• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.139-148
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• 1996

Vector algorithms and the relative importance of the four basic modules (computation of element stiffness matrices, assembly of the global stiffness matrix, solution of the system of linear simultaneous equations, and calculation of stresses and strains) of a finite element computer program for inelastic analysis of reinforced concrete shells are presented. Performance of the vector program is compared with a scalar program. For a cooling tower problem, the speedup factor from the scalar to the vector program is 34 for the element stiffness matrices calculation, 25.3 for the assembly of global stiffness matrix, 27.5 for the equation solver, and 37.8 for stresses, strains and nodal forces computations on a Gray Y-MP. The overall speedup factor is 30.9. When the equation solver alone is vectorized, which is computationally the most intensive part of a finite element program, a speedup factor of only 1.9 is achieved. When the rest of the program is also vectorized, a large additional speedup factor of 15.9 is attained. Therefore, it is very important that all the modules in a nonlinear program are vectorized to gain the full potential of the supercomputers. The vector finite element computer program for inelastic analysis of RC shells with layered elements developed in the present study enabled us to perform mesh convergence studies. The vector program can be used for studying the ultimate behavior of RC shells and used as a design tool.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.72 no.5
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• pp.569-583
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• 2019

Tubular steel sections are widespread all over the world because of their strength and aesthetic appearance. Tubular steel members may exhibit local buckling such as elephant foot or overall buckling under extreme compression load. Recently, external bonding of fiber reinforced polymers (FRP) sheets for strengthening these members has been explored through experimental research. This paper presents three-dimensional nonlinear finite element analysis (FEA) to investigate the structural behavior of strengthening tubular steel members with FRP against local and overall buckling phenomena. Out-of-roundness and out-of-straightness imperfections were introduced to the numerical models to simulate the elephant foot and overall buckling, respectively. The nonlinear analysis preferences such as the integration scheme of the shell elements, the algorithm for solution of nonlinear equations, the loading procedure, the bisection limits for the load increments, and the convergence criteria were set, appropriately enough, to successfully track the sophisticated buckling deformations. The agreement between the results of both the presented FEA and the experimental research was evident. The FEA results demonstrated the power of the presented rigorous FEA in monitoring the plastic strain distribution and the buckling phenomena (initiation and propagation). Consequently, the buckling process was interpreted for each mode (elephant foot and overall) into three sequential stages. Furthermore, the influence of FRP layers on the nonlinear analysis preferences and the results was presented.

• Journal of the Korean Recycled Construction Resources Institute
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.100-107
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• 2018

The material and geometrical nonlinear finite elment analysis of UHPFRC 50M composite box girder was carried out. Constitute law in tension and compressive region of UHPFRC and HPC were modeled based on specimen test. The accuracy of nonlinear FEM analysis was verified by the experimental result of UHPFRC 50M composite girder. The UHPFRC 50M segmental composite box girder which has 1.5% steel fiber of volume fraction, 135MPa compressive strength and 18MPa tensile strength was tested. The post-tensioned UHPFRC composite girder consisted of three segment UHPFRC U-girder and High Strength Concrete reinforced slab. The parts of UHPFRC girder were modeled by 8nodes hexahedron elements and reinforcement bars and tendons were built by 2nodes linear elements by Midas FEA software. The constitutive laws of concrete materials were selected Multi-linear model both of tension and compression function under total strain crack model, which was included in classifying of smeared crack model. The nonlinearity of reinforcement elements and tendon was simulated by Von Mises criteria. The nonlinear static analysis was applied by incremental-iteration method with convergence criteria of Newton-Raphson. The validation of numerical analysis was verified by comparison with experimental result and numerical analysis result of load-deflection response, neutral axis coordinate change, and cracking pattern of girder. The load-deflection response was fitted very well with comparison to the experimental result. The finite element analysis is seen to satisfactorily predict flexural behavioral responses of post-tensioned, reinforced UHPFRC composite box girder.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.385-392
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• 2013

The finite element method has become the most widely used method of structural analysis and recently, the method has often been applied to complex dynamic and nonlinear structural analyses problems. Even for these complex problems, where the responses are hard to predict, finite element analyses yield reliable results if appropriate element types and meshes are used. However, the dynamic and nonlinear behaviors of a structure often include large deformations in various portions of the structure and if the same mesh is used throughout the analysis, some elements may deform to shapes beyond the reliable limits; thus dynamically adapting finite element meshes are needed in order for the finite element analyses to be accurate. In addition, to satisfy the users requirement of quick real run time of finite element programs, the algorithms must be computationally efficient. This paper presents an adaptive finite element mesh generation scheme for dynamic analyses of structures that may adapt at each time step. Representative strain values are used for error estimates and combinations of the h-method(node movement) and the r-method(element division) are used for mesh refinements. A coefficient that depends on the shape of an element is used to limit overly distorted elements. A simple frame example shows the accuracy and computational efficiency of the scheme. The aim of the study is to outline the adaptive scheme and to demonstrate the potential use in general finite element analyses of dynamic and nonlinear structural problems commonly encountered.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.357-365
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• 2021

High deformable concrete (HDC) elements have compressive strength rates equal to conventional concrete and have got a high compressive strain at about 20% to 50%. These types of concrete elements as prefabricated parts have an abundance of applications in the construction industry which is the most used in the construction of tunnels in squeezing grounds, tunnel passwords from fault zones or swelling soils as soft supports. HDC elements after reaching to compressive yield stress, in nonlinear behavior have hardening combined with increasing strain and compressive strength. The main aim of this laboratory and numerical research is to construct concrete elements with the above properties so the compressive stress-strain behavior of different concrete elements with four categories of mix designs have been discussed and finally one of them has been defined as HDC element mix design. Furthermore, two columns with and without implementing of HDC elements have been made and stress-strain curves of them have been investigated experimentally. An analysis model is presented for columns using finite element method adopted by ABAQUS. The results obtained from the ABAQUS finite element method are compared with experimental data. The main comparison is made for stress-strain curve. The stress-strain curves from the finite element method agree well with experimental results. The results show that the dimension of the HDC samples is significant in the stress-strain behavior. The use of the element greatly increases energy absorption and ductility.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.231-242
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• 2018

As a lateral load resisting component, buckling restrained steel plate shear walls (BRW) have excellent energy dissipating capacity. Similar to thin steel plate shear walls, the mechanical behavior of BRWs depends on the boundary elements (adjacent beams and columns) which need adequate strength and stiffness to ensure the complete yielding of BRWs and the emergence of expected plastic collapse mechanism of frame. This paper presents a theoretical approach to estimate the design forces for boundary elements of beam-connected BRW (i.e., The BRW is only connected to beams at its top and bottom, without connections to columns) using a fundamental plastic collapse mechanism of frame, a force transferring model of beam-connected BRW and linear beam and column analysis. Furthermore, the design method of boundary beams and columns is presented. The proposed approach does not involve nonlinear analyses, which can be easily and efficiently used to estimate the design forces of beams and columns in a frame with BRWs. The predicted design forces of boundary elements are compared with those from nonlinear finite element analyses, and a good agreement is achieved.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.72 no.2
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• pp.191-201
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• 2019

Finite element analysis is one of the most used tools for studying femoral neck fracture. Nerveless, consensus concerning either the choice of material characteristics, damage law and /or geometric models (linear on nonlinear) remains unreached. In this work, we propose a numerical quasi-brittle damage model to describe the behavior of the proximal femur associated with two methods to evaluate the Young modulus. Eight proximal femur finite elements models were constructed from CT scan data (4 donors: 3 women; 1 man). The numerical computations showed a good agreement between the numerical curves (load - displacement) and the experimental ones. A very encouraging result is obtained when a comparison is made between the computed fracture loads and the experimental ones ($R^2=0.825$, Relative error =6.49%). All specific numerical computation provided very fair qualitative matches with the fracture patterns for the sideway fall simulation. Finally, the comparative study based on 32 simulations adopting linear and nonlinear meshing led to the conclusion that the quantitatively results are improved when a nonlinear mesh is used.

• International Journal of CAD/CAM
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.29-36
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• 2009

Domain mapping is a bijective transformation of one domain to another, usually from a complicated general domain to a chosen convex domain. This is directly useful in many application problems like shape modeling, morphing, texture mapping, shape matching, remeshing, path planning etc. A new approach considering the domain as made up of structural elements, like membranes or trusses, is developed and implemented using the nonlinear finite element formulation. The mapping is performed in two stages, boundary mapping and inside mapping. The boundary of the 3-D domain is mapped to the surface of a convex domain (in this case, a sphere) in the first stage and then the displacement/distortion of this boundary is used as boundary conditions for mapping the interior of the domain in the second stage. This is a general method and it develops a bijective mapping in all cases with judicious choice of material properties and finite element analysis. The consistent global parameterization produced by this method for an arbitrary genus zero closed surface is useful in shape modeling. Results are convincing to accept this finite element structural approach for domain mapping as a good method for many purposes.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.369-382
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• 2020

This paper presents a discussion of the Finite Element Analysis (FEA) when applied for the analysis of concrete elements reinforced with glass fibre reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars. The purpose of such nonlinear FEA model development is to create a tool that can be used for numerical parametric studies which can be used to extend the existing (and limited) experiment database. The presented research focuses on the numerical analyses of concrete beams reinforced with GFRP longitudinal and shear reinforcements. FEA of concrete members reinforced with linear elastic brittle reinforcements (like GFRP) presents unique challenges when compared to the analysis of members reinforced with plastic (steel) reinforcements, which are discussed in the paper. Specifically, the behaviour and failure of GFRP reinforced members are strongly influenced by the compressive response of concrete and thus modelling of concrete behaviour is essential for proper analysis. FEA was performed using the commercial software ABAQUS. A damaged-plasticity model was utilized to simulate the concrete behaviour. The influence of tension, compression, dilatancy, mesh, and reinforcement modelling was studied to replicate experimental test data of beams previously tested at the University of Waterloo, Canada. Recommendations for the finite element modelling of beams reinforced with GFRP longitudinal and shear reinforcements are offered. The knowledge gained from this research allows for the development of a rational methodology for modelling GFRP reinforced concrete beams, which subsequently can be used for extensive parametric studies and the formation of informed recommendations to design standards.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.483-494
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• 2016

Historical structures that function as a bridge from past to present are the cultural and social reflections of societies. Masonry bridges are one of the important historical structures. These bridges are vulnerable against to seismic action. In this study, linear and non-linear dynamic analyses of historical Nadir Bridge are assessed. The bridge is modelled with three dimensional finite elements. For the seismic effect, artificial acceleration records are generated considering the seismic characteristics of the region where the bridge is located. Seismic response of the bridge is investigated.