• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.519-530
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• 1998

In this paper, the basic study on the design of the flexible keel of the energy-storage prosthetic foot was performed in order to Improve the walking performance and Increase the activities of the below knee amputees. Based on the analysis of the anthropometric data and the normal gait on two dimensional sagittal plane available In the literature, we presented a model of the basic structure of the flexible keel of the prosthetic foot. The model of the basic structure was composed of the simple beams, and linear rotational spring and damper. Laminated carbon fiber-reinforced composites were selected as the material of the basic structure model of the flexible keel In order to apply the high strength and light weight materials to the basic structure of the flexible keel of the prosthetic foot. The recoverable strain energy In response to the change of beam shape was calculated bur the finite element analysis and it was suggested that the change of beam shape could be the design variable in flexible keel design. The simulation process was systematically designed by using orthogonal array table in order to design the flexible keel structure which could store the more recoverable strain energy. finite element analysis was carried but according to the design of simulations by using the finite element program ABAQUS and the flexible keel structure of the energy-storage prosthetic foot was obtained from the analysis of variance(ANOVA). The dynamic simulation model of the prosthetic walking using the flexible keel structure was made and the dynamic analysis was carried but during one walk cycle. Based on the above results, an effective design process was presented for the development of the prosthetic fool system.

• International Journal of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.1130-1147
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• 2014

Large size ships have a very flexible construction resulting in low resonance frequencies of the structural eigen-modes. This feature increases the dynamic response of the structure on short period waves (springing) and on impulsive wave loads (whipping). This dynamic response in its turn increases both the fatigue damage and the ultimate load on the structure; these aspects illustrate the importance of including the dynamic response into the design loads for these ship types. Experiments have been carried out using a segmented scaled model of a container ship in a Seakeeping Basin. This paper describes the development of the model for these experiments; the choice was made to divide the hull into six rigid segments connected with a flexible beam. In order to model the typical feature of the open structure of the containership that the shear center is well below the keel line of the vessel, the beam was built into the model as low as possible. The model was instrumented with accelerometers and rotation rate gyroscopes on each segment, relative wave height meters and pressure gauges in the bow area. The beam was instrumented with strain gauges to measure the internal loads at the position of each of the cuts. Experiments have been carried out in regular waves at different amplitudes for the same wave period and in long crested irregular waves for a matrix of wave heights and periods. The results of the experiments are compared to results of calculations with a linear model based on potential flow theory that includes the effects of the flexural modes. Some of the tests were repeated with additional links between the segments to increase the model rigidity by several orders of magnitude, in order to compare the loads between a rigid and a flexible model.