Abstract: This report outlines the forensic investigation of the collapse of Bridge No. SN 019-5010 in DeKalb County, Illinois on August 19, 2008. The bridge consisted of three 42 feet precast prestressed concrete deck beams simply-supported by concrete pile caps with a timber pile foundation. Assessment based on site investigation, in situ readings, and analysis indicated that a geotechnical or superstructure failure may be ruled out. Samples of the oak timber piles were retrieved and tested under pure compression as well as combined compression and flexure. Laboratory testing results of these specimens were used to calibrate an analytical model of a full-scale single timber pile. The analytical model considered both symmetrical and unsymmetrical loading of the bridge. The results of the analytical model were used to determine the required live load to initiate collapse. The results of the investigation indicate that structural overload, leading to fracturing of the timber piles in combined compression and flexure, is the likely reason for the bridge failure.

Abstract: An article of footwear includes a footwear upper and a sole assembly secured to the footwear upper. The sole assembly has a heelward portion and a toeward portion, and includes a deck assembly disposed substantially in the heelward portion of the sole assembly. The deck assembly includes an upper deck portion, a lower deck portion spaced from the upper deck portion, and right and left supports attached to respective right and left portions of the upper and lower deck portions substantially near respective right and left lateral edges of the upper and lower deck portions. The deck assembly defines a cavity between the upper and lower decks. The deck assembly directs translation of ground contact forces incurred by the heelward portion of the sole assembly at least partially laterally outwardly.

Abstract: A common practice for the fabrication of steel orthotropic bridge decks in the United States is to use 80% partial joint penetration (PJP) groove welds between the closed ribs and deck plate. However, it is difficult to eliminate weld melt-through with the thin rib plates. Heat straightening after welding, sometimes combined with precambering, is used to meet the deck plate flatness requirement. To study the effects of both weld melt-through and distortion control measures on the fatigue resistance of the rib-to-deck plate welded joint, six full-scale two-span orthotropic deck specimens were subjected to laboratory testing. Specimens, 10 m long and 3 m wide with four closed ribs, were fabricated with and without weld melt-through and were heat straightened; three specimens were also precambered. To simulate the effect of repetitive truck traffic, each specimen was tested up to 8 million cycles. Test results showed that six cracks initiated from the weld toe outside the rib. Only one crack developed at the weld root inside the rib; this crack initiated from a location transitioning from the 80% PJP to 100% penetration weld. None of the cracks propagated through the deck plate thickness. Precambering was beneficial in fatigue resistance as two effectively precambered specimens did not experience cracking in the PJP welds.

Abstract: The shear capacity of existing concrete structures is often unable to meet current standards requirements. This may be attributable to increased load requirements, inadequate shear provisions in the original design, deterioration of materials or an increased demand in shear capacity owing to flexural strengthening. There are various approaches to the repair and strengthening of existing concrete structures in shear using fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP), involving the use of plates or fabrics externally bonded to the web, prestressed straps wrapped around the beam or the use of bars mounted near the surfaces of the web. However, when only the top or bottom faces of the concrete member are accessible, as in the case of bridge beams made contiguous within a deck or for corbels, a different approach is proposed, called the deep embedment technique: vertical holes are drilled into concrete upwards from the soffit in the shear zones, high-viscosity epoxy resin is injected and then FRP or steel bars are embedded into place. In this paper, the results of a series of tests on unstrengthened and strengthened small-scale and large-scale reinforced concrete and prestressed concrete specimens with and without stirrups are presented. The proposed technique is shown to be feasible, successful and potentially more effective than other shear strengthening approaches. A simple model derived from the truss analogy is shown to be able to predict the capacity of the strengthened beams and can therefore be used as a design tool for the scheme.

Abstract: The objective of this study was to develop a numerical analysis method based on the moving particle semi-implicit method for simulating shipping water on a moving ship. Towing tests of a very large crude carrier were numerically analyzed for three typical wavelengths. The ship was forced to move in order to express previously measured ship oscillations, and the calculated fluid behavior and the impact pressure on the deck were compared with the experimental results.

Abstract: Steel-deck composite floor systems are a popular choice in high-rise buildings as they are economical and easy to construct. These composite floor systems use high strength materials to achieve longer spans, but are slender and vulnerable to vibration under human induced loads. These floors are normally designed using static methods which will not capture the true dynamic response resulting in inappropriate designs, undesirable vibration and discomfort to occupants. At present there is no adequate design guidance to address the vibration in these composite floors, due to a lack of research information on their dynamic characteristics, resulting in wasteful post event retrofits

Abstract: Fundamentals.- Philosophy of Hull Structure Design.- Structural Design Loads.- Strength Evaluation.- Hull Structure Design System.- Progress in Ship Design.- Materials.- Finite Element Method.- Theory.- Design of Beams.- Design of Girders.- Damage of Girders.- Design of Pillars.- Design of Plates.- Design of Stiffened Panel.- Torsion.- Deflection of Hull Structures.- Welding.- Fracture Control.- Hull Structural Vibration.- Applications.- Hull Structure Arrangement.- Longitudinal Strength of Hull Girder.- Transverse Strength of Ship.- Torsional Strength.- Shell Structure.- Bulkheads.- Deck Structure.- Double Hull Structure.- Fore Construction.- Engine Room Construction.- Stern Construction and Stern Frame.- Vibration Prevention.- Superstructure.

Abstract: The hydrodynamic forces experienced by an inundated bridge deck have great importance in the design of bridges. Specifically, the drag force, lift force, and the moment acting on the bridge deck under various levels of inundation and a range of flow conditions influence the design and construction of the bridge. This report explores the forces acting on bridges in two ways. First, through physical experimentation on scaled-down bridge deck models tested in a flume and then with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation models. Three bridge deck prototypes were used for the experimentation: a typical six-girder highway bridge deck, a three-girder deck, and a streamlined deck designed to better withstand the hydraulic forces. The forces (expressed as nondimensional force coefficients) on each of the bridge deck shapes were measured in the laboratory with an ultra-precise force balance under a range of inundation scenarios (including partial inundation) and at four different velocities characterized by Froude numbers in the range of 0.16 to 0.32. CFD modeling was performed using both the Fluent® and STAR-CD® software packages. The CFD models were calibrated to the flow conditions of the six-girder bridge, and these same conditions were used for the other two bridge shapes. A range of model options were tested including two-dimensional versus three-dimensional models, different mesh resolutions, boundary conditions, and turbulence models; their effect on the accuracy of results and processing efficiency were noted. Fitting equations were generated to create an envelope around the experimental data and create design charts for each of the bridge types and force coefficients. Finally, the CFD models, though they can match some of the general behavior of experimental models in terms of the relationship between inundation ratio and force measured at the bridge, do not yet faithfully reproduce the critical values of the hydraulic forces and show very little response to velocity. The CFD simulations seem promising as a method to test bridge designs, but more research is needed before complex designs can be tested wholly in the CFD realm. However, the design charts from the experimental results should be a valuable tool for the bridge designer in a wide range of design applications.

Abstract: The use of composite laminate materials has increased rapidly in recent years due to their excellent strength to weight ratio and resistance to corrosion. In the construction of marine vessels, stiffened plates are the most commonly used structural elements, forming the deck, bottom hull, side shells and bulkheads. This paper presents the use of a stochastic approach to the design of stiffened marine composite panels as part of a current research programme into developing stochastic methods for composite ship structures, accounting for variations in material properties, geometric indices and processing techniques, from the component level to the full system level. An analytical model for the solution of a stiffened isotropic plate using a grillage analogy is extended by the use of equivalent elastic properties for composite modelling. This methodology is applied in a reliability analysis of an isotropic (steel) stiffened plate before the final application for a reliability analysis for a FRP composite stiffened plate.

Abstract: Column-stabilized floating offshore platform structures ( 10 ) having spaced apart buoyant main vertical columns ( 11 ) joined at lower ends by horizontal lower truss members ( 13 ) in a pin connection and joined at upper ends by a buoyant deck mount structure ( 14 ), and/or by horizontal truss members, to form a moment connection A buoyant keel tank ( 15 ) having a central moon pool ( 15 A) can be retracted and extended relative to the main columns between a retracted transport mode and an extended operating mode Ballast of the columns and keel tank can be adjusted to raise or lower the center of gravity of the structure with respect to its center of buoyancy to stabilize the structure and compensate for variable or fixed loads, deck payloads, environmental conditions, and operational and installation stages A three-sided deck mount allows on-site float-over deck installation

Abstract: Investigated was the fatigue behavior of the foam-filled GFRP bridge deck in the transverse direction which is an intermediate type between the modular type deck and the sandwich type. Four different types of the specimens were prepared and tested with different stress ratios. The failure mode and the change in stiffness by the foam inside the deck was reported. The role of the foam was very clear. It reduced the damage accumulation in the web-flange joint efficiently. Compared to the reference case which was not filled, the endurance of limit of the foam-filled deck was remarkably increased.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a monohull offshore drilling vessel comprising: a hull having a moonpool and a main deck, which hull further has a hold, which hold has a floor and a side wall, a firing line hoist system that is mounted on the hull above the moonpool, which firing line hoist system comprises a mast, which is connected to the hull of the drilling vessel, a pipe storage for storing drill pipes in a substantially horizontal position, a riser storage for storing risers in a substantially horizontal position, wherein the pipe storage and/or the riser storage extend to the floor of the hold.

Abstract: A bed is provided having a non-pivotal actuation mechanism for a foot deck to assist the bed in being converted to a chair bed and lowered close to the floor even when the foot deck is in a generally vertical position. In one embodiment, the bed has a longitudinal gap between the intermediate deck section and the foot deck section. As the foot deck transitions to the generally vertical position from the generally horizontal position the gap between the intermediate frame section and the foot deck section is decreased. In an alternate embodiment a foot deck side rail is operably connected to the foot deck section and driven by the non-pivotal actuation mechanism.

Abstract: This paper explores the main design issues related to power supply infrastructure needed for a vehicle charging system to be implemented in a large parking deck. The design challenges with such a system have been investigated. Simulations have been performed to characterize the chargers as loads and a supply design is proposed. The design components include the sizing of the supply cables and the supply transformer.

Abstract: Pavements on orthotropic steel bridge decks in China have typically lasted three to seven years until the introduction of Epoxy Asphalt at the 2 nd Yangtze River Bridge at Nanjing. The thermoset nature of Epoxy Asphalt compared to the thermoplastic bitumen paving materials previously used accounts for its ability to satisfy the requirements of skid resistance, a uniform riding surface and steel deck waterproofing for extended years even under severe ambient and load conditions. As of the end of 2008 over 500,000 square meters of Epoxy Asphalt have been installed on 20 orthotropic steel bridges in China. These installations are performing very well with few problems. Extensive laboratory test programs have been conducted to characterize the properties of this unique paving material. Although there are strict time and temperature constraints in the construction of Epoxy Asphalt pavements Chinese contractors have quickly learned how to install these pavements without significant problems.

Abstract: This research explores the possibilities of wood composite structures with a view to designing durable lightweight composite decks. The paper examines a new wood structure technology in which an ultra-high-performance fiber-reinforced concrete (UHPFRC) slab is fastened to glulam beams. Fasteners representing most existing groups are first experimentally investigated on small beams (span one meter). The modes of functioning of each type and the various failure modes are identified. The paper proposes a method for assessing the interface shear stiffness. This method is based on analysis of flexural test results using a slip versus shear stress relation. It is shown that glued assembly of the two materials yields the best shear stiffness and highest ultimate strength. The practical aspects of surface preparation before gluing are considered. The results of a bending test carried out on a composite structure having a span of three meters, made of UHPFRC glued to two glulam beams, validate this fasten...