• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.699-712
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• 2002

In this paper, a new quadrilateral 5-node non-conforming membrane element with drilling degrees of freedom is presented. The main advantage of these elements is the relatively small number of integration points to evaluate a stiffness matrix comparing to the existing transition membrane elements (CLM elements). Moreover, the presented elements pass the patch test by virtue of the Direct Modification Method incorporated into the element formulation. The presented 5-node elements are proved to be very efficient when used in the local mesh refinement for the in-plane structures which have stress concentrations. And some numerical studies also show the good performance of the new element developed in this study.

• 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.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.479-492
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• 2003

Non-conforming membrane elements which have variable number of mid-side nodes with drilling degrees of freedom and which is designated as NMDx have been presented in this paper. The non-conforming elements with variable number of mid-side nodes can be efficiently used in the local mesh refinement for the in-plane structures. To guarantee the developed elements always pass the patch test, the direct modification method is incorporated into the element formulation. Detailed numerical tests in this study show the validity of the variable node NC elements developed in this study and a wide applicability of these elements to practical problems.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.4 no.5
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• pp.529-540
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• 1996

The dynamic buckling mechanism of a single-degree-of-freedom dissipative/nondissipative gradient system is thoroughly studied, employing energy criteria. The model is chosen in such a manner, that its corresponding static response is associated with all types of distinct critical points. Under a suddenly applied load of infinite duration, it is found that dynamic buckling, occurring always through a saddle, leads to an escaped motion, which is finally attracted by remote stable equilibrium positions, belonging sometimes also to complementary paths. Moreover, although the existence of initial imperfection changes the static behaviour of the system from limit point instability to bifurcation, it is established that the proposed model is dynamically stable in the large, regardless of the values of all other parameters involved.

• 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.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.169-184
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• 2011

We review the current understanding of modularity in biological motor control and its forms, and then relate this modularity to proposed modular control structures for biomimetic robots. We note the features that are different between the robotic and the biological 'designs' with features which have evolved by natural selection, and note those aspects of biology which may be counter-intuitive or unique to the biological controls as we currently understand them. Biological modularity can be divided into kinematic modularity comprised of strokes and cycles: primitives approximating a range of optimization criteria, and execution modularity comprised of kinetic motor primitives: muscle synergies recruited by premotor drives which are most often pulsatile, and which have the biomechanical effect of instantiating a visco-elastic force-field in the limb. The relations of these identified biological elements to kinematic and force-level motor primitives employed in robot control formulations are discussed.

• Coupled systems mechanics
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.115-131
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• 2012

Paper presents an improved solution algorithm based on Finite Element Method to analyse piled raft foundation. Piles are modelled as beam elements with soil springs. Finite element analysis of raft is based on the classical theory of thick plates resting on Winkler foundation that accounts for the transverse shear deformation of the plate. Four node, isoparametric rectangular elements with three degrees of freedom per node are considered in the development of finite element formulation. Independent bilinear shape functions are assumed for displacement and rotational degrees of freedom. Effect of raft thickness, soil modulus and load pattern on the response is considered. Significant improvement in the settlements and moments in the raft is observed.

• 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.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.203-214
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• 2004

This paper describes a method for developing a multi-degree-of freedom aero-elasto-plastic model of a base-isolated mid-rise building. The horizontal stiffness of isolators is modeled by several tension springs and the vertical support is performed by air pressure from a compressor. A lead damper and a steel damper are modeled by a U-shaped lead line and an aluminum line. With this model, the frequency ratio of torsional vibration to sway vibration, and plastic displacements of isolation materials can be changed easily when needed. The results of isolation material tests and free vibration tests show that this model provides the object performance. The peak displacement factors are about 4.5 regardless of wind speed in wind tunnel tests, but their gust response factor decreases with increment of wind speed.