• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.591-604
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• 2001

In this paper, a finite element with embedded displacement discontinuity which eliminates the need for remeshing of elements in the discrete crack approach is applied for the progressive fracture analysis of concrete structures. A finite element formulation is implemented with the extension of the principle of virtual work to a continuum which contains internal displacement discontinuity. By introducing a discontinuous displacement shape function into the finite element formulation, the displacement discontinuity is obtained within an element. By applying either a nonlinear or an idealized linear softening curve representing the fracture process zone (FPZ) of concrete as a constitutive equation to the displacement discontinuity, progressive fracture analysis of concrete structures is performed. In this analysis, localized progressive fracture simultaneous with crack closure in concrete structures under mixed mode loading is simulated by adopting the unloading path in the softening curve. Several examples demonstrate the capability of the analytical technique for the progressive fracture analysis of concrete structures.

• 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.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.150-157
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• 2013

Fiber metal laminates (FMLs) are layered materials comprised of thin metal sheets and fiber reinforced plastic (FRP). This paper presents the numerical study of the formability enhancement of FMLs composed of an aluminum alloy and self-reinforced polypropylene (SRPP) composite. In this study, a numerical simulation based on finite element (FE) modeling is proposed to evaluate the formability of FMLs using ABAQUS/Explicit. The FE model, which included a single layer of solid and shell elements to model the blank, used discrete layers of the solid element with a contact model and shell elements with a friction based model for the aluminum alloy-composite interface conditions. This method allowed the description of each layer of FMLs and was able to simulate the interaction between the layers. It is noted through this research that the proposed numerical simulation described properly the formability enhancement of the FMLs and the simulation results showed good agreement with experimental results.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.177-183
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• 2018

This study simulated ice load and the motion response of a moored semi-submersible rig in pack-ice conditions using a finite element method. Ice flows of random size and shape were modeled, and interactions for ice-sea, ice-structure, ice-ice were simulated using a simplified method. Parameters for the simplified method such as drag force coefficient and the pressure-penetration relation were obtained based on the result of detailed analysis using the coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian method. The mooring lines were modeled by spring elements based on their stiffness. As a result of the simulation over 1,400 seconds, the force and motion response of the rig were obtained and validated using discrete elements and compared with the results found by the Krylov State Research Centre.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Technology of Plasticity Conference
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• 2004.10a
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• pp.75-78
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• 2004

A mesh generation algorithm adapted to the mesh density map using the Delaunay mesh generation technique is developed. In the finite element analyses of the forging processes, the numerical error increases as the process goes on because of discrete property of the finite elements or severe distortion of elements. Especially, in the region where stresses and strains are concentrated, the numerical discretization error will be highly increased. However, it is too time consuming to use a uniformly fine mesh in the whole domain to reduce the expected numerical error. Therefore, it is necessary to construct locally refined mesh at the region where the error is concentrated such as at the die corner. In this study, the point insertion algorithm is used and the mesh size is controlled by moving nodes to optimized positions according to a mesh density map constructed with a posteriori error estimation. An optimization technique is adopted to obtain a good position of nodes. And optimized smoothing techniques are also adopted to have smooth distribution of the mesh and improve the mesh element quality.

• Proceedings of the KSR Conference
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• 2003.05a
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• pp.337-342
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• 2003

The dynamic load effects are conveyed to the railway bridges through tracks which are generated by moving trains The dynamic load effects may vary due to the dynamic characteristics of the applied vehicle loads and the railway bridges containing the track system. However, the track effects have been neglected or simplified by spring elements in the most studies since it is quite complex to consider the track systems in the dynamic analysis models of railway bridges. In this study, track system on railway bridges is modeled using a three-dimensional discrete-support model that can simulate the load carrying behavior of tracks. In addition, this program is developed with the precise 20-car model and a continuous PSC(prestressed concrete) box girder bridge, which is the main bridge type of Korea Train express(KTX). Three-dimensional elements are used for both. The dynamic response of railway bridges is found to be affected depending on whether the track model is considered or not. The influencing rate depends on the traveling speed and different wheel-axle distance. The dynamic bridge response is decreased remarkably by the track systems around the resonant frequency. Therefore, the resonance effect can be reduced by modifying the track properties in the railway bridge.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.343-359
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• 2008

In the present study, an efficient method for the optimum design of three-dimensional (3D) steel framed structures is proposed. In this method, in addition to choosing the best position of columns based on architectural requirements, the optimum cross-sectional dimensions of elements are determined. The preliminary design variables are considered as the number of columns in structural plan, which are determined by a direct optimization method suitable for discrete variables, without requiring the evaluation of derivatives. After forming the geometry of structure, the main variables of the cross-sectional dimensions are evaluated, which satisfy the design constraints and also achieve the least-weight of the structure. To reduce the number of finite element analyses and the overall computational time, a new third order approximate function is introduced which employs only the diagonal elements of the higher order derivatives matrices. This function produces a high quality approximation and also, a robust optimization process. The main feature of the proposed techniques that the higher order derivatives are established by the first order exact derivatives. Several examples are solved and efficiency of the new approximation method and also, the proposed method for the best position of columns in 3D steel framed structures is discussed.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.311-327
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• 2015

Employing discrete elements for considering bond-slip effects in reinforced concrete structures is very time consuming. In this study, a new modified embedded element method is used to consider the bond-slip phenomenon in structural behavior of reinforced concrete structures. A comprehensive parametric study of RC slabs is performed to determine influence of different variables on structural behavior. The parametric study includes a set of simple models accompanied with complex models such as multi-storey buildings. The procedure includes the decrease in the effective stiffness of steel bar in the layered model. Validation of the proposed model with existing experimental results demonstrates that the model is capable of considering the bond-slip effects in embedded elements. Results demonstrate the significant effect of bond-slip on total behavior of structural members. Concrete characteristic strengths, steel yield stress, bar diameter, concrete coverage and reinforcement ratios are the parameters considered in the parametric study. Results revealed that the overall behavior of slab is significantly affected by bar diameter compared with other parameters. Variation of steel yield stress has insignificant impact in static response of RC slabs; however, its effect in cyclic behavior is important.

• Coupled systems mechanics
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.367-384
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• 2014

The study deals with the physical modeling of a typical single storeyed building frame resting on pile foundation and embedded in cohesive soil mass using the finite element based software SAP-IV. Two groups of piles comprising two and three piles, with series and parallel arrangement thereof, are considered. The slab provided at top and bottom of the frame along with the pile cap is idealized as four noded and two dimensional thin shell elements. The beams and columns of the frame, and piles are modeled using two noded one dimensional beam-column element. The soil is modeled using closely spaced discrete linear springs. A parametric study is carried out to investigate the effect of various parameters of the pile foundation, such as spacing in a group and number of piles in a group, on the response of superstructure. The response considered includes the displacement at the top of the frame and bending moment in columns. The soil-structure interaction effect is found to increase the displacement in the range of 38 -133% and to increase the absolute maximum positive and negative moments in the column in the range of 2-12% and 2-11%. The effect of the soil- structure interaction is observed to be significant for the type of foundation and soil considered in this study. The results obtained are compared further with those of Chore et al. (2010), wherein different idealizations were used for modeling the superstructure frame and sub-structure elements (foundation). While fair agreement is observed in the results in either study, the trend of the results obtained in both studies is also same.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.1-7
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• 2021

Speech is a spatiotemporally coordinated structure of constriction actions at discrete articulators such as lips, tongue tip, tongue body, velum, and glottis. Like other human movements (e.g., reaching), each action as a linguistic task is completed by a synergy of involved basic elements (e.g., bone, muscle, neural system). This paper discusses how speech tasks are dynamically related to joints as one of the basic elements in terms of robotics of speech production. Further this introduction of robotics to speech sciences will hopefully deepen our understanding of how speech is produced and provide a solid foundation to developing a physical talking machine.