• International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.461-478
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• 2016

This paper aims to provide guidelines for the numerical modeling of reinforced concrete (RC) frame elements in order to assess the seismic performance of structures. Several types of numerical models RC frame elements are available in nonlinear structural analysis packages. Since these numerical models are formulated based on different assumption and theories, the models accuracy, computing time, and applicability vary, which poses a great difficulty to practicing engineering and limits their confidence in the analysis resultants. In this study, the applicability of four representative numerical models of RC frame elements is evaluated through comparison with experimental results of four-storey bare frame available from European Laboratory for Structural Assessment. The accuracy of a numerical model is evaluated according to the top displacement, interstorey drift, Maximum storey shear, damage pattern and energy dissipation capacity of the frame structure. The results obtained allow a better understanding of the characteristics and potentialities of all procedures, helping the user to choose the best approach to perform nonlinear analysis.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.3-17
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• 2003

This paper deals with the problems and their possible solutions in the development of finite element for analysis of shell. Based on these solution schemes, a series of flat shell elements are established which show no signs of membrane locking and other defects even though the coarse meshes are used. In the element formulation, non-conforming displacement modes are extensively used for improvement of element behaviors. A number of numerical tests are performed to prove the validity of the solutions to the problems involved in establishing a series of high performance flat shell elements. The test results reveal among others that the high accuracy and fast convergence characteristics of the elements are obtainable by the use of various non-conforming modes and that the ‘Direct Modification Method’ is a very useful tool for non-conforming elements to pass the patch tests. Furthermore, hierarchical and higher order non-conforming modes are proved to be very efficient not only to make an element insensitive to the mesh distortion but also to remove the membrane locking. Some numerical examples are solved to demonstrate the validity and applicability of the presented elements to practical engineering shell problems.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.86 no.5
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• pp.687-704
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• 2023

This study aims to examine the structural response of glass fibre-reinforced polymer (Glass-FRP) reinforced geopolymer electronic waste aggregate concrete (GEWC) compression elements under axial compression for sustainable development. The research includes the fabrication of nine GEWC circular compression elements with different reinforcement ratios and a 3-D nonlinear finite element model using ABAQUS. The study involves a detailed parametric analysis to examine the impact of various parameters on the behavior of GEWC compression elements. The results indicate that reducing the vertical distance of glass-FRP ties improves the ductility of GEWC compression elements, and those with eight longitudinal rebars have higher axial load-carrying capacities. The finite element predictions were in good agreement with the testing results, and the put forwarded empirical model shows higher accuracy than previous models by involving the confinement effect of lateral glass-FRP ties on the axial strength of GEWC compression elements. This research work contributes to minimizing the carbon footprint of cement manufacturing and electronic waste materials for sustainable development.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.115-121
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• 2006

This paper deals with the influence of behavior of a variety of cable elements on the limit strength of steel cable-stayed bridges. The softening plastic-hinge model, which is represented in this study for the limit strength evaluation of the example bridge, considers both geometric and material nonlinearites. Geometric nonlinearity of beam-column members are accounted by using stability function, and material nonlinearity - by using CRC tangent modulus and parabolic function. Cable sag effect is considered for cable members. The result of this study shows that the limit strength of the example bridge using the equivalent of elasticity for truss straight elements is smaller than those using the cable or the catenary elements.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.335-341
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• 2009

In this paper, review of developed MLS-based finite elements and a proposal for their applications are described. The shape functions and their derivatives of MLS-based finite elements are constructed using Moving-Least Square approximation. In MLS-based finite element, using the adequate influence domain of weight function used in MLS approximation, kronecker delta condition could be satisfied at the element boundary. Moreover, because of the characteristics of MLS approximation, we could easily add extra nodes at an arbitrary position in MLS-based finite elements. For these reasons, until now, several variable-node elements(2D variable element for linear case and quadratic case and 3D variable-node elements) and finite crack elements are developed using MLS-based finite elements concept. MLS-based finite elements could be extended to 2D variable-node triangle element, 2D finite crack triangle element, variable-node shell element, finite crack shell element, and 3D polyhedron element. In this paper, we showed the feasibility of 3D polyhedron element at the case of femur meshing.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.86 no.3
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• pp.311-324
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• 2023

Herein, we present effective polygonal finite elements to which the strain-smoothed element (SSE) method is applied. Recently, the SSE method has been developed for conventional triangular and quadrilateral finite elements; furthermore, it has been shown to improve the performance of finite elements. Polygonal elements enable various applications through flexible mesh handling; however, further development is still required to use them more effectively in engineering practice. In this study, piecewise linear shape functions are adopted, the SSE method is applied through the triangulation of polygonal elements, and a smoothed strain field is constructed within the element. The strain-smoothed polygonal elements pass basic tests and show improved convergence behaviors in various numerical problems.

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.25-34
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• 2014

PURPOSES : This paper numerically evaluates the contribution of transverse steel to the structural behavior of continuously reinforced concrete pavements to understand the role of transverse steel. METHODS : Two-lane continuously reinforced concrete pavements with and without transverse steel were analyzed through finite element analysis with the aid of commercial finite element analysis program DIANA; the difference in their structural behavior such as deflection, joint opening, and stress distribution was then evaluated. Twenty-node brick elements and three-node beam elements were used to model concrete and steel, respectively. Sub-layers were modeled with horizontal and vertical tensionless spring elements. The interactions between steel and surrounding concrete were considered by connecting their nodes with three orthogonal spring elements. Both wheel loading and environmental loading in addition to self-weight were considered. RESULTS : The use of transverse steel in continuously reinforced concrete pavements does not have significant effects on the structural behavior. The surface deflections change very little with the use of transverse steel. The joint opening decreases when transverse steel is used but the reduction is quite small. The transverse concrete stress, rather, increases when transverse steel is used due to the restraint exerted by the steel but the increase is quite small as well. CONCLUSIONS : The main role of transverse steel in continuously reinforced concrete pavements is supporting longitudinal steel and/or controlling unexpected longitudinal cracks rather than enhancing the structural capacity.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.319-327
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• 2017

Studying the structural behavior of prestressed segmented girders is quite important due to the large use this type of solution in viaducts and bridges. Thus, this work presents a nonlinear three-dimensional structural analysis of an externally prestressed segmented concrete girder through the Finite Element Method (FEM), using a customized ANSYS platform, version 14.5. Aiming the minimization of the computational effort by using the lowest number of finite elements, a new viscoelastoplastic material model has been implemented for the structural concrete with the UPF customization tool of ANSYS, adding new subroutines, written in FORTRAN programming language, to the main program. This model takes into consideration the cracking of concrete in its formulation, being based on fib Model Code 2010, which uses Ottosen rupture surface as the rupture criterion. By implementing this new material model, it was possible to use the three-dimensional 20-node quadratic element SOLID186 to model the concrete. Upon validation of the model, an externally prestressed segmented box concrete girder that was originally lab tested by Aparicio et al. (2002) has been computationally simulated. In the discretization of the structure, in addition to element SOLID186 for the concrete, unidimensional element LINK180 has been used to model the prestressing tendons, as well as contact elements CONTA174 and TARGE170 to simulate the dry joints along the segmented girder. Stresses in the concrete and in the prestressing tendons are assessed, as well as joint openings and load versus deflection diagrams. A comparison between numerical and experimental data is also presented, showing a good agreement.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.881-898
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• 2013

This paper describes analytical investigation into a new dual function system including a couple of shear links which are connected in series using chevron bracing capable to correlate its performance with magnitude of earthquakes. In this proposed system, called Chevron Knee-Vertical Link Beam braced system (CK-VLB), the inherent hysteretic damping of vertical link beam placed above chevron bracing is exclusively utilized to dissipate the energy of moderate earthquakes through web plastic shear distortion while the rest of the structural elements are in elastic range. Under strong earthquakes, plastic deformation of VLB will be halted via restraining it by Stopper Device (SD) and further imposed displacement subsequently causes yielding of the knee elements located at the bottom of chevron bracing to significantly increase the energy dissipation capacity level. In this paper first by studying the knee yielding mode, a suitable shape and angle for diagonal-knee bracing is proposed. Then finite elements models are developed. Monotonic and cyclic analyses have been conducted to compare dissipation capacities on three individual models of passive systems (CK-VLB, knee braced system and SPS system) by General-purpose finite element program ABAQUS in which a bilinear kinematic hardening model is incorporated to trace the material nonlinearity. Also quasi-static cyclic loading based on the guidelines presented in ATC-24 has been imposed to different models of CK-VLB with changing of vertical link beam section in order to find prime effectiveness on structural frames. Results show that CK-VLB system exhibits stable behavior and is capable of dissipating a significant amount of energy in two separate levels of lateral forces due to different probable earthquakes.

• Archives of design research
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.209-216
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• 2001

With rapid growth of internet uses and the new media, web has become a new medium of communicating and sharing of information. Therefore, the methodology of web interface design must be set to improve the efficiency of communicating and sharing information The study has researched on analyzing method of web interface design for effective uses of web. The study is a precedent research of methodology of web interface design based on the following structures-grouping web contents, information architecture, web page design, structural elements of interface design. Accordingly, the study provides the analyzing method of web interface design with the basis of its structural elements. The analyzing method of web interface design is divided into three steps-grouping of web sites, analyzing structural elements, and evaluation. As a result, grouping and embodying of interface design brings usability guideline for design development as well as collecting of data for examining further results through design processes.