• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.259-278
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• 2008

This paper presents a nonlinear finite element procedure accounting for the effects of geometric as well as material nonlinearities for reinforced concrete bridge piers supported by laminated rubber bearings. Reinforced concrete bridge piers supported by laminated rubber bearings and carrying a cyclic load were analyzed by using a special purpose, nonlinear finite element program, RCAHEST. For reinforced concrete, the proposed robust nonlinear material model captures the salient response characteristics of the bridge piers under cyclic loading conditions and addresses with the influence of geometric nonlinearity on post-peak response of the bridge piers by transformations between local and global systems. Seismic isolator element to predict the behaviors of laminated rubber bearings is also developed. The seismic performance of reinforced concrete bridge piers supported by laminated rubber bearings is assessed analytically. The results show good correlation between the experimental findings and numerical predictions, and demonstrate the reliability and robustness of the proposed analytical model. Additionally, the studies and discussions presented in this investigation provide an insight into the key behavioral aspects of reinforced concrete bridge piers supported by laminated rubber bearings.

• Transactions of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering
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• v.17 no.1 s.118
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• pp.80-87
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• 2007

In this paper, a method for identifying the location and extent of a damage in a structure using residual forces was presented. Element stiffness matrix reduction parameters in a finite element model were used to describe the damaged structure mathematically. The element stiffness matrix reduction parameters were determined by minimizing a global error derived from dynamic residual vectors, which were obtained by introducing a simulated experimental data into the eigenvalue problem. Genetic algorithm was used to get the solution set of element stiffness reduction parameters. The proposed scheme was verified using Euler-Bernoulli beam. The results were presented in the form of tables and charts.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.61-66
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• 2013

This paper presents the results of finite element simulations of elastic wave propagation in an underwater steel plate and the verification of a proposed method utilizing elastic wave-based damage detection. For the simulation and verification, we carried out the following procedures. First, three-dimensional finite element models were constructed using a general purpose finite element program. Second, two types of damages (mechanical defects and deteriorations) were applied to the underwater steel plate and three parameters (defect location, defect width, and depth) were considered to adjust the severity of the applied damages. Third, elastic waves were generated using the oblique incident method with a Gaussian tone burst, and the response signals were obtained at the receiving point for each defect or deterioration case. In addition, the received time domain signals were analyzed, particularly by measuring the magnitudes of the maximum amplitudes. Finally, the presence and severity of each type of damage were identified by the decreasing ratios of the maximum amplitudes. The results showed that the received signals for the models had the same global pattern with minor changes in the amplitudes and phases, and the decreasing ratio generally increased as the damage area increased. In addition, we found that the defect depth was more critical than the width in the decrease of the amplitude. This mainly occurred because the layout of the depth interfered with the elastic wave propagation in a more severe manner than the layout of the width. An inverse analysis showed that the proposed method is applicable for detecting mechanical defects and quantifying their severity.

• International Journal of Automotive Technology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.33-46
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• 2004

A finite element model development of a 50th percentile male cervical spine is presented in this paper. The model consists of rigid, geometrically accurate vertebrae held together with deformable intervertibral disks, facet joints, and ligaments modeled as a series of nonlinear springs. These deformable structures were rigorously tuned, through failure, to mimic existing experimental data; first as functional unit characterizations at three cervical levels and then as a fully assembled c-spine using the experimental data from Duke University and other data in the NHTSA database. After obtaining satisfactory validation of the performance of the assembled ligamentous cervical spine against available experimental data, 22 cervical muscle pairs, representing the majority of the neck's musculature, were added to the model. Hill's muscle model was utilized to generate muscle forces within the assembled cervical model. The muscle activation level was assumed to be the same for all modeled muscles and the degree of activation was set to correctly predict available human volunteer experimental data from NBDL. The validated model is intended for use as a post processor of dummy measurement within the simulated injury monitor (SIMon) concept being developed by NHTSA where measured kinematics and kinetic data obtained from a dummy during a crash test will serve as the boundary conditions to "drive" the finite element model of the neck. The post-processor will then interrogate the model to determine whether any ligament have exceeded its known failure limit. The model will allow a direct assessment of potential injury, its degree and location thus eliminating the need for global correlates such as Nij.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.421-431
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• 2023

Recently, the destructive power of typhoons is continuously increasing due to the influence of global warming. In a situation where the installation of floating wind turbines is increasing around the world, concerns about the huge loss and collapse of floating offshore wind turbines due to strong typhoons are deepening. Regarding to the safe operation of the floating offshore wind turbine, the development of a new type of disconnectable mooring system is required. A new fairlead chain stopper considered in this study is devised to more easily attach or detach the floating offshore wind turbine with mooring lines comparing to other disconnectable mooring apparatuses. In order to investigate the structural safety of the initial design of fairlead chain stopper that can be applied to MW-class floating type offshore wind turbine, scale-down structural models were produced using a 3-D printer and structural tests were performed on the models. For the structural tests of the scale-down models, tensile specimens of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene material that was used in the 3-D printing were prepared, and the material properties were evaluated by performing the tensile tests. The finite element analysis of fairlead chain stopper was performed by applying the material properties obtained from the tensile tests and the same load and boundary conditions as in the scale-down model structural tests. Through the finite element analysis, the structural weak parts on the fairlead chain stopper were reviewed. The structural model tests were performed considering the main load conditions of fairlead chain stopper, and the test results were compared to the finite element analysis. Through the results of this study, it was possible to experimentally verify the structural safety of the initial design of fairlead chain stopper. It is also judged that the study results can be usefully used to improve the structural strength of fairlead chain stopper in a detailed design stage.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.206-210
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• 2014

The metal lead frame, a semiconductor component, has product tolerances in micro units as compared to products made with a larger size mold. Therefore, small deflections of the mold and of the press as well as the press molding process itself have a strong influence on accuracy of the product. Hence, it is necessary for the process design to consider the structural response of the mold and the press during deformation. In the current study, the mold deflection and pressure on the punch is examined using the finite element modeling (FEM) program ABAQUS. The results from the simulation were verified with the dynamic deformation measurement equipment using digital image correlation (DIC).

• Transactions of the Society of Information Storage Systems
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.47-52
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• 2011

This paper presents a method to improve vibration characteristics of servo track write (STW) fixture. STW fixtures supported by flexible mounts are subject to various vibration sources. Using Finite element analysis (FEA) vibration modes of the fixture are identified. The FEA results suggest certain vibration modes be reduced through design change of flexible mounts to improve vibration responses of the fixture. Based on layered flexible mounts theory a parametric study on shear and bending stiffness is performed to obtain a suitable flexible mount design leading to increased resistance to rocking motion. Experiments confirm improvement of vibration characteristics and drive performance through new mounts design.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.7 no.5
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• pp.349-363
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• 2011

To assess the performance of a structure requires the measurement of global and relative displacements at critical points across the structure. They should be obtained in real time and in all weather condition. A Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) could satisfy the last two requirements. The American Global Position System (GPS) provides long term acquisitions with sampling rates sufficient to track the displacement of long period structures. The accuracy is of the order of sub-centimetres. The steel building which hosts the authors' laboratory is the reference case-study within this paper. First a comparison of data collected by GPS sensor units with data recorded by tri-axial accelerometers is carried out when dynamic vibrations are induced in the structure by movements of the internal bridge-crane. The elaborations from the GPS position readings are then compared with the results obtained by a Finite Element (FE) numerical simulation. The purposes are: i) to realize a refinement of the structural parameters which characterize the building and ii) to outline a suitable way for processing GPS data toward structural monitoring.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 2002.04a
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• pp.353-360
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• 2002

The objective of this study is to develop a technique that analyzes the global behavior of frame structures with local cracks. The technique is based on frame analysis and uses the stiffness matrix of cracked frame element. An algorithm proposed here analyzes a frame structure with local transverseedge cracks, considering the effects of crack length and location. Stress intensity factors are employed to calculate additional local compliance due to the cracks based on linear elastic fracture mechanics theory, and then this local compliance is utilized to derive the stiffness matrix of the cracked frame element. In order to verify the accuracy and reliability of the proposed approach, numerical results are compared with those of Finite Element Method for the cracked frame element, and the effects of single crack on the behavior of truss structure are also examined.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.79-86
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• 2014

This paper presents modelling approaches for the global and distortional buckling of cold-formed built-up steel sections using the finite element software packages, ANSYS and ABAQUS. Thin thickness of the cold-formed steel causes nonlinear behaviour due to local and distortional buckling, thus careful consideration is required in modelling for numerical analysis. Implicit static modelling using ANSYS provides unstable numerical results as the load approaches the limit point but explicit dyamic modelling with ABAQUS is able to display the behaviour even in post-buckling range. Meanwhile, axial load capacities obtained from the numerical analysis show higher values than the experimental axial capacities, due to eccentricity during the test. Axial capacities of the cold-formed steel obtained through numerical analysis requires reduction factor, and this paper suggests 0.88 for the factor.