• Computers and Concrete
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.341-355
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• 2012

Numerical studies are performed to predict the stress-strain behavior of rectangular RC columns confined by multi-spiral hoops under axial and eccentric compressions. Using the commercial finite element package ABAQUS, the Drucker-Prager criterion and the yield surface are adopted for damaged plasticity concrete. The proposed finite element models are compared with the published experimental data. Parametric studies on concrete grades, confinement arrangement, diameter and spacing of hoops and eccentricity of load are followed. Numerical results have shown good agreements with experimental values, and indicated a proper constitutive law and model for concrete. Cross-sectional areas and spacing of the hoops have significant effect on the bearing capacity. It can be concluded that rectangular RC columns confined by multi-spiral hoops show better performance than the conventional ones.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.77-89
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• 2008

Presence of high degree of orthotropy enhances shear lag phenomenon in laminated composite box-beams and it persists till failure. In this paper three key parameters governing shear lag behavior of laminated composite box beams are identified and defined by simple expressions. Uniqueness of the identified key parameters is proved with the help of finite element method (FEM) based studies. In addition to this, for the sake of generalization of prediction of shear lag effect in symmetrical laminated composite box beams a feed forward back propagation neural network (BPNN) model is developed. The network is trained and tested using the data base generated by extensive FEM studies carried out for various b/D, b/tF, tF/tW and laminate configurations. An optimum network architecture has been established which can effectively learn the pattern. Computational efficiency of the developed ANN makes it suitable for use in optimum design of laminated composite box-beams.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.183-189
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• 2019

In this study, it has been tried to prepare an analytical fragility curves for isolated straight continues highway bridges by considering different spectral intensity measures. A three-span concrete isolated bridge has been selected and the seismic performance of the bridge has been improved by Lead Rubber Bearing (LRB). Incremental Dynamic Analysis (IDA) is applied to the bridge in longitudinal direction. A suite of 14 earthquake ground motions from medium to sever motions are scaled and used for nonlinear time history analysis. Fragility function considers the relationship of earthquake intensity measures (IM) and probability of exceeding certain Damage State (DS). A full three dimensional finite element model of the isolated bridge has been developed and analyzed. A wide range of different intensity measures are selected and the optimal intensity measure which has the less dispersion is proposed.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.625-636
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• 2019

This paper proposes an active leakage magnetic field (LMF) suppression scheme, which uses the dual-transmitter (DT) topology, for EV wireless charging systems (EVWCS). The two transmitter coils are coplanar, concentric and driven by separate inverters. The LMF components generated by the three coils cancel each other out to reduce the total field strength. This paper gives a detailed theoretical analysis on the operating principles of the proposed scheme. Finite element analysis is used to simulate the LMF distribution patterns. Experimental results show that when there is no coil misalignment, 97% of the LMF strength can be suppressed in a 1kW prototype. These results also show that the impact on efficiency is small. The trade-off between LMF suppression and efficiency is revealed, and a control strategy to balance these two objectives is presented.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.85 no.3
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• pp.353-367
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• 2023

An extended parametric study based on nonlinear finite element analyses is performed to assess the key factors affecting the shear behaviour of exterior beam-column joints of unbraced reinforced concrete frames. Extensive results are presented, the major conclusion being that the few shear behaviour models for exterior reinforced concrete beam-column joints available in the literature do not properly account for some of the most influential factors. The present results are also compared with recently published results for interior joints, showing that while some factors have a similar influence on interior and exterior joints others are relevant for only one of these types of joints. This also confirms, numerically, that some resisting mechanisms of exterior joints differ from those of interior joints.

• Ocean Systems Engineering
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.279-299
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• 2015

Suction anchors are widely adopted and play an important role in mooring systems. However, how to reliably predict the failure mode and ultimate pullout capacity of the anchor in sand, especially by an easy-to-use theoretical method, is still a great challenge. Existing methods for predicting the inclined pullout capacity of suction anchors in sand are mainly based on experiments or finite element analysis. In the present work, based on a rational mechanical model for suction anchors and the failure mechanism of the anchor in the seabed, an analytical model is developed which can predict the failure mode and ultimate pullout capacity of suction anchors in sand under inclined loading. Detailed parametric analysis is performed to explore the effects of different parameters on the failure mode and ultimate pullout capacity of the anchor. To examine the present model, the results from experiments and finite element analysis are employed to compare with the theoretical predictions, and a general agreement is obtained. An analytical method that can evaluate the optimal position of the attachment point is also proposed in the present study. The present work demonstrates that the failure mode and pullout capacity of suction anchors in sand can be easily and reasonably predicted by the theoretical model, which might be a useful supplement to the experimental and numerical methods in analyzing the behavior of suction anchors.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.311-320
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• 2012

The higher-order asymptotic C(t) - $A_2(t)$ approach was employed to investigate the crack-tip stress of two collinear cracks in a power-law creeping material under the plane strain conditions. A comprehensive calculation was made of the single crack, collinear crack model with S/a = 0.4 and 0.8, by using the C(t) - $A_2(t)$ approach, HRR-type field and the finite element analysis; the latter two methods were used to check the constraint significance and the calculation accuracy of the C(t) - $A_2(t)$ approach, respectively. With increasing the creep time, the constraint $A_2$ was exponentially increased in the small-scale creep stage, while no discernible dependency of the constraint $A_2$ on the creep time was found at the extensive creep state. In addition, the creep time and the mechanical loads have no distinct influence on accuracy of the results obtained from the higher-order asymptotic C(t) - $A_2(t)$ approach. In comparison with the HRR-type field, the higher-order asymptotic C(t) - $A_2(t)$ solution matches well with the finite element results for the collinear crack model.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.573-582
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• 2018

This study develops and numerically verifies an innovative seismically resilient bracing system. The proposed self-centering tension-only brace (SC-TOB) is composed of a tensioning system to provide a self-centering response, a frictional device for energy dissipation, and a high-strength steel cable as a bracing element. It is considered to be an improvement over the traditional self-centering braces in terms of lightness, high bearing capacity, load relief, and double-elongation capacity. In this paper, the mechanics of the system are first described. Governing equations deduced from the developed analytical model to predict the behavior of the system are then provided. The results from a finite element validation confirm that the SC-TOB performs as analytically predicted. Key parameters including the activation displacement and load, the self-centering parameter, and equivalent viscous damping are investigated, and their influences on the system behavior are discussed. Finally, a design procedure considering controlled softening behavior is developed and illustrated through a design example.

• International Journal of High-Rise Buildings
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.297-304
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• 2014

Recently, there have been some reported examples of structural collapse due to gravity, subsequent to damage from accident or an excitation that was not prepared for in the design process. A close view of new concepts, such as a redundancy and key elements, has been taken with the aim of ensuring the robustness of a structure, even in the event of an unexpected disturbance. The author previously proposed a sensitivity index of the vertical load carrying capacity to member disappearance for framed structures. The index is defined as the ratio of the load carrying capacity after a member or a set of an adjacent member disappears, to the original load carrying capacity. The member with the highest index may be regarded as a key element. The concept of bio-mimicry is being applied to various fields of engineering, and tree-shaped structures are sometimes used for the design of building structures. In this study a sensitivity analysis is applied to the irregular-framed structures such as tree-shaped structures.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.1021-1040
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• 2015

An effective method to calculate aerodynamic loads and aeroelastic responses of large wind turbine tower-blade coupled structures in yaw condition is proposed. By a case study on a 5 MW large wind turbine, the finite element model of the wind turbine tower-blade coupled structure is established to obtain the modal information. The harmonic superposition method and modified blade-element momentum theory are used to calculate aerodynamic loads in yaw condition, in which the wind shear, tower shadow, tower-blade modal and aerodynamic interactions, and rotational effects are fully taken into account. The mode superposition method is used to calculate kinetic equation of wind turbine tower-blade coupled structure in time domain. The induced velocity and dynamic loads are updated through iterative loop, and the aeroelastic responses of large wind turbine tower-blade coupled system are then obtained. For completeness, the yaw effect and aeroelastic effect on aerodynamic loads and wind-induced responses are discussed in detail based on the calculating results.