RCAAP Repository

Este artigo traça o perfil da atuação da Organização das Nações Unidas em dois momentos distintos: antes e depois do fim da Guerra Fria. O autor analisa também como as operações de paz desenvolvidas por essa organização internacional vêm atuando nos conflitos ocorridos no continente africano.

Partindo de um estudo histórico acerca dos Bálcãs, o autor traça o perfil social e político dos países que hoje formam a região, chegando aos dias atuais e aos conflitos bélicos e étnicos que a têm marcado. Também é debatido ao longo do texto o descaso das grandes potências com a problemática da região e a inclusão de alguns desses países na União Européia.

O artigo examina a habilidade da União Européia em agir como um ator internacional nos diálogos inter-regionais, através da análise de seu comportamento para os países do Mercosul de 1991 a 2003. A primeira parte apresenta abordagens sobre a percepção da União Européia como ator internacional. A segunda examina o desenvolvimento dos diálogos inter-regionais. O artigo apresenta um breve quadro das relações União Européia/América Latina durante o período. Em seguida, analisa o Acordo Marco de Cooperação Inter-regional, enfatizando a dimensão política, junto com os avanços e obstáculos nas negociações com vistas à liberalização comercial. Na conclusão avaliam-se as ações da União Européia como ator internacional em relação aos países-membro do Mercosul.

Este artigo, tomando como ponto de partida as Guerras do Golfo, traça o perfil da nova ordem mundial formada com a derrocada da União Soviética e o fim da Guerra Fria, e a ascensão dos Estados Unidos como única superpotência no século XXI. O autor também afirma que a nova ordem mundial, proclamada com vistas à promoção permanente do desenvolvimento e da paz, residiria no binômio político-econômico da democracia neoliberal.

O objetivo do artigo é fornecer uma base teórica para a compreensão da "judicialização da política externa", tomando como ponto de partida as elaborações clássicas de Locke e Montesquieu que conferiam ao Executivo uma grande dose de discricionariedade na condução das relações exteriores, gradualmente contrabalançada pelo Legislativo e pelo Judiciário. Revisitando a literatura sobre "judicialização da política" e as deturpações a que foi submetida, o autor procura aplicar o conceito para a política externa e analisa cinco casos da Corte Interamericana de Direitos Humanos.

Abstract Although the use of high strength concrete blocks for the construction of tall buildings is becoming common in Brazil, their mechanical properties and behavior are not fully understood. The literature shows a gap in experimental studies with the use of high strength concrete blocks, i.e., those with compressive strength greater than 16 MPa. The work presented herein was conducted in order to study the behavior of high strength structural masonry. Therefore, the compressive strength and modulus of elasticity of concrete block walls tested under axial load were assessed. The specimens included grouted and ungrouted walls and walls with a mid-height bond beam; ungrouted walls were constructed with face-shell and full mortar bedding. The walls were built and tested in the laboratory of CESP and in the Structures Laboratory of the UNESP Civil Engineering Department in Ilha Solteira (NEPAE). Concrete blocks with nominal compressive strength of 16 (B1), 24 (B2) and 30 (B3) MPa were used. Ungrouted masonry walls had a height of 220 cm and a width of 120 cm while grouted masonry walls had a height of 220 cm and a width of 80 cm. Traditional Portland cement, sand and lime mortar was used. The testing program included 36 blocks, 18 prisms, 9 ungrouted walls (6 with face-shell mortar bedding and 3 with full mortar bedding), 9 grouted masonry walls, and 12 ungrouted walls with a bond beam at mid-height. The experimental results were used to determine the compressive strength ratio between masonry units, prisms and masonry walls. The analyses included assessing the cracking pattern, the mode of failure and the stress-strain curve of the masonry walls. Tests results indicate that the prism-to-unit strength ratio varies according to the block strength; that face-shell mortar bedding is suitable for high strength concrete masonry; and that 20% resistance decrease for face-shell mortar bedding when compared with full mortar bedding is a conservative consideration. The results also show that using a bond beam at the mid-height of the wall does not lead to a compressive strength decreased but it changes the failure mode and the shape of the stress-strain curve. In addition, the results show that estimating E = 800 fp is conservative for ungrouted masonry walls but reasonably accurate for grouted masonry walls and that there is no reason to limit the value of E to a maximum value of 16 GPa. Furthermore, the results show that, for design purposes, a wall-to-prism strength ratio value of 0.7 may be used for high strength concrete masonry.

Abstract The addition of ash, initially classified as waste in cement matrices, is essential to achieve the requirements of National Policy of Solid Waste. However, technologies that enable such applications should be sought, especially when the material has adequate pozzolanic activity. The aim of this study was to verify the pozzolanic activity of fly ash from coal burning, from the aluminum manufacturing process, such as mineral admixture in mortars and conventional concrete. For that, physicochemical characterization of the ash sample and the mechanical behavior of mix dosage of mortar and commercially used concrete tests were carried out. Results showed the ash in evaluation has pozzolanicity as relevant standards employed and when inserted in the studied cementitious matrices, showed the expected performance for this type of addition (higher mechanical strength at older ages).

Abstract The vehicles that travel on Brazilian highways have changed a lot in the last decades, with an increase in the traffic load and in the amount of trucks. This fact is not exclusive to our country, so much that in order to assess the structural safety of bridges, there was a great development in bridge weigh-in-motion systems (B-WIM) the last decade, especially in developed countries. Moses, in 1979, was the first one to introduce the B-WIM concept. This work presents the results of a B-WIM system applied on a bridge over the Lambari river, located at BR 153 in Uruaçu (Goiás). The weigh-in-motion technique used is based on Moses' Algorithm and uses influence lines obtained direct from traffic. Traffic characterization of that particular highway, as well as the effects introduced in the bridge structure and the experimental dynamic amplification factor are also discussed. At the end it is concluded that the system used is capable of detecting, with good precision, the axle spacing and the gross vehicle weight shows errors inferior to 3% when compared with the gross weight acquired with static scale.

Abstract During the construction of bridges, cantilever roofs and eaves, assembling formworks and scaffold that will support the slabs is a point of difficulty in the construction phase. Therefore, it is relevant the study of the lattice joists which serve as self-supporting formwork, supporting its weight, the weight of the fresh concrete, the weight of workers and the weight of concreting equipment. The analysis of the bearing capacity of lattice joists subject to negative bending with base concrete opening enables checking the maximum span that each lattice truss model bears, either cantilevered or between continuous spans with reduced or no scaffold. The concrete opening enables the monolithism between the slab and its support. This paper presents the results of tests on lattice joist with concrete opening. By the results analysis, formulations for designing the spacing between prop lines were found. The results are promising and indicate great possibilities of using lattice joists with concrete opening over the supports (beams), in order to optimize the slab shuttering.

Abstract In the analysis of the second-order global effects, the material nonlinearity (NLF) can be considered in an approximate way, defining for the set of each structural element a mean flexural stiffness. However, there is less research concerning low-rise buildings in the analysis of global stability in contrast to high buildings, because these have a greater sensitivity to this phenomenon and they are more studied. In this way, the paper objective is to determine the flexural stiffness values, of beams and columns, for buildings with less than four floors, to approximate consideration of the NLF in the global analysis. The idealized examples to buildings with 1, 2 and 3 floors, being simulated through the software CAD/TQS and an analysis model based in an iterative process. The simulations results defined the stiffness values of the set of beams and columns in each example, followed by a statistical analysis to define general values of application in the buildings. Finally, a proposal is suggested of stiffness reduction coefficients for beams and columns to be adopted in the approximation the NLF (EIsec = αv/p ∙ Eci Ic), as follows: buildings with 1 floor (αv = 0,17 and αp = 0,66), buildings with 2 floors (αv = 0,15 and αv = 0,71) and buildings with 3 floors (αv = 0,14 and αv = 0,72). The results obtained can be used for the analysis of low-rise structures to consider the second order global effects with more safely.

Abstract Every structure is subjected to the effects of time and environment on which they are located. The consideration of these effects and their consequences in design phase is called nowadays as durability analysis of the structural system. The corrosion of the reinforcement steel through the chloride penetration inside the concrete is the main cause of the lifetime deterioration of the reinforced concrete structures. As a direct consequence, the corrosion affects the resistant capacity of the structural elements as the process evolves over time. Therefore, the appropriate prediction of the structural lifetime depends directly of the prevision capacity of those effects over the behavior of the structural systems. In this work, a mechanical model that combines the corrosion effects over the reinforcement and the concrete and steel material nonlinear responses is proposed to predict the resistant loss of reinforced concrete beams over the time. The steel and concrete nonlinear behavior was modeled by model based on unidimensional plasticity theory and damage mechanics, respectively. The Fick’s laws and empirical methods based on the Faraday’s laws were used to represent chloride penetration inside concrete and reinforced degradation, respectively. A simplified process was adopted to simulate the corrosion beginning in different times over the structure. The results showed that the rate of loss resistant capacity of the analyzed beam is higher in the first years after the beginning of corrosion and tend to stabilized in subsequent years. Furthermore, the structural behavior is very sensitive regarding the considered corrosive effects in the analyses.

Abstract Heritage constructions presents high significance and importance for society. As way of contribution for the preservation of the heritage constructions, this paper presents a study on the dynamic behavior of a heritage construction, part of the historic center of Sobral city, located at the north region of Ceará State, namely the Nossa Senhora das Dores Church, a church from the beginning of the 19th century, built in clay brick walls. In this study, ambient vibration tests were performed aiming to obtainment of the natural frequencies of the building focusing the calibration of the numerical model and, from it, proceeding with modal analysis by Finite Element Method (FEM) with recurrence to software Ansys®. The results allowed the analysis of the structural dynamic behavior taking into account natural frequencies, modal shapes and directional displacements.

Abstract A produção de concretos auto compactáveis de baixa massa específica tornou-se um grande desafio para a engenharia civil, principalmente quanto à dosagem e manutenção das resistências mecânicas. Nesse contexto, o objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar concretos autoadensáveis (CAA) produzidos com agregados leves e reciclados. Fixou-se as dosagens de sílica ativa, pó de pedra, pedrisco, argila expandida e superplastificante, variando-se a porcentagem do resíduo de borracha em 5% e 10%, em substituição ao agregado miúdo. As amostras foram submetidas aos ensaios de espalhamento, viscosidade, habilidade passante, resistências à compressão e à tração por compressão diametral e, massa específica. Verificou-se que os CAA produzidos apresentaram coesão e trabalhabilidade adequados, bem como atendem as condições normativas para uso em peças pré-moldadas e estruturais.

Abstract The efficiency of sound irradiance in structure has direct relation with its vibratory movement. Dynamic vibration absorbers (DVAs) are a low cost viable option for reducing vibrations in passive structures. Secondary systems attached to the primary system (structure) in order to reduce vibration. In this work it was used an experimental modal analysis procedure (EMA) for vibratory responses through impulsive excitations to determine the natural frequencies and the location of points suitable for attachment of DVAs in a concrete beam. Later it was designed and built DVAs to reduce vibration in a frequency band where the response of the human auditory system is more sensitive. The best project configuration for DVAs was evaluated for sensitivity thereof with respect to the change of the loss factor of the viscoelastic material used. Obtained reduction of more than 36% over the considered frequency band and over 70% in the region of the resonance frequency in which the DVAs were tuned.

Abstract One of the challenges in the investigation of structural masonry is the correlation between the thickness of the laying joints and the global resistance of the masonry. Many authors developed experimental correlations in the attempt to establish an analytical relation between the joint thickness and the resistance of the masonry. All these projects indicate that there are many parameters and considerations to be analyzed in the understanding this relation and in understanding the collapse of the masonry as a whole. Thus, in an attempt to contribute with this field of study, the present paper investigates the influence of the thickness of the mortar laying joint in the resistance of the masonry structure. With the objective of experimentally establishing a relation between the joint thickness and the resistance of the masonry, rupture trials were held to the axial compression of three block prisms laid with five series of thicknesses: 8mm, 12.5mm, 10mm, 15mm and 20mm. The physical and mechanic description of all the components that made up the masonry were done separately, complying with the regulations. Through a simplified statistical analyses, presented at the end of this study, values of resistance of each series of prisms associated to a specific thickness for the laying joint are shown. Through the comparison of the specific results of the analyzed specimen, we arrived at the suggestion of a better performance joint and it was also possible to establish a behavioral tendency, through the comparison of results, helping in the understanding of how the block-joint set behave monolithically from the determination of the individual characteristics of each element. Which is one of the keys that will permit the constructions of a behavioral model capable of assisting structural analysts in their structural masonry dimensioning techniques.

Abstract While the cement plant is considered one of the most polluting industry, responsible for about 5% of global CO2 emissions, the concrete has the potential to uptake this gas through the carbonation process, offset in part the emissions generated in its production. With the purpose to analyze this process, this study aims to evaluate emissions and CO2 uptake with cement content 300-580 kg produced with different cement types (CP II F, CP II E, CP II Z, CP III, CP IV and CP V). Through mathematical modeling, the emissions balance was made, identifying the mix that shows good resistance to carbonation and greater absorption of CO2 during the concrete life cycle. The results show that concrete with cement consumption between 380 and 420 kg/m³ showed better balance emissions.

Abstract Ultimate limit state curves of short reinforced concrete columns in fire situation are going to be presented in this paper. The authors created a code developed in Matlab. It makes a discretization of the cross sections of the columns and calculates the equilibrium integrals of them. The curves were plotted with the code considering the 500 °C isotherm method.

Abstract The stability of long and slender precast beams has been associated with structural collapse during the transitory phase of construction. The inevitable deviations regarding the execution between the support cross-section and midspan aggravate the instability problem, thus causing the beams to become even more susceptible to its effects. The focal point of this study is the numerical and behavioral evaluation of concrete beams that present geometric imperfections on elastomeric supports and analyze the influence exerted by the variables of: strength characteristics of concrete, physical non-linearity of the concrete and the compression stiffness of the bearing pad. The numerical analyses were developed on a computer program based on the finite element method (FEM). Among the principle conclusions drawn from the study, one finds that the increase in the characteristic strength of the concrete provides the beam with a higher degree of stability, and the consideration of the physical non-linear behavior of the material did not allow the equilibrium point on the numerical model to be found in some of the cases that were evaluated. The rotational stiffness of the pad decreases as the skew angle increases. Therefore, one needs to remember that in very critical situations, it may not be possible to find the point of equilibrium, thus leading to collapse.

Abstract The behavior of a steel structure is directly related to the type of base used in the columns, which is essential to the stability and security of the structural system. The Brazilian standard ABNT NBR 8800:2008 does not directly covers this subject. Another Brazilian standard, ABNT NBR 16239:2013, presents a limited design procedure to hollow columns. In this paper, two design methodologies are presented considering the uniform and triangular pressure distribution between the base plate and the concrete surface. A computational program has been developed to design steel column bases considering both methodologies mentioned. The program has been validated with manually solved design examples and conclusions about the pressure distribution design procedures were made from the 200 bases designed by the program. It was noted that, for the triangular pressure distribution, there is an interval in which the procedure is not completely applicable. Apart from this interval, there was no significant difference in the results.

Abstract In this paper a numerical model with strong discontinuities is presented to address fracture problems in quasi-brittle materials. A non-symmetrical statically and kinematically consistent formulation is implemented. The strong discontinuity in the displacement field is represented using the elemental enrichment finite element method (E-FEM). In other words, the strong discontinuity is introduced into the finite element and the additional degrees of freedom are condensed at the element level, allowing the implementation into existing computational codes. Two constitutive models are used to analyze the behavior of the cracked zone, linear and exponential. The exponential model results are closer to those obtained in experimental data and representative numerical simulations than the linear model.