• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.64 no.2
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• pp.183-194
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• 2017

This paper presents the experimental investigation into a new type of steel-concrete hybrid outrigger system developed for the high-rise building structure. The steel truss is embedded into the reinforced concrete outrigger wall, and both the steel truss and concrete outrigger wall work compositely to enhance the overall structural performance of the tower structures under extreme loads. Meanwhile, metal dampers of low-yield steel material were also adopted as a 'fuse' device between the hybrid outrigger and the column. The damper is engineered to be 'scarified' and yielded first under moderate to severe earthquakes in order to protect the structural integrity of important structural components of the hybrid outrigger system. As such, not brittle failure is likely to happen due to the severe cracking in the concrete outrigger wall. A comprehensive experimental research program was conducted into the structural performance of this new type of hybrid outrigger system. Studies on both the key component and overall system tests were conducted, which reveal the detailed structural response under various levels of applied static and cyclic loads. It was demonstrated that both the steel bracing and concrete outrigger wall are able to work compositely with the low-yield steel damper and exhibits both good load carrying capacities and energy dispersing performance through the test program. It has the potential to be applied and enhance the overall structural performance of the high-rise structures over 300 m under extreme levels of loads.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.99-110
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• 2017

Service life assessments which do not include the synergy between mechanical and environmental loading are neglecting a factor that can have a significant impact on structural safety and durability assessment. The degradation of concrete structure is a result of the combined effect of environmental and mechanical factors. In order to make service life design realistic it is necessary to consider both of these factors acting simultaneously. This paper deals with the advanced modelling of concrete carbonation and chloride ingress into concrete using stochastic 1D and 2D models. Widely accepted models incorporated into the new fib Model Code 2010 are extended to include factors that reflect the coupled effects of mechanical and environmental loads on the durability and reliability of reinforced concrete structures. An example of cooling tower degradation by carbonation and an example of a bended reinforced concrete beam kept for several years in salt fog are numerically studied to show the capability of the stochastic approach. The modelled degradation measures are compared with experimental results, leading to good agreement.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.255-273
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• 2005

Based on the random vibration theory, a response spectrum method is developed for seismic response analysis of linear, multi-degree-of-freedom structures under multi-support excitations is developed. Various response quantities, including the mean and variance of the peak response, the response mean frequency, are obtained from proposed combination rules in terms of the mean response spectrum. This method makes it possible to apply the response spectrum to the seismic reliability analysis of structures subjected to multi-support excitations. Considering that the tedious numerical integration is required to compute the spectral parameters and correlation coefficients in above combination rules, this paper further offers simplified procedures for their computation, which enhance dramatically the computational efficiency of the suggested method. The proposed procedure is demonstrated for tow numerical examples: (1) two-span continuous beam; (2) two-tower cabled-stayed bridge by using Monte Carlo simulation (MC). For this purpose, this paper also presents an approach to simulation of ground motions, which can take into account both mean and variation properties of response spectrum. Computed results based on the response spectrum method are in good agreement with Monte Carlo simulation results. And compared with the MSRS method, a well-developed multi-support response spectrum method, the proposed method has an incomparable computational efficiency.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Advanced Composite Structures
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.42-47
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• 2011

A method of calculating natural frequencies corresponding to the modes of vibration of beams and tower structures with irregular cross sections and arbitrary boundary conditions was developed. The result is compared with that of the beam theory. Finite difference method is used for this purpose. The influence of the $D_{22}$ stiffness on the natural frequency is rigorously investigated. In this paper, the relation between the applied loading sizes and the natural frequency of vibration of some structural elements is presented. The results of application of this method to steel bridge and reinforced concrete slab bridge by using specially orthotropic plate theory is presented.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.115-134
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• 2003

The Ting Kau Bridge in Hong Kong is a cable-stayed bridge comprising two main spans and two side spans. The bridge deck is supported by three towers, an end pier and an abutment. Each of the three towers consists of a single reinforced concrete mast which reduces its section in steps, and it is strengthened by transverse cables and struts in the transverse vertical plane. The bridge deck is supported by four inclined planes of cables emanating from anchorages at the tower tops. In view of the threat from typhoons, the dynamic behaviour of long-span cable-supported bridges in the region is always an important consideration in their design. This paper is devoted to the ambient vibration measurements of the bridge for evaluation of dynamic characteristics including the natural frequencies and mode shapes. It also describes the modelling of the bridge. A few finite element models are developed and calibrated to match with the field data and the results of subsequent structural health monitoring of the bridge.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.411-420
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• 2022

Monitoring large structures is a significant issue involving public health on which new studies are constantly carried out. Although the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) is the most preferable method for measuring structural displacements, total stations, one of the classical geodetic instruments, are the first devices that come to mind in cases that require complementary usage and auxiliary measurement methods. In this study, the relative displacements of the structural movements of a tower were determined using robotic total stations (RTS) and GNSS. Two GNSS receivers and two RTS observations were carried out simultaneously for 10 hours under normal weather conditions. The spectral analysis of the GNSS data was performed using fast Fourier transform (FFT), and while the dominant modal frequencies were determined, the total station data were balanced with the least-squares technique, and the position and position errors were calculated for each measurement epoch. It has been observed that low-frequency structural movements can be determined by both methods. This result shows that total station measurements are a helpful alternative method for monitoring large structures in situations where measurements are not possible due to the basic handicaps of GNSS or where it is necessary to determine displacements with short observations.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.701-718
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• 2015

The joint distribution of wind speed and wind direction at a bridge site is vital to the estimation of the basic wind speed, and hence to the wind-induced vibration analysis of long-span bridges. Instead of the conventional way relying on the weather stations, this study proposed an alternate approach to obtain the original records of wind speed and the corresponding directions based on field measurement supported by the Structural Health Monitoring System (SHMS). Specifically, SHMS of Sutong Cable-stayed Bridge (SCB) is utilized to study the basic wind speed with directional information. Four anemometers are installed in the SHMS of SCB: upstream and downstream of the main deck center, top of the north and south tower respectively. Using the recorded wind data from SHMS, the joint distribution of wind speed and direction is investigated based on statistical methods, and then the basic wind speeds in 10-year and 100-year recurrence intervals at these four key positions are calculated. Analytical results verify the reliability of the recorded wind data from SHMS, and indicate that the joint probability model for the extreme wind speed at SCB site fits well with the Weibull model. It is shown that the calculated basic wind speed is reduced by considering the influence of wind direction. Compared to the design basic wind speed in the Specification of China, basic wind speed considering the influence of direction or not is much smaller, indicating a high safety coefficient in the design of SCB. The results obtained in this study can provide not only references for further wind-resistance research of SCB, but also improve the understanding of the safety coefficient for wind-resistance design of other engineering structures in the similar area.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.43-68
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• 2013

The fluctuating wind induced vibration is one of the most important factors which has been taken into account in the design of long-span bridge due to the low stiffness and low natural frequency. Field measurement characteristics of sustained wind on structure site can provide accurate wind load parameters for wind field simulation and structural wind resistance design. As a suspension bridge with 1490 m main span, the Runyang Suspension Bridge (RSB) has high sensitivity to fluctuating wind. The simultaneous and continuously wind environment field measurement both in mid-span and on tower top is executed from 2005 up to now by the structural health monitoring system installed on this bridge. Based on the recorded data, the wind characteristic parameters, including mean wind speed, wind direction, the turbulence intensity, the gust factors, the turbulence integral length, power spectrum and spatial correlation, are analyzed in detail and the coherence functions of those parameters are evaluated using statistical method in this paper. The results indicate that, the turbulence component of sustain wind is larger than extremely strong winds although its mean wind speed is smaller; the correlation between turbulence parameters is obvious; the power spectrum is special and not accord with the Simiu spectrum and von Karman spectrum. Results obtained in this study can be used to evaluate the long term reliability of the Runyang Suspension Bridge and provide reference values for wind resistant design of other structures in this region.

• Journal of Korean Association for Spatial Structures
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.47-54
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• 2014

This paper presents the structural model development and verification processes of wind turbine blade. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Phase VI wind turbine which the wind tunnel and structural test data has publicly available is used for the study. The wind turbine assembled by blades, rotor, nacelle and tower. The wind blade connected to rotor. To make the whole turbine structural model, the mass and stiffness properties of all parts should be clear and given. However the wind blade, hub, nacelle, rotor and power generating machinery parts have difficulties to define the material properties because of the composite and assembling nature of that. Nowadays to increase the power generating coefficient and cost efficiency, the highly accurate aerodynamic loading evaluating technique should be developed. The Fluid-Structure Interaction (FSI) is the emerging new way to evaluate the aerodynamic force on the rotating wind blade. To perform the FSI analysis, the fluid and structural model which are sharing the associated interface topology have to be provided. In this paper, the structural model of blade development and verifying processes have been explained for Part1. In following Part2 paper, the processes of whole turbine system will be discussing.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.545-560
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• 2012

Design codes provide the minimum requirements for the design of code-compliant structures to ensure the safety of the life and property. As for code-exceeding buildings, the requirements for design are not sufficient and the approval of such structures is vague. In mainland China in recent years, a large number of code-exceeding tall buildings, whether their heights exceed the limit for the respective structure type or the extent of irregularity is violated, have been constructed. Performance-based seismic design (PBSD) approach has been highly recommended and become necessary to demonstrate the performance of code-exceeding tall buildings at least equivalent to code intent of safety. This paper proposes the general methodologies of performance-based seismic analysis and design of code-exceeding tall buildings in Mainland China. The PBSD approach proposed here includes selection of performance objectives, determination of design philosophy, establishment of design criteria for structural components and systems consistent with the desirable and transparent performance objectives, and seismic performance analysis and evaluation through extensive numerical analysis or further experimental study if necessary. The seismic analysis and design of 101-story Shanghai World Financial Center Tower is introduced as a typical engineering example where the PBSD approach is followed. The example demonstrates that the PBSD approach is an appropriate way to control efficiently the seismic damage on the structure and ensure the predictable and safe performance.