• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.211-227
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• 2020

To explore the feasibility of eliminating the longitudinal rebars and stirrups by using ultra-high-performance fiber reinforcement concrete (UHPFRC) in concrete encased steel composite stub column, compressive behavior of UHPFRC encased steel stub column has been experimentally investigated. Effect of concrete types (normal strength concrete, high strength concrete and UHPFRC), fiber fractions, and transverse reinforcement ratio on failure mode, ductility behavior and axial compressive resistance of composite columns have been quantified through axial compression tests. The experimental results show that concrete encased composite columns with NSC and HSC exhibit concrete crushing and spalling failure, respectively, while composite columns using UHPFRC exhibit concrete spitting and no concrete spalling is observed after failure. The incorporation of steel fiber as micro reinforcement significantly improves the concrete toughness, restrains the crack propagation and thus avoids the concrete spalling. No evidence of local buckling of rebars or yielding of stirrups has been detected in composite columns using UHPFRC. Steel fibers improve the bond strength between the concrete and, rebars and core shaped steel which contribute to the improvement of confining pressure on concrete. Three prediction models in Eurocode 4, AISC 360 and JGJ 138 and a proposed toughness index (T.I.) are employed to evaluate the compressive resistance and post peak ductility of the composite columns. It is found that all these three models predict close the compressive resistance of UHPFRC encased composite columns with/without the transverse reinforcement. UHPFRC encased composite columns can achieve a comparable level of ductility with the reinforced concrete (RC) columns using normal strength concrete. In terms of compressive resistance behavior, the feasibility of UHPFRC encased steel composite stub columns with lesser longitudinal reinforcement and stirrups has been verified in this study.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.4 no.6
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• pp.727-740
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• 2008

A down hole vertical seismic array is a sequence of instruments installed at various depths in the earth to record the ground motion at multiple points during an earthquake. Numerous studies demonstrate the unique utility of vertical seismic arrays for studying in situ site response and soil behavior. Examples are given of analyses made at two sites to show the value of data from vertical seismic arrays. The sites examined are the Lotung, Taiwan SMART1 array and a new site installed at Jingliao, Taiwan. Details of the installation of the Jingliao array are given. ARX models are theoretically the correct process models for vertical wave propagation in the layered earth, and are used to linearly map deeper sensor input signals to shallower sensor output signals. An example of Event 16 at the Lotung array is given. This same data, when examined in detail with a Bayesian inference model, can also be explained by nonlinear filters yielding commonly accepted soil degradation curves. Results from applying an ARMAX model to data from the Jingliao vertical seismic array are presented. Estimates of inter-transducer soil increment resonant frequency, shear modulus, and damping ratio are presented. The shear modulus varied from 50 to 150 MPa, and damping ratio between 8% and 15%. A new hardware monitoring system - TerraScope - is an affordable 4-D down-hole seismic monitoring system based on independent, microprocessor-controlled sensor Pods. The Pods are nominally 50 mm in diameter, and about 120 mm long. An internal 16-bit micro-controller oversees all aspects of instrumentation, eight programmable gain amplifiers, and local signal storage.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.287-303
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• 2018

Applications of energy harvesting from mechanical vibrations is becoming popular but the full potential of such applications is yet to be explored. This paper addresses this issue by considering an application of energy harvesting for the dual objective of serving as an indicator of structural health monitoring (SHM) and extent of control. Variation of harvested energy from an undamaged baseline is employed for this purpose and the concept is illustrated by implementing it for active vibrations of a pipe structure. Theoretical and experimental analyses are carried out to determine the energy harvesting potential from undamaged and damaged conditions. The use of energy harvesting as indicator for control is subsequently investigated, considering the effect of the introduction of a tuned mass damper (TMD). It is found that energy harvesting can be used for the detection and monitoring of the location and magnitude of damage occurring within a pipe structure. Additionally, the harvested energy acts as an indicator of the extent of reduction of vibration of pipes when a TMD is attached. This paper extends the range of applications of energy harvesting devices for the monitoring of built infrastructure and illustrates the vast potential of energy harvesters as smart sensors.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.709-728
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• 2017

This disquisition proposes a nonlocal strain gradient beam theory for thermo-mechanical dynamic characteristics of embedded smart shear deformable curved piezoelectric nanobeams made of porous electro-elastic functionally graded materials by using an analytical method. Electro-elastic properties of embedded curved porous FG nanobeam are assumed to be temperature-dependent and vary through the thickness direction of beam according to the power-law which is modified to approximate material properties for even distributions of porosities. It is perceived that during manufacturing of functionally graded materials (FGMs) porosities and micro-voids can be occurred inside the material. Since variation of pores along the thickness direction influences the mechanical and physical properties, so in this study thermo-mechanical vibration analysis of curve FG piezoelectric nanobeam by considering the effect of these imperfections is performed. Nonlocal strain gradient elasticity theory is utilized to consider the size effects in which the stress for not only the nonlocal stress field but also the strain gradients stress field. The governing equations and related boundary condition of embedded smart curved porous FG nanobeam subjected to thermal and electric field are derived via the energy method based on Timoshenko beam theory. An analytical Navier solution procedure is utilized to achieve the natural frequencies of porous FG curved piezoelectric nanobeam resting on Winkler and Pasternak foundation. The results for simpler states are confirmed with known data in the literature. The effects of various parameters such as nonlocality parameter, electric voltage, coefficient of porosity, elastic foundation parameters, thermal effect, gradient index, strain gradient, elastic opening angle and slenderness ratio on the natural frequency of embedded curved FG porous piezoelectric nanobeam are successfully discussed. It is concluded that these parameters play important roles on the dynamic behavior of porous FG curved nanobeam. Presented numerical results can serve as benchmarks for future analyses of curve FG nanobeam with porosity phases.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.107-113
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• 2018

Coal samples with different joints morphology were subjected to uniaxial compression experiments, cracks evolution was recorded by Nikon D5300 and acoustic emission (AE) energy signals were collected by AEwin Test for Express-8.0. During loading process, coal samples deformed elastically with no obvious cracks changes, then they expanded gradually along the trace of the original cracks, accompanied by the formation of secondary cracks, and eventually produced a large-scale fracture. It was more interesting that the failure mode of samples were all shear shape, whatever the original cracks morphology was. With cracks and damage evolution, AE energy radiated regularly. At the early loading stage, micro damage and small scale fracture events only induced a few AE events with less energy, while large scale fracture leaded to a number of AE events with more energy at the later stage. Based on the multifractal theory, the multifractal spectrum could explain AE energy signals frequency responses and the causes of AE events with load. Multifractal spectrum width (${\Delta}{\alpha}$), could reflect the differences between the large and small AE energy signals. And another parameter (${\Delta}f$) could reflect the relationship between the frequency of the least and greatest signals in the AE energy time series. This research is helpful for us to understand cracks evolution and AE energy signals causes.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.83-94
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• 2020

An analytical formulation and solution process for the buckling analysis of porous magneto-electro-elastic functionally graded (MEE-FG) beam via different thermal loadings and various boundary conditions is suggested in this paper. Magneto electro mechanical coupling properties of FGM beam are taken to vary via the thickness direction of beam. The rule of power-law is changed to consider inclusion of porosity according to even and uneven distribution. Pores possibly occur inside FGMs due the result of technical problems that lead to creation of micro-voids in these materials. Change in pores along the thickness direction stimulates the mechanical and physical properties. Four-variable tangential-exponential refined theory is employed to derive the governing equations and boundary conditions of porous FGM beam under magneto-electrical field via Hamilton's principle. An analytical model procedure is adopted to achieve the non-dimensional buckling load of porous FG beam exposed to magneto-electrical field with various boundary conditions. In order to evaluate the influence of thermal loadings, material graduation exponent, coefficient of porosity, porosity distribution, magnetic potential, electric voltage and boundary conditions on the critical buckling temperature of the beam made of magneto electro elastic FG materials with porosities a parametric study is presented. It is concluded that these parameters play remarkable roles on the buckling behavior of porous MEE-FG beam. The results for simpler states are proved for exactness with known data in the literature. The proposed numerical results can serve as benchmarks for future analyses of MEE-FG beam with porosity phases.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.167-178
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• 2019

Open-pit (OP) and underground (UG) mining are usually used to exploit shallow and deep ore deposits, respectively. When mine deposit starts from shallow subsurface and extends to a great depth, sequential use of OP and UG mining is an efficient and economical way to maintain mining productivity. However, a transition from OP to UG mining could induce significant rock movements that cause the slope instability of the open pit. Based on Yanqianshan Iron Mine, which was in the transition from OP to UG mining, a large-scale two-dimensional (2D) model test was built according to the similar theory. Thereafter, the UG mining was carried out to mimic the process of transition from OP to UG mining to disclose the triggered rock movement as well as to assess the associated slope instability. By jointly using three-dimensional (3D) laser scanning, distributed fiber optics, and digital photogrammetry measurement, the deformations, movements and strains of the rock slope during mining were monitored. The obtained data showed that the transition from OP to UG mining led to significant slope movements and deformations that can trigger catastrophic slope failure. The progressive movement of the slope could be divided into three stages: onset of micro-fracture, propagation of tensile cracks, and the overturning and/or sliding of slopes. The failure mode depended on the orientation of structural joints of the rock mass as well as the formation of tension cracks. This study also proved that these non-contact monitoring technologies were valid methods to acquire the interior strain and external deformation with high precision.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.72 no.1
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• pp.113-129
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• 2019

A four-variable shear deformation refined plate theory has been proposed for dynamic characteristics of smart plates made of porous magneto-electro-elastic functionally graded (MEE-FG) materials with various boundary conditions by using an analytical method. Magneto-electro-elastic properties of FGM plate are supposed to vary through the thickness direction and are estimated through the modified power-law rule in which the porosities with even and uneven type are approximated. Pores possibly occur inside functionally graded materials (FGMs) due the result of technical problems that lead to creation of micro-voids in these materials. The variation of pores along the thickness direction influences the mechanical properties. The governing differential equations and boundary conditions of embedded porous FGM plate under magneto-electrical field are derived through Hamilton's principle based on a four-variable tangential-exponential refined theory which avoids the use of shear correction factors. An analytical solution procedure is used to achieve the natural frequencies of embedded porous FG plate supposed to magneto-electrical field with various boundary condition. A parametric study is led to carry out the effects of material graduation exponent, coefficient of porosity, magnetic potential, electric voltage, elastic foundation parameters, various boundary conditions and plate side-to-thickness ratio on natural frequencies of the porous MEE-FG plate. It is concluded that these parameters play significant roles on the dynamic behavior of porous MEE-FG plates. Presented numerical results can serve as benchmarks for future analyses of MEE-FG plates with porosity phases.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.541-552
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• 2019

Construction development and greenhouse gas emissions have globally required a strategic management to take some steps to stain and maintain the environment. Nowadays, recycled aggregates, in particular ceramic waste, have been widely used in concrete structures due to the economic and environmentally friendly solution, requiring the knowledge of recycled concrete. Also, one of the materials used as a substitute for concrete cement is wollastonite mineral to decrease carbon dioxide (CO2) from the cement production process by reducing the concrete consumption in concrete. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of wollastonite on the mechanical properties and durability of conventional composite concrete, containing recycled aggregates such as compressive strength, tensile strength (Brazilian test), and durability to acidic environment. On the other hand, in order to determine the strength and durability of the concrete, 5 mixing designs including different wollastonite values and recovered aggregates including constant values have been compared to the water - cement ratio (w/c) constant in all designs. The experimental results have shown that design 5 (containing 40% wollastonite) shows only 6.1% decrease in compressive strength and 4.9% decrease in tensile strength compared to the control plane. Consequently, the use of wollastonite powder to the manufacturing of conventional structural concrete containing recycled ceramic aggregates, in addition to improving some of the properties of concrete are environmentally friendly solutions, providing natural recycling of materials.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.405-423
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• 2016

In this study, the feasibility of using telecommunication single-mode optical fiber (SMF) as a distributed fiber optic strain and crack sensor was evaluated in concrete pavement monitoring. Tensile tests on various sensors indicated that the $SMF-28e^+$ fiber revealed linear elastic behavior to rupture at approximately 26 N load and 2.6% strain. Six full-scale concrete panels were prepared and tested under truck and three-point loads to quantify the performance of sensors with pulse pre-pump Brillouin optical time domain analysis (PPP-BOTDA). The sensors were protected by precast mortar from brutal action during concrete casting. Once air-cured for 2 hours after initial setting, half a mortar cylinder of 12 mm in diameter ensured that the protected sensors remained functional during and after concrete casting. The strains measured from PPP-BOTDA with a sensitivity coefficient of $5.43{\times}10^{-5}GHz/{\mu}{\varepsilon}$ were validated locally by commercial fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors. Unlike the point FBG sensors, the distributed PPP-BOTDA sensors can be utilized to effectively locate multiple cracks. Depending on their layout, the distributed sensors can provide one- or two-dimensional strain fields in pavement panels. The width of both micro and major cracks can be linearly related to the peak strain directly measured with the distributed fiber optic sensor.