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Abstract: The objective of this paper is to analyse the ultimate strength of ageing ship structures based on experimental and numerical assessments. Three experimental ultimate strength tests have been carried out on box girders under vertical bending moment and several effects have been detected due to corrosion. Extensive nonlinear finite element analyses have been performed to compare the numerical and experimental results. The ultimate bending moment of corroded box girders has been compared with existing formulas. A relationship to calculate the equivalent tangent modulus as a function of the total reduction of the cross-sectional area due to corrosion degradation has been proposed. A new stress–strain relationship has been developed, taking into account the residual stresses and the corrosion effect, which may be directly used as a master stress–strain curve for a non-linear finite element analysis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Steel caging is an effective, economical, easily applied and widely used method of strengthening RC columns. Based on the results of two experimental studies, this paper proposes the finite element modelling of RC columns strengthened by a steel cage under axial loads and bending moments. The FE models were used to obtain the N-M diagrams of experimental cases in which a study was made of the improved resistance of RC columns strengthened with this type of strengthening technique. The paper also includes a comparison of different methods of connecting the cage around the beam–column joint and a parametric study to observe the influence of diverse parameters on the behaviour of the strengthened column, including: angle dimensions, number of strips, the yield stress of the steel used in the strengthening, the dimensions of the capitals at both ends of the column, concrete strength and the characteristics of the reinforcement used in the columns. Finally, the results of the various tests (experimental and numerical) described in the paper are used to be compared with three design proposals and the goodness of fit of each one is analysed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• H-beam welded hollow sphere developed buckling failure subjected to eccentric compression. • The design formula of H-beam welded hollow sphere subjected to eccentric compression was proposed. • The test results verified the rationality of the proposed formula. • The bearing capacity of joints is greatly affected by ribbing, H-beam height, flange width, and hollow sphere size. • The axial force–bending moment relationship curve of the joint is independent of its geometric size. An H-beam welded hollow spherical joint is a new kind of spatial grid structure. In this study, the eccentric-loaded behavior of H-beam welded hollow spherical joints was studied, and the influential law of material strength, joint size, and stiffening rib on its mechanical properties was analyzed through experimental research and numerical simulation. Parametric analyses were conducted to study the eccentric-loaded behavior of H-beam welded hollow spherical joints subjected to pure bending or the combined action of axial force and bending moment using a finite element model verified through experiments. The calculation formula of the bending bearing capacity of the joints and the axial force-bending moment curve were also obtained. Finally, the design rule for eccentric compression was proposed and verified through test results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Performance of bolted-flange connections under tension, moment and shearing. • Static tension, moment and shearing tests and FEA on bolted-flange connections. • Effect of flange thickness, bolt edge distance, flange edge width and bolt hole size. • Stiffness and strength of connections, bolt tension and contact force were obtained. • Yield bearing capacity obtained from proposed formulas agreed well with test and FEA. In this study, the square steel tube column is connected by bolted flange instead of traditional welding. For multi-rise structure, tension, bending moment, and shear force may act on the connection under vertical and horizontal loads. To investigate the mechanical behavior of flange connections, full-scale model tests and finite element analyses of 10 bolted-flange joints were carried out. The mechanical properties of the specimens and the influence of the flange thickness, flange size, and bolt hole diameter under a tension–bend–shear combination were obtained. The size of the bolt hole and flange has little effect on the load-carrying capacity of the connection. With the increase of the thickness of flange, the flexural rigidity and load-carrying capacity of the connection increase obviously, and the yield mechanism of the specimen changes from flange yield to bolt yield. The influence of the axial tension ratio on the bolt tension was investigated by the experiment-verified finite element models. The axial tension ratio is the value that the axial force of column divided by the cross-sectional area and the material design strength of the column. Increasing the axial tension ratio may increase the bolt tension, which has a harmful effect on the bolts at the tension side of the flange. Using yield line theory, formulas for calculating the static load-bearing capacity resisting the bending moment, shear and tension were deduced and verified by comparing with the result of experiment and finite element analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]