• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.221-238
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• 2014

A four-noded curved shell finite element for the geometrically non-linear analysis of beams curved in plan is introduced. The structure is conceived as a sequence of macro-elements (ME) having the form of transversal segments of identical topology where each slice is formed using a number of the curved shell elements which have 7 degrees of freedom (DOF) per node. A curved box-girder beam example is modelled using various meshes and linear analysis results are compared to the solutions of a well-known computer program SAP2000. Linear and non-linear analyses of the beam under increasing uniformly distributed loads are also carried out. In addition to box-girder beams, the proposed element can also be used in modelling open-section beams with curved or straight axes and circular plates under radial compression. Buckling loads of a circular plate example are obtained for coarse and successively refined meshes and results are compared with each other. The advantage of this element is that curved systems can be realistically modelled and satisfactory results can be obtained even by using coarse meshes.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.393-417
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• 2015

In this paper an 8-node quadrilateral assumed stress hybrid Mindlin plate element with $39{\beta}$ is presented. The formulation is based on complementary energy principle. The proposed element is free of shear locking and is capable of passing all the patch tests, especially the non-zero constant shear enhanced patch test. To accomplish this purpose, special attention is devoted to selecting boundary displacement interpolation and stress approximation in domain. The arbitrary order Timoshenko beam function is successfully used to derive the boundary displacement interpolation. According to the equilibrium equations, an appropriate stress approximation is rationally derived. Particularly, in order to improve element's accuracy, the assumed stress field is derived by employing $39{\beta}$ rather than conventional $21{\beta}$. The resulting element can be adopted to analyze both moderately thick and thin plates, and the convergence for the very thin case can be ensured theoretically. Excellent element performance is demonstrated by a wide of experimental evaluations.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.25-35
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• 1996

This paper describes a continuum variational formulation for design optimization of nonlinear structures in the elastic-plastic domain, where unloading and reloading of the structures are allowed to occur. The Total Lagrangian procedure is used for the description of the structural deformation. The direct differentiation approach is used to derive the sensitivities of the various structural response measures with respect to the design parameters. Since the material goes into the inelastic range and unloading and reloading of the structure are allowed to occur, the structural response is path dependent and an additional step is needed to integrate the constitutive equations. It can be shown, consequently, that design sensitivity analysis is also path-dependent. The theory has been discretized by the finite element technique and implemented in a structural analysis code. Mathematical programming approach is used for the optimization process. Numerical applications on trusses are performed, where cross-sectional areas and nodal point coordinates are treated as design variables. Optimal designs have been obtained and compared by using two different strategies: a two level strategy where the levels are defined accordingly the type of design variables, cross sectional areas or node coordinates, and optimizing simultaneously with respect to both types of design variables.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.795-821
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• 2012

The size and topology of geometrically nonlinear dome structures are optimized thereby minimizing both its entire weight & joint (node) displacements and maximizing load-carrying capacity. Design constraints are implemented from provisions of American Petroleum Institute specification (API RP2A-LRFD). In accordance with the proposed design constraints, the member responses computed by use of arc-length technique as a nonlinear structural analysis method are checked at each load increment. Thus, a penalization process utilized for inclusion of unfeasible designations to genetic search is correspondingly neglected. In order to solve this complex design optimization problem with multiple objective functions, Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA II) approach is employed as a multi-objective optimization tool. Furthermore, the flexibility of proposed optimization is enhanced thereby integrating an automatic dome generating tool. Thus, it is possible to generate three distinct sphere-shaped dome configurations with varying topologies. It is demonstrated that the inclusion of brace (diagonal) members into the geometrical configuration of dome structure provides a weight-saving dome designation with higher load-carrying capacity. The proposed optimization approach is recommended for the design optimization of geometrically nonlinear dome structures.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 2001.04a
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• pp.414-421
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• 2001

Recently, the damping effect of building structures are greatly reduced because the use of non-structures members as like curtain wall are decreased and large open space are in need for the service of buildings. Assembly and office buildings with a lower natural frequency have a higher possibility of experiencing excessive vibration induced by human activities as like jumping, running and walking. These excessive vibration make the occupants uncomfortable and the serviceability deterioration. The common method of application of walking loads for the vibration analysis of structures subjected to walking loads is to inflict a series unit walking load and a periodic function at a node. But this method could not consider the moving effect of walking. In this study, natural frequency and damping ratio of plate structure are evaluated by heel drop tests. And new application of equivalent walking loads are introduced for vibration analysis of real slab system subjected to walking loads. The response obtained from the numerical analysis are compared well to the results measured by experimental tests. It is possible to efficiently analyze the vibration of floor which is subjected to walking loads by applying equivalent walking loads.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.4 no.6
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• pp.645-653
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• 1996

In order to avoid pathological mesh dependency in finite element modelling of strain localization, an isotropic elasto-plastic model with a yield function depending on the Laplacian of the equivalent plastic strain is implemented in a 4-node quadrilateral finite element with one integration point based on a mixed formulation derived from Hu-Washizu principle. The evaluation of the Laplacian is based on a least square polynomial approximation of the equivalent plastic strain around each integration point. This non local approach allows to satisfy exactly the consistency condition at each integration point. Some examples are treated to illustrate the effectiveness of the method.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.621-640
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• 2022

In the present article, the vibration response of a geometrically imperfect bi-directional functionally graded plate (2D-FGP) with geometric discontinuities and micro-structural defects (porosities) has been investigated. A porosity model has been developed to incorporate the effective material properties of the bi-directional FGP which varies in two directions i.e. along the axial and transverse direction. The geometric discontinuity is also introduced in the plate in the form of a circular cut-out at the center of the plate. The structural kinematic formulation is based on the non-polynomial trigonometric higher-order shear deformation theory (HSDT). Finite element formulation is done using C° continuous Lagrangian quadrilateral four-noded element with seven degrees of freedom per node. The equations of motion have been derived using a variational approach. Convergence and validation studies have been documented to confirm the accuracy and efficiency of the present formulation. A detailed investigation study has been done to evaluate the influence of the circular cut-out, geometric imperfection, porosity inclusions, partial supports, volume fraction indexes (along with the thickness and length), and geometrical configurations on the vibration response of 2D-FGP. It is concluded that after a particular cut-out dimension, the vibration response of the 2D FGP exhibits non-monotonic behavior.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.595-610
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• 2002

This paper presents an efficiency of various non-conforming (NC) modes in development of a series of new finite elements with the special emphasis on 4-node quadrilateral elements. The NC modes have been used as a key scheme to improve the behaviors of various types of new finite elements, i.e., Mindlin plate bending elements, membrane elements with drilling degrees of freedom, flat shell elements. The NC modes are classified into three groups according to the 'correction constants' of 'Direct Modification Method'. The first group is 'basic NC modes', which have been widely used by a number of researchers in the finite element communities. The basic NC modes are effective to improve the behaviors of regular shaped elements. The second group is 'hierarchical NC modes' which improve the behaviors of distorted elements effectively. The last group is 'higher order NC modes' which improve the behaviors of plate-bending elements. When the basic NC modes are combined with hierarchical or higher order NC modes, the elements become insensitive to mesh distortions. When the membrane component of a flat shell has 'hierarchical NC modes', the membrane locking can be suppressed. A number of numerical tests are carried out to show the positive effect of aforementioned various NC modes incorporated into various types of finite elements.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.85 no.1
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• pp.89-104
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• 2023

This work presents a proposal for employing reduced numerical integration in the formulation of the 4-node quadrilateral solid finite element. The use of these low-order integration rules leads to numerical instabilities such as those producing the hourglass effect. The proposed procedure allows evaluating a given constitutive model only in one integration point, achieving an attractive computational cost reduction and, also, successfully controls the hourglass effect. A validation of the proposal is included and discussed throughout the paper. To show the efficiency of the proposal, several application examples of masonry structures are studied and discussed. To represent the non-linear mechanical behaviour of masonry a plastic-damage model is implemented within the application of this sub-integration scheme. Also, in order to have a full and computationally efficient strategy to determine the behaviour of masonry structures, involving its evolution to collapse, a homogenization technique with a macro-modeling approach is used. The methodology discussed throughout this paper demonstrates a substantial computational cost reduction and an improved approximation of the non-linear problem evidenced by a reduction of up to 85% of the computational time for some cases.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.793-802
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• 2022

Non-structural improvements to urban drainage systems are necessary to overcome the elevated levels of urban flood damage. This study proposed a type of automatic pump/gate operation technology for urban pump stations that takes reservoir inflows and river water levels into account and its performance is compared with the current operation using the concept of residual flow-based resilience. The proposed automatic operation relies on three pump operations and two gate operations. The water depth at the monitoring node was used for the pump operation, and the monitoring node was selected in consideration of the first overflow node and the maximum overflow node. The target area is the Daegu Bisan urban pump station, and the rainfall data consisted of probability rainfall sets with durations of 30 minutes, 60 minutes, 90 minutes and 120 minutes, and frequencies of 30, 50, and 70 years. As a result of the application of the proposed operation, differences in the resilience between the automatic operation and the current operation were at least 5.20E-05 with a maximum of 8.07E-04. The longer the duration is, the greater the difference in the resilience.