S-H changed from a sheet-like form to reticulate structure when the curing temperature increased to 22 °C. However, the contribution of the ice crystals to the shear strength was less significant than that of the hydration products. This study provides insights into the mechanical and microstructural properties of cement-stabilized soils in cold-region geotechnical construction.

Investigation on the Durability of a Polypropylene Geotextile under Artificial Aging Scenarios

Geosynthetics are widely used in various civil engineering applications, such as geotextiles in coastal protection, and display a sustainable alternative to natural mineral materials. However, the full benefits of using geosynthetics can only be gained with a long service lifetime of the products. With the use of added stabilizers to the polymers, service lifetimes can be achieved in the range of 100 years. Therefore, accelerated aging methods are needed for the assessment of the long-term performance of geotextiles. In the present study, the behavior of geosynthetic materials made of polypropylene was investigated under artificial aging conditions involving elevated temperatures ranging from 30 to 80 °C, increased oxygen pressures ranging from 10 to 50 bar in water-filled autoclaves, and UV irradiation under atmospheric conditions. ATR-IR spectroscopy was employed to detect the increase in the carbonyl index over various aging durations, indicating the oxidative degradation of the geotextile. The most pronounced increase was observed in the case of aging through UV irradiation, followed by thermal aging. Elevated pressure, on the other hand, had a lower impact on oxidation. High-temperature size exclusion chromatography was utilized to follow the reduction in molar mass under different degradation conditions, and the results were consistent with those obtained from ATR-IR spectroscopy. In polyolefins such as polypropylene, Hindered Amine Stabilizers (HAS) are used to suppress oxidation caused by UV radiation. The quantitative analysis of HAS was carried out using a UV/Vis method and HPLC. The degradation of UV stabilizers during the aging of geotextiles is responsible for the oxidation and the reduction in the molar mass of polypropylene. From the results, it can be concluded that applications of PP geotextile without soil or sand cover might cause the risk of the formation of microplastic particles. Material selection, design, and maintenance of the construction must follow best practices, including the system’s removal or replacement at end-of-life. Otherwise, a sustainable use of geotextiles in civil engineering is not possible.

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Geogrids Manufactured from Recycled Plastics for Slope Stabilization-A Case Study.

This study aimed to investigate the sustainable use of recycled plastics, specifically polypropylene (PP) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE), in the manufacture of geogrids for geotechnical and civil engineering applications. Plastics were collected from a recycling center, specifically targeting containers used for food, cleaning products, and other domestic packaging items. These plastics were sorted according to the Möbius triangle classification system, with HDPE (#2) and PP (#5) being the primary categories of interest. The research methodologically evaluates the mechanical properties of PP/HDPE (0/100, 25/75, 50/50, 75/25 and 100/0% w/w) composites through tensile and flexural tests, exploring various compositions and configurations of geogrids. The results highlight the superiority of pure recycled HDPE processed into 1.3 mm thick laminated yarns and hot air welded for 20 to 30 s, exhibiting a deformation exceeding 60% in comparison to the PP/HDPE composites. Through SolidWorks® Simulation, it was shown that the adoption of a trigonal geogrid geometry optimizes force distribution and tensile strength, significantly improving slope stabilization efficiency. Based on the results obtained, a laboratory-scale prototype geogrid was developed using an extrusion process. The results underscore the importance of careful composite design and yarn configuration selection to achieve the desired mechanical properties and performance in geogrid applications. It emphasizes the potential of recycled plastics as a viable and environmentally friendly solution for stabilizing slopes, contributing to the reduction in plastic waste and promoting sustainable construction practices.

Experimental study and numerical simulation of cellular I-beam manufactured using refill friction stir spot welding technology

The paper presents analyses of thin-walled I-beams constructed from 6061-T6 aluminum alloy using refill friction stir spot welding (RFSSW). A parametrized finite element model of the reference cellular beam was developed, and the results from numerical simulations and experiments were compared. Subsequently, the validated numerical model was utilized to conduct an in-depth analysis of three additional beams featuring distinct cross-sections. To assess the weld behavior, experiments were conducted on samples composed of two sheets connected by two spot welds. The outcomes of these investigations underscore the suitability of RFSSW as a method for constructing thin-walled structures in civil engineering applications.