• Steel and Composite Structures
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• 제33권3호
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• pp.375-388
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• 2019

This paper aims to investigate the axial load behavior and stability strength of square tubed steel-reinforced concrete (TSRC) columns. Unlike concrete filled steel tubular (CFST) column, the outer steel tube of a TSRC column is mainly used to provide confinement to the core concrete. Ten specimens were tested under axial compression, and the main test variables included length-to-width ratio (L/B) of the specimens, width-to-thickness ratio (B/t) of the steel tubes, and with or without stud shear connectors on the steel sections. The failure mode, ultimate strength and load-tube stress response of each specimen were summarized and analyzed. The test results indicated that the axial load carried by square tube due to friction and bond of the interface increased with the increase of L/B ratio, while the confinement effect of tube was just the opposite. Parametric studies were performed through ABAQUS based on the test results, and the feasibility of current design codes has also been examined. Finally, a method for calculating the ultimate strength of this composite column was proposed, in which the slenderness effect on the tube confinement was considered.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제6권3호
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• pp.259-274
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• 1998

The test results from non-destructive and destructive field testing of a three-span deteriorated reinforced concrete slab bridge are used as a vehicle to examine the reliability of available tools for finite-element analysis of in-situ structures. Issues related to geometric modeling of members and connections, material models, and failure criteria are discussed. The results indicate that current material models and failure criteria are adequate, although lack of inelastic out-of-plane shear response in most nonlinear shell elements is a major shortcoming that needs to be resolved. With proper geometric modeling, it is possible to adequately correlate the measured global, regional, and local responses at all limit states. However, modeling of less understood mechanisms, such as slab-abutment connections, may need to be finalized through a system identification technique. In absence of the experimental data necessary for this purpose, upper and lower bounds of only global responses can be computed reliably. The studies reaffirm that success of finite-element models has to be assessed collectively with reference to all responses and not just a few global measurements.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제20권1호
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• pp.45-67
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• 2005

This paper presents a new approach to predict the racking load-displacement response of plasterboard clad walls found in Australian light-framed residential structures under monotonic racking load. The method is based on a closed-form mathematical model, described herein as the 'Modularised' Closed-Form Mathematical model or MCFM model. The model considers the non-linear behaviour of the connections between the plasterboard cladding and frame. Furthermore, the model is flexible as it enables incorporation of different nailing patterns for the cladding. Another feature of this model is that the shape of stud deformation is not assumed to be a specific function, but it is computed based on the strain energy approach to take account of the actual load deformation characteristics of particular walls. Verification of the model against the results obtained from a detailed Finite Element (FE) model is also reported. Very good agreement between the closed form solution and that of the FE model was achieved.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제19권3호
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• pp.281-295
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• 2005

An analytical method is presented to solve the elastodynamic problem of finitely long hollow cylinder subjected to torsional impact often occurs in engineering mechanics. The analytical solution is composed of a solution of quasi-static equation satisfied with the non-homogeneous boundary condition and a solution of dynamic equation satisfied with homogeneous boundary condition. The quasi-static solution is obtained directly by solving the quasi-static equation satisfied with the non-homogeneous boundary condition. The solution of the non-homogeneous dynamic equation is obtained by means of finite Hankel transform on the radial variable, r, Laplace transform on time variable, t, and finite Fourier transform on axial variable, z. Thus, the solution for finitely long, hollow cylinder subjected to torsion impact is obtained. In the calculating examples, the response histories and distributions of shear stress in the finitely long hollow cylinder subjected to an exponential decay torsion load are obtained, and the results have been analyzed and discussed. Finally, a dynamic finite element for the same problem is carried out by using ABAQUS finite element analysis. Comparing the analytical solution with the finite element solution, it can be found that two kinds of results obtained by means of two different methods agree well. Therefore, it is further concluded that the analytical method and computing process presented in the paper are effective and accurate.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제57권1호
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• pp.45-63
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• 2016

Fiber metal laminates (FMLs) represent a high-performance family of hybrid materials which consist of thin metal sheets bonded together with alternating unidirectional fiber layers. In this study, the buckling behavior of a FML circular cylindrical shell under axial compression is investigated via both analytical and finite element approaches. The governing equations are derived based on the first-order shear deformation theory and solved by the Navier solution method. Also, the buckling load of a FML cylindrical shell is calculated using linear eigenvalue analysis in commercial finite element software, ABAQUS. Due to lack of experimental and analytical data for buckling behavior of FML cylindrical shells in the literature, the proposed model is simplified to the full-composite and full-metal cylindrical shells and buckling loads are compared with the available results. Afterwards, the effects of FML parameters such as metal volume fraction (MVF), composite fiber orientation, stacking sequence of layers and geometric parameters are studied on the buckling loads. Results show that the FML layup has the significant effect on the buckling loads of FML cylindrical shells in comparison to the full-composite and full-metal shells. Results of this paper hopefully provide a useful guideline for engineers to design an efficient and economical structure.

• Advances in nano research
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• 제4권2호
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• pp.65-84
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• 2016

This paper investigates the buckling behavior of shear deformable piezoelectric (FGP) nanoscale beams made of functionally graded (FG) materials embedded in Winkler-Pasternak elastic medium and subjected to an electro-magnetic field. Magneto-electro-elastic (MEE) properties of piezoelectric nanobeam are supposed to be graded continuously in the thickness direction based on power-law model. To consider the small size effects, Eringen's nonlocal elasticity theory is adopted. Employing Hamilton's principle, the nonlocal governing equations of the embedded piezoelectric nanobeams are obtained. A Navier-type analytical solution is applied to anticipate the accurate buckling response of the FGP nanobeams subjected to electro-magnetic fields. To demonstrate the influences of various parameters such as, magnetic potential, external electric voltage, power-law index, nonlocal parameter, elastic foundation and slenderness ratio on the critical buckling loads of the size-dependent MEE-FG nanobeams, several numerical results are provided. Due to the shortage of same results in the literature, it is expected that the results of the present study will be instrumental for design of size-dependent MEE-FG nanobeams.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제40권2호
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• pp.257-277
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• 2011

In this paper the geometrically nonlinear continuum plate finite element model, hitherto not reported in the literature, is developed using the total Lagrange formulation. With the layerwise displacement field of Reddy, nonlinear Green-Lagrange small strain large displacements relations (in the von Karman sense) and linear elastic orthotropic material properties for each lamina, the 3D elasticity equations are reduced to 2D problem and the nonlinear equilibrium integral form is obtained. By performing the linearization on nonlinear integral form and then the discretization on linearized integral form, tangent stiffness matrix is obtained with less manipulation and in more consistent form, compared to the one obtained using laminated element approach. Symmetric tangent stiffness matrixes, together with internal force vector are then utilized in Newton Raphson's method for the numerical solution of nonlinear incremental finite element equilibrium equations. Despite of its complex layer dependent numerical nature, the present model has no shear locking problems, compared to ESL (Equivalent Single Layer) models, or aspect ratio problems, as the 3D finite element may have when analyzing thin plate behavior. The originally coded MATLAB computer program for the finite element solution is used to verify the accuracy of the numerical model, by calculating nonlinear response of plates with different mechanical properties, which are isotropic, orthotropic and anisotropic (cross ply and angle ply), different plate thickness, different boundary conditions and different load direction (unloading/loading). The obtained results are compared with available results from the literature and the linear solutions from the author's previous papers.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제41권3호
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• pp.313-337
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• 2012

A three-dimensional formulation is proposed to analyze the lateral loading distribution of external actions in high-rise buildings. The method is extended to encompass any combination of bracings, including bracings with open thin-walled cross-sections, which are analyzed in the framework of Timoshenko-Vlasov's theory of sectorial areas. More in detail, the proposed unified approach is a tool for the preliminary stages of structural design. It considers infinitely rigid floors in their own planes, and allows to better understand stress and strain distributions in the different bearing elements if compared to a finite element analysis. Numerical examples, describing the structural response of tall buildings characterized by bracings with different cross-section and height, show the effectiveness and flexibility of the proposed method. The accuracy of the results is investigated by a comparison with finite element solutions, in which the bracings are modelled as three-dimensional structures by means of shell elements.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• 제10권1호
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• pp.239-260
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• 2016

Tuned mass dampers (TMDs) have been frequently proposed to mitigate the detrimental effects of dynamic loadings in structural systems. The effectiveness of this protection strategy has been demonstrated for wind-induced vibrations and, to some extent, for seismic loadings. Within this framework, recent numerical studies have shown that beneficial effects can be achieved by placing a linear TMD on the roof of linear elastic structural systems subjected to pulse-like ground motions. Motivated by these positive outcomes, closed-form design formulations have been also proposed to optimize the device's parameters. For structural systems that undergo a near-fault pulse-like ground motion, however, it is unlikely that their dynamic response be linear elastic. Hence, it is very important to understand whether such strategy is effective for inelastic structural systems. In order to provide new useful insights about this issue, the paper presents statistical results obtained from a numerical study conducted for three shear-type hysteretic (softening-type) systems having 4, 8 and 16 stories equipped with a linear elastic TMD. The effectiveness of two design procedures is discussed by examining the performances of the protected systems subjected to 124 natural pulse-like earthquakes.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제35권4호
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• pp.459-478
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• 2010

This paper contains detailed descriptions of a dynamic time-history modal analysis to calculate deflection, inter-storey drift and storey shear demand in single-storey and multi-storey buildings using an EXCEL spreadsheet. The developed spreadsheets can be used to obtain estimates of the dynamic response parameters with minimum input information, and is therefore ideal for supporting the conceptual design of tall building structures, or any other structures, in the early stages of the design process. No commercial packages, when customised, could compete with spreadsheets in terms of simplicity, portability, versatility and transparency. An innovative method for developing the stiffness matrix for the lateral load resistant elements in medium-rise and high-rise buildings is also introduced. The method involves minimal use of memory space and computational time, and yet allows for variations in the sectional properties of the lateral load resisting elements up the height of the building and the coupling of moment frames with structural walls by diaphragm action. Numerical examples are used throughout the paper to illustrate the development and use of the spreadsheet programs.