• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.21-34
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• 2023

In order to analyze the effect of the cyclic lateral loading on the response of a pile-soil system, a full-scale single steel pile was subjected to one-way cyclic loading. The test pile was driven into a bi-layered soil consisting of a normally consolidated saturated clay overlying a silty sandy layer, the site being submerged by water up to one meter above the mudline in order to reproduce the conditions of an offshore pile foundation. The aim of this paper is to present the main results of interpretation of the cyclic lateral tests in terms of pile deflections, bending moment, and cyclic P-Y curves. From these latter an absolute secant reaction modulus E_AS,N was derived and a simple calculation model of the test single pile is proposed based on this modulus. Two applications of the proposed model are carried out, one with a 2D finite element modelling, and the second with a load transfer curves-based method.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.75-87
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• 2021

Because the hydraulic/mechanical behaviour of unsaturated soil is more complicated than that of saturated soil, one of the most important issues in modelling unsaturated soil is to properly couple its stress-strain relationship with its water retention characteristics. Based on the results of a series of tests, the stress-strain relationship and the changes in suction and saturation of unsaturated completely decomposed granite (CDG, also called Masado) vary substantially under different loading/hydraulic conditions. To precisely model the hydraulic/mechanical behaviour of unsaturated Masado, in this study, the superloading concept was firstly introduced into an existing saturated/unsaturated constitutive model to consider the structural influences. Then a water retention curve (WRC) model considering the volumetric change in the soil, in which the skeleton and scanning curves of the water retention characteristics were assumed to shift in parallel in accordance with the change in the void ratio, was proposed. The proposed WRC model was incorporated into the constitutive model, and the validity of the newly proposed model was verified using the results of tests conducted on unsaturated Masado, including water retention, oedometer and triaxial tests. The accuracy of the proposed model in describing the stress-strain relationship and the variations in suction and saturation of unsaturated Masado is satisfactory.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.10
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• pp.3897-3908
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• 2022

High-fidelity nuclear data libraries and neutronics simulation tools are essential for the development of fast reactors. The IAEA coordinated research project on "Neutronics Benchmark of CEFR Start-Up Tests" offers valuable data for the qualification of nuclear data libraries and neutronics codes. This paper focuses on the verification and validation of the CEFR start-up modelling using OpenMC Monte-Carlo code against the experimental measurements. The OpenMC simulation results agree well with the measurements in criticality, control rod worth, sodium void reactivity, temperature reactivity, subassembly swap reactivity, and reaction distribution. In feedback coefficient evaluations, an additional state method shows high consistency with lower uncertainty. Among 122 relative errors in the benchmark of the distribution of nuclear reaction, 104 errors are less than 10% and 84 errors are less than 5%. The results demonstrate the high reliability of OpenMC for its application in fast reactor simulations. In the companion paper, the influence of cross-section libraries is investigated using neutronics modelling in this paper.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.45-59
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• 2011

Scaled centrifuge modelling techniques were used to study the soil-structure interactions and performance of a jointed rollable aluminium roadway (or trackway) system on soft clay under light truck tyre loads. The measured performance and subsequent analyses highlighted that the articulated connections significantly reduced the overall longitudinal flexural stiffness of the roadway leading to stress concentrations in the soil below the joints under tyred vehicle loadings. This resulted in rapid localised failure of the supporting soil that in turn led to excessive transverse flexure of the roadway and ultimately plastic deformations. It is shown that the performance of rollable roadway systems under tyred vehicle trafficking will be improved by eliminating joint rotation to increase longitudinal stiffness.

• Journal of Navigation and Port Research
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.563-569
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• 2002

To overcome the weaknesses of conventional finite difference model in pollutant dispersion modelling, the particle tracking method is used. In this study, a three dimensional particle tracking model which can be used in Princeton Ocean Model was developed and verified through the various numerical tests. Usability of the model was also confirmed through the ocean outfall modelling in Tampa Bay, Florida. As it is expected, random walk model showed the less dispersion in a range compared to the conventional finite difference model and its reason is estimated due to an error from numerical diffusion which the conventional model holds. This newly developed model is expected to be used in various ocean dispersion modelling.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.45-67
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• 2010

Composite steel-concrete structures are employed extensively in modern high rise buildings and bridges. This concept has achieved wide spread acceptance because it guarantees economic benefits attributable to reduced construction time and large improvements in stiffness. Even though the combination of steel and concrete enhances the strength and stiffness of composite beams, the time-dependent behaviour of concrete may weaken the strength of the shear connection. When the concrete loses its strength, it will transfer its stresses to the structural steel through the shear studs. This behaviour will reduce the strength of the composite member. This paper presents the development of an accurate finite element model using ABAQUS to study the behaviour of shear connectors in push tests incorporating the time-dependent behaviour of concrete. The structure is modelled using three-dimensional solid elements for the structural steel beam, shear connectors, concrete slab and profiled steel sheeting. Adequate care is taken in the modelling of the concrete behaviour when creep is taken into account owing to the change in the elastic modulus with respect to time. The finite element analyses indicated that the slip ductility, the strength and the stiffness of the composite member were all reduced with respect to time. The results of this paper will prove useful in the modelling of the overall composite beam behaviour. Further experiments to validate the models presented herein will be conducted and reported at a later stage.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.381-390
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• 2004

In this study, scaled model tests were performed to investigate the deformation behaviors around twin tunnels. Eleven types of test models which had respectively different pillar widths, rock types and loading conditions were mode, where the modelling materials were the mixture of sand, plaster and water. The models with shallower pillar width were cracked under lower pressure than the models with thicker pillar width, and they showed the more tunnel convergences and the clear spatting failures. The models of hard rock were cracked under 50% higher pressure than the models of soft rock and they showed the less tunnel convergences. The failure and deformation behaviors of twin tunnels were also dependent on the loading conditions of models. Futhermore, the results of FLAC analysis were qualitatively coincident with the test results.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.11-20
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• 2018

The possibilities of non-linear analysis of reinforced-concrete structures are under development. In particular, current research areas include structural analysis with the application of advanced computational and material models. The submitted article aims to evaluate the possibilities of the determination of material properties, involving the tensile strength of concrete, fracture energy and the modulus of elasticity. To evaluate the recommendations for concrete, volume computational models are employed on a comprehensive series of tests. The article particularly deals with the issue of the specific properties of fracture-plastic material models. This information is often unavailable. The determination of material properties is based on the recommendations of Model Code 1990, Model Code 2010 and specialized literature. For numerical modelling, the experiments with the so called "classic" concrete beams executed by Bresler and Scordelis were selected. It is also based on the series of experiments executed by Vecchio. The experiments involve a large number of reinforcement, cross-section and span variants, which subsequently enabled a wider verification and discussion of the usability of the non-linear analysis and constitutive concrete model selected.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.461-476
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• 2022

Research studies on the scale effect on triaxial strength of intact rocks are scarce, being more common those in uniaxial strength. In this paper, the authors present and briefly interpret the peak and residual strength trends on a series of triaxial tests on different size specimens (30 mm to 84 mm diameter) of an intact granitic rock at confinements ranging from 0 to 15 MPa. Peak strength tends to grow from smaller to standard-size samples (54 mm) and then diminishes for larger values at low confinement. However, a slight change in strength is observed at higher confinements. Residual strength is observed to be much less size-dependent. Additionally, this study introduces preliminary modelling approaches of these laboratory observations with the help of three-dimensional particle flow code (PFC3D) simulations based on bonded particle models (BPM). Based on previous studies, two modelling approaches have been followed. In the first one, the maximum and minimum particle diameter (D_max and D_min) are kept constant irrespective of the sample size, whereas in the second one, the resolution (number of particles within the sample or ϕ_v) was kept constant. Neither of these approaches properly represent the observations in actual laboratory tests, even if both of them show some interesting capabilities reported in this document. Eventually, some suggestions are provided to proceed towards improving modelling approaches to represent observed scale effects.

• Advances in aircraft and spacecraft science
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.205-223
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• 2018

During launch a spacecraft is subjected to a variety of dynamical loads transmitted through the launcher to spacecraft interface or air-born transmission excitations in the acoustic pressure field inside the fairing. As a result, spacecraft are tested on ground to ensure and demonstrate the global integrity of the structure against these loads, to screen the flight hardware for quality of workmanship and to validate mathematical models. This paper addresses the numerical modelling and simulation of the low frequency sine and random vibration tests performed on electrodynamic shaker facilities to comprise the mechanical-borne transmission loads through the launcher to spacecraft interface. Consequently, the paper reviews techniques and methodologies to derive a reliable and representative coupled virtual vibration testing simulation environment based on experimental data. These technologies are explored with the main objectives to ensure a stable, reliable and accurate control while testing. As a result, the use of the derived simulation models in combination with the added value of improved control and signal processing algorithms can lead to a safer and smoother vibration test control of the entire environmental test campaign.