• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.44 no.2
• /
• pp.255-270
• /
• 2022

This manuscript illustrates the dynamic response of nanoscale carbon nanotubes (CNTs) embedded in an elastic media under moving load using doublet mechanics theory, which not considered before. CNTs are modelled by Timoshenko beam theory (TBT) and a bottom to up modelling nano-mechanics is simulated by doublet mechanics theory to capture the size effect of CNTs. To explore the influence of the CNTs configurations on the dynamic behaviour, both armchair and zigzag configurations are considered. The governing equations of motion and the associated boundary conditions are obtained using the Hamiltonian principle. The Navier solution methodology is applied to obtain the solutions for both orientations. Free vibration and forced response under moving loads are considered. The accuracy of the developed procedure is verified by comparing the obtained results with available previous algorithms and good agreement is observed. Parametric studies are conducted to demonstrate effects of doublet length scale, CNTs configurations, moving load velocities as well as the elastic media parameters on the dynamic behaviours of CNTs. The developed procedure is supportive in the design and manufacturing of MEMS/NEMS made from CNTs.

• Wind and Structures
• /
• v.34 no.4
• /
• pp.385-394
• /
• 2022

Global Warming has been driven majorly by the consumption of fossil fuels. Harnessing energy from wind is viable solution towards reducing carbon footprint created due to burning such fuels, However, wind turbines have their problems of flow separation and aerodynamic stall to tackle with. In an attempt to delay the stall angle and improve the aerodynamic characteristics of the NACA 0015 symmetrical aerofoil, lateral cylindrical ridges were attached to its suction surface, at chord positions ranging from 0.1c to 0.5c. The characteristics of the original and ridged aerofoils were obtained using simultaneous pressure readings taken in a wind tunnel, at a free stream Reynolds number of R_e = 2.81 × 10⁵ for a wide range of free stream angles of attack ranging from -45° to 45°. Depending on the ridge size, a delay in stall angle varying from 5° to 20° was achieved together with the maximum increase in lift in the post-stall phases. Additionally, efforts were made to identify the optimum position for each ridge.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.41 no.5
• /
• pp.637-648
• /
• 2021

Nowadays, one of the practical, fast and easy ways to strengthen steel elements is the use of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP). Most previous research in the CFRP strengthening of steel members has carried out on straight steel members. The main difference between horizontal curved beams and straight beams under vertical load is the presence of torsional moment in the horizontal curved beams. In the other words, the horizontal curved beams are analyzed and designed for simultaneous internal forces included bending moment, torsional moment, and shear force. The horizontal curved steel beams are usually used in buildings, bridges, trusses, and others. This study explored the effect of the CFRP strengthening on the behavior of the horizontal curved square hollow section (SHS) steel beams. Four specimens were analyzed, one non-strengthened curved steel beam as a control column and three horizontal curved steel beams strengthened using CFRP sheets (under concentrated load and uniform distributed load). To analyze the horizontal curved steel beams, three dimensional (3D) modeling and nonlinear static analysis methods using ANSYS software were applied. The results indicated that application of CFRP sheets in some specific locations of the horizontal curved steel beams could increase the ultimate capacity of these beams, significantly. Also, the results indicated when the horizontal curved steel beams were under distributed load, the increase rate in the ultimate capacity was more than in the case when these beams were under concentrated load.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.42 no.1
• /
• pp.23-32
• /
• 2022

In this paper, a nonlinear numerical method to solve the large deflection problem is introduced. And the non-dimensional load-deflection behavior of functionally graded carbon nanotube-reinforced composite (FG-CNTRC) plates is parametrically investigated. The large deflection problem is formulated according to the von Kármán nonlinear theory and the (1,1,0)^* hierarchical model, and it is approximated by 2-D natural element method (NEM). The shear locking phenomenon is suppressed by the selectively reduced integration method. The nonlinear matrix equations are solved by combining the incremental loading scheme and the Newton-Raphson iteration method. The proposed method is validated from the benchmark experiments, where the propose method shows an excellent agreement with the reference methods. The nonlinear behavior of FG-CNTRC plates is evaluated in terms of the non-dimensional load-deflection curve, and it is parametrically investigated with respect to the existence/non-existence and gradient pattern of CNTs, the width-to-thickness and aspect ratios of plates and the type of boundary conditions. The non-dimensional central deflection is significantly reduced when CNTs and added, and it decreases with the volume fraction of CNTs. But, it shows a uniform increase in proportion to the width-to-thickness and aspect ratios. Both the gradient pattern of CNTs and the type of boundary conditions do also show the remarkable effects.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.47 no.3
• /
• pp.395-403
• /
• 2023

The main objective of this article is to investigate the response of different fiber metal laminates subjected to low velocity impact experimentally and numerically via finite element method (FEM). Hence, two different fiber metal laminate (FML) samples (GLARE/CARALL) are made of 7075-T6 aluminum sheets and polymeric composites reinforced by E-glass/carbon fibers. In order to study the responses to the low velocity impacts, samples are tested by drop weight machine. The projectiles are released from 1- and 1.5-meters height were the speed reaches to 4.42 and5.42 meter per second and the impact energies are measured as 6.7 and 10 Joules. In addition to experimental study, finite element simulation is done and results are compared. Finally, a detailed study on the maximum deflection, delamination and damages in laminates and geometry's effect of projectiles on the laminate response is done. Results show that maximum deflection caused by spherical projectile for GLARE samples is more apparent in comparison with the CARALL samples. Moreover, the maximum deflection of GLARE samples subjected to spherical projectile with 6.7 Joules impact energy, 127% increases in comparison with the CARALL samples in spite of different total thickness.

• Coupled systems mechanics
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.183-197
• /
• 2023

Scarce research has been published on crack propagation fracture of flywheels manufactured with carbon fiber-reinforced polymers. The present work deals with a calculation method to determine the conditions for which a crack propagates in the axial direction of the flywheel. The assumptions are: flywheels made with just a single thick ply or ply clustering laminates, oriented following the hoop direction; a single crack is analyzed in the plane defined by the hoop and axial directions; the crack starts close to one of the free edges; its axial length is initially large enough so that its tip is far away from that free edge, and the crack expands the entire circumferential perimeter and keeps its concentric position. The developed method provides information for a good design of flywheels. It is concluded that a fracture-based crack propagation criterion generally occurs at a lower speed than a stress-based criterion. Also, that the evolution of failure with thickness using the fracture criterion is exponential, demonstrating that thin flywheels are relatively not sensitive to crack propagation, whereas thick ones are very prone.

• Textile Coloration and Finishing
• /
• v.35 no.2
• /
• pp.121-127
• /
• 2023

In this study, a comprehensive investigation was conducted on the morphological and property changes of laser-induced nanocarbon (LINC) as a function of laser process parameters. LINC was formed on the surfaces of polyimide films with different backbone structures under various process conditions, including laser power, scan speed, and resolution. Three different forms of LINC electrodes (i.e., continuous 3D porous graphene, wooly nanocarbon fibers, line cut) were formed depending on the laser power and scan speed. Furthermore, heteroatom doping induced from the chemical structure of the polyimide during laser patterning was found to be effective in modifying the electrical properties of LINC electrodes. The LINC surfaces exhibited different microstructures depending on the laser beam resolution under constant laser power and scan speed, allowing for controllable surface wettability. The correlation between the chemical structure of the polymer substrate, laser process parameters, and carbonized surface properties in this study is expected to be utilized as fundamental understanding for the manufacturing of next-generation carbon-based electronic devices.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.47 no.6
• /
• pp.781-794
• /
• 2023

In order to directly apply seawater and sea sand in construction without desalination, a type of square concrete-filled steel tube (CFST) encased with prefabricated seawater sea-sand concrete filled Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)/Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) tube column was proposed. Twenty short columns were tested under uniaxial loads, and the test parameters included inner tube types, seawater sea-sand concrete replacement ratios, concrete strength, the wrapping area of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) strips and the thickness of GFRP tube. The effects of the parameters on failure modes, loading capacity, ductility and strain responses were discussed. All the tested specimens failed with serious buckling of the steel tubes and fracture of the inner tubes. The specimens had good residual bearing capacity corresponding to 64% to 88.9% of the peak capacity. The inner GFRP tubes and PVC tubes wrapped by CFRP strips provided stronger confinement to the core concrete, and were good choices for the proposed columns. Moreover, an analytical model for the composite column with different inner tube types was proposed.

• Earthquakes and Structures
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.97-109
• /
• 2023

This experimental study investigates the effectiveness of applying carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) jackets for the retrofit of short reinforced concrete (RC) columns with inadequate transverse reinforcement and stirrup spacing to longitudinal rebar diameter equal to 12. RC columns scaled at 1/3, with round and square section, were subjected to axial compression up to failure. A damage scale is introduced for the assessment of the damage severity, which focusses on the extent of buckling of the longitudinal rebars. The damaged specimens were subsequently repaired with unidirectional CFRP jackets without any treatment of the buckled reinforcing bars and were finally re-tested to failure. Test results indicate that CFRP jackets may be effectively applied to rehabilitate RC columns (a) with inadequate transverse reinforcement constructed according to older practices so as to meet modern code requirements, and (b) with moderately buckled bars without the need of previously repairing the reinforcement bars, an application technique which may considerably facilitate the retrofit of earthquake damaged RC columns. Factors for the estimation of the reduced mechanical properties of the repaired specimens compared to the respective values for intact CFRP-jacketed specimens, in relation to the level of damage prior to retrofit, are proposed both for the compressive strength and the average modulus of elasticity. It was determined that the compressive strength of the retrofitted CFRP-jacketed columns is reduced by 90% to 65%, while the average modulus of elasticity is lower by 60% to 25% in respect to similar undamaged columns jacketed with the same layers of CFRP.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.45 no.1
• /
• pp.23-38
• /
• 2022

This paper presents experimental and analytical studies of eccentrically loaded concrete-filled double steel (CFDST) and concrete-filled double skin tube (DCFST) columns having outer stainless steel tube. Eighteen CFDST and DCFST column specimens were manufactured and tested to examine the strength and load-deflection responses. In the study, the main parameters were concrete strength, load eccentricity, cross section and slenderness. The strengths, load-deflection diagrams and failure patterns of the columns were observed. In addition, the tested CFDST and DCFST columns were analyzed to attain the capacity and load versus lateral deflection responses. The obtained theoretical results were compared with the test results. A parametric study was also performed to research the effects of the ratio of eccentricity (e/H_o) slenderness ratio (L/r), H_o/t_o ratio, H_i/t_i ratio and the concrete compressive strength on the behavior of columns. In this work, the obtained results indicated that the ductility and capacity of columns were affected by cross section, concrete strength, steel strength, loading eccentricity and slenderness.