• Advances in Energy Research
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.81-95
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• 2015

Microgrid, which can be considered as an integration of various dispersed resources (DRs), is characterized by number of DRs interfaced through the power electronics converters. The microgrid comprising these DRs is often operated in an islanded mode. To minimize the cost, reduce complexity and increase reliability, it is preferred to avoid any communication channel between them. Consequently, the droop control method is traditionally adopted to distribute active and reactive power among the DRs operating in parallel. However, the accuracy of distribution of active and reactive power among the DRs controlled by the conventional droop control approach is highly dependent on the value of line impedance, R/X i.e., resistance to reactance ratio of the line, voltage setting of inverters etc. The limitations of the conventional droop control approach are demonstrated and a modified droop control approach to reduce the effect of impedance mis-match and improve the time response is proposed. The error in reactive power sharing is minimized by inserting virtual impedance in line with the inverters to remove the mis-match in impedance. The improved time response is achieved by modifying the real-power frequency droop using arctan function. Simulations results are presented to validate the effectiveness of the control approach.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.611-632
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• 2019

In this work, a four-variable refined plate model is applied to study the thermomechanical bending of two kinds of functionally graded material (FGM) sandwich plates. The sandwich core of one kind is isotropic with the FGM face sheets whereas in the second kind, the sandwich core is FGM with the isotropic and homogeneous face sheets. By considering only four unknown variables, the governing equations are written based on the principle of virtual work and then Navier method is employed to solve these equations. Deflections and stresses of two kinds of FGM sandwich structures are analyzed and discussed. The validity and efficiency of the proposed model is checked by comparing it with various available solutions in the literature. The effects of volume fraction distribution, geometric ratio and thermal load on thermomechanical bending properties of FGM sandwich plate are investigated in detail.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.69 no.6
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• pp.667-676
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• 2019

Minimizing the stress concentration around hypotrochoid hole in finite metallic plates under in-plane loading is an important consideration in engineering design. In the analysis of finite metallic plate, the effective factors on stress distribution around holes include curvature radius of the corner of the hole, hole orientation, plate's aspect ratio, and hole size. This paper aims to investigate the impact of these factors on stress analysis of finite metallic plate with central hypotrochoid hole. To obtain the lowest value of stress around a hypotrochoid hole, a swarm intelligence optimization method named ant lion optimizer is used. In this study, with the hypothesis of plane stress circumstances, analytical solution of Muskhelishvili's complex variable method and conformal mapping is employed. The plate is taken into account to be finite, isotropic and linearly elastic. By applying suitable boundary conditions and least square boundary collocation technique, undefined coefficients of stress function are found. The results revealed that by choosing the above-mentioned factor correctly, the lowest value of stress would be obtained around the hole allowing to an increment in load-bearing capacity of the structure.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.377-397
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• 2018

In the present investigation, thermal buckling and free vibration characteristics of functionally graded (FG) Timoshenko nanobeams subjected to nonlinear thermal loading are carried out by presenting a Navier type solution. The thermal load is assumed to be nonlinear distribution through the thickness of FG nanobeam. Thermo-mechanical properties of FG nanobeam are supposed to vary smoothly and continuously throughout the thickness based on power-law model and the material properties are assumed to be temperature-dependent. Eringen's nonlocal elasticity theory is exploited to describe the size dependency of nanobeam. Using Hamilton's principle, the nonlocal equations of motion together with corresponding boundary conditions based on Timoshenko beam theory are obtained for the thermal buckling and vibration analysis of graded nanobeams including size effect. Moreover, in following a parametric study is accompanied to examine the effects of the several parameters such as nonlocal parameter, thermal effect, power law index and aspect ratio on the critical buckling temperatures and natural frequencies of the size-dependent FG nanobeams in detail. According to the numerical results, it is revealed that the proposed modeling can provide accurate frequency results of the FG nanobeams as compared some cases in the literature. Also, it is found that the small scale effects and nonlinear thermal loading have a significant effect on thermal stability and vibration characteristics of FG nanobeams.

• International journal of steel structures
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.1497-1507
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• 2018

Most of previous studies on fire resistance of restrained steel beams neglected creep effect due to lack of suitable creep model. This paper presents a finite element model (FEM) for accessing the fire resistance of restrained high strength Q460 steel beams by taking high temperature Norton creep model of steel into consideration. The validation of the established model is verified by comparing the axial force and deflection of restrained beams obtained by finite element analysis with test results. In order to explore the creep effect on fire response of restrained Q460 steel beams, the thermal axial force and deflection of the beams are also analyzed excluding creep effect. Results from comparison infer that creep plays a crucial role in fire response of restrained steel beam and neglecting the effect of creep may lead to unsafe design. A set of parametric studies are accomplished by using the calibrated FEM to evaluate the governed factors influencing fire response of restrained Q460 steel beams. The parametric studies indicate that load level, rotational restraint stiffness, span-depth ratio, heating rate and temperature distribution pattern are key factors in determining fire resistance of restrained Q460 steel beam. A simplified design approach to determine the moment capacity of restrained Q460 steel beams is proposed based on the parametric studies by considering creep effect.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.407-421
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• 2022

Prefabricated hybrid wind turbine towers (WTTs) are promising due to height increase. This study proposes the use of ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) to develop a new type of WTT without the need to use reinforcement. It is demonstrated that the UHPC WTT structure without reinforcing bars could achieve performance similar to that of reinforced concrete WTTs. To simplify the design of WTT, a design approach for the calculation of stresses at the horizontal joints of a WTT is proposed. The stress distribution near the region of the horizontal joint of the WTT structure under normal operating conditions and different load actions is studied using the proposed approach, which is validated by the finite element method. A further parametric study shows that the degree of prestressing and the bending moment both significantly affect the principal stress. The shear-to-torsion ratio also shows a significant influence on the principal tensile stress.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.731-746
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• 2021

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the axial bearing capacity and residual properties of steel reinforced recycled aggregate concrete (SRC) column after elevated temperature. A total of 48 SRC columns were designed for the static loading test after elevated temperature. The variables include replacement ratios, designed temperature, target duration, thicknesses of cover concrete, steel ratios and stirrup spacing. From this test, the mass loss ratio and stress load-deformation curve were obtained, and the influence of various parameters on residual bearing capacity were analyzed. ABAQUS was used to calculate the temperature field of specimens, and then got temperature damage distribution on the cross-section concrete. It was shown that increasing of the elevated temperatures leaded to the change of concrete color from smoky-gray to grayish brown and results in reducing the bearing capacity of SRC columns. The axial damage and mechanism of SRC columns were similar to those of reinforced natural aggregate concrete columns at the same temperatures. Finally, the calculation method of axial compressive residual bearing capacity of SRC columns recycled concrete columns after high temperature was reported based on the test results and finite element analysis.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.1-17
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• 2023

This paper deals with the free vibration behavior of rotating composite beams reinforced with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) under uniform thermal loads. The temperature-dependent beam material is assumed to be a mixture of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) in an isotropic matrix and five different functionally graded (FG) distributions of CNTs are considered according to the variation along the thickness, namely the UD-uniform, FG-O, FG-V, FG-Λ and FG-X distributions where FG-V and FG-Λ are unsymmetrical patterns. Considering the Timoshenko beam theory (TBT), a new finite element formulation of functionally graded carbon nanotube reinforced composite (FGCNTRC) beam is created for the first time. And the effects of several essential parameters including rotational speed, hub radius, effective material properties, slenderness ratio, boundary conditions, thermal force and moments due to temperature variation are considered in the formulation. By implementing different boundary conditions, some new results of both symmetric and non-symmetrical distribution patterns are presented in tables and figures to be used as benchmark for further validation. In addition, as an alternative advanced composite application for rotating systems exposed to thermal load, the positive effects of CNT addition in improving the dynamic performance of the system have been observed and the results are presented in several tables and figures.

• Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.292-304
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• 2022

BACKGROUND: Calcium is a determinant of paravalvular leakage (PVL) after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). This is based on a fixed contrast attenuation value while X-ray attenuation is patient-dependent and without considering frame expansion and PVL location. We examined the role of calcium in (site-specific) PVL after TAVI using a patient-specific contrast attenuation coefficient combined with frame expansion. METHODS: 57 patients were included with baseline CT, post-TAVI transthoracic echocardiography and rotational angiography (R-angio). Calcium load was assessed using a patient-specific contrast attenuation coefficient. Baseline CT and post-TAVI R-angio were fused to assess frame expansion. PVL was assessed by a core lab. RESULTS: Overall, the highest calcium load was at the non-coronary-cusp-region (NCR, 436 mm³) vs. the right-coronary-cusp-region (RCR, 233 mm³) and the left-coronary-cusp-region (LCR, 244 mm³), p < 0.001. Calcium load was higher in patients with vs. without PVL (1,137 vs. 742 mm³, p = 0.012) and was an independent predictor of PVL (odds ratio, 4.83, p = 0.004). PVL was seen most often in the LCR (39% vs. 21% [RCR] and 19% [NCR]). The degree of frame expansion was 71% at the NCR, 70% at the RCR and 74% at the LCR without difference between patients with or without PVL. CONCLUSIONS: Calcium load was higher in patients with PVL and was an independent predictor of PVL. While calcium was predominantly seen at the NCR, PVL was most often at the LCR. These findings indicate that in addition to calcium, specific anatomic features play a role in PVL after TAVI.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.2037-2047
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• 1991

Strength is not simply a single given value but rather is a statistical one with certain distribution functions. This is because it is affected by many unknown factors such as size, shape, stress distribution, and combined stresses. In this study, a model of loss probability is proposed in view of the fact that one of the fundamental configuration of nature is hexagonal, for example, the shapes of lattice unit, grain, and so on. The model sues the concept of loss of certain element in place of Jayatilaka-Trustrum's length and angle of cracks. Using this model, the loss probability due to each loss of certain elements is obtained. Then, the maximum principal stress is calculated by the finite element method at the centroid of the elements under the tensile load for the 4,095 models of analysis. Finally, the failure probability of the brittle materials is obtained by multiplying the loss probability by the ratio of the maximum principal stress to theoretical tensile strength. Comparison of the result of the Jayatilaka-Trustrum's model and the proposed model shows that the failure probabilities by the two methods are in good agreement. Further, it is shown that the parametric relationship of semi-crack lengths for various degrees of birittleness can be determined. Therefore, the analysis of the failure probability suing the proposed model is shown to be promising as a new method for the study of the failure probability of birttle materials.