• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.88 no.3
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• pp.221-238
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• 2023

This paper developed and examined a novel passive vibration isolator (i.e., "X-inerter") motivated by combining a bio-inspired structure and a rack-pinion inerter. The bio-inspired structure provided nonlinear stiffness and damping owing to its geometric nonlinearity. In addition, the behavior was further enhanced by a gear inerter that produced a special nonlinear inertia effect; thus, an X-inerter was developed. As a result, the X-inerter can achieve both high-static-low-dynamic stiffness (HSLDS) and quasi-zero stiffness (QZS), obtaining ultra-low frequency isolation. Furthermore, the installed inerter can produce a coupled nonlinear inertia and damping effect, leading to an anti-resonance frequency near the resonance, wide isolation region, and low resonance peak. Both static and dynamic analyses of the proposed isolator were conducted and the structural parameters' influence was comprehensively investigated. The X-inerter was proven to be comparatively more stable in the ultra-low frequency than the benchmarking QZS isolator due to the nonlinear damping and inertia properties. Moreover, the inertia effect could suppress the bio-inspired structure's super- and sub-harmonic resonance. Therefore, the X-inerter isolator generally possesses desirable nonlinear stiffness, nonlinear damping, and unique nonlinear inertia, designed to achieve the ultra-low natural frequency, the anti-resonance property, and a wide isolation region with a low resonance peak.

• Proceedings of the KIPE Conference
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• 1998.07a
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• pp.123-128
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• 1998

This paper describes the evaluation of a force-reflecting interface with ultrasonic motors(USMs). The force-reflecting interface allows a human to feel object within virtual environment. To effectively display the mechanical impedance of the human hand we need a haptic device with specific characteristics, such as low inertia, almost zero friction and very high stiffness. USMs have attracted considerable attention as the actuator satisfied these conditions. USMs combine features such as high driving torque at low rotational speed, high holding torque and fast response therefore we studied two degree of freedom force-reflecting haptic system.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 2001.04a
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• pp.42-49
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• 2001

In this paper the efficient finite element for stress analysis of plane stress/strain problems is proposed. This element is achieved by adding the bubble-mode function to 8-node element. The stiffness matrix of the element is calculated by using modified numerical integration order to avoid spurious zero energy mode. In order to demonstrate the performance of this element numerical tests for various verification problems are carried out. The results of numerical tests show accuracy and reliability of the element presented in this paper.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.28 no.5A
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• pp.649-656
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• 2008

The enhancement of the service life of damaged or cracked structures is a major issue for researchers and engineers. The hierarchic void element based on the integrals of Legendre polynomials is used to characterize the fracture behaviour of unpatched crack as well as repaired crack with bonded composite patches by computing the stress intensity factors and stress contours at the crack tip. Since the equivalent single layer approach is adopted in this study, the proposed element is necessary to represent a discontinuous crack part as a continuum body with zero stiffness. Thus the aspect ratio of this element to represent the crack should be extremely slender. The sensitivity of numerical solution with respect to energy release rate, displacement and stress has been tested to show the robustness of zero stiffness element as the aspect ratio is increased up to 2000. The stiffness derivative method and displacement extrapolation method have been applied to calculate the stress intensity factors of Mode I problem. It is noted that the proposed hierarchical void element can be one of alternatives to analyze the patched crack problems.

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.151-161
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• 2009

This study was conducted to investigate the characteristics of the curling behavior of long-span pavement slabs under environmental loads. By developing and using finite element models of the long-span pavement slabs, the stress distribution and the effects of slab length, slab thickness, stiffness of underlying layers, and the restraints of the slab ends on the curling behavior were analyzed. In addition, the field experiments were performed with the actual long-span pavement slab to obtain the curling behavior of the real structure under environmental loads. As a result of this study, it was found that the vertical displacements of the long-span pavement slab along the centerline due to the curling behavior were zero except for the areas near the slab ends, and the curling stresses were maximum and constant where the displacements were zero. The slab length and the stiffness of underlying layers did not affect the maximum curling stresses. The restraints at the slab ends made the curling stresses occur near the slab ends, but did not much affect the maximum curling stresses.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.77 no.5
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• pp.601-612
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• 2021

To study the vibration characteristics of a high-speed railway continuous girder bridge-track coupling system (HSRCBT), a coupling vibration analysis model of an m-span continuous girder bridge-subgrade-track system with n-span approach bridge was established. The model was based on the energy and its variational method, where both the interlaminar slip and shear deformation effects were considered. In addition, the free vibration equations and natural boundary conditions of the HSRCBT were derived. Further, according to the coordination principle of deformation and mechanics, an analytical method for calculating the natural vibration frequencies of the HSRCBT was obtained. Three typical bridge-subgrade-track coupling systems of high-speed railway were taken and the results of finite element analysis were compared to those of the analytical method. The errors between the simulation results and calculated values of the analytical method were less than 3%, thus verifying the analytical method proposed in this paper. Finally, the analytical method was used to investigate the influence of the number of the approach bridge spans and the interlaminar stiffness on the natural vibration characteristics of the HSRCBT based on the degree of sensitivity. The results suggest the approach bridges have a critical number of spans and in general, the precision requirements of the analysis could be met by using 6-span approach bridges. The interlaminar vertical compressive stiffness has very little influence on the low-order natural vibration frequency of HSRCBT, but does have a significant influence on higher-order natural vibration frequency. As the interlaminar vertical compressive stiffness increases, the degree of sensitivity to interlaminar stiffness of each of the HSRCBT natural vibration characteristics decrease and gradually approach zero.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.61-82
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• 2007

This paper presents a novel finite element (FE) model for analyzing coupled flutter of long-span bridges using the commercial FE package ANSYS. This model utilizes a specific user-defined element Matrix27 in ANSYS to model the aeroelastic forces acting on the bridge, wherein the stiffness and damping matrices are expressed in terms of the reduced wind velocity and flutter derivatives. Making use of this FE model, damped complex eigenvalue analysis is carried out to determine the complex eigenvalues, of which the real part is the logarithm decay rate and the imaginary part is the damped vibration frequency. The condition for onset of flutter instability becomes that, at a certain wind velocity, the structural system incorporating fictitious Matrix27 elements has a complex eigenvalue with zero or near-zero real part, with the imaginary part of this eigenvalue being the flutter frequency. Case studies are provided to validate the developed procedure as well as to demonstrate the flutter analysis of cable-supported bridges using ANSYS. The proposed method enables the bridge designers and engineering practitioners to analyze flutter instability by using the commercial FE package ANSYS.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.229-247
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• 2020

This study analyzed stresses in concrete and its reinforcement, computing the additional loading transferred by concrete creep. The loading varied from zero, structure exclusively under its self-weight, up to the critical buckling load. The studied structure was a real, tapered, reinforced concrete pole. As concrete is a composite material, homogenizing techniques were used in the calculations. Due to the static indetermination for determining the normal forces acting on concrete and reinforcement, equations that considered the balance of forces and compatibility of displacement on cross-sections were employed. In the mathematical solution used to define the critical buckling load, all the elements of the structural dynamics present in the system were considered, including the column self-weight. The structural imperfections were linearized using the geometric stiffness, the proprieties of the concrete were considered according to the guidelines of the American Concrete Institute (ACI 209R), and the ground was modeled as a set of distributed springs along the foundation length. Critical buckling loads were computed at different time intervals after the structure was loaded. Finite element method results were also obtained for comparison. For an interval of 5000 days, the modulus of elasticity and critical buckling load reduced by 36% and 27%, respectively, compared to an interval of zero days. During this time interval, stress on the reinforcement steel reached within 5% of the steel yield strength. The computed strains in that interval stayed below the normative limit.

• Proceedings of the KSR Conference
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• 2008.11b
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• pp.1078-1083
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• 2008

In this paper, assessed are the stability of vehicle and track according to vertical support stiffness difference on the transition between conventional and zero-longitudinal resistance (ZLR) rail fastener on bridge. For this, the spring constants of rail fastener have been determined according to different load ranges - KTX load (with or without impact factor) and test load of EN standards - from results of laboratory test on rail pad, the stability analysis of vehicle and track has been performed according to numbers or installation length of ZLR fasteners using vertical vehicle-track coupled model to consider train-track interaction. The analysis results reveal that only the wheel load variation slightly exceed the limit value when 2 ZLR fasteners are used with spring constant determined within the EN test load range, but, in all other cases, all evaluation items are satisfied. Thus, it can be said that the stability of vehicle and track will not be degraded by ZLR fastener.

• Geotechnical Engineering
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.35-48
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• 1996

Reinforced soil structures may experience large local movements between soil and reinforcement. The failure modes of a reinforced structure depend on several factors which are governed by deformation and slipping of the reinforcement. In some cases, pulling out of the reinforcement may occur instead of rupturing, The growing use of geosynthetic liner system for storage of solid and liquid wastes has led to a number of slope instability problems where the synthetic liner may undergo a large amount of stretching and slipping as a result of the loading. The conventional finite element model for the soil-reinforcement interface uses a zero thickness joint element with normal and shear stiffnesses and can only accommodate a small amount of deformation. When a large slippage occurs, the model provides an i ncorrect mechanism for deformation. This paper presents a new interface finite element model which is able to simulate a large amount of slippage between soil and reinforcement. The formulation of the model is presented and the capability of the model is demonstrated using illustrative examples.