Reinforced concrete (RC) slabs may be exposed to the low-velocity impact load during their service periods. In low-velocity impact scenarios, the effect of strain rates has been remarkably higher than quasi-static loading because the loading duration is very short. Thus, structural responses and failure modes will be different. The present study aims to investigate dynamic response and failure modes of simply supported two-way RC slabs exposed to low-velocity impact load. In the experimental part of this study, nine RC slabs with the dimension of 1,000 × 1,000 × 80 mm were tested. The reinforcement ratio of RC slabs and the input impact energy applied to RC slabs were experimental variables investigated. A drop-weight test setup was utilized to apply impact load to RC slabs. By varying drop-height as 1,000, 1,250 and 1,500 mm, three different impact energies have been applied to RC slabs via a hammer of which weight is 84 kg. The time histories of the accelerations, displacements and impact loads were recorded. The dynamic responses obtained by tests and the failure modes observed has been interpreted in detail. Besides, a finite element model where explicit dynamic analysis is performed has been established for verification of the experimental results. There was observed good accordance between numerical and experimental results. Consequently, it is considered that the present finite element treatment can be used for the evaluation of the dynamic responses and failure modes of RC slabs exposed to low-velocity impact load.

This paper presents test results of 12 reinforced concrete beams having three shear span to depth ratios and two different amounts of main longitudinal reinforcement. The test specimens were divided into two similar groups – the first six beams were made from engineered cementitious composites (ECCs), whereas the other six beams were made using normal concrete (NC). The test results showed that the behaviour of ECC beams under shear is, overall, much better than that of NC beams. The strength, stiffness, ductility and energy absorption capacity of the ECC beams were found to be significantly higher than those of the corresponding NC beams. However, these comparisons depend on the shear span to depth ratio.

From a tectonic perspective, Türkiye is a geographical region known for its high seismic activity, with some of the most active faults in the world. On February 6, 2023, two consecutive earthquakes with magnitudes of Mw 7.7 and Mw 7.6 struck Kahramanmaraş within a remarkably short time span of 9 h. This event stands out as a rare and unprecedented tectonic occurrence in terms of seismicity and tectonic activity over the past 100 years. The impact of these two major earthquakes on the region's reinforced concrete structures was significant, resulting in severe damage and the collapse of numerous buildings. It is of utmost importance to investigate and examine the design flaws and underlying factors that contributed to the damage observed in the reinforced concrete structures affected by these earthquakes. Such research will not only contribute to the improvement of structural design, seismic regulations, and quality control measures during construction but also enhance our understanding of earthquake engineering. In this study, an in-depth field investigation was conducted on reinforced concrete structures in Hatay, one of the regions most affected by the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes. The damages occurring in the buildings were documented through a detailed field survey and analyzed. A total of 540 reinforced concrete structures in the Hatay region were extensively examined, and the damages that occurred in these structures were photographed and interpreted to understand their underlying causes. Subsequently, based on the findings from the field investigation, a structural model was designed that incorporated the most significant design and construction errors responsible for the damages observed in the 540 examined structures. The devised model was subjected to static push-over analysis and nonlinear dynamic analysis using the SAP2000 finite element software, and the results obtained were interpreted.

In the last 20 years, the use of wooden structures and their dimensions have gradually increased. The wood application has increased in different structures such as multistory buildings, sports, industrial facilities, road and railway bridges, power transmission lines, and towers. The widespread use and size of wood structures have increased the research on developing special types of wood products supported by composite materials. Laminated wood elements are the leading composite wood materials. Laminated wooden beams allow making much larger openings than standard solid wood structural elements. The development of the sizes and usage areas of wooden structures has increased the capacity of glulam structural elements and reveals the need to improve their performance. Carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRPs) are the most suitable options for increasing the bearing capacity values of glulam beams and improving general load–displacement behaviors. In this study, the use of CFRP strips in different layouts to increase glulam wooden beams and the application of CFRP fan-type anchors in the CFRP strip endpoints are the studied variables. Anchored and non-anchored glulam wooden beams reinforced with CFRP strips with different layouts were tested using a three-point bending test. The ultimate load capacity, initial stiffness, displacement ductility ratio, energy dissipation capacity, failure mechanisms, and general load–displacement behavior of wooden beam test specimens were obtained and interpreted as a result of the experiments.