• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제51권6호
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• pp.923-937
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• 2014

The rational finite element method is different from the standard finite element method, which is constructed using basic solutions of the governing differential equations as interpolation functions in the elements. Therefore, it is superior to the isoparametric approach because of its obvious physical meaning and accuracy; it has successfully been applied to the isotropic elasticity problem. In this paper, the formulation of rational finite elements for plane orthotropic elasticity problems is deduced. This method is formulated directly in the physical domain with full consideration of the requirements of the patch test. Based on the number of element nodes and the interpolation functions, different approaches are applied with complete polynomial interpolation functions. Then, two special stiffness matrixes of elements with four and five nodes are deduced as a representative application. In addition, some typical numerical examples are considered to evaluate the performance of the elements. The numerical results demonstrate that the present method has a high level of accuracy and is an effective technique for solving plane orthotropic elasticity problems.

• Computers and Concrete
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• 제4권3호
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• pp.187-206
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• 2007

A rational three-dimensional nonlinear finite element model is described and implemented for evaluating the behavior of high strength concrete slabs under transverse load. The concrete was idealized by using twenty-nodded isoparametric brick elements with embedded reinforcements. The concrete material modeling allows for normal (NSC) and high strength concrete (HSC), which was calibrated based on experimental data. The behavior of concrete in compression is simulated by an elastoplastic work-hardening model, and in tension a suitable post-cracking model based on tension stiffening and shear retention models are employed. The nonlinear equations have been solved using the incremental iterative technique based on the modified Newton-Raphson method. The FE formulation and material modeling is implemented into a finite element code in order to carry out the numerical study and to predict the behavior up to ultimate conditions of various slabs under transverse loads. The validity of the theoretical formulations and the program used was verified through comparison with available experimental data, and the agreement has proven to be very good. A parametric study has been also carried out to investigate the influence of different material and geometric properties on the behavior of HSC slabs. Influencing factors, such as concrete strength, steel ratio, aspect ratio, and support conditions on the load-deflection characteristics, concrete and steel stresses and strains were investigated.

• Computational Structural Engineering
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• 제9권1호
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• pp.93-99
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• 1996

In the particular situations where the crack is terminated at an interface of two materials, the order of stress singularity depends on the elastic constants which specify the properties of two materials. A multidomain boundary element technique is used to solve a crack normal to bimaterial interface. A correct order of shape function is used for displacement by using the isoparametric elements by shifting adequately the side nodes adjacent to this crack tip. A shape function containing the same order of singularity as that in the interface crack is also used for the interpolation of traction. Numerical testing of a binaterial with a crack normal to the interface is carried out with three-node elements. The results obtained are compared with the previous solutions.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제21권5호
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• pp.539-551
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• 2005

Finite elements based on isoparametric formulation are known to suffer spurious stiffness properties and corresponding stress oscillations, even when care is taken to ensure that completeness and continuity requirements are enforced. This occurs frequently when the physics of the problem requires multiple strain components to be defined. This kind of error, commonly known as locking, can be circumvented by using reduced integration techniques to evaluate the element stiffness matrices instead of the full integration that is mathematically prescribed. However, the reduced integration technique itself can have a further drawback - rank deficiency, which physically implies that spurious energy modes (e.g., hourglass modes) are introduced because of reduced integration. Such instability in an existing stiffness matrix is generally detected by means of an eigenvalue test. In this paper we show that a knowledge of the dimension of the solution space spanned by the column vectors of the strain-displacement matrix can be used to identify the instabilities arising in an element due to reduced/selective integration techniques a priori, without having to complete the element stiffness matrix formulation and then test for zero eigenvalues.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.310-323
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• 1990

A three-noded, with three degree-of-freedom at each node, in-plane curved beam element is formulated and employed in eigen-analysis of constant curvature beam. The conventional quadratic shape functions used in a three noded C .deg. type curved beam element produce such an undesirable large stiffness that a significant error is introduced in displacements and stresses. These phenomena are called 'Stiffness Locking Phenomena', which result from spurious strain energy due to inappropriate assumptions on independent isoparametric quadratic interpolation functions. Stiffness locking phenomena can be alleviated by using modified interpolation functions which get rid of spurious constraints of conventional interpolation functions. Eigenvalues and their modes as well as displacements and stresses may be locked because they are related to stiffness. Using modified curved beam element in eigenvalue problem of cantilever and arch, the property and performance of modified curved beam element are examined by numerical experimentations. In these eigen-analyses, mass matrices are calculated by using both modified and unmodified curved beam element, are compared with theoretical solutions. These comparisons show that the performance of the modified curved beam element is better than that of the unmodified curved beam element.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제44권1호
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• pp.85-107
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• 2012

The building frame and its foundation along with the soil on which it rests, together constitute a complete structural system. In the conventional analysis, a structure is analysed as an independent frame assuming unyielding supports and the interactive response of soil-foundation is disregarded. This kind of analysis does not provide realistic behaviour and sometimes may cause failure of the structure. Also, the conventional analysis considers infill wall as non-structural elements and ignores its interaction with the bounding frame. In fact, the infill wall provides lateral stiffness and thus plays vital role in resisting the seismic forces. Thus, it is essential to consider its effect especially in case of high rise buildings. In the present research work the building frame, infill wall, isolated column footings (open foundation) and soil mass are considered to act as a single integral compatible structural unit to predict the nonlinear interaction behaviour of the composite system under seismic forces. The coupled isoparametric finite-infinite elements have been used for modelling of the interaction system. The material of the frame, infill and column footings has been assumed to follow perfectly linear elastic relationship whereas the well known hyperbolic soil model is used to account for the nonlinearity of the soil mass.

• Coupled systems mechanics
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• 제3권3호
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• pp.267-289
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• 2014

A proper physical modeling of infilled building frame-foundation beam-soil mass interaction system is needed to predict more realistic and accurate structural behavior under static vertical loading. This is achieved via finite element method considering the superstructure, foundation and soil mass as a single integral compatible structural unit. The physical modelling is achieved via use of finite element method, which requires the use of variety of isoparametric elements with different degrees of freedom. The unbounded domain of the soil mass has been discretized with coupled finite-infinite elements to achieve computational economy. The nonlinearity of soil mass plays an important role in the redistribution of forces in the superstructure. The nonlinear behaviour of the soil mass is modeled using hyperbolic model. The incremental-iterative nonlinear solution algorithm has been adopted for carrying out the nonlinear elastic interaction analysis of a two-bay two-storey infilled building frame. The frame and the infill have been considered to behave in linear elastic manner, whereas the subsoil in nonlinear elastic manner. In this paper, the computational methodology adopted for nonlinear soil-structure interaction analysis of infilled frame-foundation-soil system has been presented.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• 제33권6호
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• pp.865-875
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• 2019

The current article proposed to develop a geometrical model for the analysis and modelling of the uniaxial functionally graded structure using the higher-order displacement kinematics with and without the presence of porosity including the distribution. Additionally, the formulation is capable of modelling three different kinds of grading patterns i.e., Power-law, sigmoid and exponential distribution of the individual constituents through the thickness direction. Also, the model includes the distribution of porosity (even and uneven kind) through the panel thickness. The structural governing equation of the porous graded structure is obtained (Hamilton's principle) and solved mathematically by means of the isoparametric finite element technique. Initially, the linear frequency parameters are obtained for different geometrical configuration via own computer code. The comparison and the corresponding convergence studies are performed for the unidirectional FG structure for the validation purpose. Finally, the impact of different influencing parameters like aspect ratio (O), thickness ratio (S), curvature ratio (R/h), porosity index (λ), type of porosity (even or uneven), power-law exponent (n), boundary condition on the free vibration characteristics are obtained for the FG panel and discussed in details.

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• 제14권5호
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• pp.1-9
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• 2012

PURPOSES: A viscoelastic axisymmetric finite element analysis code has been developed for stress analysis of asphalt pavement structures. METHODS: Generalized Maxwell Model (GMM) and 4-node isoparametric element were employed for finite element formulation. The code was developed using $C^{+}^{+}$ computer program language and named as KICTPAVE. For the verification of the developed code, a structural model of a pavement system was constructed. The structural model was composed of three layers: asphalt layer, crushed stone layer, and soil subgrade. Two types of analysis were considered for the verification: (1)elastic static analysis, (2)viscoelastic time-dependent analysis. For the elastic static analysis, linear elastic material model was assigned to all the layers, and a static load was applied to the structural model. For the viscoelastic time-dependent analysis, GMM and linear elastic material model were assigned to the asphalt layer and all the other layers respectively, and a cyclic loading condition was applied to the structural model. RESULTS: The stresses and deformations from KICTPAVE were compared with those from ABAQUS. The analysis results obtained from the two codes showed good agreement in time-dependent response of the element under the loading area as well as the surface deformation of asphalt layer, and horizontal and vertical stresses along the axisymmetric axis. CONCLUSIONS: The validity of KICTPAVE was confirmed by showing the agreement of the analysis results from the two codes.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제67권3호
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• pp.301-310
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• 2018

In this paper, a multi-objective multiparameter optimization procedure is developed by combining rigorously developed metamodels with an evolutionary search algorithm-Genetic Algorithm (GA). Response surface methodology (RSM) is used for developing the metamodels to replace the tedious finite element analyses. A nine-node isoparametric plate bending element is used for conducting the finite element simulations. Highly accurate numerical data from an author compiled FORTRAN finite element program is first used by the RSM to develop second-order mathematical relations. Four material parameters-${\frac{E_1}{E_2}}$, ${\frac{G_{12}}{E_2}}$, ${\frac{G_{23}}{E_2}}$ and ${\upsilon}_{12}$ are considered as the independent variables while simultaneously maximizing fundamental frequency, ${\lambda}_1$ and frequency separation between the $1^{st}$ two natural modes, ${\lambda}_{21}$. The optimal material combination for maximizing ${\lambda}_1$ and ${\lambda}_{21}$ is predicted by using a multi-objective GA. A general sensitivity analysis is conducted to understand the effect of each parameter on the desired response parameters.