Scientific Program

Conference Series Ltd invites all the participants across the globe to attend World Congress on Concrete Structures & Concrete Technology Los Angeles, California, USA.

Day 1 :

Keynote Forum

Rex C. Donahey

Editor-in-Chief
Concrete International
The magazine of the American Concrete Institute

Keynote: The Future Surrounds Us: Deep Learning in the Concrete Industry

Time : 09:30-10:00

Conference Series Concrete Structure 2018 International Conference Keynote Speaker Rex C. Donahey photo
Biography:

Rex Donahey earned his PhD from the University of Kansas. His career has included stints as a faculty member at Oklahoma State University and the University of Illinois; a structural engineer with Ellerbe Becket, Inc.; and the director of research at Composites Technologies Corporation. For the past 13 years, he has been Editor-in-Chief of Concrete International, the magazine of the American Concrete Institute. Donahey holds two patents related to insulated concrete wall panels. He is a licensed professional engineer in Oklahoma and Florida, and he is a member of the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute.

Abstract:

For several years, the world’s tech giants such as Amazon, WeChat, and Facebook have been using artificial intelligence (AI) to severely disrupt more traditional commerce, marketing, and communications systems. Data scientists specializing in deep learning, a subset of AI, are now intensively developing new applications that will displace traditional methods in finance, healthcare, and transportation. Even within the concrete construction industry, early applications of deep learning algorithms have the potential to boost productivity, safety, and quality. This presentation will provide a summary of the concepts behind deep learning, review the many ways the technology affects our lives, examine current deep learning applications within the concrete industry, and anticipate potential applications for specification, inspection, training, and production. Lastly, attendees will be challenged to look for opportunities for applying deep learning in their own activities.

Conference Series Concrete Structure 2018 International Conference Keynote Speaker Ferrier Emmanuel photo
Biography:

Ferrier Emmanuel has completed his PhD in 1999 E. Ferrier was an associate professor in Lyon 1 University (France) since 2000. He is now in a position of Professor in Lyon 1 University since 2009 and director of the laboratory LMC2 devoted to Composite Material for Construction. He is involved in Research in the field of FRP strengthening of RC structure. Since 1999, he has participated in the development of French standard on FRP strengthening of RC structure for the French Association AFGC. He is involved as a member of the executive committee of International Institute of FRP in Construction (IIFC).

Abstract:

Several studies available in the literature demonstrate that carbon, glass or natural fibers can be employed in Externally Bonded (EB) Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (FRP) strips for strengthening existing Reinforced Concrete (RC) members. The paper aims at presenting a large overview of  research and field applications of retrofitting of RC structures by using Fiber-Reinforced Polymers. The focus wil be done on research, field application and standart. The paper will also present recent research progress in this field promoting the use of natural fibers. The study consists of an experimental campaign and some analytical evaluations. The behaviour observed in the tests on RC walls strengthened by FFRP are compared with both a reference wall and similar specimens strengthened with more conventional composite materials (i.e. Carbon-FRP, CFRP). The test results show that FFRP have the potential to be used for seismic retrofitting as a viable alternative to more common FRP materials and other traditional techniques. Indeed, RC wall specimens strengthened with FFRP show strength increases up to 150% and a ductility gains equal to about 30%. Moreover, the tests show that the walls strengthened by FFRP generally dissipate more energy than the ones strengthened with CFRP: this is an important property for seismic strengthening and retrofitting of existing RC structures.

Keynote Forum

Francis T.K. Au

Professor and Head, Department of Civil Engineering
The University of Hong Kong
Hong Kong, China

Keynote: Design Issues of Prestressed Concrete Bridges with Corrugated Steel Webs

Time : 10:30-11:00

Conference Series Concrete Structure 2018 International Conference Keynote Speaker Francis T.K. Au photo
Biography:

Francis T.K. Au obtained his B Sc(Eng) degree with first class honours, M Sc(Eng) degree with distinction and Ph.D. degree from The University of Hong Kong. He joined Maunsell Consultants Asia as an engineer upon graduation with his first degree, where he was involved in new town projects, highway projects as well as marine engineering projects. He returned to the University of Hong Kong in 1988 after having 7 years of practical experience in the industry. He is engaged in research in bridge engineering and concrete structures. He has been involved in various projects, including the structural health monitoring system of the Lantau Fixed Crossing, vibration tests of Ting Kau Bridge, road surface failure on bridges, development of bridge design software and shrinkage problems of large podium structures. He was the recipient of HKIE Transactions Prize 2002 (Civil), Best Teacher Award 2003-04, Faculty of Engineering, HKU, OVM Paper Award for Prestressing 2009 (Class 1) of China Civil Engineering Society and OVM Paper Award for Prestressing 2012 (Class 2) of China Civil Engineering Society.

 

Abstract:

Prestressed concrete bridges with corrugated steel webs have emerged as a promising bridge form due to their remarkable advantages such as efficient prestressing of concrete, high buckling strength of steel webs and lightness. The behaviour of this type of bridges is quite different from that of conventional prestressed concrete bridges. The presentation will focus on the investigations of the full-range and long-term behaviour of these bridges. A sandwich beam theory was developed to investigate both the static and dynamic behaviour numerically. In the development of numerical models, special emphasis was placed on the modelling of corrugated steel webs, external prestressing tendons, diaphragms, and the interaction between web shear deformation and local flange bending. The numerical models were verified by tests. By using the numerical models proposed, the static service behaviour, dynamic properties and long-term behaviour were studied. The sectional ductility, deformability and strength were evaluated by nonlinear analysis taking into account the actual stress-strain curves and path-dependence of materials. The failure mechanisms were studied experimentally and numerically for more accurate evaluation of safety-related attributes such as ultimate load, ductility and deformability. The formation of plastic hinge and its size were also studied thoroughly in view of their importance in the prediction of full-range behaviour. The long-term behaviour was also studied numerically and experimentally. Some design recommendations are provided here.

 

Keynote Forum

Jan Biliszczuk

Professor at Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Poland

Keynote: Concrete extradosed and cable-stayed bridges recently built in Poland

Time : 09:00-09:30

Conference Series Concrete Structure 2018 International Conference Keynote Speaker Jan Biliszczuk photo
Biography:

Dr. Jan Biliszczuk is a Professor at Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Poland. He is Consultant of the General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways (GDDKiA) in the field of large bridge projects. Dr. Biliszczuk received PhD degree in 1978 and since 1972 he has been working at Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Department of Civil Engineering. He has authored or co-authored of over 320 publications (more than 50 published in English) and several textbooks. Also has authority in the field of landmark footbridge, large span arch and cable-stayed bridge design. Supervisor of more than 150 MSc theses and eight PhD dissertations.
 
Dr. Biliszczuk major projects include:
 
(2002) The Siekierkowski Bridge over the Vistula River in Warsaw (Poland) –  steel-concrete cable-stayed bridge with a span of 250 m. Scientific advisor and consultant designer.
 
(2005) The Solidarity Bridge over the Vistula River in PÅ‚ock (Poland)  – steel cable-stayed bridge with the longest span in Poland (375 m). Scientific advisor and consultant designer.
 
(2011) The RÄ™dziÅ„ski Bridge over the Odra River in WrocÅ‚aw (Poland) – concrete cable-stayed bridge with two spans of 256 m. This bridge was nominated to the 2014 fib Awards for Outstanding Concrete Structures. Main designer.

Abstract:

The road and railway infrastructure in Poland has been intensively developed and modernized over the last years. Within this investment program several interesting large bridges were built. This paper will present the following structures:

  • Two large prestressed concrete extradosed bridges – the bridge over the Vistula River in Kwidzyn with 204 long main spans and the bridge in Ostróda with spans of 206 m – these are the largest extradosed bridges built in Europe;
  • The RÄ™dziÅ„ski Bridge over the Odra River in WrocÅ‚aw: 612 m long concrete structure with two main spans of 256 m, two separate prestressed concrete decks are suspended to a single 122 m high H-shaped pylon – the largest concrete cable-stayed bridge in Poland;
  • Two cable-stayed bridges in Cracow and Rzeszów with spans longer than 200 m.

The paper will describe construction technology, aesthetics and design solutions of the aforementioned bridges.

  • Structures | Construction Engineering and Management | Earthquake Resistance Design | Reinforced Concrete Structures | Construction | Seismic Performance of Concrete Buildings
Biography:

Jing Zhang has completed her PhD at the age of 30 years from the University of Hong Kong. Now she is an associate professor at the Hefei University of Technology. She has published more than 8 papers in reputed journals and has been serving as the reviewer of several journals

Abstract:

In order to overcome the shortcoming of insufficient shear resistance of traditional concrete bridge decks, a new composite bridge deck formed by corrugated steel sheets and concrete is introduced. Taking the corrugated steel sheets as the baseplate of the concrete, a group of demountable shear connectors with different stud collar size have been push-out-tested based on Eurocode 4 to assess the potential and suitability in terms of replacing welded shear studs for this innovative composite bridge deck design. The ultimate strength and the load-slip characteristics of the demountable shear connectors are investigated. And the properties of those demountable shear connectors such as shear resistance, stiffness, ductility, and failure modes have been compared with the welded shear studs. Finite element (FE) models of push-out test specimens are developed and validated against experimental results, parametric FE analyses are carried out to elucidate the effect of a change in the concrete grades and stud collar sizes on the shear resistance of demountable shear connections of this innovative composite bridge deck.

Biography:

Plastic optical fiber (POF) sensor has emerged as a potential sensing tool for structural health monitoring. The POF sensor provides a new alternative for monitoring the concrete curing processing since the conventional monitoring techniques have many limitations. This paper briefly presents a sensor fabricating process using a carving machine in order to produce grooves in the POF as sensing elements and also presents a new monitoring technique of concrete curing process based on intensity-based POF sensor. The aim of this technique is to monitor the water presence through the scattering of the propagated signal because the concrete curing is accompanied by water evaporation. In this technique, the POF with grooves was embedded in the concrete. By monitoring the intensity of the transmitted light signal, the cement setting rate along all the curing period can be determined. The experimental results verify the practicality of the POF sensing technique for monitoring the concrete curing process. The proposed POF sensor-based monitoring method has the potential to be applied in curing monitoring of concrete structures at early ages.

Abstract:

Dong Yang has completed his PhD at the age of 30 years from Central South University and postdoctoral studies from National University of Singapore School of Engineering. He is Associate Professor in the Hefei University of Technology now. He has published more than 10 papers in reputed journals.

Biography:

Xuechun Liu is a vice director of the Beijing Engineering Research Center of High-rise and Large-span Pre-stressed Steel Structures at the Beijing University of Technology. He received his PhD in Structural Engineering from the Beijing University of Technology. His research areas include steel structures, prefabricated steel structures, and pre-stressed steel structures. He has published more than 100 papers in reputed journals and gained more than 100 patents.

Abstract:

The connection between columns in high-rise structures, especially the connection at the top of the high-rise structure, may be subjected to the tension, bending moment and shear force under the combination of vertical and horizontal loads. The bolted-flange connection was used for square steel tube structural column in the high-rise structures. To study its mechanical properties, full-scale model tests and finite element analysis were performed on 10 column-to-column connections with different parameters. The mechanical properties of the specimen under the tension-bending-shear combination were obtained. The influence of the flange thickness, flange size, and bolt hole size on the connection performance was obtained. The flange thickness is the main factor affecting the bearing capacity of the connection. As the thickness increases, the yield mechanism of the connection converts from flange yield to bolt yield, and the bearing capacity gradually increases. The size of the bolt hole and the flange has little influence on the carrying capacity of the connection. The finite element models verified by the experiments were used to study the influence of the axial tension ratio of the column (i.e. the axial tension divided by the production of the sectional area and material design strength of the column) on the bearing capacity of the connection. The increase of the axial tension ratio leads to the increase of the bolt tension, which has an adverse effect on the bolt in the tension zone. Based on the yield line theory, the formula of bearing capacity under the combination of tension, bending moment and shear was deduced, which were verified by the tests and finite element analysis.

Biography:

Biao Hu is currently a research associate fellow in the College of Civil Engineering at Shenzhen University, China. He completed his PhD in 2017 from City University of Hong Kong. His research interests involve concrete structures, structural rehabilitation/strengthening by FRP composites, and steel structures. Dr. Hu is accurately a reviewer for several SCI journals, including Journal of Structural Engineering ASCE, International Journal of Geomechanics ASCE, Materials and Structures, and Thin-walled Structures. Dr. Hu has received the 2018 Moisseiff Award from American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).

Abstract:

The externally bonded (EB) fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) strengthening technique has become a popular method for improving the structural performance of infrastructures, in which U-wrapping FRP is one of the most popular choices for shear strengthening of reinforced concrete (RC) beams. However, the debonding of EB-FRP U-strips in shear span is the major failure mode, which results in a fracture failure mode with low efficiency of using FRP material. The paper presents an experimental study to investigate the performance of a hybrid bonding (HB) FRP system with mechanical anchors under different targeted vertical pressure levels for shear strengthening of RC beams. The performance of EB- and HB-FRP strengthened beams was compared in terms of the detailed failure process, failure mode, load-deflection response and strain levels in FRP U-strips. Tests results indicate that, compared with EB-FRP system, HB-FRP strengthened beams showed a larger shear capacity and more effective using of FRP material, and that such superiority will be more significant when increasing the vertical pressure applied on anchors. A modified shear strength model considering the mechanical anchor applied on FRP strips was then proposed.