• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.497-517
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• 2015

In this study, nonlocal nonlinear buckling analysis of embedded polymeric temperature-dependent microplates resting on an elastic matrix as orthotropic temperature-dependent elastomeric medium is investigated. The microplate is reinforced by single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) in which the equivalent material properties nanocomposite are estimated based on the rule of mixture. For the carbon-nanotube reinforced composite (CNTRC) plate, both cases of uniform distribution (UD) and functionally graded (FG) distribution patterns of SWCNT reinforcements are considered. The small size effects of microplate are considered based on Eringen's nonlocal theory. Based on orthotropic Mindlin plate theory along with von K$\acute{a}$rm$\acute{a}$n geometric nonlinearity and Hamilton's principle, the governing equations are derived. Generalized differential quadrature method (GDQM) is applied for obtaining the buckling load of system. The effects of different parameters such as nonlocal parameters, volume fractions of SWCNTs, distribution type of SWCNTs in polymer, elastomeric medium, aspect ratio, boundary condition, orientation of foundation orthtotropy direction and temperature are considered on the nonlinear buckling of the microplate. Results indicate that CNT distribution close to top and bottom are more efficient than those distributed nearby the mid-plane for increasing the buckling load.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.1541-1555
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• 2015

In this paper mechanical behavior of the functional gradient materials (FGM) micro-gripper under thermal load and DC voltage is numerically investigated taking into account the effect of intermolecular forces. In contrary to the similar previous works, which have been conducted for homogenous material, here, the FGM material has been implemented. It is assumed that the FGM micro-gripper is made of metal and ceramic and that material properties are changed continuously along the beam thickness according to a given function. The nonlinear governing equations of the static and dynamic deflection of microbeams have been derived using the coupled stress theory. The equations have been solved using the Galerkin based step-by-step linearization method (SSLM). The solution procedure has been evaluated against available data of literature showing good agreement. A parametric study has been conducted, focusing on the combined effects of important parameters included DC voltage, temperature variation, geometrical dimensions and ceramic volume concentration on the dynamic response and stability of the FGM micro-gripper.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.427-444
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• 2012

This paper presented a new aerial platform-AERORail for rail transport and its structure evolution based on the elastic stiffness of cable; through the analysis on the cable properties when the cable supported a small service load with high-tensile force, summarized the theoretical basis of the AERORail structure and the corresponding simplified analysis model. There were 60 groups of experiments for a single naked cable model under different tensile forces and different services loads, and 48 groups of experiments for the cable with rail combined structure model. The experimental results of deflection characteristics were compared with the theoretical values for these two types of structures under the same conditions. It proved that the results almost met the classical cable theory. The reason is that a small deflection was required when this structure was applied. After the tension increments tests with moving load, it is verified that the relationships between the structure stiffness and tension force and service load are simple. Before further research and applications are made, these results are necessary for the determination of the reasonable and economic tensile force, allowable service load for the special span length for this new platform.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.409-421
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• 2012

Recently, as the height of building is getting higher, the applications of CFST column for high-rise buildings have been increased. In structural system of high-rise building, The RC core and exterior concrete-filled tubular (CFST) column-beam pinned connection is one of the structural systems that support lateral load. If this structural system is used, due to the minimal CFST column thickness compared to that of the CFST column width, the local moment occurred by the eccentric distance between the column flange surface from shear bolts joints degrades the shear strength of the CFST column-beam pinned connections. This study performed a finite element analysis to investigate the shear strength under eccentric moment of the CFST column-beam pinned connections. The column's width and thickness were used as variables for the analysis. To guarantee the reliability of the finite element analysis, an actual-size specimens were fabricated and tested. The yield line theory was used to formulate an shear strength formula for the CFT column-beam pinned connection. the shear strength formula was suggested through comparison on the results of FEM analysis, test and yield lime theory, the shear strength formula was suggested.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.67-84
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• 2008

The present contribution is concerned with the static and dynamic stability of a piezo-laminated Bernoulli-Euler beam subjected to an axial compressive force. Recently, an inconsistent derivation of the equations of motions of such a smart structural system has been presented in the literature, where it has been claimed, that an axial piezoelectric actuation can be used to control its stability. The main scope of the present paper is to show that this unfortunately is impossible. We present a consistent theory for composite beams in plane bending. Using an exact description of the kinematics of the beam axis, together with the Bernoulli-Euler assumptions, we obtain a single-layer theory capable of taking into account the effects of piezoelectric actuation and buckling. The assumption of an inextensible beam axis, which is frequently used in the literature, is discussed afterwards. We show that the cited inconsistent beam model is due to inadmissible mixing of the assumptions of an inextensible beam axis and a vanishing axial displacement, leading to the erroneous result that the stability might be enhanced by an axial piezoelectric actuation. Our analytical formulations for simply supported Bernoulli-Euler type beams are verified by means of three-dimensional finite element computations performed with ABAQUS.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.66 no.6
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• pp.771-781
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• 2018

This study deals with free vibrations analysis with stretching effect of nanocomposite beams reinforced by single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) resting on an elastic foundation. Four different carbon nanotubes (CNTs) distributions including uniform and three types of functionally graded distributions of CNTs through the thickness are considered. The rule of mixture is used to describe the effective material properties of the nanocomposite beams. The significant feature of this model is that, in addition to including the shear deformation effect and stretching effect it deals with only 4 unknowns without including a shear correction factor. The governing equations are derived through using Hamilton's principle. Natural frequencies are obtained for nanocomposite beams. The mathematical models provided in this paper are numerically validated by comparison with some available results. New results of free vibration analyses of CNTRC beams based on the present theory with stretching effect is presented and discussed in details. The effects of different parameters of the beam on the vibration responses of CNTRC beam are discussed.

• Composites Research
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.8-13
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• 2004

A new three-dimensional model fur stress-strain relation of a porous shape memory alloy has been proposed, where Eshelby's equivalent inclusion method with Mori-Tanaka's mean field theory is used. The predicted stress-strain relations by the present model are compared and show good agreements with the experimental results for the Ni-Ti shape memory alloy with porosity of 12%. Unlike linear stress-strain relations during phase transformations by other models from the literature, the present model shows nonlinear stress-strain relation in the vicinity of martensite finish region.

• Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2002

In this study, a passive suppression scheme for nonlinear flutter problem of composite panel, which is believed to be more reliable than the active control methods in practical operations, is proposed. This scheme utilizes a piezoelectric inductor-resistor series shunt circuit. The finite element equations of motion for an electromechanically coupled system is derived by applying the Hamilton\\`s principle. The aerodynamic theory adopted for the present study is based on the quasi-steady piston theory, and von-barman nonlinear strain-displacement relation is also applied. The passive suppression results for nonlinear panel flutter are obtained in the time domain using the Newmark-$\beta$ method. To achieve the best damping effect, optimal shape and location of fille piezoceramic (PZT) patches are determined by using genetic algorithms. The effects of passive suppression are investigated by employing in turn one shunt circuit and two independent shunt circuits. Feasibility studies show that two independent inductor-resistor shunt circuits suppresses flutter more effectively than a single shunt circuit. The results clearly demonstrate that the passive damping scheme that uses piezoelectric shunt circuit can effectively attenuate the flutter.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.1 no.3
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• pp.295-312
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• 2001

The purpose of this paper is to propose a new type of steel reinforced concrete (SRC) beam-column joints and to examine the structural performance of the proposed joints, which simplify the construction procedure of steel fabrication, welding works, concrete casting and joint strengthening. In the proposed beam-column joints, the steel element of columns forms continuously built-in crossing of H-sections (${\Box}$), with adjacent flanges of column being connected by horizontal stiffeners in a joint at the level of the beam flanges. In addition, simplified lateral reinforcement (${\Box}$) is adopted in a joint to confine the longitudinal reinforcing bars in columns. Experimental and analytical studies have been carried out to estimate the structural performance of the proposed joints. Twelve cruciform specimens and seven SRC beam-column subassemblage specimens were prepared and tested. The following can be concluded from this study: (1) SRC subassemblages with the proposed beam-column joints show adequate seismic performances which are superior to the demand of the current code; (2) The yield and ultimate strength capacities of the beam-to-column connections can be estimated by analysis based on the yield line theory; (3) The skeleton curves and the ultimate shear capacities of the beam-column joint panel are predicted with a fair degree of accuracy by considering a simple stress transfer mechanism.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.473-506
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• 2016

The aim of this work is the development of a 2D quadrilateral isoparametric finite element model, based on a layerwise approach, for the bending analysis of sandwich plates. The face sheets and the core are modeled individually using, respectively, the first order shear deformation theory and the third-order plate theory. The displacement continuity condition at the interfaces 'face sheets-core' is satisfied. The assumed natural strains method is introduced to avoid an eventual shear locking phenomenon. The developed element is a four-nodded isoparametric element with fifty two degrees-of-freedom (52 DOF). Each face sheet has only two rotational DOF per node and the core has nine DOF per node: six rotational degrees and three translation components which are common for the all sandwich layers. The performance of the proposed element model is assessed by six examples, considering symmetric/unsymmetric composite sandwich plates with different aspect ratios, loadings and boundary conditions. The numerical results obtained are compared with the analytical solutions and the numerical results obtained by other authors. The results indicate that the proposed element model is promising in terms of the accuracy and the convergence speed for both thin and thick plates.