• Wind and Structures
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.57-78
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• 2023

In this study, a generalized three-degree-of-freedom (3-DoF) analytical model is formulated to predict linear aerodynamic instabilities of a prism under quasi-steady (QS) conditions. The prism is assumed to possess a generic cross-section exposed to turbulent wind flow. The 3-DoFs encompass two orthogonal horizontal directions and rotation about the prism body axis. Inertial coupling is considered to account for the non-coincidence of the mass center and the rotation center. The aerodynamic force coefficients-drag, lift, and moment-depend on the Reynolds number based on relative flow velocity, angle of attack, and the angle between the wind and the cable. Aerodynamic forces are linearized with respect to the static equilibrium configuration and mean wind velocity. Routh-Hurwitz and Liénard and Chipart criteria are used in the eigenvalue problem, yielding an analytical solution for instabilities in galloping and static divergence types. Additionally, the minimum structural damping and stiffness required to prevent these instabilities are numerically determined. The proposed 3-DoF instability model is subsequently applied to a conductor with ice accretion and a full-scale dry inclined cable. In comparison to existing models, the developed model demonstrates superior prediction accuracy for unstable regions compared with results in wind tunnel tests.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.347-365
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• 2014

The main objective of this paper is to develop an innovative methodology for the vibration suppression control of the multiple degrees-of-freedom (MDOF) flexible structure. The proposed structure represented in this research as a clamped-free-free-free truss type plate is rotated by motors. The controller has two loops for tracking and vibration suppression. In addition to stabilizing the actual system, the proposed feedback control is based on a genetic algorithm (GA) to seek the primary optimal control gain for tracking and stabilization purposes. Moreover, input shaping is introduced for the control scheme that limits motion-induced elastic vibration by shaping the reference command. Experimental results are presented, demonstrating that, in the control loop, roll and yaw angles track control and elastic mode stabilization. It was also demonstrated that combining the input shaper with the proportional-integral-derivative (PID) feedback method has been shown to yield improved performance in controlling the flexible structure system. The broad range of problems discussed in this research is valuable in civil, mechanical, and aerospace engineering for flexible structures with MDOM motion.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.61 no.1
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• pp.105-116
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• 2017

In this paper, the optimal extended homotopy analysis method (OEHAM) is introduced to deal with the damped Duffing resonator driven by a van der Pol oscillator, which can be described as a complex Multi-Degree-of-Freedom (MDOF) nonlinear coupling system. Ecumenically, the exact solutions of the MDOF nonlinear coupling systems are difficult to be obtained, thus the development of analytical approximation becomes an effective and meaningful approach to analyze these systems. Compared with traditional perturbation methods, HAM is more valid and available, and has been widely used for nonlinear problems in recent years. Hence, the method will be chosen to study the system in this article. In order to acquire more suitable solutions, we put forward HAM to the OEHAM. For the sake of verifying the accuracy of the above method, a series of comparisons are introduced between the results received by the OEHAM and the numerical integration method. The results in this article demonstrate that the OEHAM is an effective and robust technique for MDOF nonlinear coupling systems. Besides, the presented methods can also be broadly used for various strongly nonlinear MDOF dynamical systems.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.329-353
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• 2014

Increasing usage of tank cars and their intrinsic instability due to sloshing of contents have caused growing maintenance costs as well as more frequent hazards and defects like derailment and fatigue of bogies and axels. Therefore, varieties of passive solutions have been represented to improve dynamical parameters. In this task, assuming 22 degrees of freedom, dynamic analysis of partially filled tank car traveling on a curved track is investigated. In order to consider stochastic geometry of track; irregularities have been derived randomly by Mont Carlo method. More over the fluid tank model with 1 degree of freedom is also presented by equivalent mechanical approach in terms of pendulum. An active suspension system for described car is designed by using linear quadratic optimal control theory to decrease destructive effects of fluid sloshing. Eventually, the performance of the active suspension system has been compared with that of the passive one and a study is carried out on how active suspension may affect the dynamical parameters such as displacements and Nadal's derailment index.

• Interaction and multiscale mechanics
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.273-289
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• 2011

The vibration response of the bridges under the moving vehicular load is of importance for engineers to estimate the serviceability of existing bridges and to design new bridges. This paper deals with the three dimensional vibration analysis of prestressed concrete bridges under moving vehicles. The prestressed bridges are modeled by four-node isoparametric flat shell elements with the transverse shearing deformation taken into account. The usual five degrees-of-freedom (DOFs) per node of the element are appended with a drilling DOF to accommodate the transformation of the local stiffness and mass matrices to the global coordinates. The vehicle is modeled as a single or two-DOF system. A single-span prestressed Tee beam and two-span prestressed box-girder bridge are studied as the two numerical examples. The effects of prestress forces on the natural frequencies and dynamic responses of the bridges are investigated.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.263-285
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• 2002

This paper presents a numerical procedure for solving initial-value problems using the special functions which belong to a class of Rvachev's basis functions $R_{bf}$ based on algebraic and trigonometric polynomials. Because of infinite derivability of these functions, derivatives of all orders, required by differential equation of the problem and initial conditions, are used directly in the numerical procedure. The accuracy and stability of the proposed numerical procedure are proved on an example of a single degree of freedom system. Critical time step was also determined. An algorithm for solving multiple degree of freedom systems by the collocation method was developed. Numerical results obtained by $R_{bf}$ functions are compared with exact solutions and results obtained by the most commonly used numerical procedures for solving initial-value problems.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.561-573
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• 2011

For efficient calculation of natural modes of structures, a numerical scheme which accelerates convergence of the subspace iteration method by employing accelerated starting Lanczos vectors was proposed in 2005. This paper is an extension of the study. The previous study simply showed feasibility of the proposed method by analyzing structures with smaller degrees of freedom. While, the present study verifies efficiency of the proposed method more rigorously by comparing closeness of conventional and accelerated starting vectors to genuine eigenvectors. This study also analyzes an example structure with larger degrees of freedom and more complex constraints in order to investigate applicability of the proposed method.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.73 no.1
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• pp.1-16
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• 2020

Finite elements based on the partition of unity (PU) approximation have powerful capabilities for p-adaptivity and solutions with high smoothness without remeshing of the domain. Recently, the PU approximation was successfully applied to the three-node shell finite element, properly eliminating transverse shear locking and showing excellent convergence properties and solution accuracy. However, the enrichment with the PU approximation results in a significant increase in the number of degrees of freedom; therefore, it requires greater computational cost, thus making it less suitable for practical engineering. To circumvent this disadvantage, we propose a new strategy to decrease the total number of degrees of freedom in the existing PU-based shell element, without loss of optimal convergence and accuracy. To alleviate the locking phenomenon, we use the method of mixed interpolation of tensorial components and perform convergence studies to show the accuracy and capability of the proposed shell element. The excellent performances of the new shell elements are illustrated in three benchmark problems.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.6 no.8
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• pp.921-937
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• 1998

A new four-node degenerated shell element with drilling degrees of freedom (DOF) is proposed. Allman-type displacement approximation is incorporated into the formulation of degenerated shell elements. The approximation improves in-plane performance and eliminates singularities of system matrices resulted from DOF deficiency. Transverse shear locking is circumvented by introducing assumed covariant shear strains. Two kinds of penalty energy are considered in the formulation for the purpose of suppressing spurious modes and representing true drilling rotations. The proposed element can be applied to almost all kinds of shell problems including composite laminated shell structures and folded shell structures. Numerical examples show that the element is of good accuracy and of reasonably fast convergence rate.

• Advances in Computational Design
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.147-175
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• 2020

To achieve appropriate stresses, two new rectangular elements are presented in this study. For reaching this aim, a complementary energy functional is used within an element for the analysis of plane problems. In this energy form, the Airy stress function will be used as a functional variable. Besides, some basic analytical solutions are found for the stress functions. These trial functions are matched with each element number of degrees of freedom, which leads to a number of equations with the anonymous constants. Subsequently, according to the principle of minimum complementary energy, the unknown constants can be expressed in terms of displacements. This system can be rewritten in terms of the nodal displacement. In this way, two new hybrid-rectangular triangular elements are formulated, which have 16 and 40 degrees of freedom. To validate the outcomes, extensive numerical studies are performed. All findings clearly demonstrate accuracies of structural displacements, as well as, stresses.