• International Journal of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.1041-1063
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• 2014

Some results on the hydroelasticity of ultra large container ships related to the beam structural model and restoring stiffness achieved within EU FP7 Project TULCS are summarized. An advanced thin-walled girder theory based on the modified Timoshenko beam theory for flexural vibrations with analogical extension to the torsional problem, is used for formulation of the beam finite element for analysis of coupled horizontal and torsional ship hull vibrations. Special attention is paid to the contribution of transverse bulkheads to the open hull stiffness, as well as to the reduced stiffness of the relatively short engine room structure. In addition two definitions of the restoring stiffness are considered: consistent one, which includes hydrostatic and gravity properties, and unified one with geometric stiffness as structural contribution via calm water stress field. Both formulations are worked out by employing the finite element concept. Complete hydroelastic response of a ULCS is performed by coupling 1D structural model and 3D hydrodynamic model as well as for 3D structural and 3D hydrodynamic model. Also, fatigue of structural elements exposed to high stress concentration is considered.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.177-191
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• 2017

In the present study, exterior beam column sub-assemblages are designed in accordance with the codal stipulations prevailed at different times prior to the introduction of modern seismic provisions, viz., i) Gravity load designed with straight bar anchorage (SP1), ii) Gravity load designed with compression anchorage (SP1-D), iii) designed for seismic load but not detailed for ductility (SP2), and iv) designed for seismic load and detailed for ductility (SP3). Comparative seismic performance of these exterior beam-column sub-assemblages are evaluated through experimental investigations carried out under repeated reverse cyclic loading. Seismic performance parameters like load-displacement hysteresis behavior, energy dissipation, strength and stiffness degradation, and joint shear deformation of the specimens are evaluated. It is found from the experimental studies that with the evolution of the design methods, from gravity load designed to non-ductile and then to ductile detailed specimens, a marked improvement in damage resilience is observed. The gravity load designed specimens SP1 and SP1-D respectively dissipated only one-tenth and one-sixth of the energy dissipated by SP3. The specimen SP3 showcased tremendous improvement in the energy dissipation capacity of nearly 2.56 times that of SP2. Irrespective of the level of design and detailing, energy dissipation is finally manifested through the damage in the joint region. The present study underlines the seismic deficiency of beam-column sub-assemblages of different design evolutions and highlights the need for their strengthening/retrofit to make them fit for seismic event.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.463-478
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• 2006

The design of structural frameworks for buildings is constantly evolving and is dependent on regional issues such as loading and constructability. One of the most promising recent developments for low to medium rise construction in terms of efficiency of construction, robustness and aesthetic appearance utilises concrete-filled steel tubular sections as the columns in a moment-resisting frame. These are coupled to rigid or semi-rigid connections to composite steel-concrete beams. This paper includes the results of a pilot experimental programme leading towards the development of economical, reliable connections that are easily constructed for this type of frame. The connections must provide the requisite strength, stiffness and ductility to suit gravity loading conditions as well as gravity combined with the governing lateral wind or earthquake loading. The aim is to develop connections that are stiffer, less expensive and easier to construct than those in current use. A proposed fabricated T-stub connection is to be used to connect the beam flanges and the column. These T-stubs are connected to the column using "blind bolts" with extensions, allowing installation from the outside of the tube. In general, the use of the extensions results in a dramatic increase in the strength and stiffness of the T-stub to column connection in tension, since the load is shared between membrane action in the tube wall and the anchorage of the bolts through the extensions into the concrete.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.86 no.1
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• pp.93-107
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• 2023

In this paper, a density based topology optimization is proposed for generating of supports required in additive manufacturing to maintain the overhanging regions of main structures during layer by layer fabrication process. For this purpose, isogeometric analysis method is employed to model geometry and structural analysis of main and support structures. In order to model the problem two cases are investigated. In the first case, design domain of supports can easily be separated from the main structure by using distinct isogeometric patches. The second case happens when the main structure itself is optimized by using topology optimization and the supports should be designed in the voids of optimum layout. In this case, in order to avoid boundary identification and re-meshing process for separating design domain of supports from main structure, a parameterization technique is proposed to identify the design domain of supports. To achieve this, two density functions are defined over the entire domain to describe the main structure and supporting areas. On the other hand, since supports are under gravity loads while main structure and its stiffness is not completed during manufacturing process, in the proposed method, stiffness of the main structure is considered to be trivial and the gravity loads are also naturally applied to design support structures. By doing so, the results show reasonable supports are created to protect, continuously, overhanging surfaces of the main structure. Several examples are presented to demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed method and compare the results with literature.

• Journal of Power System Engineering
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.42-48
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• 2002

Velocity change of crashed vehicle has been applied to assess the safety of passenger and degree of impact severity widely. In this study, 1 D crash analysis and 2 D crash analysis were performed for velocity change of crashed vehicle with HVE 2D, and factors used for these analysis are weight, C.G, roll resistance, stiffness and brake force which influence on velocity change of crashed vehicle. According to results, the velocity change of crashed vehicle was influenced by weight, center of gravity stiffness and brake force but not roll resistance.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 2007.04a
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• pp.375-380
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• 2007

The goal of this paper is to develop a rational static method which consider efficiently the dynamic effect of the gravity load following sudden removal of element. For this goal this paper introduce the equivalent load for element stiffness which is a preceding research result and will develop equivalent static analysis which will be able to predict the maximum behavior considering dynamic effect. Some examples are provided to verify it. Equivalent static analysis is compared with the analysis method which is recommended by the GSA2003 guidelines and the time-history analysis which is the most accurate for dynamic behavior.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.125-134
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• 2023

In the present work, a new global damage index is proposed for the seismic performance and failure analysis of concrete gravity dams. Unlike the existing indices of concrete structures, this index doesn't need scaling with an ultimate or an upper value. For this purpose, the Beni-Haroun dam in north-eastern Algeria, is considered as a case study, for which an average seismic capacity curve is first evaluated by performing several incremental dynamic analyses. The seismic performance point of the dam is then determined using the N2 method, considering multiple modes and taking into account the stiffness degradation. The seismic demand is obtained from the design spectrum of the Algerian seismic regulations. A series of recorded and artificial accelerograms are used as dynamic loads to evaluate the nonlinear responses of the dam. The nonlinear behaviour of the concrete mass is modelled by using continuum damage mechanics, where material damage is represented by a scalar field damage variable. This modelling, which is suitable for cyclic loading, uses only a single damage parameter to describe the stiffness degradation of the concrete. The hydrodynamic and the sediment pressures are included in the analyses. The obtained results show that the proposed damage index faithfully describes the successive brittle failures of the dam which increase with increasing applied ground accelerations. It is found that minor damage can occur for ground accelerations less than 0.3 g, and complete failure can be caused by accelerations greater than 0.45 g.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.66 no.5
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• pp.583-594
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• 2018

A theoretical formulation based on the linearized potential theory, the Descartes' rule and the extremum optimization method is presented to calculate the critical distance of lifting points of the fully balanced hoist vertical ship lift, and to study pitching stability of the ship lift. The overturning torque of the ship chamber is proposed based on the Housner theory. A seven-free-degree dynamic model of the ship lift based on the Lagrange equation of the second kind is then established, including the ship chamber, the wire rope, the gravity counterweights and the liquid in the ship chamber. Subsequently, an eigenvalue equation is obtained with the coefficient matrix of the dynamic equations, and a key coefficient is analyzed by innovative use of the minimum optimization method for a stability criterion. Also, an extensive influence of the structural parameters contains the gravity counterweight wire rope stiffness, synchronous shaft stiffness, lifting height and hoists radius on the critical distance of lifting points is numerically analyzed. With the Runge-Kutta method, the four primary dynamical responses of the ship lift are investigated to demonstrate the accuracy/reliability of the result from the theoretical formulation. It is revealed that the critical distance of lifting points decreases with increasing the synchronous shaft stiffness, while increases with rising the other three structural parameters. Moreover, the theoretical formulation is more applicable than the previous criterions to design the layout of the fully balanced hoist vertical ship lift for the ensuring of the stability.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.88 no.1
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• pp.53-65
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• 2023

With the gradual implementation of long-span suspension bridges into high-speed railway operations, the main beam's bending stiffness contribution to the live load response permanently grows. Since another critical control parameter of railway suspension bridges is the beam-end rotation angle, it should not be ignored by treating the main beam deflection as the only deformation response. To this end, the current study refines the existing method of the main cable shape and simply supported beam bending moment analogy. The bending stiffness of the main beam is considered, and the main beam's analytical expressions of deflection and rotation angle in the whole span are obtained using the cable-beam deformation coordination relationship. Taking a railway suspension bridge as an example, the effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed analytical method are verified by the finite element method (FEM). Comparison of the results by FEM and the analytical method ignoring the main beam stiffness revealed that the bending stiffness of the main beam strongly contributed to the live load response. Under the same live load, as the main beam stiffness increases, the overall deformation of the structure decreases, and the reduction is particularly noticeable at locations with original larger deformations. When the main beam stiffness is increased to a certain extent, the stiffening effect is no longer pronounced.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.503-515
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• 2022

Global or partial damage to a structure due to the failure of gravity or lateral load-bearing elements is called progressive collapse. In the present study, the alternate load path (ALP) method introduced by GSA and UFC 4-023-03 guidelines is used to evaluate the progressive collapse in special steel moment-resisting frame (SMRF) buildings. It was assumed that the progressive collapse is due to the earthquake force and its effects after the removal of the elements still remain on the structures. Therefore, nonlinear dynamic time history analysis employing 7 earthquake records is used to investigate this phenomenon. Internal and external column removal scenarios are investigated and the stiffness of the connections is changed from semi-rigid to rigid. The results of the analysis performed in the OpenSees program show that the loss of the bearing capacity of an exterior column due to a seismic event and the occurrence of progressive collapse can increase the inter-story drift of the structure with semi-rigid connections by more than 50% and make the structure unable to satisfy the life safety performance level. Furthermore, connection stiffness severely affects the redistribution of forces and moments in the adjacent elements of the removed column.