• Geotechnical Engineering
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.137-146
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• 1997

In this study, a large consolidation test was carried out to estimate the consolidation behaviour of dredged clay ground improved by horizontal drain using plastic board drain with a vacuum pressure. The test results were analyzed by a numerical simulation using potential consolidation theory applied to a hollow cylinder. The rapid decreases in pore pressure and the drain speed in the plastic board indicate that the consolidation occurred quickly after the vacuum state was applied to the test soil. According to the numerical analysis obtained by applying the linear potential consolidation theory to a clay hollow cylinder with external radial drainage, the pore pressure is affected by the strain and the permeability of the soil rather than by the diffusion types. Therefore, measured surface settlement agreed with the numerical solution at the point where consolidation pressure increasing rate u: -0.5. Also the behaviour of the clay layer settlement in the place where the drain was installed was similar to that shown in Barron's consolidation theory. Finally, the design and construction procedure including the selection of the appropriate arrangement of horizontal drains were discussed based on the results of the laboratory tutsts. It is also shown that the potential consolidation theory make it possible to predict consolidation behaviour in the field using horizontal drains exactly.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.21-39
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• 2013

The paper presents a numerical investigation, done with the computer program SAFIR, in order to obtain simpler finite element models for representing the behaviour of the partially protected composite steel concrete slabs in fire situations, considering the membrane action. Appropriate understanding and modelling of the particular behaviour of composite slabs allows a safe approach, but also substantial savings on the thermal insulation that has to be applied on the underlying steel structure. The influence of some critical parameters on the behaviour and fire resistance of composite slabs such as the amount of reinforcing steel, the thickness of the slab and the edge conditions is also highlighted. The results of the numerical analyses are compared with the results of three full scale fire tests on composite slabs that have been performed in recent years.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.5 no.6
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• pp.625-655
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• 2013

This paper investigated the seismic behaviour of an innovated non-ductile precast concrete wall structural system; namely HC Precast System (HCPS). The system comprises load-bearing precast wall panels merely connected only to column at both ends. Such study is needed because there is limited research information available in design codes for such structure particularly in regions having low to moderate seismicity threats. Experimentally calibrated numerical model of the wall system was used to carry out nonlinear pushover analyses with various types of lateral loading patterns. Effects of laterally applied single point load (SPL), uniformly distributed load (UDL), modal distributed load (MDL) and triangular distributed load (TDL) onto global behaviour of HCPS were identified. Discussion was focused on structural performance such as ductility, deformability, and effective stiffness of the wall system. Thus, a new method for engineers to estimate the nonlinear deformation of HCPS through linear analysis was proposed.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.205-228
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• 2015

The results of a numerical investigation pertaining to the hysteretic behaviour of concrete filled steel tubular (CFT) column to I-beam connections are discussed in detail. Following the verification of the numerical results against the available experimental tests, the nonlinear finite element (FE) analysis was implemented to evaluate the effects of different parameters including the column axial load, beam lateral support, shape and arrangement of stiffeners, stiffness of T-stiffeners, and the number of shear stiffeners. Pursuing this objective, an external CFT column to beam connection, tested previously, was selected as the case-study. The lateral forces on the structure were simulated, albeit approximately, using an incremental cyclic loading reversal applied at the beam tip. The results were compared in terms of hysteretic load-displacement curves, stress distributions in connection, strength, rotation, and energy dissipation capacity. It was shown that external T-stiffeners combined with internal shear stiffeners play an important role in the hysteretic performance of CFT columns to I-beam connections.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.711-734
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• 2012

The foundation of a tall building frame resting on settable soil mass undergoes differential settlements which alter the forces in the structural members significantly. For tall buildings it is essential to consider seismic forces in analysis. The building frame, foundation and soil mass are considered to act as single integral compatible structural unit. The stress-strain characteristics of the supporting soil play a vital role in the interaction analysis. The resulting differential settlements of the soil mass are responsible for the redistribution of forces in the superstructure. In the present work, the nonlinear interaction analysis of a two-bay ten-storey plane building frame- layered soil system under seismic loading has been carried out using the coupled finite-infinite elements. The frame has been considered to act in linear elastic manner while the soil mass to act as nonlinear elastic manner. The subsoil in reality exists in layered formation and consists of various soil layers having different properties. Each individual soil layer in reality can be considered to behave in nonlinear manner. The nonlinear layered system as a whole will undergo differential settlements. Thus, it becomes essential to study the structural behaviour of a structure resting on such nonlinear composite layered soil system. The nonlinear constitutive hyperbolic soil model available in the literature is adopted to model the nonlinear behaviour of the soil mass. The structural behaviour of the interaction system is investigated as the shear forces and bending moments in superstructure get significantly altered due to differential settlements of the soil mass.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.443-456
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• 2017

Many authors have established the usefulness of concrete filled steel tubular (CFST) sections as compression members while few have proved their utility as flexural members. To explore their prospective as part of CFST frame structures, two types of connections using extended end plate and seat angle are proposed for exterior joints of CFST beams and CFST columns. To investigate the performance and failure modes of the proposed bolted connections subjected to static loads, an experimental program has been executed involving ten specimens of exterior beam-to-column joints subjected to monotonically increasing load applied at the tip of beam, the performance is appraised in terms of load deformation behaviour of joints. The test parameters varied are the beam section type, type and diameter of bolts. To validate the experimental behaviour of the proposed connections in CFST beam-column joints, finite element analysis for the applied load has been performed using software ATENA-3D and the results of the proposed models are compared with experimental results. The experimental results obtained agree that the proposed CFST beam-column connections perform in a semi-rigid and partial strength mode as per specification of EC3.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.71-76
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• 2003

For the purpose of clarifying the influence of welding residual stress to the fatigue crack propagations behaviour, an analytical investigation based on finite element method is performed to examine the opening behaviour of tip-closed crack in the compressive residual stress. A finite element model comprised of contact elements for the crack plane and plane stress elements for the base material is used to evaluate crack opening stress of the crack existing in the residual stress field. Also an analytical method based on the superposition principle to estimate the length of opened part of tip closed crack and the stress distribution adjacent to the crack during uploading is applied to the finite element model. The software for the analysis is ABAQUS, which is a general purpose finite element package. The results show that stresses distributed on the crack surfaces are reduced and approached to zero as the applied stresses are increased up to crack tip opening stress and no mechanical discontinuity is found at the boundary of contact elements and plane stress elements. It is verified that the opening behavior of the fatigue crack in the residual stress can be predicted by finite element method with the proposed analytical method.

• International Journal of Computer Science & Network Security
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.241-247
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• 2022

This study examines teachers' implementation of strategies to modify the aggressive behavior of students with intellectual disabilities in Saudi Arabia, to determine the obstacles to their real-world execution. In addition, it presents potential approaches to overcome the obstacles to implementing strategies with this group of students. The research employed a qualitative design using semi-structured interviews as a data collection tool and applied a thematic analysis. The study population comprised 35 teachers of students with intellectual disabilities and the study sample numbered six teachers. The interviews were conducted via different methods: three by phone, two face-to face, and one using the Zoom platform. The results revealed inadequate understanding among teachers of intellectual disability and behaviour modification strategies, and this affected their capacity to develop plans that were compatible with the needs of students with intellectual disability. The findings also identified multiple obstacles that impede teachers' implementation of strategies to modify aggressive behaviour among students with intellectual disabilities; the most important being the lack of input from a psychological specialist when developing programs to modify aggressive behaviour. In general, it is apparent that programs for modifying aggressive behaviour are neither structured nor complementary, due to the scarcity of administrators with sufficient knowledge and familiarity with the characteristics and personalities of students with intellectual disabilities. This study presents several recommendations, the most important of which is that teachers of students with intellectual disability should develop themselves through training courses to enable them to deal with these students and create treatment plans that include strategies and clear steps to modify the aggressive behaviour of students with intellectual disabilities. To support teachers, it is also necessary to remove the obstacles facing education centres by providing financial support to create an environment in which they can access the required devices and equipment in their classes.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.797-811
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• 2015

An analytical-computational method along with finite element analysis (FEA) has been employed to analyse the dynamic behaviour of deteriorated structures excited by time- varying mass. The present analysis is focused on the comparative study of a double cracked beam with inclined edge cracks and transverse open cracks subjected to traversing mass. The assumed computational method applied is the fourth order Runge-Kutta method. The analysis of the structure has been carried out at constant transit mass and speed. The response of the structure is determined at different crack depth and crack inclination angles. The influence of the parameters like crack depth and crack inclination angles are investigated on the dynamic behaviour of the structure. The results obtained from the assumed computational method are compared with those of the FEA for validation and found good agreements with FEA.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.181-195
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• 2000

A two-step procedure for the application of non linear constrained programming to the limit analysis of rigid brick-block systems with no-tension and frictional interface is implemented and applied to various masonry structures. In the first step, a linear problem of programming, obtained by applying the upper bound theorem of limit analysis to systems of blocks interacting through no-tension and dilatant interfaces, is solved. The solution of this linear program is then employed as initial guess for a non linear and non convex problem of programming, obtained applying both the 'mechanism' and the 'equilibrium' approaches to the same block system with no-tension and frictional interfaces. The optimiser used is based on the sequential quadratic programming. The gradients of the constraints required are provided directly in symbolic form. In this way the program easily converges to the optimal solution even for systems with many degrees of freedom. Various numerical analyses showed that the procedure allows a reliable investigation of the ultimate behaviour of jointed structures, such as stone masonry structures, under statical load conditions.