• Journal of Korean Association for Spatial Structures
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.51-58
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• 2020

Recently, deep learning that is the most popular and effective class of machine learning algorithms is widely applied to various industrial areas. A number of research on various topics about structural engineering was performed by using artificial neural networks, such as structural design optimization, vibration control and system identification etc. When nonlinear semi-active structural control devices are applied to building structure, a lot of computational effort is required to predict dynamic structural responses of finite element method (FEM) model for development of control algorithm. To solve this problem, an artificial neural network model was developed in this study. Among various deep learning algorithms, a recurrent neural network (RNN) was used to make the time history response prediction model. An RNN can retain state from one iteration to the next by using its own output as input for the next step. An eleven-story building structure with semi-active tuned mass damper (TMD) was used as an example structure. The semi-active TMD was composed of magnetorheological damper. Five historical earthquakes and five artificial ground motions were used as ground excitations for training of an RNN model. Another artificial ground motion that was not used for training was used for verification of the developed RNN model. Parametric studies on various hyper-parameters including number of hidden layers, sequence length, number of LSTM cells, etc. After appropriate training iteration of the RNN model with proper hyper-parameters, the RNN model for prediction of seismic responses of the building structure with semi-active TMD was developed. The developed RNN model can effectively provide very accurate seismic responses compared to the FEM model.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Combustion
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.48-57
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• 2012

Laminar lifted propane coflow-jet flames diluted with nitrogen were experimentally investigated to determine heat-loss-related self-excitation regimes in the flame stability map and elucidate the individual flame characteristics. There exists a critical lift-off height over which flame-stabilizing effect becomes minor, thereby causing a normal heat-loss-induced self-excitation with O(0.01 Hz). Air-coflowing can suppress the normal heat-loss-induced self-excitation through increase of a Peclet number; meanwhile it can enhance the normal heat-lossinduced self-excitation through reducing fuel concentration gradient and thereby decreasing the reaction rate of trailing diffusion flame. Below the critical lift-off height. the effect of flame stabilization is superior, leading to a coflow-modulated heat-loss-induced self-excitation with O(0.001 Hz). Over the critical lift-off height, the effect of reducing fuel concentration gradient is pronounced, so that the normal heat-loss-induced self-excitation is restored. A newly found prompt self-excitation, observed prior to a heat-loss-induced flame blowout, is discussed. Heat-loss-related self-excitations, obtained laminar lifted propane coflow-jet flames diluted with nitrogen, were characterized by the functional dependency of Strouhal number on related parameters. The critical lift-off height was also reasonably characterized by Peclet number and fuel mole fraction.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.455-467
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• 2023

This study focuses on demonstrating the effectiveness of vibration control of tuned rotary mass damper (TRMD) for reducing the bidirectional and torsional response of the irregular asymmetric structure with voided slabs under earthquake excitations. The TRMD arranged in plane of one-story eccentric structure is proposed as a distributed tuned rotary mass damper (DTRMD) system. Lagrange's equation is used to derive the equations of motion of the controlled system. The optimum position and number of TRMD are numerically investigated under harmonic excitation and the control effects of different distributions are discussed. Furthermore, a shaking table test is conducted under different excitation cases, including free vibration, forced vibration and seismic wave to investigate the absorption performance of the device. The numerical simulations of different distributions of the TRMDs show that the DTRMDs are more effective in reduction of the displacement response of the asymmetric structure under the same mass ratio, even when the degree of eccentricity becomes large. However, with small degree of eccentricity, the unreasonable asymmetrical arrangement may cause the increase of the peak value of the rotational angular displacement. Finally, the experimental investigations exhibit similar results of translational displacement of the structure. It is concluded that the vibration of the irregular asymmetric structure can be controlled more economically and effectively by reducing the mass ratio through reducing the quantity of TRMDs at the high stiffness end.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.343-362
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• 2004

Rocking response of rigid bodies with rectangular footprint, freely standing on horizontal rigid plane is studied analytically. Bodies are subjected to simulated single component of horizontal earthquakes. The effect of baseline correction, applied to simulated excitations, on the rocking response is first examined. The sensitiveness of rocking motion to the details of earthquakes and geometric properties of rigid bodies is investigated. Due to the demonstrated sensitivity of rocking response to these factors, prediction of rocking stability must be made in the framework of probability theory. Therefore, using a large number of simulated earthquakes, the effects of duration and shape of intensity function of simulated earthquakes on overturning probability of rigid bodies are studied. In the case when a rigid body is placed on any floor of a building, the corresponding probability is compared to that of a body placed on the ground. For this purpose, several shear frames are employed. Finally, the viability of the energy balance equation, which was introduced by Housner in 1963 and widely used by nuclear power industry to estimate the rocking stability of bodies, is evaluated. It is found that the equation is robust. Examples are also given to show how this equation can be used.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.743-755
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• 2019

In this paper, a new system of seismic isolation for buildings - called suspended columns - is introduced. In this method, the building columns are placed on the hinged cradle seats instead of direct connection to the foundation. In this system, each of the columns is put on a seat hung from its surrounding area by a number of cables, for which cavities are created inside the foundation around the columns. Inside these cavities, the tensile cables are hung. Because of the flexibility of the cables, the suspended seats vibrate during an earthquake and as a result, there is less acceleration in the structure than the foundation. A Matlab code was written to analyze and investigate the response of the system against the earthquake excitations. The findings showed that if this system is used in a building, it results in a significant reduction in the acceleration applied to the structure. A shear key system was used to control the structure for service and lateral weak loads. Moreover, the effect of vertical acceleration on the seismic behavior of the system was also investigated. Effect of the earthquake characteristic period on the system performance was studied and the optimum length of the suspension cables for a variety of the period ranges was suggested. In addition, measures have been taken for long-term functioning of the system and some practical feasibility features were also discussed. Finally, the advantages and limitations of the system were discussed and compared with the other common methods of seismic isolation.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.6 no.6
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• pp.581-609
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• 2014

Reinforced concrete (RC) structures are likely to experience damage when subjected to earthquakes. Damage index (DI) has been recognised as an advanced tool of quantitatively expressing the extent of damage in such structures. Last 30 years have seen many concepts for DI proposed in order to calibrate the observed levels of damage. The current research briefly reviews all available concepts and investigates their relative merits and limitations with a view to proposing a new concept based on residual deformation. Currently available DIs are classified into two broad categories - non-cumulative DI and cumulative DI. Non-cumulative DIs do not include the effects of cyclic loading, whilst the cumulative concepts produce more rational indication of the level of damage in case of earthquake excitations. Ideally, a DI should vary within a scale of 0 to 1 with 0 representing the state of elastic response, and 1 referring to the state of total collapse. Some of the available DIs do not satisfy these criteria. A new DI based on energy is proposed herein and its performances, both for static and for cyclic loadings, are compared with those obtained using the most widely accepted DI in literature. The proposed DI demonstrates a rational way to predict the extent of damage for a number of case studies. More research is encouraged to address some identified issues.

• International Journal of Aeronautical and Space Sciences
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.46-57
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• 2013

Flutter stability and buffeting response have been the topics of most concern in the design state of long-span suspension bridges. Among approaches towards the aerodynamic stability, the aerodynamic-based control method which uses control surfaces to generate forces counteracting the unstable excitations has shown to be promising. This study focused on the mechanically controlled system using flaps; two flaps were attached on both sides of a bridge deck and were driven by the motions of the bridge deck. When the flaps moved, the overall cross section of the bridge deck containing these flaps was continuously changing. As a consequence, the aerodynamic forces also changed. The efficiency of the control was studied through the numerical simulation and experimental investigations. The values of quasi-steady forces, together with the experimental aerodynamic force coefficients, were proposed in the simulation. The results showed that the passive flap control can, with appropriate motion of the flaps, solve the aerodynamic instability. The efficiency of the flap control on the full span of a simple suspension bridge was also carried out. The mode-by-mode technique was applied for the investigation. The results revealed that the efficiency of the flap control relates to the mode number, the installed location of the flap, and the flap length.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.1251-1267
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• 2016

In this paper, Simple Adaptive Control (SAC) is used to enhance the seismic response of nonlinear tall buildings based on acceleration feedback. Semi-active MR dampers are employed as control actuator due to their reliability and well-known dynamic models. Acceleration feedback is used because of availability, cost-efficiency and reliable measurements of acceleration sensors. However, using acceleration feedback in the control loop causes the structure not to apparently meet some requirements of the SAC algorithm. In addition to defining an appropriate SAC reference model and using inherently stable MR dampers, a modification in the original structure of the SAC is proposed in order to improve its adaptability to the situation in which the plant does not satisfy the algorithm's stability requirements. To investigate the performance of the developed control system, a numerical study is conducted on the benchmark 20-story nonlinear building and the responses of the SAC-controlled structure are compared to an $H_2/LQG$ clipped-optimal controller under the effect of different seismic excitations. As indicated by the results, SAC controller effectively reduces the story drifts and hence the seismically-induced damage throughout the structural members despite its simplicity, independence of structural parameters and while using fewer number of dampers in contrast with the $H_2/LQG$ clipped-optimal controller.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.505-523
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• 2018

Static pushover analyses of typical existing reinforced concrete frames, designed according to the previous generations of design codes in Greece, have established these structures' inelastic characteristics, namely overstrength, global ductility capacity and available behaviour factor q, under planar response. These were compared with the corresponding demands at the collapse limit state target performance point. The building stock considered accounted for the typical variability, among different generations of constructed buildings in Greece, in the form, the seismic design code in effect and the material characteristics. These static pushover analyses are extended, in the present study, in the time history domain. Consequently, the static analysis predictions are compared with Incremental Dynamic Analysis results herein, using a large number of spectrum compatible recorded base excitations of recent destructive earthquakes in Greece and abroad, following, for comparison, similar conventional limiting failure criteria as before. It is shown that the buildings constructed in the 70s exhibit the least desirable behaviour, followed by the buildings constructed in the 60s. As the seismic codes evolved, there is a notable improvement for buildings of the 80s, when the seismic code introduced end member confinement and the requirement for a joint capacity criterion. Finally, buildings of the 90s, designed to modern codes exhibit an exceptionally good performance, as expected by the compliance of this code to currently enforced seismic provisions worldwide.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.347-363
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• 2007

A novel methodology, referred to as Auxiliary Domain Method (ADM), allowing for a very efficient solution of nonlinear reliability problems is presented. The target nonlinear failure domain is first populated by samples generated with the help of a Markov Chain. Based on these samples an auxiliary failure domain (AFD), corresponding to an auxiliary reliability problem, is introduced. The criteria for selecting the AFD are discussed. The emphasis in this paper is on the selection of the auxiliary linear failure domain in the case where the original nonlinear reliability problem involves multiple objectives rather than a single objective. Each reliability objective is assumed to correspond to a particular response quantity not exceeding a corresponding threshold. Once the AFD has been specified the method proceeds with a modified subset simulation procedure where the first step involves the direct simulation of samples in the AFD, rather than standard Monte Carlo simulation as required in standard subset simulation. While the method is applicable to general nonlinear reliability problems herein the focus is on the calculation of the probability of failure of nonlinear dynamical systems subjected to Gaussian random excitations. The method is demonstrated through such a numerical example involving two reliability objectives and a very large number of random variables. It is found that ADM is very efficient and offers drastic improvements over standard subset simulation, especially when one deals with low probability failure events.