• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.569-575
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• 2018

The stability of shallow cavities with an arbitrary profile is a difficult issue in geotechnical engineering. This paper investigates this problem on the basis of the upper bound theorem of limit analysis and the Hoek-Brown failure criterion. The influence of pore pressure is taken into consideration by regarding it as an external force acting on rock skeleton. An objective function is constructed by equating the internal energy dissipation to the external force work. Then the Lagrange variation approach is used to solve this function. The validity of the proposed method is demonstrated by comparing the analytical solutions with the published research. The relations between shallow and deep cavity are revealed as well. The detaching curve of cavity roof with elliptical profile is obtained. In order to facilitate the application of engineering practice, the numerical results are tabulated, which play an important role in tunnel design and stability analysis of roof. The influential factors on potential collapse are taken into consideration. From the results, the impact of various factors on the extent of detaching is seen intuitively.

• Composites Research
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.206-210
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• 2019

As the use of composite materials of woven structure has expanded to various fields such as automobile and aviation industry, there has been a need for reliability problems and prediction of mechanical properties of woven composites. In this study, finite element analysis for predicting the mechanical properties of composite materials with different weaving structures was conducted to verify similarity with experimental static properties and an effective modeling method was developed. To reflect the characteristics of the weave structure, the meso-scale representative volume element (RVE) was used in modeling. Three-dimensional modeling was carried out by separating the yarn and the pure matrix. Hashin's failure criterion was used to determine whether the element was failed, and the simulation model used a progressive failure model which was suitable for the composite material. Finally, the accordance of the modeling and simulation technique was verified by successfully predicting the mechanical properties of the composite material according to the weave structure.

• Composites Research
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.15-22
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• 2008

This paper describes the results of structural integrity and crashworthiness of Automatic Guideway Transit(AGT) vehicle made of sandwich composites. The applied sandwich composite of vehicle structure was composed of aluminum honeycomb core and WR580/NF4000 glass fabric/epoxy laminate composite facesheet. Material testing was conducted to determine the input parameters for the composite facesheet model, and the effective equivalent damage model fer the orthotropic honeycomb core material. The finite element analysis using ANSYS v11.0 was dont to evaluate structural integrity of AGT vehicle according to JIS E 7105 and ASCE 21-98. Crashworthiness analysis was carried out using explicit finite element code LS-DYNA3D with the lapse of time. The crash condition was frontal accident with speed of 10km/h at rigid wall. The results showed that the structural integrity and crashworthiness of AGT vehicle were proven under the specified loading and crash conditions. Also, the modified Chang-Chang failure criterion was recommended to evaluate the failure modes of composite structures after crashworthiness event.

• Composites Research
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.22-29
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• 2008

This paper presents the evaluation of crashworthiness and rollover characteristics of low-floor bus vehicles made of aluminum honeycomb sandwich composites with glass-fabric epoxy laminate facesheets. Crashworthiness and rollover analysis of low-floor bus was carried out using explicit finite element analysis code LS-DYNA3D with the lapse of time. Material testing was conducted to determine the input parameters for the composite laminate facesheet model, and the effective equivalent damage model for the orthotropic honeycomb core material. The crash conditions of low-floor bus were frontal accident with speed of 60km/h. Rollover analysis were conducted according to the safety rules of European standard (ECE-R66). The results showed that the survival space for driver and passengers was secured against frontal crashworthiness and rollover of low-floor bus. Also, The modified Chang-Chang failure criterion is recommended to predict the failure mode of composite structures for crashworthiness and rollover analysis.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.221-242
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• 2021

A numerical study of the performance assesment of coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) processes in improved Korean reference disposal system (KRS⁺) for high-level radioactive waste is conducted using TOUGH2-MP/FLAC3D simulator. Decay heat from high-level radioactive waste increases the temperature of the repository, and it decreases as decay heat is reduced. The maximum temperature of the repository is below a maximum temperature criterion of 100℃. Saturation of bentonite buffer adjacent to the canister is initially reduced due to pore water evaporation induced by temperature increase. Bentonite buffer is saturated 250 years after the disposal of high-level radioactive waste by inflow of groundwater from the surrounding rock mass. Initial saturation of rock mass decreases as groundwater in rock mass is moved to bentnonite buffer by suction, but rock mass is saturated after inflow of groundwater from the far-field area. Stress changes at rock mass are compared to the Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion and the spalling strength in order to investigate the potential rock failure by thermal stress and swelling pressure. Additional simulations are conducted with the reduced spacing of deposition holes. The maximum temperature of bentonite buffer exceeds 100℃ as deposition hole spacing is smaller than 5.5 m. However, temperature of about 56.1% volume of bentonite buffer is below 90℃. The methodology of numerical modeling used in this study can be applied to the performance assessment of coupled THM processes for high-level radioactive waste repositories with various input parameters and geological conditions such as site-specific stress models and geothermal gradients.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.561-577
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• 2021

The ten standard roughness profiles suggested by Barton and Choubey (1977) were extended to make three-dimensional (3D) joint models whose profiles were identical at any cross section. Replicas of joint models were produced using plaster of Paris, and direct shear tests were performed to verify the joint roughness coefficients (JRC) of the standard roughness profiles. Joint shear strengths measured by direct shear tests were compared with those predicted by the shear failure criterion suggested by Barton (1973) based on JRC, joint compressive strength (JCS), and joint basic friction angle (𝜙_b). Shear strengths measured from joints of the first and fourth standard roughness profiles were close to predicted values; however, shear strengths measured from the other joint models were lower than predicted, the differences increasing as the roughness of joints increased. Back calculated values for JRC, JCS, and from the results of the direct shear tests show measured shear strengths were lower than predicted shear strengths because of the JRC values. New JRC were back calculated from the measured shear strength and named JRC_m. Values of JRC_m were lower than the JRC for the standard roughness profiles but show a strong linear relationship to JRC. Corrected JRC_m values for the standard roughness profiles are provided and revised relationships between JRC_m and JRC, and new shear strength criterion are suggested.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.209-220
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• 2008

A methodology for the seismic vulnerability assessment of historical monuments is presented in this paper. The ongoing work has been conducted in Tunisia within the framework of the FP6 European Union project (WIND-CHIME) on the use of appropriate modern seismic protective systems in the conservation of Mediterranean historical buildings in earthquake-prone areas. The case study is the five-century-old Zaouia of Sidi Kassem Djilizi, located downtown Tunis, the capital of Tunisia. Ambient vibration tests were conducted on the case study using a number of force-balance accelerometers placed at selected locations. The Enhanced Frequency Domain Decomposition (EFDD) technique was applied to extract the dynamic characteristics of the monument. A 3-D finite element model was developed and updated to obtain reasonable correlation between experimental and numerical modal properties. The set of parameters selected for the updating consists of the modulus of elasticity in each wall element of the finite element model. Seismic vulnerability assessment of the case study was carried out via three-dimensional time-history dynamic analyses of the structure. Dynamic stresses were computed and damage was evaluated according to a masonry specific plane failure criterion. Statistics on the occurrence, location and type of failure provide a general view for the probable damage level and mode. Results indicate a high vulnerability that confirms the need for intervention and retrofit.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.427-447
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• 2011

The progressive collapse phenomenon is generally regarded as dynamic. Due to the impracticality of nonlinear dynamic computations for practitioners, an interest arises for the development of equivalent static pushover procedures. The present paper proposes a methodology to identify such a procedure for sudden column removals, using energetic evaluations to determine the pushover loads to apply. In a dynamic context, equality between the cumulated external and internal works indicates a vanishing kinetic energy. If such a state is reached, the structure is sometimes assumed able to withstand the column removal. Approximations of these works can be estimated using a static computation, leading to an estimate of the displacements at the zero kinetic energy configuration. In comparison with other available procedures based on such criteria, the present contribution identifies loading patterns to associate with the zero-kinetic energy criterion to avoid a single-degree-of-freedom idealisation. A parametric study over a family of regular steel structures of varying sizes uses non-linear dynamic computations to assess the proposed pushover loading pattern for the cases of central and lateral ground floor column failure. The identified quasi-static loading schemes are shown to allow detecting nearly all dynamically detected plastic hinges, so that the various beams are provided with sufficient resistance during the design process. A proper accuracy is obtained for the plastic rotations of the most plastified hinges almost independently of the design parameters (loads, geometry, robustness), indicating that the methodology could be extended to provide estimates of the required ductility for the beams, columns, and beam-column connections.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.15 no.3 s.84
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• pp.232-240
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• 2006

Magnesium alloys are expected to be widely used fur the parts of structural and electronic appliances due to their lightweight and EMI shielding characteristics. While the die casting has been mainly used to manufacture the parts from the magnesium alloys, the press forming is considered as an alternative to the die casting for saving the manufacturing cost and improving the structural strength of the magnesium alloy parts. However, the magnesium alloy has low formability at room temperature and therefore, in many cases, forming at elevated temperatures is necessary to obtain the required material flow without failure. In the present study, square cup deep drawing tests using the magnesium alloy AZ31 sheet were experimentally conducted at various elevated temperatures as well as room temperature, and the corresponding finite-element simulations, which calculated the damage evolution based on the Oyane's criterion, were conducted using the stress-strain relations from the tensile tests at various temperatures. The formability predictability by the finite-element analysis was investigated by comparing the predicted damage distributions over the deformed AZ31 sheet at elevated temperatures with the corresponding experimental deformations with failures.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.183-202
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• 2019

For design and performance assessment of a high-level radioactive waste (HLW) disposal system, it is necessary to understand the characteristics of coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) behavior. However, in previous studies for the Korean Reference HLW Disposal System (KRS), thermal analysis was performed to determine the spacing of disposal tunnels and interval of disposition holes without consideration of the coupled THM behavior. Therefore, in this study, TOUGH2-MP/FLAC3D is used to conduct THM modeling for performance assessment of the Korean Reference HLW Disposal System (KRS). The peak temperature remains below the temperature limit of $100^{\circ}C$ for the whole period. A rapid rise of temperature caused by decay heat occurs in the early years, and then temperature begins to decrease as decay heat from the waste decreases. The peak temperature at the bentonite buffer is around $96.2^{\circ}C$ after about 3 years, and peak temperature at the rockmass is $68.2^{\circ}C$ after about 17 years. Saturation of the bentonite block near the canister decreases in the early stage, because water evaporation occurs owing to temperature increase. Then, saturation of the bentonite buffer and backfill increases because of water intake from the rockmass, and bentonite buffer and backfill are fully saturated after about 266 years. The stress is calculated to investigate the effect of thermal stress and swelling pressure on the mechanical behavior of the rockmass. The calculated stress is compared to a spalling criterion and the Mohr-Coulumb criterion for investigation of potential failure. The stress at the rockmass remains below the spalling strength and Mohr-Coulumb criterion for the whole period. The methodology of using the TOUGH2-MP/FLAC3D simulator can be applied to predict the long-term behavior of the KRS under various conditions; these methods will be useful for the design and performance assessment of alternative concepts such as multi-layer and multi-canister concepts for geological spent fuel repositories.