• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.849-866
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• 2012

Single span historic bridges often contain non-prismatic members identified with a varying depth along their span lengths. Commonly, the symmetric parabolic height variations having the constant haunch length ratio of 0.5 have been selected to lower the stresses at the high bending moment points and to maintain the deflections within the acceptable limits. Due to their non-prismatic geometrical configuration, their assessment, particularly the computation of fixed-end horizontal forces (FEFs) and fixed-end moments (FEMs) becomes a complex problem. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the behavior of non-prismatic beams with symmetrical parabolic haunches (NBSPH) having the constant haunch length ratio of 0.5 using finite element analyses (FEA). FEFs and FEMs due to vertical loadings as well as the stiffness coefficients and the carry-over factors were computed through a comprehensive parametric study using FEA. It was demonstrated that the conventional methods using frame elements can lead to significant errors, and the deviations can reach to unacceptable levels for these types of structures. Despite the robustness of FEA, the generation of FEFs and FEMs using the nodal outputs of the detailed finite element mesh still remains an intricate task. Therefore, this study advances to propose effective formulas and dimensionless estimation coefficients to predict the FEFs, FEMs, stiffness coefficients and carry-over factors with reasonable accuracy for the analysis and re-evaluation of the NBSPH. Using the proposed approach, the fixed-end reactions due to vertical loads, and also the stiffness coefficients and the carry-over factors of the NBSPH can be determined without necessitating the detailed FEA.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.787-796
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• 2015

When the temperature of a structure varies, there is a tendency to produce changes in the shape of the structure. The resulting actions may be of considerable importance in the analysis of the structures having non-prismatic members. The computation of design forces for the non-prismatic beams having symmetrical parabolic haunches (NBSPH) is fairly difficult because of the parabolic change of the cross section. Due to their non-prismatic geometrical configuration, their assessment, particularly the computation of fixed-end horizontal forces and fixed-end moments becomes a complex problem. In this study, the efficiency of the Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) and Adaptive Neuro Fuzzy Inference Systems (ANFIS) in predicting the design forces and the design moments of the NBSPH due to temperature changes was investigated. Previously obtained finite element analyses results in the literature were used to train and test the ANN and ANFIS models. The performances of the different models were evaluated by comparing the corresponding values of mean squared errors (MSE) and decisive coefficients ($R^2$). In addition to this, the comparison of ANN and ANFIS with traditional methods was made by setting up Linear-regression (LR) model.