• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.29-41
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• 2020

Cross-beams of modern through truss bridges are connected to truss chord at its nodes and between them. It results in variable rotational end restraint for cross-beams, thus variable bending moment distribution. This feature is captured in three-dimensional modelling of through truss bridge structure. However, for preliminary design or rapid assessment of service load effects such technique of analysis may not be available. So an analytical method of assessment of rotational end restraint for cross-beam of through truss bridges was worked out. Two cases - nodal cross-beam and inter-nodal cross-beam - were analyzed. Flexural and torsional stiffness of truss members, flexural stiffness of deck members and axial stiffness of wind bracing members in the vicinity of the analyzed cross-beam were taken into account. The provision for reduced stiffness of the X-type wind bracing was made. Finally, general formula for assessment of rotational end restraint was given. Rotational end restraints for cross-beams of three railway through truss bridges were assessed basing on the analytical method and the finite element method (three-dimensional beam-element modelling). Results of both methods show good agreement. The analytical method is able to reflect effects of some structural irregularities. On the basis of the obtained results the general values of rotational end restraint for nodal and inter-nodal cross-beams of railway through truss bridges were suggested.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.547-564
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• 2023

This study investigates the effect of bolt preloading on the rotational stiffness of stainless steel end-plate connections. An experimental programme incorporating 11 full-scale joint specimens are carried out comparing the behaviours of fully pre-tensioned (PT) and snug-tightened (ST) flush/extended end-plate connections, made of austenitic or lean duplex stainless steels. It is observed from the tests that the presence of bolt preloading leads to a significant increase in the rotational stiffness. A parallel finite element analysis (FEA) validated against the test results demonstrates that the geometric imperfection of end-plate has a strong influence on the moment-rotation response of preloaded end-plate connections, which is crucial to explain the observed "two-stage" behaviour of these connections. Based on the data obtained from the tests and FE parametric study, the performance of the Eurocode 3 predictive model is evaluated, which exhibits a significant deviation in predicting the rotational stiffness of stainless steel end-plate connections. A modified bi-linear model, which incorporates three key properties, is therefore proposed to enable a better prediction. Finally, the effect of bolt preloading is demonstrated at the system (structure) level considering the serviceability of semi-continuous stainless steel beams with end-plate connections.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.52-60
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• 1989

In order to control the transient torsional vibration of rotational shaft system, the torsional stiffness of it has been taken into account in modelling the plant. In this paper the observer and controller has been designed in two ways. One is to consider the torsional stiffness and the other is to idealize the rotational shaft as rigid body. The third order observer considering torsional stiffness shows stable response on computer simulation. When the observer is designed on assumption of the rotational shaft being rigid body, the reduced order observer shows stable response whereas the full order observer shows unstable response.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.147-161
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• 2014

In this paper a nonlinear finite element analysis model is established for cold-formed steel zed-section purlins subjected to uplift loading. In the model, the lateral and rotational restraints provided by the sheeting to the purlin are simplified as a lateral rigid restraint imposed at the upper flange-web junction and a rotational spring restraint applied at the mid of the upper flange where the sheeting is fixed. The analyses are performed by considering both geometrical and material nonlinearities. The influences of the rotational spring stiffness and initial geometrical imperfections on the uplift loading capacity of the purlin are investigated numerically. It is found that the rotational spring stiffness has significant influence on the purlin performance. However, the influence of the initial geometric imperfections on the purlin performance is found only in purlins of medium or long length with no or low rotational spring stiffness.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
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• v.26 no.6_1
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• pp.993-999
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• 2023

In this paper, a novel polishing tool mechanism with 3-axis compliance is presented, which consists of 2-axis rotational and 1-axis linear compliances in series. The 2-axis rotational compliance mechanism is made up of four cantilever beams for adjusting rotational stiffness and one flexure universal joint at the center for constraining the z-axis deflection. The 2-axis rotational compliance can mechanically adjust the polishing tool to machined surfaces. The polishing press force can be simply controlled by using a linear spring along the z-axis. The 2-axis rotational and 1-axis linear compliance design is decoupled. The stiffness analysis of the 2-axis compliance mechanism was performed based on link compliance matrix and rigid body transformation. A 3-axis polishing tool was designed by configuring the 2-axis compliance mechanism and one linear spring.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.7 no.9
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• pp.89-96
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• 1999

This paper presents the optimization design technique on the joint stiffness and section characteristic factors of chassis frame, by using beam and spring elements in a given design package. Two correction methods are used for the optimization design of chassis frame. First is the equivalent inertia of moment method in relation to the section characteristic factors of joint zones, which are thickness , width and height of frame channel section. Second is the rotational spring element with joint stiffness of joint zones. The CAE example shows that the relationship of section characteristic factors and joint stiffness can effectively be used in designing chassis frame. In this point, if static and dynamic targets are given, the joint-zone and section characteristic factors of chassis frame intended may be designed and defined by using beam and rotational spring elements.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.1-16
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• 2002

This paper presents the findings of an investigation carried out to determine the most appropriate connections, in terms of rotational stiffness, to use for the optimum design of cold-formed Zed section sleeve joint purlin system. Experiments and parametric studies were conducted to investigate the effects of geometric variables on the behavior of the sleeve-purlin and cleat-purlin connections of the sleeve joint purlin system. The variables considered were purlin size and thickness, sleeve size, thickness, length and bolt position. The test results were used to verify the empirical expressions, developed herein, employed to determine the rotational stiffness of connections. With the predicted connection stiffness, the most suitable sleeve-purlin and cleat-purlin connections can be selected so as to produce an optimum condition for the sleeve joint purlin system.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.27-36
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• 2000

The Oktalok nodal connection system is an aesthetic and efficient system. It has been widely used throughout Australia. The paper will briefly introduce the concept and application of the Oktalok nodal system. The existing design method is based on the assumption that the joints are pin-ended, i.e., the rotational stiffness of the joints is zero. However the ultimate capacity of the frame may increase significantly depending on the rotational stiffness of the joints. Stiffness tests and finite element simulations were carried out to determine the rotational stiffness of the Oktalok joints. Column buckling tests and non-linear finite element analyses were performed to determine the member capacity of columns with semi-rigid end conditions. A simple formulae for the effective length factor of column buckling is derived based on the above experimental and theoretical investigations.

• International journal of steel structures
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.1363-1372
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• 2018

Recently, there have been studies about the increasing effect on the local plate buckling strength of flat plates when longitudinally stiffened with closed-section ribs and an approximate solution to quantitatively estimate these effects were suggested for flat plates. Since there are few studies to utilize such increasing effect on curved panels and a proper design method is not proposed, thus, this study aims to numerically evaluate such effect due to the rotational stiffness of closed-section ribs on curved panels and to propose an approximate method for estimating the buckling strength. Three-dimensional finite element models were set up using a general structural analysis program ABAQUS and a series of parametric numerical analyses were conducted in order to examine the variation of buckling stresses along with the rotational stiffness of closed-section ribs. By using a methodology that combine the strength increment factor due to the restraining effect by closed-section ribs and the buckling coefficient of the panel curvature, the approximate solutions for the estimation of buckling strength were suggested. The validity of the proposed methods was verified through a comparative study with the numerical analysis results.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.679-705
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• 2005

This paper presents a practical method to evaluate the effective length factors for columns in multi-storey unbraced frames based on the concept of storey-based elastic buckling by means of decomposing a multi-storey frame into a series of single-storey partially-restrained (PR) frames. The lateral stiffness of the multi-storey unbraced frame is derived and expressed as the product of the lateral stiffness of each storey. Thus, the stability analysis for the multi-storey frame is conducted by investigating the lateral stability of each individual storey, which is facilitated through decomposing the multi-storey frame into a series of single-storey PR frames and applying the storey-based stability analysis proposed by the authors (Xu and Liu 2002) for each single-storey PR frame. Prior to introducing decomposition approaches, the end rotational stiffness of an axially load column is derived and rotational stiffness interaction between the upper and lower columns is investigated. Three decomposition approaches, characterized by means of distributing beam-to-column rotational-restraining stiffness between the upper and lower columns, are proposed. The procedure of calculating storey-based column effective length factors is presented. Numerical examples are then given to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed procedure.