• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.719-729
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• 2016

There are great needs of simple but reliable mechanical nonlinear behavior analysis and performance evaluation method for frames constructed by steel and concrete composite beams or columns when the structures subjected extreme loads, such as earthquake loads. This paper describes an approach of simplified macro-modelling for composite frames consisting of steel-concrete composite beams and CFST columns, and presents the performance evaluation procedure based on the pushover nonlinear analysis results. A four-story two-bay composite frame underground is selected as a study case. The establishment of the macro-model of the composite frame is guided by the characterization of nonlinear behaviors of composite structural members. Pushover analysis is conducted to obtain the lateral force versus top displacement curve of the overall structure. The identification method of damage degree of composite frames has been proposed. The damage evolution and development of this composite frame in case study has been analyzed. The failure mode of this composite frame is estimated as that the bottom CFST columns damage substantially resulting in the failure of the bottom story. Finally, the seismic performance of the composite frame with high strength steel is analyzed and compared with the frame with ordinary strength steel, and the result shows that the employment of high strength steel in the steel tube of CFST columns and steel beam of composite beams benefits the lateral resistance and elasticity resuming performance of composite frames.

• Journal of the HCI Society of Korea
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.11-17
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• 2013

Context aware systems are those systems that are aware about the environment and perform productive functions automatically by reducing human computer interactions(HCI). In this paper, we present common architecture principles of context-aware systems to explain the important aspects of context aware systems. Our study focuses on identifying common concepts in pervasive computing approaches, which allows us to devise common architecture principles that may be shared by many systems. The principles consists of context sensing, context modeling, context reasoning, context processing, communication modelling and resource discovery. Such an architecture style can support high degree of reusability among systems and allows for design flexibility, extensibility and adaptability among components that are independent of each other. We also propose a new architecture based on broker-centric middleware and using ontology reasoning mechanism together with an effective behavior based context agent that would be suitable for the design of context-aware architectures in future systems. We have evaluated the proposed architecture based on the design principles and have done an analyses on the different elements in context aware computing based on the presented system.

• Asian Journal of Business Environment
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.37-46
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• 2015

Purpose - The present study examines interrelationships among antecedent factors defining consumer behavior in selecting online shopping websites. Research design, data, and methodology - The study identified factors from existing literature and used Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) to propose a conceptual approach to explain consumer website selection behavior. Through extensive discussions among industry and academia experts, qualitative assessment of the relationship between various factors was determined. Results - According to the model, eight congregating factors do not converge directly for website selection, rather, they operate following a hierarchy of influence. The ISM and MICMAC analysis reveal that information on a website and website aesthetics play key roles in influencing website selection. However, convenience and the value proposition also play very significant roles. Conclusions - The study's findings can help the e-commerce industry, especially online retailers. The findings can be used to enhance e-retailer ability to attract, communicate, engage, achieve, monitor, and evaluate web traffic and design appropriate strategies. The study's prime contribution is the application of Interpretative Structural Modeling (ISM) to the field of website selection.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.355-367
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• 2020

This paper proposed a numerical investigation based on finite elements analysis (FEA) in order to study the punching shear behavior of reinforced concrete (RC) flat slabs using ABAQUS and SAP2000 programs. Firstly, the concrete and the steel reinforcements were modeled by hexahedral 3D solid and linear elements respectively, and the nonlinearity of the used materials was considered. In order to validate this model, experimental results considered in literature were compared with the proposed FE model. After validation, a parametric study was performed. The parameters include the slab thickness, the flexure reinforcement ratios and the axial membrane loads. Then, to reduce the time of FEA, a simplified modelling using 3D layered shell element and shear hinge concept was also induced. The effect of the footings settlement was studied using the proposed simplified nonlinear model as a case study. Results of numerical models showed that increase of the slab thickness by 185.7% enhanced the ultimate load by 439.1%, accompanied with a brittle punching failure. The punching failure occurred in one of the tested specimens when the tensile reinforcement ratio increased more than 0.65% and the punching capacity improved with increasing the horizontal flexural reinforcement; it decreased by 30% with the settlement of the outer footings.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.57 no.1
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• pp.45-63
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• 2016

Fiber metal laminates (FMLs) represent a high-performance family of hybrid materials which consist of thin metal sheets bonded together with alternating unidirectional fiber layers. In this study, the buckling behavior of a FML circular cylindrical shell under axial compression is investigated via both analytical and finite element approaches. The governing equations are derived based on the first-order shear deformation theory and solved by the Navier solution method. Also, the buckling load of a FML cylindrical shell is calculated using linear eigenvalue analysis in commercial finite element software, ABAQUS. Due to lack of experimental and analytical data for buckling behavior of FML cylindrical shells in the literature, the proposed model is simplified to the full-composite and full-metal cylindrical shells and buckling loads are compared with the available results. Afterwards, the effects of FML parameters such as metal volume fraction (MVF), composite fiber orientation, stacking sequence of layers and geometric parameters are studied on the buckling loads. Results show that the FML layup has the significant effect on the buckling loads of FML cylindrical shells in comparison to the full-composite and full-metal shells. Results of this paper hopefully provide a useful guideline for engineers to design an efficient and economical structure.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.607-622
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• 2018

A non-linear finite element model (FEM) was constructed using a three-dimensional software (ATENA-3D) to investigate the effect of strengthening on the behavior of prestressed hollow-core (PHC) slabs with or without openings. The slabs were strengthened using near surface mounted (NSM)-carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) strips. The constructed model was validated against experimental results that were previously reported by the authors. The validated FEM was then used to conduct an extensive parametric study to examine the influence of prestressing reinforcement ratio, compressive strength of concrete and strengthening reinforcement ratio on the behavior of such slabs. The FEM results showed good agreement with the experimental results where it captured the cracking, yielding, and ultimate loads as well as the mid-span deflection with a reasonable accuracy. Also, an overall enhancement in the structural performance of these slabs was achieved with an increase in prestressing reinforcement ratio, compressive strength of concrete, external reinforcement ratio. The presence of openings with different dimensions along the flexural or shear spans reduced significantly the capacity of the PHC slabs. However, strengthening these slabs with 2 and 4 (64 and $128mm^2$ that represent reinforcement ratios of 0.046 and 0.092%) CFRP strips was successful in restoring the original strength of the slab and enhancing post-cracking stiffness and load carrying capacity.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.27-37
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• 2021

An individual vacuum consolidation system has gained a popularity for a ground improvement of soft clayey soil. Finite element anaylses have been performed to simulate the individual vacuum consolidation system using a Plaxis 2D. The modelling procedures of the vacuum consolidation system are presented with the results of an unit-cell analysis. In addition, a case study was carried out to assess the applicability of the Plaxis 2D for simulating the consolidation behavior of soft ground subjected to the individual vacuum pressure.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.495-501
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• 2018

Geogrid application that has proved to be an effective and economic method of reinforcing particles, is widely used in geotechnical engineering. The discrete element method (DEM) has been used to investigate the micro mechanics of the geogrid deformation and also the interlocking mechanism that cannot be easily studies in laboratory tests. Two types of realistically shaped geogrid models with square and triangle apertures were developed using parallel bonds in PFC3D. The calibration test simulations have demonstrated that the precisely shaped triangular geogrid model is also able to reproduce the deformation and strength characteristics of geogrids. Moreover, the square and triangular geogrid models were also used in DEM pull-out test simulations with idealized shape particle models for validation. The simulation results have been shown to provide good predictions of pullout force as a function of displacement especially for the initial 30 mm displacement. For the granular material of size 40 mm, both the experimental and DEM results demonstrate that the triangular geogrid of size 75 mm outperforms the square geogrid of size 65 mm. Besides, the simulations have given valuable insight into the interaction between particle and geogrid and also revealed similar deformation behavior of geogrids during pullout. Therefore, the DEM provides a tool which enable to model other possible prototype geogrid and investigate their performance before manufacture.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.735-748
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• 2018

In this paper, the cyclic behavior of steel beam-concrete encased steel (CES) column joints was investigated experimentally and numerically. Three frame middle joint samples with varying concrete slab widths were constructed. Anti-symmetrical low-frequency cyclic load was applied at two beam ends to simulate the earthquake action. The failure modes, hysteretic behavior, ultimate load, stiffness degradation, load carrying capacity degradation, displacement ductility and strain response were investigated in details. The three composite joints exhibited excellent seismic performance in experimental tests, showing high load-carrying capacity, good ductility and superior energy dissipation ability. All three joint samples reached their ultimate loads due to shear failure. Numerical results from ABAQUS modelling agreed well with the test results. Finally, the effect of the concrete slab on ultimate load was analyzed through a parametric study on concrete strength, slab thickness, as well as slab width. Numerical simulation showed that slab width and thickness played an important role in the load-carrying capacity of such joints. As a comparison, the influence of concrete grade was not significant.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.13-20
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• 2021

A suite of 3D large deformation finite element (FE) analyses was performed to investigate the load transfer mechanism and penetration resistance of spudcan foundations in heterogeneous soil profile consisting of sand and clay. The Elasto-Plastic models following Mohr-Coulomb and Tresca failure criteria were adopted for sand and clay, respectively. The accuracy of the numerical model was validated against centrifuge test measurements. The dense sand behavior with dilation is modeled using the non-associated flow rule. An investigation study consisting of key parameters, which includes variation in soil stratigraphy (sand-clay, sand-clay-sand), strength parameters of sand and clay (��' and su) and normalized height ratio of the sand layer (Hs/D) was conducted to assess the penetration behavior of spudcan. Based on calculated outputs, it was demonstrated that these parameters have a significant influence on the penetration resistance of spudcan. The calculated penetration resistance profiles are compared with the published (sand overlying clay) analytical model. It is confirmed that for the case of two-layer soil, the available theoretical model provides an accurate estimate of peak penetration resistance (qpeak). In the case of three-layer soil, the presence of a third stiff layer affects the penetration resistance profile due to the squeezing of the soil.