• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.177-193
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• 2006

Determining the hysteretic energy demand and dissipation capacity and level of damage of the structure to a predefined earthquake ground motion is a highly non-linear problem and is one of the questions involved in predicting the structure's response for low-performance levels (life safe, near collapse, collapse) in performance-based earthquake resistant design. Neural Network (NN) analysis offers an alternative approach for investigation of non-linear relationships in engineering problems. The results of NN yield a more realistic and accurate prediction. A NN model can help the engineer to predict the seismic performance of the structure and to design the structural elements, even when there is not adequate information at the early stages of the design process. The principal aim of this study is to develop and test multi-layered feedforward NNs trained with the back-propagation algorithm to model the non-linear relationship between the structural and ground motion parameters and the hysteretic energy demand in steel moment resisting frames. The approach adapted in this study was shown to be capable of providing accurate estimates of hysteretic energy demand by using the six design parameters.

• Bulletin of the Society of Naval Architects of Korea
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.47-57
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• 1988

A new discrete method using idealized rigid body-spring model is introduced. This rigid element method is known to be more efficient and accurate than the finite element method in the inelastic range of structural analysis owing to simplified stress-strain and strain-displacement relations This kind of physical concept using idealized rigid model has been already applied among structural engineers to some problems such as rigid-plastic analysis or plastic design considering rigid bodies and plastic hinges. However the most rigorous and systematic research has been recently performed by T. Kawai et al.[1]. In this paper, an attempt is made to analyze the collapse behavior of stiffened plates under lateral loading by some modification and expansion of Kawai's rigid element approach to the collapse of plates without stiffener. Stiffened plates are treated as orthotropic plates which have equivalent bending rigidities. By employing Morley's plate element resubdivision technique, variety is given to mesh-division styles which have greate effect on the accuracy of numerical results. Some examples are shown to verify the validity of applying rigid element method to the ultimate strength analysis of stiffened plates. It is clarified that lateral deflections and detailed collapse patterns up to the ultimate state of stiffened plates can be easily obtained by the present approach.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.725-745
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• 2009

In this paper, probabilistic seismic performance assessment of a typical non-seismic RC frame building representative of a large inventory of existing buildings in developing countries is conducted. Nonlinear time-history analyses of the sample building are performed with 20 large-magnitude medium distance ground motions scaled to different levels of intensity represented by peak ground acceleration and 5% damped elastic spectral acceleration at the first mode period of the building. The hysteretic model used in the analyses accommodates stiffness degradation, ductility-based strength decay, hysteretic energy-based strength decay and pinching due to gap opening and closing. The maximum inter story drift ratios obtained from the time-history analyses are plotted against the ground motion intensities. A method is defined for obtaining the yielding and collapse capacity of the analyzed structure using these curves. The fragility curves for yielding and collapse damage levels are developed by statistically interpreting the results of the time-history analyses. Hazard-survival curves are generated by changing the horizontal axis of the fragility curves from ground motion intensities to their annual probability of exceedance using the log-log linear ground motion hazard model. The results express at a glance the probabilities of yielding and collapse against various levels of ground motion intensities.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.11-20
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• 2024

The ductility of the system based on the capacity of each structural member constituting the seismic force-resisting system is a significant factor determining the structure's seismic performance. This study aims to provide a procedure to supplement the current seismic design criteria to secure the system's ductility and improve the seismic performance of the steel ordinary moment frames. For the study, a nonlinear analysis was performed on the 9- and 15-story model buildings, and the formation of collapse mechanisms and damage distribution for dynamic loads were analyzed. As a result of analyzing the nonlinear response and damage distribution of the steel ordinary moment frame, local collapse due to the concentration of structural damage was observed in the case where the influence of the higher mode was dominant. In this study, a procedure to improve the seismic performance and avoid inferior dynamic response was proposed by limiting the strength ratio of the column. The proposed procedure effectively improved the seismic performance of steel ordinary moment frames by reducing the probability of local collapse.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.1085-1098
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• 2014

Plastic mechanism analysis of structures subjected to large deformation has long been used in order to determine collapse mechanisms of steel structures, and the energy absorbed in plastic deformation during such collapses. In this paper the technique is applied to vehicle roof structures that undergo large plastic deformation as a result of rollover crashes. The components of such roof structures are typically steel spot-welded hat-type sections. Ten different deformation mechanisms are defined from investigations of real-world rollover crashes, and an analytical technique to determine the plastic collapse load and energy absorption of such mechanisms is determined. The procedure is presented in a generic manner, such that it may be applied to any vehicle structure undergoing a rollover induced collapse. The procedure is applied to an exemplar vehicle, in order to demonstrate its application in determining the energy absorbed in the deformation of the identified collapse mechanisms. The procedure will be useful to forensic crash reconstructionists, in order to accurately determine the initial travel velocity of a vehicle that has undergone a rollover and for which the post-crash vehicle deformation is known. It may also be used to perform analytical studies of the collapse resistance of vehicle roof structures for optimisation purposes, which is also demonstrated with an analysis of the effect of varying the geometric and material properties of the roof structure components of the exemplar vehicle.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.627-644
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• 2004

In this study, the endochronic theory was used to investigate the collapse of thick-walled tubes subjected to external pressure and axial tension. The experimental and theoretical findings of Madhavan et al. (1993) for thick-walled tubes of 304 stainless steel subjected to external pressure and axial tension were compared with the endochronic simulation. Collapse envelopes for various diameter-to-thickness tubes under two different pressure-tension loadings were involved. It has been shown that the experimental results were aptly described by the endochronic approach demonstrated from comparison with the theoretical prediction employed by Madhavan et al. (1993). Furthermore, by using the rate-sensitivity function of the intrinsic time measure proposed by Pan and Chern (1997) in the endochronic theory, our theoretical analysis was extended to investigate the viscoplastic collapse of thick-walled tubes subjected to external pressure and axial tension. It was found that the pressure-tension collapse envelopes are strongly influenced by the strain-rate during axial tension. Due to the hardening of the metal tube of 304 stainless steel under a faster strain-rate during uniaxial tension, the size of the tension-collapse envelope increases.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.479-500
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• 2016

Seismic design criteria allow enhancing the structural ductility and controlling the damage distribution. Therefore, detailing rules and design requirements given by current seismic codes might be also beneficial to improve the structural robustness. In this paper a comprehensive parametric study devoted to quantifying the effectiveness of seismic detailing for steel Moment Resisting Frames (MRF) in limiting the progressive collapse under column loss scenarios is presented and discussed. The overall structural performance was analysed through nonlinear static and dynamic analyses. With this regard the following cases were examined: (i) MRF structures designed for wind actions according to Eurocode 1; (ii) MRF structures designed for seismic actions according to Eurocode 8. The investigated parameters were (i) the number of storeys; (ii) the interstorey height; (iii) the span length; (iv) the building plan layout; and (v) the column loss scenario. Results show that structures designed according to capacity design principles are less robust than wind designed ones, provided that the connections have the same capacity threshold in both cases. In addition, the numerical outcomes show that both the number of elements above the removed column and stiffness of beams are the key parameters in arresting progressive collapse.

• Computational Structural Engineering : An International Journal
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2001

Collapse behavior of Mission-Gothic Undercrossing under Northridge earthquake is studied by performing nonlinear time-history analysis and three-dimensional nonlinear finite element method for flared columns. Bridge structural model is characterized as three-dimensional with consideration of columns, superstructures, and abutment conditions. Three components of ground motion, corresponding to bridge's longitudinal, transverse, and vertical direction and their combinations are used to investigate bridge collapse. Studies indicate that bridge collapse is dominantly caused by transverse ground motion and the consideration of three-dimensional ground motion leads to a more accurate assessment. Failure mechanism of flared columns is analyzed applying nonlinear finite element method. Reduction of column capacity is observed due to orientation of flare. Further investigation demonstrates that the effects of flare play an important role in predicting of bridge failure mechanism. Suggestions are offered to improve the performance of bridges during severe earthquake.

• International Journal of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.83-95
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• 2012

In the present study, the structural response of breakwaters installed on container carriers against green water impact loads was numerically investigated on the basis of the fluid-structure interaction analysis. A series of numerical studies is carried out to induce breakwater collapse under such conditions, whereby a widely accepted fluid-structure interaction analysis technique is adopted to realistically consider the phenomenon of green water impact loads. In addition, the structural behaviour of these breakwaters under green water impact loads is investigated simultaneously throughout the transient analysis. A verification study of the numerical results is performed using data from actual collapse incidents of breakwaters on container carriers. On the basis of the results of a series of numerical analyses, the pressure distribution of green water was accurately predicted with respect to wave mass and velocity. It is expected that the proposed analytical methodology and predicted pressure distribution could be used as a practical guideline for the design of breakwaters on container carriers.

• Journal of Navigation and Port Research
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.315-321
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• 2009

The Very Large Marine Structure has been widely used new method of ocean space instead of method for reclamation Therefore, VLFS is proposed to coincide on such request. It can be established regardless of nature of soil and height of water, and stream of flow exists under the floating structure, there is seldom effect in natural environment. Fuertherrnore, it can do easily to do assembly and taking to pieces due to expansion or removal. Based on the regulation by class, VLFS have to possess more than enough structural strength against severe wave loading induced by green sea condition Therefore, There are performed structural simulation as well as experimental test about expected loading scenario in order to examine the safety of structure. Up to now, various examinations based on the strength limit value of the main structural material have been done based on the elasticity response analysis. However, there is little finding about the collapse behavior and the safety when the load that exceeds the collapse of the material acts. In the present study, we investigated the collapse behavior based on the ultimate limit state calculated by FE-analysis.