Earthquakes worldwide highlight the seismic vulnerability of reinforced concrete (RC) bridge columns. RC bridges are likely to collapse or lose service function due to damage to the bridge columns from strong earthquakes. Rapid repair of RC bridge columns is of great significance for maintaining traffic lines for emergency rescue work after earthquakes. In this study, an improved rapid repair method was developed to restore the bearing capacity of a damaged precast column after earthquake damage. A cyclic loading test was performed to simulate the seismic loading. The original column and the repaired column were both tested. The test results showed that the bearing capacity of the repaired columns was increased by 8%, and the energy dissipation capacity was 53% higher than that of the original column. The ductility decreased because the test for the repaired specimen ended in advance. The initial stiffness of the repaired columns was reduced, but the stiffness was significantly developed in the later loading stage. The rapid repair method proposed in this study exhibited an excellent effect on restoring the seismic resistance of the damaged columns.
The difference between the shear performances of Perfobond Leiste (PBL) shear connectors embedded in steel fiber-reinforced cementitious composite (SFRCC) structure and normal strength concrete (NC) structure was investigated by push-out tests and finite element (FE) simulations. Push-out tests were carried out on nine steel-SFRCC specimens and nine steel-NC specimens. The mechanical behavior of the PBL shear connector was examined according to the failure modes, load-slip curves, and strain distribution laws of the push-out specimens. Experimental results revealed that the extension of cracks in SFRCC was hindered by steel fibers, and the number and width of cracks in SFRCC were smaller than those in NC. The failure mode of the steel-SFRCC specimens and the single-hole steel-NC specimens was the shear failure of the penetrating reinforcement, whereas that of the multi-hole NC specimens was concrete slab cracking. The ultimate shear bearing capacity of PBL shear connectors in the steel-SFRCC specimens was 47.8% greater than that in the steel-NC specimens. Furthermore, an FE model verified by the test results was established to conduct parametric analyses. It was found that the hole diameter and thickness of the steel plate and the yield strength of the penetrating rebar greatly affected the shear bearing capacity of PBL shear connectors. Finally, based on the experimental and FE simulation results, an expression for calculating the ultimate shear bearing capacity of PBL shear connectors in the steel-SFRCC composite structure was developed by considering the bearing effects of concrete dowels, penetrating rebars, and end parts.
Based on the paucity of studies on the analysis of the coupled vibration response of the train-track-overhead System, in this article, finite element software ABAQUS was integrated with multi-body dynamics software, Universal Mechanism (UM), to construct a joint simulation model of the train-track overhead system under a railway line, with the focus on the investigation of the influence of different track irregularity levels, speeds and damping coefficients on the coupled vibration response of the vehicle-track-overhead system. The findings demonstrate that the response of the train body is sensitive to track irregularity, which primarily impacts the safety index of train operation. The results also suggest that the level of track irregularity should be rigorously regulated above AAR5 during construction. The train-track-overhead system functions well and satisfies the overhead system’s design requirements when the train travels through the reinforced line at a speed of no more than 60 km/h. When the train speed is 100 km/h, the vertical acceleration exceeds the limit for the “I” overhead system. There is a possibility of excessive lateral acceleration of the train body and excessive lateral force of the wheel and rail when the train speed is greater than 60 km/h, which endangers the safety of the driver. While it has little effect on the mid-span and vertical displacements, the damping factor of the bridge has a substantial impact on the vertical acceleration and mid-span acceleration of the vertical and horizontal beams. The study’s findings provide useful guidance.