• Advances in Computational Design
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.25-38
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• 2024

This paper presents an advanced analytical approach for the design and analysis of fixed offshore structures with soil structure interaction considered. The proposed methodology involves conducting case studies to illustrate and assess the structural response of a structure considering seven different earthquakes, with the primary goal of ensuring there is no global collapse in the structures. The case studies focus on developing a model for structural analysis and its topside, incorporating nonlinear axial and lateral springs to capture soil-pile interaction. Additionally, mass and damping ratios are considered through the use of dashpots in the analyses. Finite Element Software was employed for structural analyses with detailed modeling, with soil spring nodes applied in the entire structure across various depths. After the finite element analysis was carried out, a sensitivity analysis was conducted to quantify and report the effects of different parameters.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.119-133
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• 2017

Several theoretical and analytical formulations for the prediction of shear strength in reinforced concrete (RC) beam-to-column joints have been recently developed. Some of these predictive models are included in the most recent seismic codes and currently used in practical design. On the other hand, the influence of the stiffness and strength degradations in RC joints on the seismic performance of RC framed buildings has been only marginally studied, and it is generally neglected in practice-oriented seismic analysis. To investigate such influence, this paper proposes a numerical description for representing the cyclic response of RC exterior joints. This is then used in nonlinear numerical simulations of RC frames subjected to earthquake loading. According to the proposed strategy, RC joints are modelled using nonlinear rotational spring elements with strength and stiffness degradations and limited ductility under cyclic loading. The proposed joint model has been firstly calibrated against the results from experimental tests on 12 RC exterior joints. Subsequently, nonlinear static and dynamic analyses have been carried out on two-, three- and four-storey RC frames, which represent realistic existing structures designed according to old standards. The numerical results confirm that the global seismic response of the analysed RC frames is strongly affected by the hysteretic damage in the beam-to-column joints, which determines the failure mode of the frames. This highlights that neglecting the effects of joints damage may potentially lead to non-conservative seismic assessment of existing RC framed structures.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.423-448
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• 2015

In this paper the unsteady fluid-structure interaction (FSI) problems with large structural displacement are solved by partitioned solution approaches in the arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian finite element framework. The incompressible Navier-Stokes equations are solved by the characteristic-based split (CBS) scheme. Both a rigid body and a geometrically nonlinear solid are considered as the structural models. The latter is solved by Newton-Raphson procedure. The equation governing the structural motion is advanced by Newmark-${\beta}$ method in time. The dynamic mesh is updated by using moving submesh approach that cooperates with the ortho-semi-torsional spring analogy method. A mass source term (MST) is introduced into the CBS scheme to satisfy geometric conservation law. Three partitioned coupling strategies are developed to take FSI into account, involving the explicit, implicit and semi-implicit schemes. The semi-implicit scheme is a mixture of the explicit and implicit coupling schemes due to the fluid projection splitting. In this scheme MST is renewed for interfacial elements. Fixed-point algorithm with Aitken's ${\Delta}^2$ method is carried out to couple different solvers within the implicit and semi-implicit schemes. Flow-induced vibrations of a bridge deck and a flexible cantilever behind an obstacle are analyzed to test the performance of the proposed methods. The overall numerical results agree well with the existing data, demonstrating the validity and applicability of the present approaches.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.461-481
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• 2016

The research described in this paper investigates the seismic behaviour of lightly reinforced concrete (RC) bearing sandwich panels, heavily conditioned by shear deformation. A numerical model has been prepared, within an open source finite element (FE) platform, to simulate the experimental response of this emerging structural system, whose squat-type geometry affects performance and failure mode. Calibration of this equivalent mechanical model, consisting of a group of regularly spaced vertical elements in combination with a layer of nonlinear springs, which represent the cyclic behaviour of concrete and steel, has been conducted by means of a series of pseudo-static cyclic tests performed on single full-scale prototypes with or without openings. Both cantilevered and fixed-end shear walls have been analyzed. After validation, this numerical procedure, including cyclic-related mechanisms, such as buckling and subsequent slippage of reinforcing re-bars, as well as concrete crushing at the base of the wall, has been used to assess the capacity of two- and three-dimensional low- to mid-rise box-type buildings and, hence, to estimate their strength reduction factors, on the basis of conventional pushover analyses.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.65-77
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• 2006

This study reports the details of the finite element analysis of eleven shear critical partially prestressed concrete T-beams having steel fibers over partial or full depth. Prestressed concrete T-beams having a shear span to depth ratio of 2.65 and 1.59 and failing in the shear have been analyzed using 'ANSYS'. The 'ANSYS' model accounts for the nonlinear phenomenon, such as, bond-slip of longitudinal reinforcements, post-cracking tensile stiffness of the concrete, stress transfer across the cracked blocks of the concrete and load sustenance through the bridging of steel fibers at crack interface. The concrete is modeled using 'SOLID65'-eight-node brick element, which is capable of simulating the cracking and crushing behavior of brittle materials. The reinforcements such as deformed bars, prestressing wires and steel fibers have been modeled discretely using 'LINK8' - 3D spar element. The slip between the reinforcement (rebar, fibers) and the concrete has been modeled using a 'COMBIN39'-non-linear spring element connecting the nodes of the 'LINK8' element representing the reinforcement and nodes of the 'SOLID65' elements representing the concrete. The 'ANSYS' model correctly predicted the diagonal tension failure and shear compression failure of prestressed concrete beams observed in the experiment. The capability of the model to capture the critical crack regions, loads and deflections for various types of shear failures in prestressed concrete beam has been illustrated.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.159-168
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• 2010

This paper presents a mathematical model and simulation method for investigating the performance of set net systems and fish cage systems influenced by currents and waves. Both systems consist of netting, mooring ropes, a floating collar and sinkers. The netting and ropes were considered flexible structures and the floating collar was considered an elastic structure. Both were modeled on a mass-spring model. The structures were divided into finite elements and mass points were placed at the mid-point of each element, and the mass points were connected by mass-less springs. Each mass point was subjected to external and internal forces and the total force was calculated at every integration step. An implicit integration scheme was used to solve the nonlinear dynamic system. The computation method was applied to dynamic simulation of actual systems simultaneously influenced by currents and waves in order to evaluate their practicality. The simulation results improved our understanding of the behavior of the structure and provided valuable information concerning the optimized design of set net and fish cage systems exposed to an open ocean environment.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Conference
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• 2010.11a
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• pp.126-129
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• 2010

MEMS(micro electro-mechanical systems) inertial switch which is applicable to the ignition Safe-Arm- Unit of propulsion system is devised. The MEMS inertial switch is designed according to the general design procedure for conventional mechanical elements. Unlikely conventional MEMS accelerometer, threshold inertial switching mechanism is adopted which makes a MEMS element an abrupt switching in a certain acceleration level. By comparing the design data and test results of the specimen a small discrepancy in switching acceleration level is found which is presumably due to the nonlinear characteristics of the beam spring and the flexure hinge which are the main parts of the MEMS inertial switch.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2005.10a
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• pp.244-247
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• 2005

Although several artificial disc designs have been developed for the treatment of discogenic low back pain and used clinically, biomechanical change with its implantation seldom studied. To evaluate the effect of artificial disc implantation on the biomechanics of lumbar spinal unit, nonlinear three-dimensional finite element model of L1-L5, S1 was developed and strain and stress of vertebral body and surrounding spinal ligaments were predicted. Intact osteoligamentous L1-L5, S1 model was created with 1-mm CT scan of a volunteer and known material property of each element were applied. This model also includes the effect of local muscles which was modeled with pre-strained spring elements. The intact model was validated with reported biomechanical data. Two models implanted with artificial discs, SB Charite or Prodisc, at L4/5 via anterior approach were also developed. The implanted model predictions were compared with that of intact model. Angular motion of vertebral body, force on spinal ligaments, facet joint contact force with $2\sim12$ Nm flexion-extension moment.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.261-271
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• 2016

In the prediction of response of a pile in soil, numerical approaches such as a finite element method are generally applied due to complicate nonlinear behaviors of soils. However, the numerical methods based on the finite elements require heavy efforts in pile and soil modelling and also take long computing time. So their usage is limited especially in the early design stage in which principal dimensions and properties are not specified and tend to vary. On the contrary, theoretical approaches adopting linear approximations for soils are relatively simple and easy to model and take short computing time. Therefore, if they are validated to be reliable, they would be applicable in predicting responses of a pile in soil, particularly in early design stage. In case of wind turbines regarded in this study, it is required to assess their natural frequencies in early stages, and in this simulation the supporting pile inserted in soil could be replaced with a simplified elastic boundary condition at the bottom end of the wind turbine tower. To do this, analysis for a pile in soil is performed in this study to extract the spring constants at the top end of the pile. The pile in soil can be modelled as a beam on elastic spring by assuming that the soils deform within an elastic range. In this study, it is attempted to predict pile deformations and influence factors for lateral loads by means of the beam-on-spring model. As two example supporting structures for wind turbines, mono pile and suction pile models with different diameters are examined by evaluating their influence factors and validated by comparing them with those reported in literature. In addition, the deflection profiles along the depth and spring constants at the top end of the piles are compared to assess their supporting features.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.38 no.11
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• pp.1231-1237
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• 2014

It is essential to perform driving performance tests of military vehicles on rough terrain. A full car test is limited by cost and time constraints, because of which a dynamic analysis via computer simulation is preferred. In this study, a vehicle model is developed using MSC.ADAMS, a commercial multibody analysis program, and compared via experiments. FTire is modeled using the results of a tire performance test to obtain the vertical stiffness. A nonlinear damper is modeled by a characteristic experiment. Leaf springs are modeled with beam force elements and consisted to a vehicle model. The vertical force and acceleration response of the wheel are identified when vehicle is passing over a simple bump as well as a sinusoidal road. The developed vehicle model is verified with the results of a full car test.