• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.995-1009
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• 2015

This study presents design optimization of spot welded structures to attain maximum strength by using the Nelder-Mead (Simplex) method. It is the main idea of the algorithm that the simulation run is executed several times to satisfy predefined convergence criteria and every run uses the starting points of the previous configurations. The material and size of the sheet plates are the pre-assigned parameters which do not change in the optimization cycle. Locations of the spot welds, on the other hand, are chosen to be design variables. In order to calculate the objective function, which is the maximum equivalent stress, ANSYS, general purpose finite element analysis software, is used. To obtain global optimum locations of spot welds a methodology is proposed by modifying the Nelder-Mead (Simplex) method. The procedure is applied to a number of representative problems to demonstrate the validity and effectiveness of the proposed method. It is shown that it is possible to obtain the global optimum values without stacking local minimum ones by using proposed methodology.

• Structural Monitoring and Maintenance
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• v.1 no.4
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• pp.427-449
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• 2014

A hybrid optimization method for the identification of state-space models is presented in this study. Hybridization is succeeded by combining the advantages of deterministic and stochastic algorithms in a superior scheme that promises faster convergence rate and reliability in the search for the global optimum. The proposed hybrid algorithm is developed by replacing the original stochastic mutation operator of Evolution Strategies (ES) by the Levenberg-Marquardt (LM) quasi-Newton algorithm. This substitution results in a scheme where the entire population cloud is involved in the search for the global optimum, while single individuals are involved in the local search, undertaken by the LM method. The novel hybrid identification framework is assessed through the Monte Carlo analysis of a simulated system and an experimental case study on a shear frame structure. Comparisons to subspace identification, as well as to conventional, self-adaptive ES provide significant indication of superior performance.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.66 no.4
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• pp.543-555
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• 2018

Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP), which has a high strength to weight ratio, are now regularly used for strengthening of deficient reinforced concrete (RC) structures. While various researches have been conducted on FRP strengthening, an area that still requires attention is predicting the debonding failure load of prestressed FRP strengthened RC beams. Application of prestressing increases the capacity and reduces the premature failure of the beams largely, though not entirely. Few analytical methods are available to predict the failure loads under flexure failure. With this paucity, this research proposes a method for predicting debonding failure induced by intermediate crack (IC) for prestressed FRP-strengthened beams. The method consists of a numerical study on beams retrofitted with prestressed FRP in the tension side of the beam. The method applies modified Branson moment-curvature analysis together with the global energy balance approach in combination with fracture mechanics criteria to predict failure load for complicated IC-induced failure. The numerically simulated results were compared with published experimental data and the average of theoretical to experimental debonding failure load is found to be 0.93 with a standard deviation of 0.09.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.5 no.5
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• pp.577-586
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• 1997

In nonlinear finite element stability analysis of structures, the foremost necessary procedure is the computation to precisely locate a singular equilibrium point, at which the instability occurs. The present study describes global and local procedures for the computation of stability points including bifurcation points and limit points. The starting point, at which the procedure will be initiated, may be close to or arbitrarily far away from the target point. It may also be an equilibrium point or non-equilibrium point. Apart from the usual equilibrium path, bypass and homotopy path are proposed as the global path to the stability point. A local iterative method is necessary, when it is inspected that the computed path point is sufficiently close to the stability point.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.181-193
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• 2000

The objective of this research is to propose a new global damage detection parameter, termed as the static defect energy (SDE). This candidate parameter possesses the ability to detect, locate and quantify structural damage. To have a full understanding about this parameter and its applications, the scope of work can be divided into several tasks: theory and formulation, numerical simulation studies, experimental verification and feasibility studies. This paper only deals with the first part of the task. Brief introduction will be given to the dynamic defect energy (DDE) after systematically reviewing the previous works. Process of applying the perturbation method to the oscillatory system to obtain a static expression will be followed. Two implementation methods can be used to obtain SDE equations and the diagrams. Both results are equally good for damage detection.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.393-406
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• 2005

Cyclic loading tests were carried out on six half-scale reinforced concrete beam-column subassemblages designed to the current Chinese Seismic Design Code for Buildings. The deformation behavior and restoring force characteristics of the subassemblages were studied. Emphasis was directed on their seismic behavior and deformation components. Based on test data and a simplified analysis model of the global and local deformation, the contribution of the deformation components due to beam flexure, column flexure, joint shear, and slippage of longitudinal reinforcement in the joint to the global deformation of subassemblages at different displacement amplitudes of cyclic loading was investigated.

• Ocean Systems Engineering
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.171-194
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• 2011

A method to design a boundary controller for global stabilization of three-dimensional nonlinear dynamics of flexible marine risers is presented in this paper. Equations of motion of the risers are first developed in a vector form. The boundary controller at the top end of the risers is then designed based on Lyapunov's direct method. Proof of existence and uniqueness of the solutions of the closed loop control system is carried out by using the Galerkin approximation method. It is shown that when there are no environmental disturbances, the proposed boundary controller is able to force the riser to be globally exponentially stable at its equilibrium position. When there are environmental disturbances, the riser is stabilized in the neighborhood of its equilibrium position by the proposed boundary controller.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.513-534
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• 2008

This paper examines local vibrations in the stay cables of a cable-stayed bridge subjected to wind gusts. The wind loads, including the self-excited load and the buffeting load, are converted into time-domain values using the rational function approximation and the multidimensional autoregressive process, respectively. The global motion of the girder, which is generated by the wind gusts, is analyzed using the modal analysis method. The local vibration of stay cables is calculated using a model in which an inclined cable is subjected to time-varying displacement at one support under global vibration. This model can consider both forced vibration and parametric vibration. The response characteristics of the local vibrations in the stay cables under wind gusts are described using an existing cable-stayed bridge. The results of the numerical analysis show a significant difference between the combined parametric and forced vibrations and the forced vibration.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.411-420
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• 2020

Deep Convolution neural network (DCNN) has been widely used in the healthy maintenance of civil infrastructure. Using DCNN to improve crack detection performance has attracted many researchers' attention. In this paper, a light-weight spatial attention network module is proposed to strengthen the representation capability of ResNet and improve the crack detection performance. It utilizes attention mechanism to strengthen the interested objects in global receptive field of ResNet convolution layers. Global average spatial information over all channels are used to construct an attention scalar. The scalar is combined with adaptive weighted sigmoid function to activate the output of each channel's feature maps. Salient objects in feature maps are refined by the attention scalar. The proposed spatial attention module is stacked in ResNet50 to detect crack. Experiments results show that the proposed module can got significant performance improvement in crack detection.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.355-374
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• 2006

Thin walled steel bridge-piers/columns are vulnerable to damage, when subjected to earthquake excitations. Local buckling, global buckling or interaction between local and global buckling usually is the cause of this damage, which results in significant strength reduction of the member. In this study new innovative design concepts, "thin-walled corrugated steel columns" and "thin-walled cellular steel columns" are presented, which allow the column to undergo large plastic deformations without significant strength reduction; hence dissipate energy under cyclic loading. It is shown that, compared with the conventional designs, circular and stiffened box sections, these new innovative concepts might results in cost-effective designs, with improved buckling and ductility properties. Using a finite element model, that takes the non-linear material properties into consideration, it is shown that the corrugations will act like longitudinal stiffeners that are supporting each other, thus improving the buckling behavior and allowing for reduction of the overall wall thickness of the column.