Development of Demountable Mechanical Plastic Hinge for Moment Carrying Connection of Precast Reinforced Concrete Beam and Column Elements

by Muhammed Raşit Çevikalp | Dec 19, 2022

Project Title: Development of Demountable Mechanical Plastic Hinge for Moment Carrying Connection of Precast Reinforced Concrete Beam and Column Elements
Project Type: TÜBİTAK Project
Project Coordinator: Prof. Dr. Ercan Yüksel

Precast reinforced concrete structures are becoming widespread in the world and in our country day by day due to their material and production quality, and fast installation properties.

Within the scope of TÜBİTAK TEYDEP 5190016 project, a simple, quick-to-apply, demountable connection technique has been developed in the Structural and Earthquake Engineering Laboratory. The technique allows that the precast concrete beams to be mechanically connected to the precast concrete columns in frame systems in a way that transfers moments and allows the structural members to be reused.

The special coupler, which is the basic component of the developed connection technique and ensures continuity by mechanically connecting the re-bars of precast reinforced concrete members, has been proven to comply with ISO15835 and AC133 standards.

The seismic behavior of the beam-to-column connections and the frame system in which the developed demountable connection technique was utilized, were determined by the laboratory tests.

The developed technique has been presented to the precast concrete industry as a new and national product option.

İTÜ Faculty of Civil Engineering

It can be accepted that the history of ITU Civil Engineering Faculty was commenced in 1727 by the establishment of Humbarahane during the era of Damat İbrahim Paşa. However, this attempt was to no avail due to the martyrization of the studwents of this school by the Janissaries.

In 1734, during the grand viziership of Topal Osman Paşa, classes related to Civil Engineering was being taught in Hendesehane, which was founded in Üsküdar. Similarly, this school was also closed after three years due to the opposition of the Janissaries. The reasons of the tragedy that occured in Battle of Chesma, 1770 were inadequacy of the ships and the ignorance of the Ottoman Navy.

Although the Atlantic Map (1513) and the Map of Europe and the Mediterranean Sea (1523) by Piri Reis were the leading pieces of the era, Ottoman viziers were so ignorant that they claimed it was impossible for the Russian Baltic Fleet to reach the Mediterranean Sea assuming that there were no sea connection. With the proposal from Gazi Hasan Paşa and Baron de Tott, Mühendishane-i Bahri-i Humayun was established during the time of Sultan Mustafa III, aiming to train naval construction engineers. Since Ottoman Empire did not have any engineering schools at the time, military engineering classes were taught by French engineers beginning from 1784. French lecturers had to return to their country in 1788 with the increasing suppression from Austria and Russia, which were unwilling for the development and thriving of Ottoman Empire. In 1759, during the Grand Viziership of Koca Ragıp Paşa, Humbarahane was reopened in Karaağaç, Haliç (Golden Horn) and continued to teach even though it was incompetent. In 1792, Lağımcı Ocağı and Humbaracı Ocağı (Guild of Sappers) were established.