• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.363-375
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• 1998

The stiffness matrix of a two-dimensional contact surface element is deduced from the principle of virtual work. The incremental loading procedure used is controlled by displacement and stress. Special potential contact elements are used to avoid the need to rearrange the FEM mesh due to variations of the contact surface as contact develops. Published results are used to validate the method, which is then applied to a turbine to solve the contact problem between the blade root and rotor in the region in which a 'push fit' connects the blade to its rotor.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 2002.04a
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• pp.192-199
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• 2002

The use of frequency-dependent dynamic stiffness matrix (or spectral element matrix) in structural dynamics may provide very accurate solutions, while it reduces the number of degrees-of-freedom to improve the computational efficiency and cost problems. Thus, this paper develops a spectral element model for the thin plates moving with constant speed under uniform in-plane tension. The concept of Kantorovich method is used in the frequency-domain to formulate the dynamic stiffness matrix. The present spectral element model is evaluated by comparing its solutions with the exact analytical solutions. The effects of moving speed and in-plane tension on the flexural wave dispersion characteristics and natural frequencies of the plate are numerically investigated.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.679-695
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• 2014

A design method of second generation wavelet (SGW)-based multivariable finite elements is proposed for static and vibration beam analysis. An important property of SGWs is that they can be custom designed by selecting appropriate lifting coefficients depending on the application. The SGW-based multivariable finite element equations of static and vibration analysis of beam problems with two and three kinds of variables are derived based on the generalized variational principles. Compared to classical finite element method (FEM), the second generation wavelet-based multivariable finite element method (SGW-MFEM) combines the advantages of high approximation performance of the SGW method and independent solution of field functions of the MFEM. A multiscale algorithm for SGW-MFEM is presented to solve structural engineering problems. Numerical examples demonstrate the proposed method is a flexible and accurate method in static and vibration beam analysis.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.403-426
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• 2012

This paper deals with the structural behaviour of tapered concrete-filled steel composite (TCFSC) columns under eccentric loading. Finite element software LUSAS is used to perform the nonlinear analyses to predict the structural behaviour of the columns. Results from the finite element modelling and existing experimental test are compared to verify the accuracy of the modelling. It is demonstrated that they correlate reasonably well with each other; therefore, the proposed finite element modelling is absolutely accurate to predict the structural behaviour of the columns. Nonlinear analyses are carried out to investigate the behaviour of the columns where the main parameters are: (1) tapered angle (from $0^{\circ}$ to $2.75^{\circ}$); (2) steel wall thickness (from 3 mm to 4 mm); (3) load eccentricity (15 mm and 30 mm); (4) L/H ratio (from 10.67 to 17.33); (5) concrete compressive strength (from 30 MPa to 60 MPa); (6) steel yield stress (from 250 MPa to 495 MPa). Results are depicted in the form of load versus mid-height deflection plots. Effects of various tapered angles, steel wall thicknesses, and L/H ratios on the ultimate load capacity, ductility and stiffness of the columns are studied. Effects of different load eccentricities, concrete compressive strengths and steel yield stresses on the ultimate load capacity of the columns are also examined. It is concluded from the study that the parameters considerably influence the structural behaviour of the columns.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.207-222
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• 2010

Fire incident in buildings is common, so the fire safety design of the framed structure is imperative, especially for the unprotected or partly protected bare steel frames. However, software for structural fire analysis is not widely available. As a result, the performance-based structural fire design is urged on the basis of using user-friendly and conventional nonlinear computer analysis programs so that engineers do not need to acquire new structural analysis software for structural fire analysis and design. The tool is desired to have the capacity of simulating the different fire scenarios and associated detrimental effects efficiently, which includes second-order P-D and P-d effects and material yielding. Also the nonlinear behaviour of large-scale structure becomes complicated when under fire, and thus its simulation relies on an efficient and effective numerical analysis to cope with intricate nonlinear effects due to fire. To this end, the present fire study utilizes a second-order elastic/plastic analysis software NIDA to predict structural behaviour of bare steel framed structures at elevated temperatures. This fire study considers thermal expansion and material degradation due to heating. Degradation of material strength with increasing temperature is included by a set of temperature-stress-strain curves according to BS5950 Part 8 mainly, which implicitly allows for creep deformation. This finite element stiffness formulation of beam-column elements is derived from the fifth-order PEP element which facilitates the computer modeling by one member per element. The Newton-Raphson method is used in the nonlinear solution procedure in order to trace the nonlinear equilibrium path at specified elevated temperatures. Several numerical and experimental verifications of framed structures are presented and compared against solutions in literature. The proposed method permits engineers to adopt the performance-based structural fire analysis and design using typical second-order nonlinear structural analysis software.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.631-639
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• 2019

Finite element analysis is one of the important methods to study the structural performance. Due to the simplification, discretization and error of structural parameters, numerical model errors always exist. Besides, structural characteristics may also change because of material aging, structural damage, etc., making the initial finite element model cannot simulate the operational response of the structure accurately. Based on Bayesian methods, the initial model can be updated to obtain a more accurate numerical model. This paper presents the work on the field test, modal identification and model updating of a Chinese reinforced concrete pagoda. Based on the ambient vibration test, the acceleration response of the structure under operational environment was collected. The first six translational modes of the structure were identified by the enhanced frequency domain decomposition method. The initial finite element model of the pagoda was established, and the elastic modulus of columns, beams and slabs were selected as model parameters to be updated. Assuming the error between the measured mode and the calculated one follows a Gaussian distribution, the posterior probability density function (PDF) of the parameter to be updated is obtained and the uncertainty is quantitatively evaluated based on the Bayesian statistical theory and the Metropolis-Hastings algorithm, and then the optimal values of model parameters can be obtained. The results show that the difference between the calculated frequency of the finite element model and the measured one is reduced, and the modal correlation of the mode shape is improved. The updated numerical model can be used to evaluate the safety of the structure as a benchmark model for structural health monitoring (SHM).

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.5 no.2_3
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• pp.203-233
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• 2005

This paper presents the findings of a design development project for perforated beams fully integrated with building services. A unified design approach for both steel and composite beams with large rectangular web openings is proposed which is based on plastic design methods and formulated in accordance with analytical structural design principles. Moreover, finite element models are established after careful calibration against test data, and comparison on the predicted ultimate loads of two composite beams with rectangular web openings from the finite element models and the proposed design method is also presented. It is demonstrated that the proposed design method is able to predict the ultimate loads of composite beams with rectangular web openings against 'Vierendeel' mechanism satisfactorily.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.270-275
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• 2008

In this study, computer applied engineering (CAE) techniques are full? used to conduct structural and dynamic analyses of a huge composite rotor blade. Computational fluid dynamics is used to predict aerodynamic load of the rotating wind-turbine blade model. Static and dynamic structural analyses are conducted based on the non-linear finite element method for composite laminates and multi-body dynamic simulation tools. Various numerical results for aerodynamic load, dynamic analyses are presented and characteristics of structural behaviors are investigated herein.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.563-582
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• 2016

The failure mechanism and maximum collapse load of masonry structures may change significantly under static and dynamic excitations depending on their internal arrangement and material properties. Hence, it is important to understand correctly the nonlinear behavior of masonry structures in order to adequately assess their safety and propose efficient strengthening measures, especially for historical constructions. The discrete element method (DEM) can play an important role in these studies. This paper discusses possible collapse mechanisms and provides a set of parametric analyses by considering the influence of material properties and cross section morphologies on the out of plane strength of masonry walls. Detailed modeling of masonry structures may affect their mechanical strength and displacement capacity. In particular, the structural behavior of stacked and rubble masonry walls, portal frames, simple combinations of masonry piers and arches, and a real structure is discussed using DEM. It is further demonstrated that this structural analysis tool allows obtaining excellent results in the description of the nonlinear behavior of masonry structures.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.507-518
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• 2005

In the shear-lag analysis of structures deterministic procedure is insufficient to provide complete information. Probabilistic analysis is a holistic approach for analyzing shear-lag effects considering uncertainties in structural parameters. This paper proposes an efficient and accurate algorithm to analyze shear-lag effects of structures with parameter uncertainties. The proposed algorithm integrated the advantages of the response surface method (RSM), finite element method (FEM) and Monte Carlo simulation (MCS). Uncertainties in the structural parameters can be taken into account in this algorithm. The algorithm is verified using independently generated finite element data. The proposed algorithm is then used to analyze the shear-lag effects of a simply supported beam with parameter uncertainties. The results show that the proposed algorithm based on the central composite design is the most promising one in view of its accuracy and efficiency. Finally, a parametric study was conducted to investigate the effect of each of the random variables on the statistical moment of structural stress response.