• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.97-107
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• 2014

Finite element modelling and analysis were conducted for the roll-type steel mats which were placed on loose sand and subjected to a standard truck wheel load in this study. The roll-type steel mats mean that the steel mats can be folded as a circle shape for the carrying to fields in cold regions where workability is limited and are developed for a rapid rehabilitation method for roadway across soft ground which is caused by thawing during the summer season in cold regions. The model is composed of link elements to simulate nonlinear behavior of connections between steel mats, thick shell elements to have flexural stiffness of the steel mats, and springs to simulate characteristics of foundation soils. The structural behaviors of the shell, link elements, and springs were verified at each modelling step through experiment and analysis. Beam and shell analysis without the link elements were conducted and compared to results obtained from the model presented in this study. Significant vertical displacement is shown in the shell model with hinge connections. Therefore, the results demonstrate that the analysis model for the roll-type steel mats on loose sand needs further detail parametric studies.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.15-25
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• 1993

In order to promote the efficient use of composite materials, effort is currently being directed at the development of design criteria for composite structures. Insofar as design against buckling is concerned, it is well known that, for metal shells, a key step is the definition of 'knockdown' factors on the elastic critical buckling stress accounting mainly for the influence of initial geometric imperfections. At present, the imperfection sensitivity of composite shells has not been explored in detail. Due to the large number of parameters influencing buckling response (considerably larger than for isotropic shells), a very large number of tests would be needed to quantify imperfection sensitivity experimentally. An alternative approach is to use validated numerical models for this task. Thus, the objective of this paper is to outline the underlying theory used in developing a composite shell element and to present results from a validation exercise and subsequently from a parametric study on axially loaded glass fibre-reinforced plastic (GFRP) curved panels using finite element modelling. Both eigenvalue and incremental analyses are performed, the latter including the effect of initial geometric imperfection shape and amplitude, and the results are used to estimate 'knockdown' factors for such panels.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.1 no.3
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• pp.325-354
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• 2004

Slabs in buildings and bridge decks, which are restrained against lateral displacements at the edges, have ultimate strengths far in excess of those predicted by analytical methods based on yield line theory. The increase in strength has been attributed to membrane action, which is due to the in-plane forces developed at the supports. The benefits of compressive membrane action are usually not taken into account in currently available design methods developed based on plastic flow theories assuming concrete to be a rigid-plastic material. By extending the existing knowledge of compressive membrane action, it is possible to design slabs in building and bridge structures economically with less than normal reinforcement. Recent research on building and bridge structures reflects the importance of membrane action in design. This paper describes the finite element modelling of membrane action in reinforced concrete slabs through optimisation of a simple concrete model. Through a series of parametric studies using the simple concrete model in the finite element simulation of eight fully clamped concrete slabs with significant membrane action, a set of fixed numerical model parameter values is identified and computational conditions established, which would guarantee reliable strength prediction of arbitrary slabs. The reliability of the identified values to simulate membrane action (for prediction purposes) is further verified by the direct simulation of 42 other slabs, which gave an average value of 0.9698 for the ratio of experimental to predicted strengths and a standard deviation of 0.117. A 'deflection factor' is also established for the slabs, relating the predicted peak deflection to experimental values, which, (for the same level of fixity at the supports), can be used for accurate displacement determination. The proposed optimised concrete model and finite element procedure can be used as a tool to simulate membrane action in slabs in building and bridge structures having variable support and loading conditions including fire. Other practical applications of the developed finite element procedure and design process are also discussed.

• Interaction and multiscale mechanics
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.95-110
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• 2010

In recent years, study of the static response of pavements to moving vehicle and aircraft loads has received significant attention because of its relevance to the design of pavements and airport runways. The static response of beams resting on an elastic foundation and subjected to moving loads was studied by several researchers in the past. However, most of these studies were limited to steady-state analytical solutions for infinitely long beams resting on Winkler-type elastic foundations. Although the modelling of subgrade as a continuum is more accurate, such an approach can hardly be incorporated in analysis due to its complexity. In contrast, the two-parameter foundation model provides a better way for simulating the underlying soil medium and is conceptually more appealing than the one-parameter (Winkler) foundation model. The finite element method is one of the most suitable mathematical tools for analysing rigid pavements under moving loads. This paper presents an improved solution algorithm based on the finite element method for the static analysis of rigid pavements under moving vehicular or aircraft loads. The concrete pavement is discretized by finite and infinite beam elements, with the latter for modelling the infinity boundary conditions. The underlying soil medium is modelled by the Pasternak model allowing the shear interaction to exist between the spring elements. This can be accomplished by connecting the spring elements to a layer of incompressible vertical elements that can deform in transverse shear only. The deformations and forces maintaining equilibrium in the shear layer are considered by assuming the shear layer to be isotropic. A parametric study is conducted to investigate the effect of the position of moving loads on the response of pavement.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.13 no.6 s.58
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• pp.148-155
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• 2009

A remarkable discrepancy of lateral deformation of shear wall structures for seismic loads due to a rigid diaphragm assumption without floor slab modelling asks a study how much effective the slab stiffness ratio is to the lateral behaviour. Typical shear wall type 15 stories structure is selected to analysis using MIDAS-ADS2008 commercial softwares modelling three types; 1) rigid diaphragm (RD model) 2) considered out-of plane slab flexural stiffness (DB model), and 3) considered in and out of plane slab flexural stiffness (SRC model). Based on National Code of KBC2005, the Equivalent Static and Response Spectrum seismic analysis are undertaken to compare each responses of the three models. The differences of lateral responses due to the three slab stiffness ratios applied on the models are compared and discussed.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.339-359
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• 2019

Pre-stressed concrete poles are among the supporting systems used to support transmission lines. It is essential to protect transmission line systems from harsh environmental attacks such as downburst wind events. Typically, these poles are designed to resist synoptic wind loading as current codes do not address high wind events in the form of downbursts. In the current study, the behavior of guyed pre-stressed concrete Transmission lines is studied under downburst loads. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this study is the first investigation to assess the behaviour of guyed pre-stressed concrete poles under downburst events. Due to the localized nature of those events, identifying the critical locations and parameters leading to peak forces on the poles is a challenging task. To overcome this challenge, an in-house built numerical model is developed incorporating the following: (1) a three-dimensional downburst wind field previously developed and validated using computational fluid dynamics simulations; (2) a computationally efficient analytical technique previously developed and validated to predict the non-linear behaviour of the conductors including the effects of the pretension force, sagging, insulator's stiffness and the non-uniform distribution of wind loads, and (3) a non-linear finite element model utilized to simulate the structural behaviour of the guyed pre-stressed concrete pole considering material nonlinearity. A parametric study is conducted by varying the downbursts locations relative to the guyed pole while considering three different span values. The results of this parametric study are utilized to identify critical downburst configurations leading to peak straining actions on the pole and the guys. This is followed by comparing the obtained critical load cases to new load cases proposed to ASCE-74 loading committee. A non-linear failure analysis is then conducted for the three considered guyed pre-stressed concrete transmission line systems to determine the downburst jet velocity at which the pole systems fail.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.37-66
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• 2019

In cold-formed steel structures, such as trusses, wall frames and portal frames, the use of back-to-back built-up cold-formed stainless-steel lipped channels as compression members are becoming increasingly popular. The advantages of using stainless-steel as structural members are corrosion resistance and durability, compared with carbon steel. The AISI/ASCE Standard, SEI/ASCE-8-02 and AS/NZS do not include the design of stainless-steel built-up channels and very few experimental tests or finite element analyses have been reported in the literature for such back-to back cold-formed stainless-steel channels. Current guidance by the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) and the Australian and New Zealand (gAS/NZS) standards for built-up carbon steel sections only describe a modified slenderness approach, to consider the spacing of the intermediate fasteners. Thus, this paper presents a numerical investigation on the behavior of back-to-back cold-formed stainless-steel built-up lipped channels. Three different grades of stainless steel i.e., duplex EN1.4462, ferritic EN1.4003 and austenitic EN1.4404 have been considered. Effect of screw spacing on the axial strength of such built-up channels was investigated. As expected, most of the short and intermediate columns failed by either local-global or local-distortional buckling interactions, whereas the long columns, failed by global buckling. All three grades of stainless-steel stub columns failed by local buckling. A comprehensive parametric study was then carried out covering a wide range of slenderness and different cross-sectional geometries to assess the performance of the current design guidelines by AISI and AS/NZS. In total, 647 finite element models were analyzed. From the results of the parametric study, it was found that the AISI & AS/NZS are conservative by around 10 to 20% for cold-formed stainless-steel built-up lipped channels failed through overall buckling, irrespective of the stainless-steel grades. However, the AISI and AS/NZS can be un-conservative by around 6% for all three grades of stainless-steel built-up channels, which failed by local buckling.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.601-615
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• 2019

In cold-formed steel (CFS) structures, such as trusses, wall frames and columns, the use of back-to-back built-up CFS angle sections are becoming increasingly popular. In such an arrangement, intermediate fasteners are required at discrete points along the length, preventing the angle-sections from buckling independently. Limited research is available in the literature on the axial strength of back-to-back built-up CFS angle sections. The issue is addressed herein. This paper presents the results of 16 experimental tests, conducted on back-to-back built-up CFS screw fastened angle sections under axial compression. A nonlinear finite element model is then described, which includes material non-linearity, geometric imperfections and explicit modelling of the intermediate fasteners. The finite element model was validated against the experimental test results. The validated finite element model was then used for the purpose of a parametric study comprising 66 models. The effect of fastener spacing on axial strength was investigated. Four different cross-sections and two different thicknesses were analyzed in the parametric study, varying the slenderness ratio of the built-up columns from 20 to 120. Axial strengths obtained from the experimental tests and finite element analysis were used to assess the performance of the current design guidelines as per the Direct Strength Method (DSM); obtained comparison showed that the DSM is over-conservative by 13% on average. This paper has therefore proposed improved design rules for the DSM and verified their accuracy against the finite element and test results of back-to-back built-up CFS angle sections under axial compression.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.80 no.6
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• pp.701-709
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• 2021

The paper aims at improving the understanding and mitigating the effects of tunnel fires that may breakout due to the burning fuel and/or explosion within the tunnel. This study particularly focuses on the behavior of the commonly used horse shoe geometry of tunnel systems. The problem has been obtained using an adequate well-established program incorporating the Lagrangian approach. A transient-thermo-coupled static structural analysis is carried out. The effects of radiation and convection to the outer walls of the tunnel is studied. The paper also presents the impact of the hazard on the structural integrity of the tunnel. A methodology is proposed to study the tunnel fire using a model which uses equivalent steel sheet to represent the presence of reinforcements to improve the computational efficiency with adequate validation. A parametric study has been carried out and the effect of suitable lining property for mitigating the fire hazard is arrived at. Detailed analysis is done for the threshold limits of the properties of the lining material to check if it is acceptable in all aspects for the integrity of the tunnel. The study may prove useful for developing insights for ensuring tunnel fire safety. To conduct such studies experimentally are tremendously costly but are required to gain confidence. But, scaled models, as well as loading and testing conditions, cannot be studied by many trials experimentally as the cost will shoot up sharply. In this context, the results obtained from such computational studies with a feasible variation of various combinations of parameters may act as a set of guidelines to freeze the adequate combination of various parameters to conduct one or two costly experiments for confidence building.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.11 no.9
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• pp.768-773
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• 2005

A new approach for human foot modelling and last design based on the cross sectional method is presented in this paper. The proposed last design method utilizes the dynamic trimmed parametric patches for the foot 3D data and last 3D data. The cross section a surface of 3D foot for the 3D last, design modeling of free form geometric last shapes. The proposed last design scheme wraps the 3D last data surrounding the measured 3D foot data with the effect of deforming the last design rule The last design rule of the FFD is constructed on the FFD lattice based on foot-last shape analysis. In addition, the control points of FFD lattice are constructed with cross sectional data interpolation methods from the a finite set of 3D foot data. The deformed 3D last result obtained from the proposed FFD is saved as a 3D dxf foot data. The experimental results demonstrate that the last designed with the proposed scheme has good performance.