This study was intended to efficiently perform the probabilistic optimal safety assessment of steel cable-stayed bridges (SCS bridges) using stochastic finite element analysis (SFEA) and expected life-cycle cost (LCC) concept. To that end, advanced probabilistic finite element algorithm (APFEA) which enables to execute the static and dynamic SFEA considering aleatory uncertainties contained in random variable was developed. APFEA is the useful analytical means enabling to conduct the reliability assessment (RA) in a systematic way by considering the result of SFEA based on linearity and nonlinearity of before or after introducing initial tensile force. The appropriateness of APFEA was verified in such a way of comparing the result of SFEA and that of Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS). The probabilistic method was set taking into account of analytical parameters. The dynamic response characteristic by probabilistic method was evaluated using ASFEA, and RA was carried out using analysis results, thereby quantitatively calculating the probabilistic safety. The optimal design was determined based on the expected LCC according to the results of SFEA and RA of alternative designs. Moreover, given the potential epistemic uncertainty contained in safety index, failure probability and minimum LCC, the sensitivity analysis was conducted and as a result, a critical distribution phase was illustrated using a cumulative-percentile.

Satellites with flexible lightweight solar panels are sensitive to vibration that is caused by internal actuators such as reaction or momentum wheels which are used to control the attitude of the satellite. Any infinitesimal amount of unbalance in the reaction wheels rotors will impose a harmonic excitation which may interact with the solar panels structure. Therefore, quenching the solar panel's vibration is of a practical importance. In the present work, the panels are modeled as laminated composite beam using first-order shear deformation laminated plate theory which accounts for rotational inertia as well as shear deformation effects. The vibration suppression is achieved by bonding patches of piezoelectric material with suitable dimensions at selected locations along the panel. These patches are actuated by driving control voltages. The governing equations for the system are formulated and the dynamic Green's functions are used to present an exact yet simple solution for the problem. A guide lines is proposed for determining the values of the driving voltage in order to suppress the induced vibration.

In this paper, it is aimed to determine the seismic behaviour of highway bridges by nondestructive testing using ambient vibration measurements. Eynel Highway Bridge which has arch type structural system with a total length of 216 m and located in the Ayvaclk county of Samsun, Turkey is selected as an application. The bridge connects the villages which are separated with Suat U$\breve{g}$urlu Dam Lake. A three dimensional finite element model is first established for a highway bridge using project drawings and an analytical modal analysis is then performed to generate natural frequencies and mode shapes in the three orthogonal directions. The ambient vibration measurements are carried out on the bridge deck under natural excitation such as traffic, human walking and wind loads using Operational Modal Analysis. Sensitive seismic accelerometers are used to collect signals obtained from the experimental tests. To obtain experimental dynamic characteristics, two output-only system identification techniques are employed namely, Enhanced Frequency Domain Decomposition technique in the frequency domain and Stochastic Subspace Identification technique in time domain. Analytical and experimental dynamic characteristic are compared with each other and finite element model of the bridge is updated by changing of boundary conditions to reduce the differences between the results. It is demonstrated that the ambient vibration measurements are enough to identify the most significant modes of highway bridges. After finite element model updating, maximum differences between the natural frequencies are reduced averagely from 23% to 3%. The updated finite element model reflects the dynamic characteristics of the bridge better, and it can be used to predict the dynamic response under complex external forces. It is also helpful for further damage identification and health condition monitoring. Analytical model of the bridge before and after model updating is analyzed using 1992 Erzincan earthquake record to determine the seismic behaviour. It can be seen from the analysis results that displacements increase by the height of bridge columns and along to middle point of the deck and main arches. Bending moments have an increasing trend along to first and last 50 m and have a decreasing trend long to the middle of the main arches.

This paper aims at assessing the seismic performance of Tuned Mass Dampers (TMDs) based on sets of recorded ground motions. For the simplest configuration of a structure-TMD assembly, in a comprehensive study characteristic response quantities are derived and statistically evaluated. Optimal tuning of TMD parameters is discussed and evaluated. The response reduction by application of a TMD is quantified depending on the structural period, inherent damping of the stand-alone structure, and ratio of TMD mass to structural mass. The effect of detuning on the stroke of the TMD and on the structural response is assessed and quantified. It is verified that a TMD damping coefficient larger than the optimal one reduces the peak deflection of the TMD spring significantly, whereas the response reduction of the main structure remains almost unaffected. Analytical relations for quantifying the effect of a TMD are derived and subsequently evaluated. These relations allow the engineer in practice a fast and yet accurate assessment of the TMD performance.

Magnetic suspensions based on passive levitation of diamagnetic materials on permanent magnets provide attractive systems for several applications on the micro and meso scales. The magnetic properties of these kinds of suspensions dramatically reduce the global mechanical stiffness of the devices providing significant effects on their dynamic response. The goal of this paper is to investigate the static and dynamic behavior of magnetic suspensions with respect to its dependant parameters. Experimental measurements have been performed on the response of dedicated prototypes where the geometrical dimensions and magnetic field strength have been intended as variable parameters. Some benefits have been documented in the fields of energy harvesting and inertial sensing, while additional applications of magnetic suspensions are under investigation.