• Interaction and multiscale mechanics
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.339-356
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• 2013

This paper investigates the optimized parameters of Tuned Mass Dampers (TMDs) for vibration control of high-rise structures including Soil Structure Interaction (SSI). The Artificial Bee Colony (ABC) method is employed for optimization. The TMD Mass, damping coefficient and spring stiffness are assumed as the design variables of the controller; and the objective is set as the reduction of both the maximum displacement and acceleration of the building. The time domain analysis based on Newmark method is employed to obtain the displacement, velocity and acceleration of different stories and TMD in response to 6 types of far field earthquakes. The optimized mass, frequency and damping ratio are then formulated for different soil types; and employed for the design of TMD for the 40 and 15 story buildings and 10 different earthquakes, and well results are achieved. This study leads the researchers to the better understanding and designing of TMDs as passive controllers for the mitigation of earthquake oscillations.

• Coupled systems mechanics
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.223-234
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• 2016

The main purpose of current study is to find the soil effects on natural period of elevated tank. The coupled analytical method is used to assess in this study. The current study presented models which are capable to consider the soil dynamic stiffness changes and fluid- structure interaction effects on natural period of elevated tanks. The basic of mentioned models is extracted from elastic beam and lumped mass theory. The finite element is used to verify the results. It is observed that, external excitation can change the natural period of elevated tanks. Considering the increase of excitation frequency, the natural period will be decreased. The concluded values of natural period in case of soft and very soft soil are more affected from excitation frequency values. The high range of excitation frequency may reduce the natural period values. In addition it is observed that the excitation frequency has no significant effect on convective period compare with impulsive period.

• Water for future
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.13-18
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• 1973

If the temperature of free water drops below the freezing point the water turns into ice and its volume increases. Analyzing of the results in test, it is hoped that these is broadly used in engineering plan. The compressive strength of frozen soils and the unconfined compressive strength of the ice. The creep strength depends on factors including creep ratio, time, strain and temperature. For a linear decreases in temperature, strength predicts an exponential increasing. The relationships between dry unit weight and compressive strength, water content and freezing with compacted soil samples, have been analyzed to understand the strength of frozen soil. Therefore, it is thankful that the results of analsis shall find useful application as a framework for generalizing experimental information as well as a basis for solving various frozen soil mechanics problems.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.491-500
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• 2015

Under seismic loading, underground station structures behave differently from above ground structures. Underground structures do not require designated energy dissipation system for seismic loads. These structures are traditionally designed with shear or racking deformation capacity to accommodate the movement of the soil caused by shear waves. The free-field shear deformation method may not be suitable for the design of shallowly buried station structures with complex structural configurations. Alternatively, a station structure can develop rocking mechanisms either as a whole rigid body or as a portion of the structure with plastic hinges. With a rocking mechanism, station structures can be tilted to accommodate lateral shear deformation from the soil. If required, plastic hinges can be implemented to develop rocking mechanism. Generally, rocking structures do not expect significant seismic loads from surrounding soils, although the mechanism may result in significant internal forces and localized soil bearing pressures. This method may produce a reliable and robust design of station structures.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.971-995
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• 2014

The parts of semi-rigid connected and partially embedded piles in elastic soil, above the soil and embedded in the soil are called the first region and second region, respectively. The upper end of the pile in the first region is supported by linear-elastic rotational spring. The forth order differential equations of both region for critical buckling load of partially embedded and semi-rigid connected pile with shear deformation are established using small-displacement theory and Winkler hypothesis. These differential equations are solved by differential transform method (DTM) and analytical method and critical buckling loads of semirigid connected and partially embedded pile are obtained, results are given in tables and graphs are presented for investigating the effects of relative stiffness of the pile and flexibility of rotational spring.

• Coupled systems mechanics
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.213-232
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• 2014

Pounding is a major cause of bridge damage during earthquakes. In an extreme situation, it can even contribute to the unseating of bridge girders. Long-span bridges will inevitably experience spatially varying ground motions. Soil-structure interaction (SSI) may play a significant role in the structural response of these structures. The objective of this research is to experimentally investigate the effect of spatially varying ground motions on the response of a three-segment bridge considering SSI and pounding. To incorporate SSI, the model was placed on sand contained in sandboxes. The sandboxes were fabricated using soft rubber in order to minimise the rigid wall effect. The spatially varying ground motion inputs were simulated based on the New Zealand design spectra for soft soil, shallow soil and strong rock conditions, using an empirical coherency loss function. The results show that with pounding, SSI can amplify the pier bending moments and the relative opening displacements.

• Coupled systems mechanics
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.233-245
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• 2014

Coupled finite element analysis is carried out to study the effect of degree of saturation on the vertical displacements and pore water pressures simultaneously by developing a FORTRAN90 code. The finite element formulation adopted in the present study is based upon Biot's consolidation theory to include partially saturated soils. Numerical methods are applied to a two-dimensional plane strain strip footing (flexible) problem and the effect of variable degree of saturation on the response of excess pore water pressure dissipation and settlement of the footing is studied. The immediate settlement in the case of partly saturated soils is larger than that of a fully saturated soil, the reason being the presence of pore air in partially saturated soils. On the other hand, the excess pore water pressure for partially saturated soil are smaller than those for fully saturated soil.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.69 no.5
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• pp.547-555
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• 2019

In this study, vibration analysis of a concrete foundation-reinforced by $SiO_2$ nanoparticles resting on soil bed is investigated. The soil medium is simulated with spring constants. Furthermore, the Mori-Tanaka low is used for obtaining the material properties of nano-composite structure and considering agglomeration effects. Using third order shear deformation theory or Reddy theory, the total potential energy of system is calculated and by means of the Hamilton's principle, the coupled motion equations are obtained. Also, based an analytical method, the frequency of system is calculated. The effects of volume percent and agglomeration of $SiO_2$ nanoparticles, soil medium and geometrical parameters of structure are shown on the frequency of system. Results show that with increasing the volume percent of $SiO_2$ nanoparticles, the frequency of structure is increased.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.1-22
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• 2014

A seismic evaluation is made of the response to horizontal ground shaking of cantilever retaining walls using the finite element model in three dimensional space whose verification is provided analytically through the modal analysis technique in case of the assumptions of fixed base, complete bonding behavior at the wall-soil interface, and elastic behavior of soil. Thanks to the versatility of the finite element model, the retained medium is then idealized as a uniform, elastoplastic stratum of constant thickness and semi-infinite extent in the horizontal direction considering debonding behavior at the interface in order to perform comprehensive soil-structure interaction (SSI) analyses. The parameters varied include the flexibility of the wall, the properties of the soil medium, and the characteristics of the ground motion. Two different finite element models corresponding with flexible and rigid wall configurations are studied for six different soil types under the effects of two different ground motions. The response quantities examined incorporate the lateral displacements of the wall relative to the moving base and the stresses in the wall in all directions. The results show that the wall flexibility and soil properties have a major effect on seismic behavior of cantilever retaining walls and should be considered in design criteria of cantilever walls. Furthermore, the results of the numerical investigations are expected to be useful for the better understanding and the optimization of seismic design of this particular type of retaining structure.

• Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.63-68
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• 2001

The objective of this study was to develop a real-time soil moisture meter using RF impedance. The impedance suchas capacitance and resistance (or conductance) was analyzed using parallel cylinder type capacitance probe(C-probe) and Q-meter (HP4342). The capacitance and conductance of soil increased as volumetric water content increased. The 5 MHz of modified Colpitts type crystal oscillator was designed to detect the capacitance change of the C-probe with moist soil. A third order polynomial regression model was proposed to describe the relationship between RF impedance and volumetric water content. The prototype real time moisture meter consisted of the C-probe, sample container, oscillator, frequency counter and related signal processing units. The calibration equation for measurement of volumetric moisture content of soil was developed and validated. The correlation coefficient and root mean square error between measured volumetric water content by oven method and predicted values by prototype moisture meter for unknown soil samples were 0.984 and 0.032$cm^3$$cm\^3$, respectively.