Fusion welding of Aluminum and its alloys is a great challenge for the structural integrity of li... more Fusion welding of Aluminum and its alloys is a great challenge for the structural integrity of lightweight material structures. One of the major shortcomings of Aluminum alloy welding is the inherent existence of defects in the welded area. In the current study, tests have been conducted on tungsten inert gas (TIG) welded AA6061-T651 aluminum alloy to determine the effects of defect sizes and its distribution on fracture strength. The information will be used to establish weld acceptance/rejection criteria. After welding, all specimens were non-destructively inspected with phased array ultrasonic and measured the projected area of the defects. Tensile testing was performed on inspected specimens containing different weld defects: such as, porosity, lack of fusion, and incomplete penetration. Tensile tested samples were cut along the cross section and inspected with Optical Microscope (OM) to measure actual defect sizes. Tensile properties were correlated with phased array ultrasonic testing (PAUT) results and through microscopic evaluations. Generally, good agreement was found between PAUT and microscopic defect sizing. The tensile strength and toughness decreased with the increase of defect sizes. Small voids (area ratio <0.04) does not have significant effect on the reduction of tensile strength and toughness values. Once defective “area ratio (cross sectional area of the defect) / (total specimen cross sectional area)” reached a certain critical value (say, 0.05), both strength and toughness values decline sharply. After that critical value both the tensile strength and toughness values decreases linearly with the increase of defect area ratio.
ABSTRACT Heat-treatable AA-6061-T651 Aluminum alloys (Al-Mg-Si) have found considerable importanc... more ABSTRACT Heat-treatable AA-6061-T651 Aluminum alloys (Al-Mg-Si) have found considerable importance in structural and aerospace applications for their high strength to weight ratio and improved corrosion resistance properties. Intrinsic weld defects, post-weld residual stresses, and microstructural changes are the key factors for performance reductions and failures of welded structures. Gas-Tungsten-Arc-Welding (TIG/GTAW) was carried out on AA-6061-T651 plates with Argon/Helium (50/50) as the shielding gases. Non-destructive Phased-Array-Ultrasonic- Testing (PAUT) was applied for the detection and characterization of weld defects and mechanical performances. Ultrasonic technique was used for the evaluation of post-weld residual stresses in welded components. The approach is based on the acoustoelastic effect, in which ultrasonic wave propagation speed corresponds to the magnitude of stresses present within the materials. To verify the PAUT’s residual stress results, a semi-destructive hole-drilling technique was used; and observed analogous results. The effects of post-weld-heat-treatment (PWHT) on the residual stresses, grain size, micro-hardness, and tensile properties are also studied. The grain size and micro-hardness values are studied through Heyn’s method and Vickers hardness test, respectively. Lower residual stresses are observed in post-weld heat-treated specimens, which are also confirmed from microstructural and micro-hardness studies. The PWHT enhanced tensile properties for the redistribution of microstructures and residual stresses.
Strengthening-By-Stiffening (SBS) is a new concept developed to enhance the strength and performa... more Strengthening-By-Stiffening (SBS) is a new concept developed to enhance the strength and performance of shear-deficient thin-walled steel girders. In SBS, pultruded composite sections are bonded to buckling prone web panels to serve as stiffeners.
Heat treatable AA-6061 T651 Aluminum alloys (Al-Mg-Si) have found considerable importance in vari... more Heat treatable AA-6061 T651 Aluminum alloys (Al-Mg-Si) have found considerable importance in various structural applications for their high strength to weight ratio and corrosion resistance properties. Weld defects, residual stresses, and microstructural changes are the key factors for the performance reduction as well as failure of welded structures. Tungsten inert gas (TIG/GTAW) welding was carried out on AA-6061 T651 Aluminum Alloy plates using Argon/Helium (50/50) as the shielding gas. Non-destructive phased array ultrasonic testing (PAUT) was applied for the detection and characterization of weld defects and characterization of the mechanical performances. In this study, ultrasonic technique was also used for the evaluation of post-weld residual stresses in welded components. The approach is based on the acoustoelastic effect, in which ultrasonic wave propagation speed is related to the magnitude of stresses present in the materials. To verify the estimated residual stresses by ultrasonic testing, hole-drilling technique was carried out and observed analogous results. The effects of post weld heat treatment (PWHT) on the residual stresses, grain size, micro hardness, and tensile properties were also studied. The grain size and micro hardness were studied through Heyn’s method and Vickers hardness test, respectively. Lower residual stresses were observed in post-weld heat-treated specimens, which also experienced from microstructure and micro hardness studies. The PWHT also resulted enhanced tensile properties for the redistribution of microstructures and residual stresses.
Reliability analysis of Cone Penetration Test (CPT) is very useful information for interpreting C... more Reliability analysis of Cone Penetration Test (CPT) is very useful information for interpreting CPT data. One of the identified sources of uncertainty is the inherent variation in the measurement device and equipment. This uncertainty needs to be accounted for in the reliability analysis forming the basis for the correlation of the CPT with soils engineering properties. This paper investigates the variability of CPT measurements by conducting sixteen CPT penetrations in proximity to each other to a depth of 24.4 m (80 ft). A reliability analysis is conducted to determine the coefficient of variation (COV) of q c as well as soil unit weight (γT ) and overburden pressure (σ vo). The results showed that COV qc () is higher when compared to COV (γT ) and COV(σ vo), with values close to 40% in some cases. On average, the COV for qc , γT and σ vo are 19.6%, 1.46%, and 0.51%, respectively. ABSTRACT: Reliability analysis of Cone Penetration Test (CPT) is very useful information for interpreting CPT data. One of the identified sources of uncertainty is the inherent variation in the measurement device and equipment. This uncertainty needs to be accounted for in the reliability analysis forming the basis for the correlation of the CPT with soils engineering properties. This paper investigates the variability of CPT measurements by conducting sixteen CPT penetrations in proximity to each other to a depth of 24.4 m (80 ft). A reliability analysis is conducted to determine the coefficient of variation (COV) of q c as well as soil unit weight (γT ) and overburden pressure (σ vo). The results showed that COV qc
This paper reports on a survey effort of damaged bridges conducted by the writers in the aftermat... more This paper reports on a survey effort of damaged bridges conducted by the writers in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina of August 2005. As with Hurricane Ivan in 2004, low-lying coastal bridges suffered severe damage due to hydrodynamic forces caused by storm surge. Consequently, transportation networks in the affected areas were disrupted. Since coastal bridges are considered lifelines for the communities they serve, their loss resulted in hindering rescue and recovery efforts. The purpose of this paper is to present related data as observed by the writers. Data collection and documentation of perishable data after natural disasters and before recovery and reconstruction efforts is of great importance. In the case of coastal bridges, they can help in improving future designs and rehabilitating existing ones. The majority of the surveyed bridges collapsed due to unseating. Hydrodynamic forces due to wave impact and water current on the superstructure proved to exceed the capacity of common connections between the superstructure and the substructure for short- and medium-span bridges.
Journal of Composites for Construction, Aug 1, 2017
AbstractRestoring the capacity of deficient structural members to meet original design requiremen... more AbstractRestoring the capacity of deficient structural members to meet original design requirements or new higher demands is common. For that purpose, research efforts to use composite materials in...
Journal of Manufacturing Science and Engineering-transactions of The Asme, Sep 4, 2015
Welding defects and the reduction of mechanical performances are the foremost problems for fusion... more Welding defects and the reduction of mechanical performances are the foremost problems for fusion welded aluminum alloys joints. The influences of weld defects and postweld heat treatment (PWHT) on tensile properties of gas tungsten arc (GTA) welded aluminum alloy AA-6061-T651 joints are investigated in this current study. All welded specimens are nondestructively inspected with phased array ultrasonic testing (PAUT) to classify weld defect and measure the projected defects area-ratio (AR). Ultimate tensile strength (UTS) decreased linearly with the increase of the size of weld defect but tensile toughness behaved nonlinearly with defect size. Depending on defect size, defective samples' joint efficiency (JE) varied from 35% to 48% of base metal's (BM) UTS. Defect-free as-welded (AW) specimens observed to have 53% and 34% JE based on UTS and yield strength (YS) of BM, respectively. PWHT was applied on defect-free welded specimens to improve tensile properties by precipitation hardening, microstructures refining, and removal of postweld residual stresses. Solution treatment (ST) (at 540 °C) followed by varying levels of artificial age-hardening (AH) time was investigated to obtain optimum tensile properties. For GTA-welded AA-6061-T651, peak aging time was 5 hr at 180 °C. PWHT specimens showed 85% JE based on UTS and up to a 71% JE based on YS of BM. However, toughness values decreased about 29% due to the presence of precipitate-free fusion zones. The experimental investigations can be used to establish weld acceptance/rejection criteria and for the design of welded aluminum alloy structures.
Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, Oct 1, 2015
Nondestructive testing (NDT) methods for identifying stress levels in materials mostly rely on th... more Nondestructive testing (NDT) methods for identifying stress levels in materials mostly rely on the theory of acoustoelasticity. However, the sensitivity and the accuracy of acoustoelasticity are affected by several factors such as the (1) type, (2) propagation, and (3) polarization directions of the used signals. This paper presents the results of an experimental investigation of longitudinal waves propagating perpendicular to the applied uniaxial tensile stresses in structural steel specimens. The changes in four ultrasonic signal characteristics were investigated with increasing stress levels ranging from below to above the yield stress of steel. The considered signal characteristics were the peak amplitudes and signal energy in the time domain, and the fast Fourier transform (FFT) and chirp-Z transform (CZT) in the frequency domain. Even though the acoustoelastic effect on the type ultrasonic signal used is very small, clear distinctions between prior to and postyielding are observed for all investigated parameters. The results are presented with a detailed statistical and receiver operating characteristics (ROCs) analyses. The results show that identifying damage to steel structures due to local yielding is possible using the simple ultrasonic signal classification.
Fusion welding of Aluminum and its alloys is a great challenge for the structural integrity of li... more Fusion welding of Aluminum and its alloys is a great challenge for the structural integrity of lightweight material structures. One of the major shortcomings of Aluminum alloy welding is the inherent existence of defects in the welded area. In the current study, tests have been conducted on tungsten inert gas (TIG) welded AA6061-T651 aluminum alloy to determine the effects of defect sizes and its distribution on fracture strength. The information will be used to establish weld acceptance/rejection criteria. After welding, all specimens were non-destructively inspected with phased array ultrasonic and measured the projected area of the defects. Tensile testing was performed on inspected specimens containing different weld defects: such as, porosity, lack of fusion, and incomplete penetration. Tensile tested samples were cut along the cross section and inspected with Optical Microscope (OM) to measure actual defect sizes. Tensile properties were correlated with phased array ultrasonic testing (PAUT) results and through microscopic evaluations. Generally, good agreement was found between PAUT and microscopic defect sizing. The tensile strength and toughness decreased with the increase of defect sizes. Small voids (area ratio <0.04) does not have significant effect on the reduction of tensile strength and toughness values. Once defective “area ratio (cross sectional area of the defect) / (total specimen cross sectional area)” reached a certain critical value (say, 0.05), both strength and toughness values decline sharply. After that critical value both the tensile strength and toughness values decreases linearly with the increase of defect area ratio.
ABSTRACT Heat-treatable AA-6061-T651 Aluminum alloys (Al-Mg-Si) have found considerable importanc... more ABSTRACT Heat-treatable AA-6061-T651 Aluminum alloys (Al-Mg-Si) have found considerable importance in structural and aerospace applications for their high strength to weight ratio and improved corrosion resistance properties. Intrinsic weld defects, post-weld residual stresses, and microstructural changes are the key factors for performance reductions and failures of welded structures. Gas-Tungsten-Arc-Welding (TIG/GTAW) was carried out on AA-6061-T651 plates with Argon/Helium (50/50) as the shielding gases. Non-destructive Phased-Array-Ultrasonic- Testing (PAUT) was applied for the detection and characterization of weld defects and mechanical performances. Ultrasonic technique was used for the evaluation of post-weld residual stresses in welded components. The approach is based on the acoustoelastic effect, in which ultrasonic wave propagation speed corresponds to the magnitude of stresses present within the materials. To verify the PAUT’s residual stress results, a semi-destructive hole-drilling technique was used; and observed analogous results. The effects of post-weld-heat-treatment (PWHT) on the residual stresses, grain size, micro-hardness, and tensile properties are also studied. The grain size and micro-hardness values are studied through Heyn’s method and Vickers hardness test, respectively. Lower residual stresses are observed in post-weld heat-treated specimens, which are also confirmed from microstructural and micro-hardness studies. The PWHT enhanced tensile properties for the redistribution of microstructures and residual stresses.
Strengthening-By-Stiffening (SBS) is a new concept developed to enhance the strength and performa... more Strengthening-By-Stiffening (SBS) is a new concept developed to enhance the strength and performance of shear-deficient thin-walled steel girders. In SBS, pultruded composite sections are bonded to buckling prone web panels to serve as stiffeners.
Heat treatable AA-6061 T651 Aluminum alloys (Al-Mg-Si) have found considerable importance in vari... more Heat treatable AA-6061 T651 Aluminum alloys (Al-Mg-Si) have found considerable importance in various structural applications for their high strength to weight ratio and corrosion resistance properties. Weld defects, residual stresses, and microstructural changes are the key factors for the performance reduction as well as failure of welded structures. Tungsten inert gas (TIG/GTAW) welding was carried out on AA-6061 T651 Aluminum Alloy plates using Argon/Helium (50/50) as the shielding gas. Non-destructive phased array ultrasonic testing (PAUT) was applied for the detection and characterization of weld defects and characterization of the mechanical performances. In this study, ultrasonic technique was also used for the evaluation of post-weld residual stresses in welded components. The approach is based on the acoustoelastic effect, in which ultrasonic wave propagation speed is related to the magnitude of stresses present in the materials. To verify the estimated residual stresses by ultrasonic testing, hole-drilling technique was carried out and observed analogous results. The effects of post weld heat treatment (PWHT) on the residual stresses, grain size, micro hardness, and tensile properties were also studied. The grain size and micro hardness were studied through Heyn’s method and Vickers hardness test, respectively. Lower residual stresses were observed in post-weld heat-treated specimens, which also experienced from microstructure and micro hardness studies. The PWHT also resulted enhanced tensile properties for the redistribution of microstructures and residual stresses.
Reliability analysis of Cone Penetration Test (CPT) is very useful information for interpreting C... more Reliability analysis of Cone Penetration Test (CPT) is very useful information for interpreting CPT data. One of the identified sources of uncertainty is the inherent variation in the measurement device and equipment. This uncertainty needs to be accounted for in the reliability analysis forming the basis for the correlation of the CPT with soils engineering properties. This paper investigates the variability of CPT measurements by conducting sixteen CPT penetrations in proximity to each other to a depth of 24.4 m (80 ft). A reliability analysis is conducted to determine the coefficient of variation (COV) of q c as well as soil unit weight (γT ) and overburden pressure (σ vo). The results showed that COV qc () is higher when compared to COV (γT ) and COV(σ vo), with values close to 40% in some cases. On average, the COV for qc , γT and σ vo are 19.6%, 1.46%, and 0.51%, respectively. ABSTRACT: Reliability analysis of Cone Penetration Test (CPT) is very useful information for interpreting CPT data. One of the identified sources of uncertainty is the inherent variation in the measurement device and equipment. This uncertainty needs to be accounted for in the reliability analysis forming the basis for the correlation of the CPT with soils engineering properties. This paper investigates the variability of CPT measurements by conducting sixteen CPT penetrations in proximity to each other to a depth of 24.4 m (80 ft). A reliability analysis is conducted to determine the coefficient of variation (COV) of q c as well as soil unit weight (γT ) and overburden pressure (σ vo). The results showed that COV qc
This paper reports on a survey effort of damaged bridges conducted by the writers in the aftermat... more This paper reports on a survey effort of damaged bridges conducted by the writers in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina of August 2005. As with Hurricane Ivan in 2004, low-lying coastal bridges suffered severe damage due to hydrodynamic forces caused by storm surge. Consequently, transportation networks in the affected areas were disrupted. Since coastal bridges are considered lifelines for the communities they serve, their loss resulted in hindering rescue and recovery efforts. The purpose of this paper is to present related data as observed by the writers. Data collection and documentation of perishable data after natural disasters and before recovery and reconstruction efforts is of great importance. In the case of coastal bridges, they can help in improving future designs and rehabilitating existing ones. The majority of the surveyed bridges collapsed due to unseating. Hydrodynamic forces due to wave impact and water current on the superstructure proved to exceed the capacity of common connections between the superstructure and the substructure for short- and medium-span bridges.
Journal of Composites for Construction, Aug 1, 2017
AbstractRestoring the capacity of deficient structural members to meet original design requiremen... more AbstractRestoring the capacity of deficient structural members to meet original design requirements or new higher demands is common. For that purpose, research efforts to use composite materials in...
Journal of Manufacturing Science and Engineering-transactions of The Asme, Sep 4, 2015
Welding defects and the reduction of mechanical performances are the foremost problems for fusion... more Welding defects and the reduction of mechanical performances are the foremost problems for fusion welded aluminum alloys joints. The influences of weld defects and postweld heat treatment (PWHT) on tensile properties of gas tungsten arc (GTA) welded aluminum alloy AA-6061-T651 joints are investigated in this current study. All welded specimens are nondestructively inspected with phased array ultrasonic testing (PAUT) to classify weld defect and measure the projected defects area-ratio (AR). Ultimate tensile strength (UTS) decreased linearly with the increase of the size of weld defect but tensile toughness behaved nonlinearly with defect size. Depending on defect size, defective samples' joint efficiency (JE) varied from 35% to 48% of base metal's (BM) UTS. Defect-free as-welded (AW) specimens observed to have 53% and 34% JE based on UTS and yield strength (YS) of BM, respectively. PWHT was applied on defect-free welded specimens to improve tensile properties by precipitation hardening, microstructures refining, and removal of postweld residual stresses. Solution treatment (ST) (at 540 °C) followed by varying levels of artificial age-hardening (AH) time was investigated to obtain optimum tensile properties. For GTA-welded AA-6061-T651, peak aging time was 5 hr at 180 °C. PWHT specimens showed 85% JE based on UTS and up to a 71% JE based on YS of BM. However, toughness values decreased about 29% due to the presence of precipitate-free fusion zones. The experimental investigations can be used to establish weld acceptance/rejection criteria and for the design of welded aluminum alloy structures.
Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, Oct 1, 2015
Nondestructive testing (NDT) methods for identifying stress levels in materials mostly rely on th... more Nondestructive testing (NDT) methods for identifying stress levels in materials mostly rely on the theory of acoustoelasticity. However, the sensitivity and the accuracy of acoustoelasticity are affected by several factors such as the (1) type, (2) propagation, and (3) polarization directions of the used signals. This paper presents the results of an experimental investigation of longitudinal waves propagating perpendicular to the applied uniaxial tensile stresses in structural steel specimens. The changes in four ultrasonic signal characteristics were investigated with increasing stress levels ranging from below to above the yield stress of steel. The considered signal characteristics were the peak amplitudes and signal energy in the time domain, and the fast Fourier transform (FFT) and chirp-Z transform (CZT) in the frequency domain. Even though the acoustoelastic effect on the type ultrasonic signal used is very small, clear distinctions between prior to and postyielding are observed for all investigated parameters. The results are presented with a detailed statistical and receiver operating characteristics (ROCs) analyses. The results show that identifying damage to steel structures due to local yielding is possible using the simple ultrasonic signal classification.
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Papers by Ayman M Okeil