• Computers and Concrete
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.305-313
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• 2017

A robust finite element based reinforced concrete bridge deck corrosion initiation model is applied for time-dependent probabilistic sensitivity analysis. The model is focused on uncertainties in the governing parameters that include variation of high performance concrete (HPC) diffusion coefficients, concrete cover depth, surface chloride concentration, holidays in reinforcements, coatings and critical chloride threshold level in several steel reinforcements. The corrosion initiation risk is expressed in the form of probability over intended life span of the bridge deck. Conducted study shows the time-dependent sensitivity analysis to evaluate the significance of governing parameters on chloride ingress rate, various steel reinforcement protection and the corrosion initiation likelihood. Results from this probabilistic analysis provide better insight into the effect of input parameters variation on the estimate of the corrosion initiation risk for the design of concrete structures in harsh chloride environments.

• Structural Monitoring and Maintenance
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.261-281
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• 2020

Civil structures may experience progressive deterioration and damage under environmental and operational conditions over their service life. Finite element (FE) model updating method is one of the most important approaches for damage identification in structures due to its capabilities in structural health monitoring. Although various damage detection approaches have been investigated on structures, there are limited studies on large-sized space structures. Thus, this paper aims to investigate the applicability and efficiency of sensitivity-based FE model updating framework for damage identification in large space structures from a distinct point of view. This framework facilitates modeling and model updating in large and geometric complicated space structures. Considering sensitivity-based FE model updating and vibration measurements, the discrepancy between acceleration response data in real damaged structure and hypothetical damaged structure have been minimized through adjusting the updating parameters. The feasibility and efficiency of the above-mentioned approach for damage identification has finally been demonstrated with two numerical examples: a flat double layer grid and a double layer diamatic dome. According to the results, this method can detect, localize, and quantify damages in large-scaled space structures very accurately which is robust to noisy data. Also, requiring a remarkably small number of iterations to converge, typically less than four, demonstrates the computational efficiency of this method.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.11-20
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• 1993

Sensitivity information is required in the optimal design process. In structural optimization, sensitivity calculation is a bottleneck due to its complexities and expensiveness. Various schemes have been proposed for the calculation. Analytic and finite difference methods are the most popular at the present time. However, they have advantages and disadvantages in different ways. Semi-anayltic method has been suggested to overcome the difficulties. In spite of the excellency, the semi-analytic method has been found to possess numerical error quite much with respect to shape variables. In this research, the error from each method is evaluated and compared using a shape variable. A two-dimensional beam is selected for an example since it has mathematical solution. An efficient method is suggested for the structural optimization which utilizes finite element method.

• Journal of KSNVE
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.479-486
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• 1994

The Finite Element Method(FEM) generally used for the structural analysis has some defects, i.e. a great deal of computational time and huge memory capacity of computer are needed in the application to large and/or complex structures, etc. Therefore the Component Mode Synthesis method(CMS), one of sub-structure synthesis methods, was made to improve such demerits and has been developed up to now. In optimum structural modification problems, the sensitivity analysis method is useful, where the sensitivity-calculated by Fox's suggestion-is defined as the diffentials of design variables for the objective values. This paper discusses the vibration minimization techniques for the oper box type structure, in which it is assumed that an engine operates at 10-40Hz range. The results obtained are as follow; (1) The sensitivity of natural frequency could be easily obtained by sensitivity analysis method and the optimum position to insert pillars could be found by using it. (2) The rates of structural modification could be exactly obtained and the natural frequency observed could be easily shifted to the objective value. (3) The maximum amplitude around natural frequency noted could be nearly reduced to 1/25 by modification.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.17-34
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• 2003

This paper presents a damage assessment procedure applied to periodic spring mass systems using an eigenvalue sensitivity-based method. The damage is directly related to the stiffness reduction of the damage element. The natural frequencies of periodic structures with one single disorder are found by adopting the transfer matrix approach, consequently, the first order approximation of the natural frequencies with respect to the disordered stiffness in different elements is used to form the sensitivity matrix. The analysis shows that the sensitivity of natural frequencies to damage in different locations depends only on the mode number and the location of damage. The stiffness changes due to damage can be identified by solving a set of underdetermined equations based on the sensitivity matrix. The issues associated with many possible damage locations in large structural systems are addressed, and a means of improving the computational efficiency of damage detection while maintaining the accuracy for large periodic structures with limited available measured natural frequencies, is also introduced in this paper. The incomplete measurements and the effect of random error in terms of measurement noise in the natural frequencies are considered. Numerical results of a periodic spring-mass system of 20 degrees of freedom illustrate that the proposed method is simple and robust in locating single or multiple damages in a large periodic structure with a high computational efficiency.

• Journal of Power System Engineering
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.82-89
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• 2001

To design a structural or a mechanical system with the best performance, the main procedure of a typical design usually consists of repeated modifications of design parameters and the investigation of the system response for each set of these parameters. But this procedure requires much time, effort and experience. Sensitivity analysis can provide systematic information for improving performance of a system. The author has studied on the development of the structural analysis algorithm and suggested recently the transfer stiffness coefficient method(TSCM). This method is very suitable algorithm to a personal computer because the concept of the TSCM is based on the transfer of the nodal stiffness coefficients which are related to force and displacement vectors at each node. In this paper, a new sensitivity analysis algorithm using the concept of the TSCM is formulated for the computation of state variable sensitivity in static problems. The trust of the proposed algorithm is confirmed through the comparison with the computation results using existent sensitivity analysis algorithm and reanalysis for computation models.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.445-466
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• 2008

This paper presents a novel structural damage detection method with a new damage index based on the statistical moments of dynamic responses of a structure under a random excitation. After a brief introduction to statistical moment theory, the principle of the new method is put forward in terms of a single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) system. The sensitivity of statistical moment to structural damage is discussed for various types of structural responses and different orders of statistical moment. The formulae for statistical moment-based damage detection are derived. The effect of measurement noise on damage detection is ascertained. The new damage index and the proposed statistical moment-based damage detection method are then extended to multi-degree-of-freedom (MDOF) systems with resort to the leastsquares method. As numerical studies, the proposed method is applied to both single and multi-story shear buildings. Numerical results show that the fourth-order statistical moment of story drifts is a more sensitive indicator to structural stiffness reduction than the natural frequencies, the second order moment of story drift, and the fourth-order moments of velocity and acceleration responses of the shear building. The fourth-order statistical moment of story drifts can be used to accurately identify both location and severity of structural stiffness reduction of the shear building. Furthermore, a significant advantage of the proposed damage detection method lies in that it is insensitive to measurement noise.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.388-399
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• 2003

Light losses in optical fibers are investigated by a fiber optic OTDR (Optical Time Domain Reflectometry) sensor system to develop fiber optic probes for structural strain measurement. The sensing fibers are manufactured 3 kinds of fibers: one is single mode fiber, and second is multimode fiber, and the third is low-cladding-index fiber. Fiber bending tests are performed to determine the strain sensitivity according to the strain of gage length of optical fibers. In the result of this experiments, the strain sensitivity of the single mode fiber was shown the highest value than others. The fiber optic strain probe was manufactured to verify the feasibility of the structural strain measurement. In this test, the fiber optic strain probe of the OTDR sensor could be easily made by the single mode fiber.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.479-490
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• 2002

The structural dynamic optimization problem based on probability is studied. Considering the randomness of structural physical parameters and the given constraint values, we develop a dynamic optimization mathematical model of engineering structures with the probability constraints of frequency, forbidden frequency domain and the vibration mode. The sensitivity of structural dynamic characteristics based on probability is derived. Two examples illustrate that the optimization model and the method applied are rational and efficient.

• Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.1732-1738
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• 2003

The test specimen in environmental vibration test is connected to the fixture through several attachment points. The forces generated by the shaker must be transmitted equally to all attachment points. The forces transmitted to attachment points, however, are different because of the flexural vibration of the fixture. The variations of the transmitted force cause the under-test, especially at anti-resonance frequencies, in vibration test control. Anti-resonance frequencies at the attachment points of the fixture must be same in order to avoid the under-test in vibration test control. The structural modification of the fixture is needed so that anti-resonance frequencies at attachment points have the same value. In this paper, the method to calculate the anti-resonance frequencies and those sensitivities is presented. This sensitivity analysis is applied to the structural modification of the fixture excited at multi-points by the shaker. The antiresonance frequencies at the attachment points of the fixture can have the same value after structural modification, and the under-test in the vibration test control can be removed. Several computer simulations show that the proposed method can remove the under-tests, which are not removed in conventional vibration test control.