• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.21-44
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• 2014

The aim of this study is to determine the dynamic characteristics of long reinforced concrete highway bridges with post-tension tendons using analytical and experimental methods. It is known that the deck length and height of bridges are affected the dynamic characteristics considerably. For this purpose, Berta Bridge constructed in deep valley, in Artvin, Turkey, is selected as an application. The Bridge has two piers with height of 109.245 m and 85.193 m, and the total length of deck is 340.0 m. Analytical and experimental studies are carried out on Berta Bridge which was built in accordance with the balanced cantilever method. Finite Element Method (FEM) and Operational Modal Analysis (OMA) which considers ambient vibration data were used in analytical and experimental studies, respectively. Finite element model of the bridge is created by using SAP2000 program to obtain analytical dynamic characteristics such as the natural frequencies and mode shapes. The ambient vibration tests are performed using Operational Modal Analysis under wind and human loads. Enhanced Frequency Domain Decomposition (EFDD) and Stochastic Subspace Identification (SSI) methods are used to obtain experimental dynamic characteristics like natural frequencies, mode shapes and damping ratios. At the end of the study, analytical and experimental dynamic characteristic are compared with each other and the finite element model of the bridge was updated considering the material properties and boundary conditions. It is emphasized that Operational Modal Analysis method based on the ambient vibrations can be used safely to determine the dynamic characteristics, to update the finite element models, and to monitor the structural health of long reinforced concrete highway bridges constructed with the balanced cantilever method.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.529-541
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• 2006

This work gives an application of stochastic techniques for the optimization of stiffened plates in vibration. The search strategy consists of substituting, for finite element calculations in the optimization process, an approximate response from a Rayleigh-Ritz method. More precisely, the paper describes the use of a Rayleigh-Ritz method in creating function approximations for use in computationally intensive design optimization based on genetic algorithms. Two applications are presented; their deal with the optimization of stiffeners on plates by varying their positions, in order to maximize some natural frequencies, while having well defined dimensions. In other words, this work gives the fundamental idea of using a Ritz approximation to the response of a plate in vibration instead of finite element analysis.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.335-350
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• 2018

This paper presents numerical modelling, modal testing, finite element model updating, linear and nonlinear earthquake behavior of a reinforced concrete building model. A 1/2 geometrically scale, two-storey, reinforced concrete frame model with raft base were constructed, tested and analyzed. Modal testing on the model using ambient vibrations is performed to illustrate the dynamic characteristics experimentally. Finite element model of the structure is developed by ANSYS software and dynamic characteristics such as natural frequencies, mode shapes and damping ratios are calculated numerically. The enhanced frequency domain decomposition method and the stochastic subspace identification method are used for identifying dynamic characteristics experimentally and such values are used to update the finite element models. Different parameters of the model are calibrated using manual tuning process to minimize the differences between the numerically calculated and experimentally measured dynamic characteristics. The maximum difference between the measured and numerically calculated frequencies is reduced from 28.47% to 4.75% with the model updating. To determine the effects of the finite element model updating on the earthquake behavior, linear and nonlinear earthquake analyses are performed using 1992 Erzincan earthquake record, before and after model updating. After model updating, the maximum differences in the displacements and stresses were obtained as 29% and 25% for the linear earthquake analysis and 28% and 47% for the nonlinear earthquake analysis compared with that obtained from initial earthquake results before model updating. These differences state that finite element model updating provides a significant influence on linear and especially nonlinear earthquake behavior of buildings.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.335-345
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• 2008

In this study, we suggest a stochastic finite element scheme for the probabilistic analysis of the composite laminated plates, which have been applied to variety of mechanical structures due to their high strength to weight ratios. The applied concept in the formulation is the weighted integral method, which has been shown to give the most accurate results among others. We take into account the elastic modulus and in-plane shear modulus as random. For individual random parameters, independent stochastic field functions are assumed, and the effect of these random parameters on the response are estimated based on the exponentially varying auto- and cross-correlation functions. Based on example analyses, we suggest that composite plates show a less coefficient of variation than plates of isotropic and orthotropic materials. For the validation of the proposed scheme, Monte Carlo analysis is also performed, and the results are compared with each other.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.503-512
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• 1995

Groundwater flow in fracture networks is simulated using a discrete fracture (DF) model which assume that groundwater flows only through the fracture network. This assumption is available if the permeability of rock matrix is very low. It is almost impossible to describe fracture networks perfectly, so a stochastic approach is used. The stochastic approach assumes that the characteristic parameters in fracture network have special distribution patterns. The stochastic model generates fracture networks with some characteristic parameters. The finite element method is used to compute fracture flows. One-dimensional line element is the element type of the finite elements. The simulation results are shown by dominant flow paths in the fracture network. The dominant flow path can be found from the simulated groundwater flow field. The model developed in this study provides the tool to estimate the influences of characteristic parameters on groundwater flow in fracture networks. The influences of some characteristic parameters on the frcture flow are estimated by the Monte Carlo simulation based on 30 realizations.

• Coupled systems mechanics
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.167-198
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• 2022

In this paper we deal with classical instability problems of heterogeneous Euler beam under conservative loading. It is chosen as the model problem to systematically present several possible solution methods from simplest deterministic to more complex stochastic approach, both of which that can handle more complex engineering problems. We first present classical analytic solution along with rigorous definition of the classical Euler buckling problem starting from homogeneous beam with either simplified linearized theory or the most general geometrically exact beam theory. We then present the numerical solution to this problem by using reduced model constructed by discrete approximation based upon the weak form of the instability problem featuring von Karman (virtual) strain combined with the finite element method. We explain how such numerical approach can easily be adapted to solving instability problems much more complex than classical Euler's beam and in particular for heterogeneous beam, where analytic solution is not readily available. We finally present the stochastic approach making use of the Duffing oscillator, as the corresponding reduced model for heterogeneous Euler's beam within the dynamics framework. We show that such an approach allows computing probability density function quantifying all possible solutions to this instability problem. We conclude that increased computational cost of the stochastic framework is more than compensated by its ability to take into account beam material heterogeneities described in terms of fast oscillating stochastic process, which is typical of time evolution of internal variables describing plasticity and damage.

• Geotechnical Engineering
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.19-26
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• 1988

A stochastic numerical model for predictions of differential settlement of foundation Eoils is developed in this Paper. The differential settlement is highly dependent on the spatial variability of elastic modulus of soil. The Kriging method is used to account for the spatial variability of the elastic modulus. This technique provides the best linear unbiased estimator of a parameter and its minimum variance from a limited number of measured data. The stochastic finite element method, employing the first-order second-moment analysis for computations of error Propagation, is used to obtain the means, ariances, and covariances of nodal displacements. Finally, a reliability model of differential settlement is proposed by using the results of the stochastic FEM analysis. It is found that maximum differential settlement occurs when the distance between two foundations is approximately same It with the scale of fluctuation in horizontal direction, and the probability that differential settlement exceeds the allot.able vague might be significant.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.27-35
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• 2012

In this study, the ground motion was synthesized using the finite fault model by the stochastic green function method, and the difference in the ground motions was evaluated by using various values of the source parameters. An earthquake with a moment magnitude of 6.5 was assumed for the example fault model. The distribution of the slip in the fault plane was calculated using the statistical data of the asperity area. The source parameters considered in this study were the location of the hypocenter in the fault plane and the ratio of the rupture to the shear wave velocity, the rise time, the corner frequency of the source spectrum, and a high frequency filter. The values of the parameters related to the stochastic element source model were adjusted for different tectonic regions, and the others were selected for several possible cases. The response spectra were constructed from the synthesized ground motion time history and compared with the different parameter values. The frequency range affected by each parameter and the differences of the spectral accelerations were evaluated.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.147-160
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• 2007

In this paper, a dynamic analysis based on the fuzzy set theory is presented as a possible complementary tool to the classical stochastic methods for dynamic analyses. Material parameters of a structure are influenced by uncertainties and therefore they are considered to be fuzzy quantities with given distributions, that means fuzzy numbers with given membership functions. The fuzzy dynamic analysis is conducted with help of fuzzy arithmetic defined on the so-called ${\alpha}$-cuts. The results of the analysis are also obtained in the form of fuzzy numbers, which compared to the stochastic methods is less computationaly expensive while at the same time they still provide information about the distribution of a quantity. This method is demonstrated on an analysis of a two-dimensional frame subjected to possible seismic load, where the uncertain eigenmodes and eigenfrequencies are used in the modal analysis.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.589-600
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• 2018

For foundations in permafrost regions, the displacement characteristics are uncertain because of the randomness of temperature characteristics and mechanical parameters, which make the structural system have an unexpected deviation and unpredictability. It will affect the safety of design and construction. In this paper, we consider the randomness of temperature characteristics and mechanical parameters. A stochastic analysis model for the uncertain displacement characteristic of foundations is presented, and the stochastic coupling program is compiled by Matrix Laboratory (MATLAB) software. The stochastic displacement fields of an embankment in a permafrost region are obtained and analyzed by Neumann stochastic finite element method (NSFEM). The results provide a new way to predict the deformation characteristics of foundations in permafrost regions, and it shows that the stochastic temperature has a different influence on the stochastic lateral displacement and vertical displacement. Construction disturbance and climate warming lead to three different stages for the mean settlement of characteristic points. For the stochastic settlement characteristic, the standard deviation increases with time, which imply that the results of conventional deterministic analysis may be far from the true value. These results can improve our understanding of the stochastic deformation fields of embankments and provide a theoretical basis for engineering reliability analysis and design in permafrost regions.