• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.57 no.5
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• pp.809-821
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• 2016

Concentric-tube continuum robots have formed an active field of research in robotics because of their manipulative exquisiteness essential to facilitate delicate surgical procedures. A set of concentric tubes with designed initial curvatures comprises a robot whose workspace can be controlled by relative translations and rotations of the tubes. Kinematic models have been widely used to predict the movement of the robot, but they are incapable of describing its time-dependent hysteretic behaviors accurately particularly when snapping occurs. To overcome this limitation, here we present a finite element modeling approach to investigating the dynamics of concentric-tube continuum robots. In our model, each tube is discretized using MITC shell elements and its transient responses are computed implicitly using the Bathe time integration method. Inter-tube contacts, the key actuation mechanism of this robot, are modeled using the constraint function method with contact damping to capture the hysteresis in robot trajectories. Performance of the proposed method is demonstrated by analyzing three specifications of two-tube robots including the one exhibiting snapping phenomena while the method can be applied to multiple-tube robots as well.

• Coupled systems mechanics
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.429-444
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• 2023

The comprehension and structural modeling of masonry constructions is fundamental to safeguard the integrity of built cultural assets and intervene through adequate actions, especially in earthquake-prone regions. Despite the availability of several modeling strategies and modern computing power, modeling masonry remains a great challenge because of still demanding computational efforts, constraints in performing destructive or semi-destructive in-situ tests, and material uncertainties. This paper investigates the shear behavior of masonry walls by applying a plane-stress FE continuum model with the Modified Masonry-like Material (MMLM). Epistemic uncertainty affecting input parameters of the MMLM is considered in a probabilistic framework. After appointing a suitable probability density function to input quantities according to prior engineering knowledge, uncertainties are propagated to outputs relying on gPCE-based surrogate models to considerably speed up the forward problem-solving. The sensitivity of the response to input parameters is evaluated through the computation of Sobol' indices pointing out the parameters more worthy to be further investigated, when dealing with the seismic assessment of masonry buildings. Finally, masonry mechanical properties are calibrated in a probabilistic setting with the Bayesian approach to the inverse problem based on the available measurements obtained from the experimental load-displacement curves provided by shear compression in-situ tests.

• Interaction and multiscale mechanics
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.219-237
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• 2011

Recent advances in scientific computing enable the full atomistic simulation of DNA molecules. However, there exists length and time scale limitations in molecular dynamics (MD) simulation for large DNA molecules. In this work, a two-level homogenization of DNA molecules is proposed. A wavelet projection method is first introduced to form a coarse-grained DNA molecule represented with superatoms. The coarsened MD model offers a simplified molecular structure for the continuum description of DNA molecules. The coarsened DNA molecular structure is then homogenized into a three-dimensional beam with embedded molecular properties. The methods to determine the elasticity constants in the continuum model are also presented. The proposed continuum model is adopted for the study of mechanical behavior of DNA loop.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.3 no.5
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• pp.411-427
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• 1995

The most known continuum damage theories for brittle structures are suitable to model the degradation of the material due to the deformation process and the consequent initiation of a macro-crack. Nevertheless, they are not able to describe the propagation of the crack that leads, eventually, to the breakage of the structure into parts that undergo rigid body motion. This paper presents a theory, formulated from formal arguments of Continuum Mechanics, that may describe not only the degradation but also the fracture of elastic structures. The modeling of such a discontinuous phenomenon through a continuous theory is possible by taking a cohesion variable, related with the links between material points, as an additional degree of kinematical freedom. The possibilities of the proposed theory are discussed through examples.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2001.11a
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• pp.85-89
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• 2001

Hamiltonian modeling approach has been extensively adopted for rigid body dynamics whereas its usage for deforming flexible continuum dynamics has been limited. A set of Hamilton＇s equations for flexible body motion with finite deformation has been derived and applied for a nonlinear impact problem.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.20 no.9
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• pp.478-482
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• 2010

A series of molecular dynamic (MD), finite element (FE) and ab initio simulations are carried out to establish suitable modeling schemes for the continuum-based analysis of aluminum matrix nanocomposites reinforced with carbon nanotubes (CNTs). From a comparison of the MD with FE models and inferences based on bond structures and electron distributions, we propose that the effective thickness of a CNT wall for its continuum representation should be related to the graphitic inter-planar spacing of 3.4${\AA}$. We also show that shell element representation of a CNT structure in the FE models properly simulated the carbon-carbon covalent bonding and long-range interactions in terms of the load-displacement behaviors. Estimation of the effective interfacial elastic properties by ab initio simulations showed that the in-plane interfacial bond strength is negligibly weaker than the normal counterpart due to the nature of the weak secondary bonding at the CNT-Al interface. Therefore, we suggest that a third-phase solid element representation of the CNT-Al interface in nanocomposites is not physically meaningful and that spring or bar element representation of the weak interfacial bonding would be more appropriate as in the cases of polymer matrix counterparts. The possibility of treating the interface as a simply contacted phase boundary is also discussed.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.55.1-55.1
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• 2016

We have developed a module for the dust continuum radiative transfer calculation as part of "Packages of Unified modeling for Radiative transfer, gas Energetics, and Chemistry (PUREC)". PUREC will be applied to interprete observations of protoplanetary disks. When a disk is under the hydrostatic equilibrium condition, the dust temperature and the vertical density structure should be calculated simultaneously. This module calculates the dust temperature by using the method of mean intensity (Lucy et al. 1999). In the very optically thick mid-palne, the Monte-carlo method is not efficient, thus, we apply "modified random walk" and "Partial Diffusion Approximation" to the module. The module has been verified by bechmark tests.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.411-437
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• 2012

In this paper, we propose a continuum mechanics based 3-D beam finite element with cross-sectional discretization allowing for warping displacements. The beam element is directly derived from the assemblage of 3-D solid elements, and this approach results in inherently advanced modeling capabilities of the beam element. In the beam formulation, warping is fully coupled with bending, shearing, and stretching. Consequently, the proposed beam elements can consider free and constrained warping conditions, eccentricities, curved geometries, varying sections, as well as arbitrary cross-sections (including thin/thick-walled, open/closed, and single/multi-cell cross-sections). We then study the modeling and predictive capabilities of the beam elements in twisting beam problems according to geometries, boundary conditions, and cross-sectional meshes. The results are compared with reference solutions obtained by analytical methods and solid and shell finite element models. Excellent modeling capabilities and solution accuracy of the proposed beam element are observed.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.657-674
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• 2009

In this paper a 3-D continuum damage mechanics formulation for composite laminates and its implementation into a finite element model that is based on the layer-wise laminate plate theory are described. In the damage formulation, each composite ply is treated as a homogeneous orthotropic material exhibiting orthotropic damage in the form of distributed microscopic cracks that are normal to the three principal material directions. The progressive damage of different angle ply composite laminates under quasi-static loading that exhibit the free edge effects are investigated. The effects of various numerical modeling parameters on the progressive damage response are investigated. It will be shown that the dominant damage mechanism in the lay-ups of [+30/-30]s and [+45/-45]s is matrix cracking. However, the lay-up of [+15/-15] may be delaminated in the vicinity of the edges and at $+{\theta}/-{\theta}$ layers interfaces.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.101-106
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• 2009

The disjoining pressure is an important physical property in modeling the small-scale transport phenomena on thin film. It is a very useful definition in characterizing the non-continuum effects that are not negligible in heat and mass transport of the film thinner than submicro-scales. We present the calculated values of disjoining pressure of He, Kr and Xe thin films absorbed on graphite substrate using Molecular Dynamics Simulation (MD). The disjoining pressure is accurately calculated in the resolution of a molecular scale of the film thickness. The characteristics of the pressure are discussed regarding the molecular nature of the fluid system such as molecular diameter and intermolecular interaction parameters. The MD results are also compared with those based on the continuum approximation of the slab-like density profile and the results on other novel gases in the previous study. The discrepancies of the continuum model with MD results are shown in all three configurations and discussed in the view point of molecular features.