• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.157-179
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• 2013

Vulnerability studies on the existing building stock require that a large number of buildings is analyzed to obtain statistically significant evaluations of the seismic performance. Therefore, analytical evaluation methods need to be based on simplified methodologies of analysis which can afford the treatment of a large building population with a reasonable computational effort. Simplified Pushover-Based Earthquake Loss Assessment approach (SP-BELA), where a simplified methodology to identify the structural capacity of the building through the definition of a pushover curve is adopted, was developed on these bases. Main objective of the research work presented in this paper is to validate the simplified methodology implemented in SP-BELA against the results of more sophisticated nonlinear dynamic analyses (NLDAs). The comparison is performed for RC buildings designed only to vertical loads, representative of the "as built" in Italy and in Mediterranean countries with a building stock very similar to the Italian one. In NLDAs the non linear and degrading behaviour, typical of the structures under consideration when subjected to high seismic loads, is evaluated using models able to capture, with adequate accuracy, the non linear behaviour of RC structural elements taking into account stiffness degradation, strength deterioration, and pinching effect. Results show when simplified analyses are in good agreement with NLDAs. As a consequence, unsatisfactory results from simplified analysis are pointed out to address their current applicability limits.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.163-185
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• 2013

The use of post-compressed plates (PCP) to strengthen preloaded reinforced concrete (RC) columns is an innovative approach for alleviating the effects of stress-lagging between the original column and the additional steel plates. Experimental and theoretical studies on PCP-strengthened RC columns have been presented in our companion papers. The results have demonstrated the effectiveness of this technique for improving the strength, deformability and ductility of preloaded RC columns when subjected to axial or eccentric compression loading. An original and comprehensive design procedure is presented in this paper to aid engineers in designing this new type of PCP-strengthened RC column and to ensure proper strengthening details for desirable performance. The proposed design procedure consists of five parts: (1) the estimation of the ultimate load capacity of the strengthened column, (2) the design of the initial pre-camber displacement of the steel plate, (3) the design of the vertical spacing of the bolts, (4) the design of the bearing ends of the steel plates, and (5) the calculation of the tightening force of the bolts. A worked example of the design of a PCP-strengthened RC column is shown to demonstrate the application of the proposed design procedure.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.63 no.1
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• pp.55-64
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• 2017

The paper concerns concrete carbonation, the phenomena that occurs in every type of climate, especially in urban-industrial areas. In European Standards, including Eurocode (EC) for concrete structures the demanded durability of construction located in the conditions of the carbonation threat is mainly assured by the selection of suitable thickness of reinforcement cover. According to EC0 and EC2, the thickness of the cover in the particular class of exposure depends on the structural class/category and concrete compressive strength class which is determined by cement content and water-cement ratio (thus the quantitative composition) but it is not differentiated for various cements, nor additives (i.e., qualitative composition), nor technological types of concrete. As a consequence the selected thickness of concrete cover is in fact a far estimation - sometimes too exaggerated (too safe or too risky). The paper presents the elaborated "self-terminated carbonation model" that includes abovementioned factors and enables to indicate the maximal possible depth of carbonation. This is possible because presented model is a hyperbolic function of carbonation depth in time (the other models published in the literature use the parabolic function that theoretically assume the infinite increase of carbonation depth value). The paper discusses the presented model in comparison to other models published in the literature, moreover it contains the algorithm of concrete cover design with use of the model as well as an example of calculation of the cover thickness.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.380-385
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• 2010

Several theoretical acoustic scattering models were applied to estimate the target strength (TS) for assessing the biomass of zooplankton, to overcome the difficulty of direct measurements. Acoustical scattering characteristics of copepods were estimated using three theoretical models, and the application of the models was evaluated for four frequencies of a scientific echo sounder. The scattering directivity by the body shapes of copepods at 200 kHz and 420 kHz was significantly affected by TS patterns. Averaged TS, however, were similar at higher frequencies. Consequently, a low frequency model, such as a truncated fluid sphere model, provides a good acoustical biomass estimation. The regressions of TS and 30 logL were < $TS_{200\;kHz}$ >= 30logL-118.4 ($R^2=0.716$) and < $TS_{420 kHz}$ > =30 logL-108.8 ($R^2=0.758$), respectively.

• The Korean Journal of Applied Statistics
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.905-914
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• 2011

In the field of image processing, the removal noise contamination from the original image is essential. However, due to various reasons, the occurrence of the noise is practically impossible to prevent completely. Thus, the reduction of the noise contained in images remains important. In this study, we estimate the level of noise variance based on the measurement of the relative strength of the noise, and we propose a noise reduction algorithm that uses a sigma filter. As a result, the proposed statistical noise reduction methodology provides significantly improved results over the usual sigma filtering regardless of the level of the noise variance.

• Journal of the Society of Naval Architects of Korea
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.84-90
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• 2004

For the precise assessment of the effect of welding residual stresses on structural strength and fatigue crack growth behavior, new FE analysis algorithms for the estimation of residual stress relaxation due to external load and redistribution due to fatigue crack propagation were proposed in this paper. Initial welding residual stress field was obtained by thermal elasto-plastic analysis considering temperature dependent material properties, and the amount of residual stress relaxation and redistribution were assessed by subsequent elasto-plastic analysis In the analysis of fatigue crack propagation, the applied SIF(Stress Intensity Factor) range was evaluated by $\frac{1}{4}$-point displacement extrapolation method, and the effect of welding residual stresses on crack propagation was considered by introducing the effective SIF concept. The test results of crack propagations were compared with the predicted data obtained by the analysis.

• 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.

• Proceedings of the KWS Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.803-808
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• 2002

A computer-aided alloy-designing technique to develop the insert metal for transient liquid phase (TLP) bonding was applied to high aluminum Ni-base superalloys. The main procedure of a mathematical programming method was to obtain the optimal chemical composition through rationally compromising the plural objective performances of insert metal by a grid-search which involved data estimation from the limited experimental data using interpolation method. The objective function Z which was introduced as an index of bonding performance of insert metal involved the melting point, hardness (strength), formability of brittle phases and void ratio (bonding defects) in bond layer as the evaluating factors. The contour maps of objective function Z were also obtained applying the interpolation method. The compositions of Ni-3.0%Cr-4.0%B-0.5%Ce (for ${\gamma}$/${\gamma}$/${\beta}$ type alloy) and Ni3.5%Cr-3.5%B-3%Ti (for ${\gamma}$/${\gamma}$ type alloy) which optimized the objective function were determined as insert metal. SEM observations revealed that the microstructure in bond layers using the newly developed insert metals indicated quite sound morphologies without forming microconstituents and voids. The creep rupture properties of both joints were much improved compared to a commercial insert metal of MBF-80 (Ni-15.5%Cr-3.7%B), and were fairly comparable to those of base metals.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers Conference
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• 1997.04a
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• pp.151-166
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• 1997

ER clutch is a device using ER fluid, so called "intelligent material" and is a controlled system with electric field strength. Current problem of this device is that the temperature of ER fluid increases when ER clutch is operating and affects the performance of ER clutch. This study was undertaken to estimate this performance variation due to temperature increase of ER fluid. Analytic power transmission relationships and the temperature increase model using the rheological model of ER fluid were developed and the dynamic model of proposed ER clutch system was constructed, also. With this relationships, effects of changing geometric, kinetic parameters of ER clutch and ER fluid properties were described and performance variations due to temperature increases of ER fluid were estimated. In conclusion, compared with neglecting temperature increase effects, a performance of ER clutch was very differential. Therefore, to achieve uniform performance of ER clutch, we have to improve thermal stability of ER fluid with a view point of material development and design carefully ER clutch considering temperature increase effects with a view point of mechanical design skill.ign skill.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.71-96
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• 2011

Existing reinforced concrete (RC) beams can be strengthened with externally bolted steel plates to the sides of beams. The effectiveness of this type of bolted side-plate (BSP) beam can however be affected by partial interaction between the steel plates and RC beams due to the mechanical slip of bolts. To avoid over-estimation of the flexural strength and ensure accurate prediction of the load-deformation response of the beams, the effect of partial interaction has to be properly considered. In this paper, a special non-linear macro-finite-element model that takes into account the effects of partial interaction is proposed. The RC beam and the steel plates are modelled as two different elements, interacting through discrete groups of bolts. A layered method is adopted for the formulation of the RC beam and steel plate elements, while a special non-linear model based on a kinematic hardening assumption for the bolts is used to simulate the bolt group effect. The computer program SiBAN was developed based on the proposed approach. Comparison with the available experimental results shows that SiBAN can accurately predict the partial interaction behaviour of the BSP beams. Further numerical simulations show that the interaction between the RC beam and the steel plates is greatly reduced by the formation of plastic hinges and should be considered in analyses of the strengthened beams.