• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.95-112
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• 1994

This paper describes the formulation and application of a dynamic model for a conventional rail track subjected to arbitary loading functions that simulate wheel/rail impact forces. The rail track is idealized as a periodic elastically coupled beam system resting on a Winkler foundation. Modal parameters of the track structure are first obtained from the natural vibration characteristics of the beam system, which is discretized into a periodic assembly of a specially-constructed track element and a single beam element characterized by their exact dynamic stiffness matrices. An equivalent frequency-dependent spring coefficient representing the resilient, flexural and inertial characteristics of the rail support components is introduced to reduce the degrees of freedom of the track element. The forced vibration equations of motion of the track subjected to a series of loading functions are then formulated by using beam bending theories and are reduced to second order ordinary differential equations through the use of mode summation with non-proportional modal damping. Numerical examples for the dynamic responses of a typical track are presented, and the solutions resulting from different rail/tie beam theories are compared.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.277-294
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• 2012

The aim of the study is to determine the modal parameters of a prototype damaged arch dam by operational modal analysis (OMA) method for some damage scenarios. For this purpose, a prototype arch dam-reservoir-foundation model is constructed under laboratory conditions. Ambient vibration tests on the arch dam model are performed to identify the modal parameters such as natural frequency, mode shape and damping ratio. The tests are conducted for four test-case scenarios: an undamaged dam with empty reservoir, two different damaged dams with empty reservoirs, and a damaged dam with full reservoir. Loading simulating random impact effects is applied on the dam to crack. Cracks and fractures occurred at the middle of the upper part of the dams and distributed through the abutments. Sensitivity accelerometers are placed on the dams' crests to collect signals for measurements. Operational modal analysis software processes the signals collected from the ambient vibration tests, and enhanced frequency domain decomposition and stochastic subspace identification techniques are used to estimate modal parameters of the dams. The modal parameters are obtained to establish a basis for comparison of the results of two techniques for each damage case. Results show that approximately 35-40% difference exists between the natural frequencies obtained from Case 1 and Case 4. The natural frequencies of the dam considerably decrease with increasing cracks. However, observation shows that the filled reservoir slightly affected modal parameters of the dam after severe cracking. The mode shapes obtained are symmetrical and anti-symmetrical. Apparently, mode shapes in Case 1 represent the probable responses of arch dams more accurately. Also, damping ratio show an increase when cracking increases.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.277-282
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• 2020

Axially damped forced vibration responses of viscoelastic nanorods are investigated within the frame of the modal analysis. The nonlocal elasticity theory is used in the constitutive relation of the nanorod with the Kelvin-Voigt viscoelastic model. In the forced vibration problem, a cantilever nanorod subjected to a harmonic load at the free end of the nanorod is considered in the numerical examples. By using the modal technique, the modal expressions of the viscoelastic nanorods are presented and solved exactly in the nonlocal elasticity theory. In the numerical results, the effects of the nonlocal parameter, damping coefficient, geometry and dynamic load parameters on the dynamic responses of the viscoelastic nanobem are presented and discussed. In addition, the difference between the nonlocal theory and classical theory is investigated for the damped forced vibration problem.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.375-393
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• 2015

In this study, local dynamic characteristics of mountable PZT interfaces are numerically analyzed to verify their feasibility on impedance monitoring of the prestress-loss in tendon anchorage subsystems. Firstly, a prestressed tendon-anchorage system with mountable PZT interfaces is described. Two types of mountable interfaces which are different in geometric and boundary conditions are designed for impedance monitoring in the tendon-anchorage subsystems. Secondly, laboratory experiments are performed to evaluate the impedance monitoring via the two mountable PZT interfaces placed on the tendon-anchorage under the variation of prestress forces. Impedance features such as frequency-shifts and root-mean-square-deviations are quantified for the two PZT interfaces. Finally, local dynamic characteristics of the two PZT interfaces are numerically analyzed to verify their performances on impedance monitoring at the tendon-anchorage system. For the two PZT interfaces, the relationships between structural parameters and local vibration responses are examined by modal sensitivity analyses.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.71 no.4
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• pp.391-405
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• 2019

Compared to the ambient vibration test mainly identifying the structural modal parameters, such as frequency, damping and mode shapes, the impact testing, which benefits from measuring both impacting forces and structural responses, has the merit to identify not only the structural modal parameters but also more detailed structural parameters, in particular flexibility. However, in traditional impact tests, an impacting hammer or artificial excitation device is employed, which restricts the efficiency of tests on various bridge structures. To resolve this problem, we propose a new method whereby a moving vehicle is taken as a continuous exciter and develop a corresponding flexibility identification theory, in which the continuous wheel forces induced by the moving vehicle is considered as structural input and the acceleration response of the bridge as the output, thus a structural flexibility matrix can be identified and then structural deflections of the bridge under arbitrary static loads can be predicted. The proposed method is more convenient, time-saving and cost-effective compared with traditional impact tests. However, because the proposed test produces a spatially continuous force while classical impact forces are spatially discrete, a new flexibility identification theory is required, and a novel structural identification method involving with equivalent load distribution, the enhanced Frequency Response Function (eFRFs) construction and modal scaling factor identification is proposed to make use of the continuous excitation force to identify the basic modal parameters as well as the structural flexibility. Laboratory and numerical examples are given, which validate the effectiveness of the proposed method. Furthermore, parametric analysis including road roughness, vehicle speed, vehicle weight, vehicle's stiffness and damping are conducted and the results obtained demonstrate that the developed method has strong robustness except that the relative error increases with the increase of measurement noise.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.325-339
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• 2013

A number of structural and modal parameters are derived from the strong motion records of an instrumented G + 9 storeyed RC building during Bhuj earthquake, 26 Jan. 2001 in India. Some of the extracted parameters are peak floor accelerations, storey drift and modal characteristics. Modal parameters of the building are also compared with the values obtained from ambient vibration survey of the instrumented building after the occurrence of earthquake. These parameters are further used for calibrating the accuracy of fixed-base Finite Element (FE) models considering structural and non-structural elements. Some conclusions are drawn based on theoretical and experimental results obtained from strong motion records and time history analysis of FE models. An important outcome of the study is that strong motion peak acceleration profile in two horizontal directions is close to FE model in which masonry infill walls are modeled.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society Of Semiconductor Equipment Technology
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• 2003.12a
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• pp.200-206
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• 2003

Identification method is formulated to evaluate the dynamic characteristics of air bearings under NFR (Near Field Recording) sliders. Using dynamic analysis, impulse responses and frequency response functions of NFR sliders are obtained on numerical non-linear models including rigid motion of slider and fluid motion of air bearing under the slider. System parameters are identified by modal analysis method and instrumental variable method. The identified system parameters of sliders are utilized to evaluate the dynamic characteristics of air bearings.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.7 no.6
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• pp.487-502
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• 2007

In recent decades there has been a trend towards improved mechanical characteristics of materials used in footbridge construction. It has enabled engineers to design lighter, slender and more aesthetic structures. As a result of these construction trends, many footbridges have become more susceptible to vibrations when subjected to dynamic loads. In addition to this, some inherit modelling uncertainties related to a lack of information on the as-built structure, such as boundary conditions, material properties, and the effects of non-structural elements make difficult to evaluate modal properties of footbridges, analytically. For these purposes, modal testing of footbridges is used to rectify these problems after construction. This paper describes an arch type steel footbridge, its analytical modelling, modal testing and finite element model calibration. A modern steel footbridge which has arch type structural system and located on the Karadeniz coast road in Trabzon, Turkey is selected as an application. An analytical modal analysis is performed on the developed 3D finite element model of footbridge to provide the analytical frequencies and mode shapes. The field ambient vibration tests on the footbridge deck under natural excitation such as human walking and traffic loads are conducted. The output-only modal parameter identification is carried out by using the peak picking of the average normalized power spectral densities in the frequency domain and stochastic subspace identification in the time domain, and dynamic characteristics such as natural frequencies mode shapes and damping ratios are determined. The finite element model of footbridge is calibrated to minimize the differences between analytically and experimentally estimated modal properties by changing some uncertain modelling parameters such as material properties. At the end of the study, maximum differences in the natural frequencies are reduced from 22% to only %5 and good agreement is found between analytical and experimental dynamic characteristics such as natural frequencies, mode shapes by model calibration.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.391-406
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• 2009

Viscoelastic materials store as well as dissipate energy to the thermal domain under deformation. Two efficient modelling techniques reported in literature use coupled (thermo-mechanical) ATF (Augmenting Thermodynamic Fields) displacements and ADF (Anelastic Displacement Fields) displacements, to represent the constitutive relationship in time domain by using certain viscoelastic parameters. Viscoelastic parameters are first extracted from the storage modulus and loss factor normally reported in hand books with the help of Genetic Algorithm and then constitutive relationships are used to obtain the equations of motion of the continuum after discretizing it with finite beam elements. The equations of motion are solved to get the frequency response function and modal damping ratio. The process may be applied to study the dynamic behaviour of composite beams and rotors comprising of several viscoelastic layers. Dynamic behaviour of a composite beam, formed by concentric layers of steel and aluminium is studied as an example.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers
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• v.19 no.11
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• pp.29-34
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• 2020

In this study, a sensitivity formulation was applied to analyze the dynamic response due to the effect of the excitation force for the undamped vibration of the cantilever beam. The theoretically fundamental formulations were derived considering an eigenvalue problem and its modal analysis to govern the second order algebraic differential equation in terms of the change in the modal coordinate with respect to the design parameters. A representative physical quantity pertaining to the dynamic response, that is, the rate of change in the dynamic displacement, was observed by changing the design variables, such as the cross-sectional area of the beam. The numerical results were obtained at various locations, considering the application of the external forces and observation of the dynamic displacement. When the detection position was closer to the free end of the cantilever beam, the sensitivity of the dynamic displacement was higher, as predicted through the oscillating motion of the beam. The presented findings can provide guidance to compute the dynamic sensitivity for a flexibly connected structure under dynamic excitations.