• 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.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.429-441
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• 2024

This paper studies the free vibration behavior of trapezoidal shaped coupled double-layered graphene sheets (DLGS) system using first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT) and incorporating nonlocal elasticity theory. Two nanoplates are assumed to be bonded by an interlayer van der walls force and surrounded by an external kelvin-voight viscoelastic medium. The governing equations together with related boundary condition are discretized using a mapping-differential quadrature method (DQM) in the spatial domain. Then the natural frequency of the system is obtained by solving the eigen value matrix equation. The validity of the current study is evaluated by comparing its numerical results with those available in the literature and then a parametric study is thoroughly performed, concentrating on the series effects of angles and aspect ratio of GS, viscoelastic medium, and nonlocal parameter. The model is used to study the vibration of DLGS for two typical deformation modes, the in-phase and out-of-phase vibrations, which are investigated. Numerical results indicate that due to Increasing the damping parameter of the viscoelastic medium has reduced the frequency of both modes and this medium has been able to overdamped the oscillations and by increasing stiffness parameters both in-phase and out-of-phase vibration frequencies increased.

• Journal of Korean Association for Spatial Structures
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• v.7 no.2 s.24
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• pp.105-114
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• 2007

Large span spaces have been widely used for various purposes including sports events in other countries. Due to increasing demands on multi-purpose use of such spaces, recently built large span sport facilities such dome stadiums have been required to accommodate sport events as well as performing events. Also, retractable ceilings and/or walls were generally adopted in those spaces for providing various event conditions. It seems obvious that the openings between diffuse fields and free field may cause difficulties in the acoustic design of such spaces In the present work, the acoustic characteristics of non-diffuse field has been investigated using 1/10 acoustic scale models. It was found that RTs at low- and mid-frequencies decayed faster than those at high-frequencies as the percentage of opening area increased. The decay rate of RTs at high frequencies were not influenced by increasing the area of an opening. Also high dependence of EDT on the percentage of opening area was observed at all frequency range. D50 was not improved by increasing the area of an opening up to 12.5% and then sharply increased. The application of Schroeder integration to evaluate the reverberation charateristics of coupled spaces may not be proper, since non-exponential decay process with double or triple decays of those spaces can not be properly defined. EDT seems more appropriate to predict reverberation at the early acoustic design stage of acoustically coupled spaces.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.19-33
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• 2008

Dynamic response measurements from natural excitation were carried out for 25- and 42-story buildings to evaluate their inherent properties, such as natural frequencies, mode shapes and damping ratios. Both are reinforced concrete buildings adopting a core wall, or with shear walls as the major lateral force resisting system, but frames are added in the plan or elevation. In particular, shear walls in a 25-story building are converted to frames from the 4th floor level downwards while maintaining a core wall throughout, resulting in a fairly complex structure. Due to this, along with similar stiffness characteristics in the principal directions, significantly coupled and closely spaced modes of motion are expected in this building, making identification rather difficult. By using various state-of-the-art system identification methods, the modal parameters are extracted, and the results are then compared. Three frequency-domain and four time-domain based operational modal identification methods are considered. Overall, all natural frequencies and damping ratios estimated from the different identification methods showed a greater consistency for both buildings, while mode shapes exhibited some degree of discrepancy, varying from method to method. On the other hand, in comparison with analysis results obtained using the initial finite element(FE) models, test results exhibited a significant difference of about doubled frequencies, at least for the three lower modes in both buildings. To improve the correlation between test and analysis, a few manual schemes of FE model updating based on plausible reasons have been applied, and acceptable results are obtained. The advantages and disadvantages of each identification method used are addressed, and some difficulties that might arise from the updating of FE models, including automatic procedures, for such large structures are carefully discussed.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.287-306
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• 2002

The assessment of structural performance of transfer structures under potential seismic actions is presented. Various seismic assessment methodologies are used, with particular emphasis on the accurate modelling of the higher mode effects and the potential development of a soft storey effect in the mega-columns below the transfer plate (TP) level. Those methods include response spectrum analysis (RSA), manual calculation, pushover analysis (POA) and equivalent static load analysis (ESA). The capabilities and limitations of each method are highlighted. The paper aims, firstly, to determine the appropriate seismic assessment methodology for transfer structures using these different approaches, all of which can be undertaken with the resources generally available in a design office. Secondly, the paper highlights and discusses factors influencing the response behaviour of transfer structures, and finally provides a general indication of their seismic vulnerability. The representative Hong Kong building considered in this paper utilises a structural system with coupled shear walls and moment resisting portal-frames, above and below the TP, respectively. By adopting the wind load profile stipulated in the Code of Practice on Wind Effects: Hong Kong-1983, all the structural members are sized and detailed according to the British Standards BS8110 and the current local practices. The seismic displacement demand for the structure, when built on either rock or deep soil sites, was determined in a companion paper. The lateral load-displacement characteristic of the building, determined herein from manual calculation, has indicated that the poor ductility (brittle nature) of the mega-columns, due mainly to the high level of axial pre-compression as found from the analysis, cannot be effectively alleviated solely by increasing the quantity of confinement stirrups. The interstorey drift demands at lower and upper zones caused by seismic actions are found to be substantially higher than those arising from wind loads. The mega-columns supporting the TP and the coupling beams at higher zones are identified to be the most vulnerable components under seismic actions.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.71-87
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• 2014

Interaction between closely-spaced buildings subject to earthquake induced strong ground motions, termed in the literature as "seismic pounding", occurs commonly during major seismic events in contemporary congested urban environments. Seismic pounding is not taken into account by current codes of practice and is rarely considered in practice at the design stage of new buildings constructed "in contact" with existing ones. Thus far, limited research work has been devoted to quantify the influence of slab-to-slab pounding on the inelastic seismic demands at critical locations of structural members in adjacent structures that are not aligned in series. In this respect, this paper considers a typical case study of a "new" reinforced concrete (R/C) EC8-compliant, torsionally sensitive, 7-story corner building constructed within a block, in bi-lateral contact with two existing R/C 5-story structures with same height floors. A non-linear local plasticity numerical model is developed and a series of non-linear time-history analyses is undertaken considering the corner building "in isolation" from the existing ones (no-pounding case), and in combination with the existing ones (pounding case). Numerical results are reported in terms of averages of ratios of peak inelastic rotation demands at all structural elements (beams, columns, shear walls) at each storey. It is shown that seismic pounding reduces on average the inelastic demands of the structural members at the lower floors of the 7-story building. However, the discrepancy in structural response of the entire block due to torsion-induced, bi-directionally seismic pounding is substantial as a result of the complex nonlinear dynamics of the coupled building block system.

• ALGAE
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.191-203
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• 2018

Fragilariopsis cylindrus is one of the most successful psychrophiles in the Southern Ocean. To investigate the molecular mechanism of biomineralization in this species, we attempted to synchronize F. cylindrus growth, since new cell wall formation is tightly coupled to the cell division process. Nutrient limitation analysis showed that F. cylindrus cultures rapidly stopped growing when deprived of silicate or light, while growth continued to a certain extent in the absence of nitrate. Flow cytometry analysis indicated that deprivation of either silicate or light could effectively arrest the cell cycle of this diatom species at the G1 phase, suggesting that synchrony can be established using either factor. Fluorescence labeling of new cell walls was faintly detectable as early as approximately 6 h after silicon repletion or light irradiation, and labeling was markedly intensified by 18 h. It is revealed that the synthesis of girdle bands begins before valve synthesis in this species, with active valve synthesis occurring during the G2 / M phase. Expression profiling revealed that selective member(s) of the F. cylindrus SIT genes (FcSIT) respond to silicate and light, with a different set of genes being responsive to each factor. The Si / light double depletion experiments demonstrated that expression of one FcSIT gene is possibly correlated to transition to G2 / M phase of the cell cycle, when the valve is actively formed.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.57 no.6
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• pp.1125-1142
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• 2016

Tunneling is one of the challenging tasks in civil engineering because it involves a variety of decision making and engineering judgment based on knowledge and experience. One of the challenges is to construct tunnels in risky areas under shallow overburden. In order to prevent the collapse of ceilings and walls of a large tunnels, in such conditions, either a sequential excavation method (SEM) or ground reinforcing method, or a combination of both, can be utilized. This research deals with the numerical modeling of L-profiles and pipe fore-poling pre-support systems in the adit tunnel in northwestern Iran. The first part of the adit tunnel has been drilled in alluvial material with very weak geotechnical parameters. Despite applying an SEM in constructing this tunnel, analyzing the results of numerical modeling done using FLAC3D, as well as observations during drilling, indicate the tunnel instability. To improve operational safety and to prevent collapse, pre-support systems, including pipe fore-poling and L-profiles were designed and implemented. The results of the numerical modeling coupled with monitoring during operation, as well as the results of instrumentation, indicate the efficacy of both these methods in tunnel collapse prevention. Moreover, the results of modeling using FLAC3D and SECTION BUILDER suggest a double angle with equal legs ($2L100{\times}100{\times}10mm$) in both box profile and tee array as an alternative section to pipe fore-poling system while neither $L80{\times}80{\times}8mm$ nor $2L80{\times}80{\times}8mm$ can sustain the axial and shear stresses exerted on pipe fore-poling system.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.591-602
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• 2015

In this paper, cyclic loading test was performed to evaluate the seismic performance of the steel coupling beam and RC shear wall. The test parameter was reinforcement detail of the shear wall. For the shear wall which was designed in accordance with the current design codes, a premature bearing failure occurred at the face of the wall. On the other hand, the bearing failure of walls was prevented due to the new type of reinforcement details. Test results indicated that the vertical reinforcements were more affected to the shear strength of the coupled shear wall than the horizontal reinforcement. Based on the failure mode, concrete stress distribution above and below flanges of the embedded steel beam was proposed. Assuming proposed concrete stress distribution, load resistance was predicted and it was agree well with test data.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 2008.04a
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• pp.129-132
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• 2008

Coupled shear wall system is the primary seismic load resisting system of buildings. The coupling beam of these buildings must exhibit excellent ductility and energy dissipation capacity. To achieve better ductility and energy dissipation, the steel coupling beam embedded in the reinforced concrete walls is proposed. Performance of the steel coupling beam is mainly effected by embedment length. ACI equation and BS equation were examined with 23 previous test results. The statistical study uses the values of mean value, standard deviation, correlation coefficient, normal distribution curve, and error analysis. Through the analytical program, the evaluation of the 2 equations was established.