• Smart Structures and Systems
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• 제16권4호
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• pp.579-591
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• 2015

This paper investigates a magnetoelectric (ME) vibration energy harvester that can scavenge energy in arbitrary directions in a plane as well as wide working bandwidth. In this harvester, a circular cross-section cantilever rod is adopted to extract the external vibration energy due to the capability of it's free end oscillating in arbitrary in-plane directions. And permanent magnets are fixed to the free end of the cantilever rod, causing it to experience a non-linear force as it moves with respect to stationary ME transducers and magnets. The magnetically coupled cantilever rod exhibits a nonlinear and two-mode motion, and responds to vibration over a much broader frequency range than a standard cantilever. The effects of the magnetic field distribution and the magnetic force on the harvester's voltage response are investigated with the aim to obtain the optimal vibration energy harvesting performances. A prototype harvester was fabricated and experimentally tested, and the experimental results verified that the harvester can extract energy from arbitrary in-plane directions, and had maximum bandwidth of 5.5 Hz, and output power of 0.13 mW at an acceleration of 0.6 g (with $g=9.8ms^{-2}$).

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• 제36권4호
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• pp.447-462
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• 2020

The paper aims to investigate the mechanical mechanism and seismic effect of stiffeners in blind bolt endplate connection to CFST column. A precise 3D finite element model with considering the cyclic properties of concrete and steel materials was established, and the efficiency was validated through monotonic and cyclic test data. The deforming pattern and the seismic performance of the unstiffened and stiffened blind bolt endplate connections were investigated. Then a parametric analysis was conducted to analyze the contribution of stiffeners and the joint working behaviors with endplate under cyclic load. The joint stiffness classifications were compared and a supplement stiffness classification method was proposed, and the energy dissipation ability of different class connections were compared and discussed. Results indicated that the main deformation pattern of unstiffened blind bolt endplate connections was the local bending of end plate. The vertical stiffeners can effectively alleviate the local bending deformation of end plate. And influence of stiffeners in thin endplate and thick endplate was different. Based on the stiffness of external diaphragm welded connection, a more detailed rigidity classification was proposed which included the pin, semi-rigid, quasi-rigid and rigid connection. Beam was the main energy dissipation source for rigid connection. For the semi-rigid and quasi-rigid connection, the extended endplate, stiffeners and steel beam would all participate in the energy dissipation.

• Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
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• 제29권8호
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• pp.938-945
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• 2005

The microstructure evolution in hot forging process is composed of dynamic recrystallization during deformation as well as grain growth during dwell time. Therefore, the control of forging parameters such as strain, strain rate. temperature and holding time is important because the microstructure change in hot working affects the mechanical properties. Modeling equations are developed to represent the flow curve. grain size. recrystallized volume fraction and grain growth phenomena by various tests. The developed modeling equations were combined with thermo-viscoplastic finite element modeling to predict the microstructure change evolution during hot forging process. The large exhaust valve spindle (head diameter of 512mm) was simulated by closed die forging with hydraulic press and cooled in air after forging. The preform was heated to each 1080 and 1150$^{\circ}C$. Numerical calculation was performed by DEFORM-2D. a commercial finite element code. Heat transfer can be coupled with the deformation analysis in a non-isothermal deformation analysis. In order to obtain the fine and homogeneous microstructure and good mechanical properties in forging. the FEM would become a useful tool in the simulation of the microstructure development. In forging, appropriate temperature, strain and strain rate and rapid cooling are required to obtain the fine grain microstructure The optimal forging temperature and effective strain range of Nimonic 80A for large exhaust valve spindle are about 1080$\∼$l120$^{\circ}C$ and 150$\∼$200$\%$.

• Computers and Concrete
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• 제16권1호
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• pp.49-65
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• 2015

It is hard to guarantee the strict synchronization of all the jacking-up points in the integral jacking of a large-span continuous box girder bridge. This paper took the Hengliaojing Bridge as background, which need jacking up as an object with 295m length and more than 10,000tons weight, adopted 3D software to calculate the unsynchronized jacking-up working conditions, and studied the relationships between the unsynchronized vertical difference and the girder's deformation behaviour. The aim is to verify the maximum value of the unsynchronized vertical difference, and guide the construction and ensure safety. The monitoring system with its contents is introduced corresponding to the analysis. The results of the deck relative elevations prove that it is difficult to avoid the deck torsional deformation for jacking different; especially the side span shows more deformations for its smaller stiffness. The maximum difference is smaller than the limited value with acceptable stresses in the sections. The jacking heights of the pier in each construction step are controlled regularly according to the design. The shifting of the whole bridge in longitudinal direction is smaller than in transverse direction. The several beginning steps are the key to adjust their support reactions. This study is one parts of the fundamental research for the code "Technical specification for bridge jacking-up and reposition of China". The whole synchronous jacking project of the main bridge set a world record by the World Record Association for the whole bridge jacking project with the longest span of the world.

• Computers and Concrete
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• 제7권4호
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• pp.347-364
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• 2010

Since its invention in the $19^{th}$ century, Reinforced Concrete (RC) has been widely used in the construction of a lot of different structures, as buildings, bridges, nuclear central plants, or even ships. The details of the mechanical response for this kind of structures depends directly upon the material behavior of each component: concrete and steel, as well as their interaction through the bond-slip, which makes a rigorous engineering analysis of RC structures quite complicated. Consequently, the practical calculation of RC structures is done by adopting a lot of simplifications and hypotheses validated in the elastic range. Nevertheless, as soon as any RC structural element is working in the inelastic range, it is possible to obtain the numerical prediction of its realistic behavior only through the use of non linear analysis. The aim of this work is to develop a new kind of Finite Element: the "Enhanced Solid Element (ESE)" which takes into account the complex composition of reinforced concrete, being able to handle each dissipative material behavior and their different deformations, and on the other hand, conserving a simplified shape for engineering applications. Based on the recent XFEM developments, we introduce the concept of nodal enrichment to represent kinematics of steel rebars as well as bonding. This enrichment allows to reproduce the strain incompatibility between concrete and steel that occurs because of the bond degradation and slip. This formulation was tested with a couple of simple examples and compared to the results obtained from other standard formulations.

• Advances in environmental research
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• 제3권1호
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• pp.45-69
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• 2014

The groundwater has been a major source of water supply throughout the ages. Around 50% of the rural as well as urban population in the developing countries like India depends on groundwater for drinking. The groundwater is also an important source in the agriculture and industrial sector. In many parts of the world, groundwater resources are under increasing threat from growing demands, wasteful use and contamination. A good planning and management practices are needed to face this challenge. A key to the management of groundwater is the ability to model the movement of fluids and contaminants in the subsurface environment. It is obvious that the contaminant source activities cannot be completely eliminated and perhaps our water bodies will continue to serve as receptors of vast quantities of waste. In such a scenario, the goal of water quality protection efforts must necessarily be the control and management of these sources to ensure that released pollutants will be sufficiently attenuated within the region of interest and the quality of water at points of withdrawal is not impaired. In order to understand the behaviour of contaminant transport through different types of media, several researchers are carrying out experimental investigations through laboratory and field studies. Many of them are working on the analytical and numerical studies to simulate the movement of contaminants in soil and groundwater of the contaminant transport. With the advent of high power computers especially, a numerical modelling has gained popularity and is indeed of particular relevance in this regard. This paper provides the state of the art of contaminant transport and reviews the allied research works carried out through experimental investigation or using the analytical solution and numerical method. The review involves the investigation in respect of both, saturated and unsaturated, porous media.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• 제14권5호
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• pp.901-916
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• 2014

Magnetorheological (MR) fluid is one of the field-responsive fluids that is of interest to many researchers due to its high yield stress value, which depends on the magnetic field strength. Similar to electrorheological (ER) fluid, the combination of working modes is one of the techniques to increase the performance of the fluids with limited focus on MR fluids. In this paper, a novel MR testing cell incorporated with valve, shear and squeeze operational modes is designed and constructed in order to investigate the behaviour of MR fluid in combined mode. The magnetic field distribution in the design concept was analyzed using finite element method in order to verify the effective areas of each mode have the acceptable range of flux density. The annular gap of valve and shear were fixed at 1 mm, while the squeeze gap between the parallel circular surfaces was varied up to 20 mm. Three different coil configurations, which were made up from 23 SWG copper wires were set up in the MR cell. The simulation results indicated that the magnetic field distributed in the squeeze gap was the highest among the other gaps with all coils were subjected to a constant applied current of 1 A. Moreover, the magnetic flux densities in all gaps were in a good range of magnitude based on the simulations that validated the proposed design concept. Hence, the 3D model of the MR testing cell was designed using Solidworks for manufacturing processes.

• Wind and Structures
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• 제26권4호
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• pp.191-204
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• 2018

This article presents a study of the largest-ever (height = 220 m) cooling tower using the large eddy simulation (LES) method. Information about fluid fields around the tower and 3D aerodynamic time history in full construction process were obtained, and the wind pressure distribution along the entire tower predicted by the developed model was compared with standard curves and measured curves to validate the effectiveness of the simulating method. Based on that, average wind pressure distribution and characteristics of fluid fields in the construction process of ultra-large cooling tower were investigated. The characteristics of fluid fields in full construction process and their working principles were investigated based on wind speeds and vorticities under different construction conditions. Then, time domain characteristics of ultra-large cooling towers in full construction process, including fluctuating wind loads, extreme wind loads, lift and drag coefficients, and relationship of measuring points, were studied and fitting formula of extreme wind load as a function of height was developed based on the nonlinear least square method. Additionally, the frequency domain characteristics of wind loads on the constructing tower, including wind pressure power spectrum at typical measuring points, lift and drag power spectrum, circumferential correlations between typical measuring points, and vertical correlations of lift coefficient and drag coefficient, were analyzed. The results revealed that the random characteristics of fluctuating wind loads, as well as corresponding extreme wind pressure and power spectra curves, varied significantly and in real time with the height of the constructing tower. This study provides references for design of wind loads during construction period of ultra-large cooling towers.

• Advances in Energy Research
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• 제4권4호
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• pp.299-323
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• 2016

Cylindrical parabolic solar concentrators of small concentration ratio are attractive options for working temperatures around $120^{\circ}C$. The heat gained can be utilized in many applications such as air conditioning, space heating, heating water and many others. These collectors can be easily manufactured and do not need to track the sun continuously. Using a heat pipe as a solar absorber makes the system more compact and easy to install. This study is devoted to modeling a system of cylindrical parabolic solar concentrators of small concentration ratio (around 5) fitted with a heat pipe absorber with a porous wick. The heat pipe is surrounded by evacuated glass tube to reduce thermal losses from the heat pipe. The liquid and vapor flow equations, energy equation, the internal and external boundary conditions were taken into consideration. The system of equations was solved and the numerical results were validated against available experimental and numerical results. The validated heat pipe model was inserted in an evacuated transparent glass tube as the absorber of the cylindrical parabolic collector. A calculation procedure was developed for the system, a computer program was developed and tested and numerical simulations were realized for the whole system. An experimental solar collector of small concentration, fitted with evacuated tube heat pipe absorber was constructed and instrumented. Experiments were realized with the concentrator axis along the E-W direction. Results of the instantaneous efficiency and heat gain were compared with numerical simulations realized under the same conditions and reasonably good agreement was found.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• 제22권6호
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• pp.529-540
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• 2020

Water inrush is a major hazard for mining and excavation in deep coal seams or rock masses. It can be attributed to the coalescence of rock fractures in rock mass due to the interaction of fractures, hydraulic flow and stress field. One of the key technical challenges is to understand the course and mechanism of fluid flows in rock joint networks and fracture propagation and hence to take measures to prevent the formation of water inrush channels caused by possible rock fracturing. Several case observations of fluid flowing in rock joint networks and coupled fracture propagation in underground coal roadways are shown in this paper. A number of numerical simulations were done using the recently developed flow coupling function in FRACOD which simulates explicitly the fracture initiation and propagation process. The study has demonstrated that the shortest path between the inlet and outlet in joint networks will become a larger fluid flow channel and those fractures nearest to the water source and the working faces become the main channel of water inrush. The fractures deeper into the rib are mostly caused by shearing, and slipping fractures coalesce with the joint, which connects the water source and eventually forming a water inrush channel.