• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.141-162
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• 2015

The magneto-rheological visco-elastomer (MRVE) is used as a smart core to control the stochastic micro-vibration of a sandwich plate with supported mass. The micro-vibration response of the sandwich plate with MRVE core and supported mass under stochastic support motion excitations is studied and compared to evaluate the vibration suppression capability. The effects of the supported mass and localized magnetic field on the stochastic micro-vibration response of the MRVE sandwich plate are taken into account. The dynamic characteristics of the MRVE core in micro-vibration are described by a non-homogeneous complex modulus dependent on vibration frequency and controllable by applied magnetic fields. The partial differential equations for the coupled transverse and longitudinal motions of the MRVE sandwich plate with supported mass are derived from the dynamic equilibrium, constitutive and geometric relations. The simplified ordinary differential equations are obtained for the transverse vibration of the MRVE sandwich plate under localized magnetic fields. A frequency-domain solution method for the stochastic micro-vibration response of sandwich plates with supported mass is developed based on the Galerkin method and random vibration theory. The expressions of frequency-response functions, response power spectral densities and root-mean-square velocity responses of the plate in terms of the one-third octave frequency band are obtained for micro-vibration evaluation. Finally, numerical results are given to illustrate the large response reduction capacity of the MRVE sandwich plate with supported mass under stochastic support motion excitations, and the influences of MRVE parameters, supported mass and localized magnetic field placement on the micro-vibration response.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.349-358
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• 2019

Long span cable-stayed bridges are extremely vulnerable to dynamic excitations such as which caused by traffic load, wind and earthquake. Studies on cable-stayed bridge vibration control have been keenly interested by researchers and engineers in design new bridges and assessing in-service bridges. In this paper, a novel Hybrid-Tuned Mass Damper (H-TMD) is proposed and a hybrid control model named Mixed Logic Dynamic (MLD) is employed to build the bridge-H-TMD system to mitigate the vibrations. Firstly, the fundamental theory and modeling process of MLD model is introduced. After that, a new state switching design of the H-TMD and state space equations for different states are proposed to control the bridge vibrations. As the state switching designation presented, the H-TMDs can applied active force to bridge only if the structural responses are beyond the limited thresholds, otherwise, the vibrations can be reduced by passive components of dampers without active control forces provided. A new MLD model including both passive and active control states is built based on the MLD model theory and the state switching design of H-TMD. Then, the case study is presented to demonstrate the proposed methodology. In the case study, the control scheme with H-TMDs is applied for a long span cable-stayed bridge, and the MLD model is established and simulated with earthquake excitation. The simulation results reveal that the suggested method has a well damping effect and the established system can be switched between different control states as design excellently. Finally, the energy consumptions of H-TMD schemes are compared with that of Active Tuned Mass Damper (ATMD) schemes under variable seismic wave excitations. The compared results show that the proposed H-TMD can save energy than ATMD.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.77-86
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• 2019

The present study focuses on the effect of staggered integration factor (SIF) on Morton effect simulation results. The Morton effect is a synchronous rotordynamic instability problem caused by the temperature differential across the journal in fluid film bearings. Convection and conduction of heat in the thin film displaces the hot spot, which is the hottest circumferential position in the thin film, from -20 to 40 degrees ahead of the high spot, where the minimum film clearance is experienced. The temperature differential across the journal causes a bending moment and the corresponding thermal bow in the rotating frame acts like a distributed synchronous excitation in the fixed frame. This thermal bow may cause increased vibrations and continued growth of the synchronous orbit into a limit cycle. The SIF is developed assuming that the response of the rotor-lubricant-bearing dynamic system is much quicker than that of the bearing-journal thermal system, and it is defined as the ratio between the simulation time of the thermal system and the rotor-spinning period. The use of the SIF is unavoidable for efficient computing. The value of the SIF is chosen empirically by the software users as a value between 100 and 400. However, the effect of the SIF on Morton effect simulation results has not been investigated. This research produces simulation results with different values of SIF.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.71 no.1
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• pp.57-63
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• 2019

During the last two decades, much joint research regarding vibration based methods has been done, leading to developing various algorithms and techniques. These algorithms and techniques can be divided into modal methods and signal methods. Although modal methods have been widely used for health monitoring and damage detection, signal methods due to higher efficiency have received considerable attention in various fields, including aerospace, mechanical and civil engineering. Signal-based methods are derived directly from the recorded responses through signal processing algorithms to detect damage. According to different signal processing techniques, signal-based methods can be divided into three categories including time domain methods, frequency domain methods, and time-frequency domain methods. The frequency domain methods are well-known and interest in using them has increased in recent years. To determine dynamic behaviours, to identify systems and to detect damages of bridges, different methods and algorithms have been proposed by researchers. In this study, a new algorithm to detect seismic damage in the bridge's piers is suggested. To evaluate the algorithm, an analytical model of a bridge with simple spans is used. Based on the algorithm, before and after damage, the bridge is excited by a sine force, and the piers' responses are measured. The dynamic specifications of the bridge are extracted by Power Spectral Density function. In addition, the Least Square Method is used to detect damage in the bridge's piers. The results indicate that the proposed algorithm can identify the seismic damage effectively. The algorithm is output-only method and measuring the excitation force is not needed. Moreover, the proposed approach does not need numerical models.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.681-692
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• 2020

Conventional Piezoelectric Energy Harvesters (CPEH) have been extensively studied for maximizing their electrical output through material selection, geometric and structural optimization, and adoption of efficient interface circuits. In this paper, the performance of Stepped Piezoelectric Energy Harvester (SPEH) under harmonic base excitation is studied analytically, numerically and experimentally. The motivation is to compare the energy harvesting performance of CPEH and SPEHs with the same characteristics (resonant frequency). The results of this study challenge the notion of achieving higher voltage and power output through incorporation of geometric discontinuities such as step sections in the harvester beams. A CPEH consists of substrate material with a patch of piezoelectric material bonded over it and a tip mass at the free end to tune the resonant frequency. A SPEH is designed by introducing a step section near the root of substrate beam to induce higher dynamic strain for maximizing the electrical output. The incorporation of step section reduces the stiffness and consequently, a lower tip mass is used with SPEH to match the resonant frequency to that of CPEH. Moreover, the electromechanical coupling coefficient, forcing function and damping are significantly influenced because of the inclusion of step section, which consequently affects harvester's output. Three different configurations of SPEHs characterized by the same resonant frequency as that of CPEH are designed and analyzed using linear electromechanical model and their performances are compared. The variation of strain on the harvester beams is obtained using finite element analysis. The prototypes of CPEH and SPEHs are fabricated and experimentally tested. It is shown that the power output from SPEHs is lower than the CPEH. When the prototypes with resonant frequencies in the range of 56-56.5 Hz are tested at 1 m/s2, three SPEHs generate power output of 482 μW, 424 μW and 228 μW when compared with 674 μW from CPEH. It is concluded that the advantage of increasing dynamic strain using step section is negated by increase in damping and decrease in forcing function. However, SPEHs show slightly better performance in terms of specific power and thus making them suitable for practical scenarios where the ratio of power to system mass is critical.

• Ocean Systems Engineering
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.17-42
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• 2021

Articulated loading platforms (ALPs) belongs to a class of offshore structures known as compliant. ALP motions have time periods falling in the wind excitation frequency range due to their compliant behaviour. This paper deals with the dynamic behavior of a double hinged ALP subjected to low-frequency wind forces with random waves. Nonlinear effects due to variable submergence, fluctuating buoyancy, variable added mass, and hydrodynamic forces are considered in the analysis. The random sea state is characterized by the Pierson-Moskowitz (P-M) spectrum. The wave forces on the submerged elements of the platform's shaft are calculated using Morison's Equation with Airy's linear wave theory ignoring diffraction effects. The fluctuating wind load has been estimated using Ochi and Shin wind velocity spectrum for offshore structures. The nonlinear dynamic equation of motion is solved in the time domain by the Wilson-θ method. The wind-structure interactions, along with the effect of various other parameters on the platform response, are investigated. The effect of offset of aerodynamic center (A.C.) with the center of gravity (C.G.) of platform superstructure has also been investigated. The outcome of the analyses indicates that low-frequency wind forces affect the response of ALP to a large extent, which otherwise is not enhanced in the presence of only waves. The mean wind modifies the mean position of the platform surge response to the positive side, causing an offset. Various power spectral densities (PSDs) under high and moderate sea states show that apart from the significant peak occurring at the two natural frequencies, other prominent peaks also appear at very low frequencies showing the influence of wind on the response.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.155-170
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• 2022

An accurate analysis of structures supported on soft soils and subjected to seismic loading requires the consideration of the soil-foundation-structure interaction. An important aspect of this interaction lies with the energy dissipation due to soil material damping. Unlike advanced constitutive models that can induce energy loss, the use of simple elastoplastic constitutive models requires additional damping. The frequency dependent Rayleigh damping is a formulation that is frequently used in dynamic analysis. The main concern of this formulation is the correct selection of the target damping ratio and the frequency range where the response is frequency independent. The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of the Rayleigh damping parameters in soil-pile-structure and soil-inclusion-platform-structure systems in the presence of soft soil under seismic loading. Three-dimensional analyses of both systems are carried out using the finite difference software Flac3D. Different values of target damping ratios and minimum frequencies are utilized. Several earthquakes are used to study the influence of different excitation frequencies in the systems. The soil response in terms of accelerations, displacements and strains is obtained. For the rigid elements, the results are presented in terms of bending moments and normal forces. The results show that when the frequency of the input motion is close to the minimum (central) frequency in the Rayleigh damping formulation, the overdamping amount is reduced, and the surface spectral acceleration of the analyzed pile and inclusion systems increases. Thus, the bending moments and normal forces throughout the piles and inclusions also increase.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.61 no.1
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• pp.89-96
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• 2023

The Wiener-type nonlinear model where a static nonlinear block follows a dynamic linear block is widely used to describe the dynamics of chemical processes. A long process excitation step is typically needed to identify this Wiener-type nonlinear model with two blocks. In order to cope with this disadvantage, an identification method for the Wiener-type nonlinear model that uses only a single-step response is proposed here. The proposed method estimates the response of the dynamic linear sub-block from the initial part of the step response, and then the static nonlinear sub-block is identified. Because the only single-step response is used to identify the Wiener-type nonlinear model, there is great benefit in time and cost for obtaining process response. The performance of the proposed identification method with the single-step response is verified through a representative Wiener-type nonlinear process, a pH titration process, and a liquid level system.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.75-83
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• 2023

In this paper, we present the analysis results on the vibration serviceability of a pedestrian bridge considering the effect of pedestrian moving mass inertia. Using dynamic finite element analysis, we considered different walking scenarios, including pedestrian density, walking speed, random walking, and synchronized walking, to analyze the acceleration response of a 40m long single-span bridge with a steel composite box cross section. We showed that the equivalent fixed mass analysis method did not significantly differ from the moving mass analysis in the random walk scenario and a wider frequency excitation band may be useful to consider when evaluating vibration serviceability in a random walk scenario.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.86 no.5
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• pp.647-661
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• 2023

It is recognized that the installation of energy dissipation devices, such as the tuned mass damper (TMD), decreases the dynamic response of structures, however, the best parameters of each device persist hard to determine. Unlike many works that perform only a deterministic optimization, this work proposes a complete methodology to minimize the dynamic response of footbridges by optimizing the parameters of multiple tuned mass dampers (MTMD) taking into account uncertainties present in the parameters of the structure and also of the human excitation. For application purposes, a steel footbridge, based on a real structure, is studied. Three different scenarios for the MTMD are simulated. The proposed robust optimization problem is solved via the Circle-Inspired Optimization Algorithm (CIOA), a novel and efficient metaheuristic algorithm recently developed by the authors. The objective function is to minimize the mean maximum vertical displacement of the footbridge, whereas the design variables are the stiffness and damping constants of the MTMD. The results showed the excellent capacity of the proposed methodology, reducing the mean maximum vertical displacement by more than 36% and in a computational time about 9% less than using a classical genetic algorithm. The results obtained by the proposed methodology are also compared with results obtained through traditional TMD design methods, showing again the best performance of the proposed optimization method. Finally, an analysis of the maximum vertical acceleration showed a reduction of more than 91% for the three scenarios, leading the footbridge to acceleration values below the recommended comfort limits. Hence, the proposed methodology could be employed to optimize MTMD, improving the design of footbridges.