The seismic design of conventional frame structures is meant to enhance plastic deformations at beam ends and prevent yielding in columns. To this end, columns are made stronger than beams. Yet yielding in columns cannot be avoided with the column-to-beam strength ratios (about 1.3) prescribed by seismic codes. Preventing plastic deformations in columns calls for ratios close to 4, which is not feasible for economic reasons. Furthermore, material properties and the rearrangement of geometric shapes inevitably make the distribution of damage among stories uneven. Damage in the i-th story can be characterized as the accumulated plastic strain energy (W_pi) normalized by the product of the story shear force (Q_yi) and drift (δ_yi) at yielding. Past studies showed that the distribution of the plastic strain energy dissipation demand, W_pi/ΣW_pj, can be evaluated from the deviation of Q_yi with respect to an "optimum value" that would make the ratio W_pi/(Q_yiδ_yi) -i.e. the damage- equal in all stories. This paper investigates how the soil type and ductility demand affect the optimum lateral strength distribution. New optimum lateral strength distributions are put forth and compared with others proposed in the literature.

This study derives the differential equations of free vertical bending and torsional vibrations for two- and three-pylon suspension bridges using d'Alembert's principle. The respective algorithms for natural vibration frequency and vibration mode are established through the separation of variables. In the case of the three-pylon suspension bridge, the effect of the along-bridge bending vibration of the middle pylon on the vertical bending vibration of the entire bridge is considered. The impact of torsional vibration of the middle pylon about the vertical axis on the torsional vibration of the entire bridge is also analyzed in detail. The feasibility of the proposed method is verified by two engineering examples. A comparative analysis of the results obtained via the proposed and more intricate finite element methods confirmed the former feasibility. Finally, the middle pylon stiffness effect on the vibration frequency of the three-pylon suspension bridge is discussed. It is found that the vibration frequencies of the first- and third-order vertical bending and torsional modes both increase with the middle pylon stiffness. However, the increase amplitudes of third-order bending and torsional modes are relatively small with the middle pylon stiffness increase. Moreover, the second-order bending and torsional frequencies do not change with the middle pylon stiffness.

Until now, a comparative study on fully and partially-connected steel shear walls leading to enhancing strength and stiffness reduction of partially-connected steel plate shear wall structures has not been reported. In this paper a number of 4-story and 8-story steel plate shear walls, are considered with three different connection details of infill plate to surrounding frame. The specimens are modeled using nonlinear finite element method verified excellently with the experimental results and analyzed under monotonic loading. A comparison between initial stiffness and shear strength of models as well as percentage of shear force by model boundary frame and infill plate are performed. Moreover, a comparison between energy dissipation, ductility factor and distribution of Von-Mises stresses of models are presented. According to the results, the initial stiffness, shear resistance, energy dissipation and ductility of the models with beam-only connected infill plates (SSW-BO) is found to be about 53%, 12%, 15% and 48% on average smaller than those of models with fully-connected infill plates (SPSW), respectively. However, performance characteristics of semi-supported steel shear walls (SSSW) containing secondary columns by simultaneously decreasing boundary frame strength and increasing thickness of infill plates are comparable to those of SPSWs. Results show that by using secondary columns as well as increasing thickness of infill plates, the stress demands on boundary frame decreases substantially by as much as 35%. A significant increase in infill plate share on shear capacity by as much as 95% and 72% progress for the 4-story SSW-BO and 8-story SSSW8, respectively, as compared with non-strengthened counterparts. A similar trend is achieved by strengthening secondary columns of 4-story SSSW leading to an increase of 50% in shear force contribution of infill plate.

In this study, the continuous and discontinuous contact problems of functionally graded (FG) layer resting on a rigid foundation were considered. The top of the FG layer was loaded by a distributed load. It was assumed that the shear modulus and the density of the layer varied according to exponential functions along the depth whereas the the Poisson ratio remained constant. The problem first was solved analytically and the results were verified with the ones obtained from finite element (FE) solution. In analytical solution, the stress and displacement components for FG layer were obtained by the help of Fourier integral transform. Critical load expression and integral equation for continuous and discontinuous contact, respectively, using corresponding boundary conditions in each case. The finite element solution of the problem was carried out using ANSYS software program. In continuous contact case, initial separation distance and contact stresses along the contact surface between the FG layer and the rigid foundation were examined. Separation distances and contact stresses were obtained in case of discontinuous contact. The effect of material properties and loading were investigated using both analytical and FE solutions. It was shown that obtained results were compatible with each other.

Reinforced concrete beam-column (RCBC) joints of laterally loaded unbraced frames are sometimes controlled by their shear behavior. This behavior relies on multiple and interdependent complex mechanisms. There are already several studies on the influence of some parameters on the shear strength of reinforced concrete joints. However, there are no studies methodically tackling all the most relevant parameters and quantifying their influence on the overall joint behavior, not just on its shear strength. Hence, considering the prohibitive cost of a comprehensive parametric experimental investigation, a nonlinear finite element analysis (NLFEA) was undertaken to identify the key factors affecting the shear behavior of such joints and quantify their influence. The paper presents and discusses the models employed in this NLFEA and the procedure used to deduce the joint behavior from the NLFEA results. Three alternative, or complementary, quantities related to shear are considered when comparing results, namely, the maximum shear stress supported by the joint, the secant shear stiffness at maximum shear stress and the secant shear stiffness in service conditions. Depending on which of these is considered, the lower or higher the relevance of each of the six parameters investigated: transverse reinforcement in the joint, intermediate longitudinal bars and diagonal bars in the column, concrete strength, column axial load and confining elements in transverse direction.

In this study, considering the hydroelastic response represented by the springing and whipping phenomena, we propose a method of estimating the fatigue damage in the longitudinal connections of ships. First, we screened the design sea states using a load transfer function based on the frequency domain. We then conducted a time domain fluid-structure interaction (FSI) analysis using WISH-FLEX, an in-house code based on the weakly nonlinear approach. To obtain an effective and robust analytical result of the hydroelastic response, we also conducted an experimental model test with a 1/50-scale backbone-based model of a ship, and compared the experimental results with those obtained from the FSI analysis. Then, by combining the results obtained from the hydroelastic response with those obtained from the numerical fatigue analysis, we developed a fatigue damage estimation method. Finally, to demonstrate the effectiveness of the developed method, we evaluated the fatigue strength for the longitudinal connections of the real ship and compared it with the results obtained from the model tests.

This paper presents a new design concept for ocean nuclear power plants (ONPPs) using a tension leg platform (TLP). The system-integrated modular advanced reactor, which is one of the successful small modular reactors, is mounted for demonstration. The authors define the design requirements and parameters, modularize and rearrange the nuclear and other facilities, and propose a new total general arrangement. The most fundamental level of design results for the platform and tendon system are provided, and the construction procedure and safety features are discussed. The integrated passive safety system developed for the gravity based structure-type ONPP is also available in the TLP-type ONPP with minor modifications. The safety system fully utilizes the benefits of the ocean environment, and enhances the safety features of the proposed concept. For the verification of the design concept, hydrodynamic analyses are performed using the commercial software ANSYS AQWA with the Pierson-Moskowitz and JONSWAP wave spectra that represent various ocean environments and the results are discussed.

In this paper, we propose an automatic procedure to improve the accuracy of finite element solutions using enriched 2D solid finite elements (4-node quadrilateral and 3-node triangular elements). The enriched elements can improve solution accuracy without mesh refinement by adding cover functions to the displacement interpolation of the standard elements. The enrichment scheme is more effective when used adaptively for areas with insufficient accuracy rather than the entire model. For given meshes, an error for each node is estimated, and then proper degrees of cover functions are applied to the selected nodes. A new error estimation method and cover function selection scheme are devised for the proposed adaptive enrichment scheme. Herein, we demonstrate the proposed enrichment scheme through several 2D problems.

In this article, the values of internal force and deformation of a curved beam under any action with the firm or elastic supports are determined by using structural matrices. The article presents the general differential formulation of a curved beam in global coordinates, which is solved in an orderly manner using simple integrals, thus obtaining the transfer matrix expression. The matrix expression of rigidity is obtained through reordering operations on the transfer notation. The support conditions, firm or elastic, provide twelve equations. The objective of this article is the construction of the algebraic system of order twenty-four, twelve transfer equations and twelve support equations, which relates the values of internal force and deformation associated with the two ends of the directrix of the curved beam. This final algebraic system, expressed in matrix form, is divided into two subsystems: twelve algebraic equations of internal force and twelve algebraic equations of deformation. The internal force and deformation values for any point in the curved beam directrix are determined from these values in the initial position. The five examples presented show how to apply the matrix procedures developed in this article, whether they are curved beams with the firm or elastic support.

Considering inverse cotangential shear strain function, the present paper studies nonlinear stability of nonlocal higher-order refined beams made of metal foams based on Chebyshev-Ritz method. Based on inverse cotangential beam model, it is feasible to incorporate shear deformations needless of shear correction factor. Metal foam is supposed to contain different distributions of pores across the beam thickness. Also, presented Chebyshev-Ritz method can provide a unified solution for considering various boundary conditions based on simply-supported and clamped edges. Nonlinear effects have been included based upon von-karman's assumption and nonlinear elastic foundation. The buckling curves are shown to be affected by pore distribution, geometric imperfection of the beam, nonlocal scale factor, foundation and geometrical factors.

Masonry infills are normally considered as non-structural elements in design practice, therefore, the interaction between the bounding frame and the strength contribution of masonry infills is commonly ignored in the seismic analysis work of the RC frames. However, a number of typical RC frames with irregular distributed masonry infills have suffered from undesirable weak-story failure in major earthquakes, which indicates that ignoring the influence of masonry infills may cause great seismic collapse risk of RC frames. This paper presented the investigation on the risk of seismic collapse of RC frames with irregularly distributed masonry infills through a large number of nonlinear time history analyses (NTHAs). Based on the results of NTHAs, seismic fragility curves were developed for RC frames with various distribution patterns of masonry infills. It was found that the existence of masonry infills generally reduces the collapse risk of the RC frames under both frequent happened and very strong earthquakes, however, the severe irregular distribution of masonry infills, such as open ground story scenario, results in great risk of forming a weak story failure. The strong-column weak-beam (SCWB) ratio has been widely adopted in major seismic design codes to control the potential of weak story failures, where a SCWB ratio value about 1.2 is generally accepted as the lower limit. In this study, the effect of SCWB ratio on inter-story drift distribution was also parametrically investigated. It showed that improving the SCWB ratio of the RC frames with irregularly distributed masonry infills can reduce inter-story drift concentration index under earthquakes, therefore, prevent weak story failures. To achieve the same drift concentration index limit of the bare RC frame with SCWB ratio of about 1.2, which is specified in ACI318-14, the SCWB ratio of masonry-infilled RC frames should be no less than 1.5. For the open ground story scenario, this value can be as high as 1.8.