• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.109-132
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• 2013

Current codes incorporate simplified methods for the prediction of acceleration demands on secondary structural and non-structural elements at different levels of a building. While the use of simple analysis methods should be advocated, damage to both secondary structural and non-structural elements in recent earthquakes have highlighted the need for improved design procedures for such elements. In order to take a step towards the formation of accurate but simplified methods of predicting floor spectra, this work examines the floor spectra on elastic and inelastic single-degree of freedom systems subject to accelerograms of varying seismic intensity. After identifying the factors that appear to affect the shape and intensity of acceleration demands on secondary structural and non-structural elements, a new series of calibrated equations are proposed to predict floor spectra on single degree of freedom supporting structures. The approach uses concepts of dynamics and inelasticity to define the shape and intensity of the floor spectra at different levels of damping. The results of non-linear time-history analyses of a series of single-degree of freedom supporting structures indicate that the new methodology is very promising. Future research will aim to extend the methodology to multi-degree of freedom supporting structures and run additional verification studies.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.143-164
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• 2013

Calculation of seismic displacements in reinforced slopes plays a crucial role in appropriate design of these structures however current analytical methods result indifferent values for permanent displacements of the slope. In this paper, based on limit equilibrium and using the horizontal slices method, a new formulation has been proposed for estimating the seismic displacements of a reinforced slope under earthquake records. In this method, failure wedge is divided into a number of horizontal slices. Assuming linear variations for tensile forces of reinforcements along the height of the slope, the coefficient of yield acceleration has been estimated. The simplicity of calculations and taking into account the frequency content of input triggers are among the advantages of the present formulation. Comparison of the results shows that the yield acceleration calculated by the suggested method is very close to the values resulted from other techniques. On the other hand, while there is a significant difference between permanent displacements, the values obtained from the suggested method place somehow between those calculated by the other techniques.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.21 no.9
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• pp.1480-1490
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• 1997

A method by which the system parameter matrices can be estimated from measured time data of excitation force and acceleration has been studied. The acceleration data are integrated numerically to obtain the velocities and displacements, and the systm parameters are estimated from these data by solving equations of motion. The characteristics of the method have been investigated through its application to simulated data of 1 DOF and 2 DOF systems and experimental data measured from a simple structure. It was found that the method is very sensitive to measurement noise and the accuracy of the estimated parameters can be improved by averaging the repeatedly measured data and removing the noise. One of the main advantages of the parameter estimation method is that no a priori information about the system under test is required. The method can be easily extended to non-linear parameter estimation.

• Research in Mathematical Education
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.283-291
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• 2008

The extension to a wide population of secondary education in many advanced countries seems to have led to a weakening of the mathematics curriculum. In response, many students have been classified as "gifted" so that they can access a stronger program. Apart from the difficulties that might arise in actually determining which students are gifted (Is it always clear what the term means?), there are dangers inherent in programs that might be devised even for those that are truly talented. Sometimes students are moved ahead to more advanced mathematics. Elementary students might be taught algebra or even subjects like trigonometry and vectors, and secondary students might be taught calculus, differential equations and linear algebra. It is my experience over thirty-five years of contact with bright students that acceleration to higher level mathematics is often not a good idea. In this paper, I will articulate some of the factors that have led me to this opinion and suggest alternatives. First, I would like to emphasize that in matters of education, almost every statement that can be made to admit counterexamples; my opinion on acceleration is no exception. Occasionally, a young Gauss or Euler walks in the door, and one has no choice but to offer the maximum encouragement and allow the student to go to the limit of his capabilities. A young genius can demonstrate an incredible amount of mathematical insight, maturity and mastery of technique. A classical example is probably the teen-age Euler, who in the 1720s was allowed regular audiences with Jean Bernoulli, the foremost mathematician of his day.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.45-56
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• 2006

The finite element method is a practical tool to compute the response of the irregularly layered soil deposit to the base-rock motions. The method is useful not only in estimating the interaction between the structure and the surrounding soil as a whole and the local behavior of the contacting area in detail, but also in predicting the resulting behavior of the superstructure affected by such soil-structure interactions. However, the computation of finite element analysis is marched in the time domain (TD), while the site response analysis has been carried out mostly in the frequency domain (FD) with equivalent linear analysis. This study is intended to compare the results of the TD and FD analysis with focus on the peak response accelerations and the predominant frequencies, and thus to evaluate the applicability and the validity of the finite element analysis in the site response analysis. The comparison shows that one can obtain the results very close to that of FD analysis, from the finite element analysis by including sufficiently large width of foundation in the model and further by applying partial mode superposition. The finite element analysis turned out to be well agreeing with FD analysis in their computed results of the peak acceleration and the acceleration response spectra, especially at the surface layer.

• Transactions of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.483-492
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• 2014

Uncomfortable feelings of occupants by indoor floor impact noise in a residential building are not accurately represented by the floor impact noise from a standard impact source. It is due to the characteristics of standard impact sources, which are different from the impact forces produced by occupants. It varies significantly by impact source, and it is not easy to be replicated for testing. As a result, the indoor floor impact noise under different acoustic conditions cannot be directly compared. Using frequency response function(FRF), which represents the input-output relationships of a dynamic system, it is possible to examine the characteristics of the system. Especially, FRF can predict the response of a linear dynamic system subjected to various excitation. To determine the relationship between impact force and the corresponding response of dynamic system in residential building, the acceleration response of a concrete slab and the floor impact noise in the living room, produced by bang-machine and rubber-ball excitation, were measured. The test results are compared to the estimates based on FRF and impact force spectrum.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.867-891
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• 2016

This paper addresses numerically the behavior of steel structures under Fire-after-Earthquake (FAE) loading. The study is focused on a four-storey library building and takes into account the damage that is induced in structural members due to earthquake. The basic objective is the assessment of both the fire-behavior and the fire-resistance of the structure in the case where the structure is damaged due to earthquake. The combined FAE scenarios involve two different stages: during the first stage, the structure is subjected to the ground motion record, while in the second stage the fire occurs. Different time-acceleration records are examined, each scaled to multiple levels of the Peak Ground Acceleration (PGA) in order to represent more severe earthquakes with lower probability of occurrence. In order to study in a systematic manner the behavior of the structure for the various FAE scenarios, a two-dimensional beam finite element model is developed, using the non-linear finite element analysis code MSC-MARC. The fire resistance of the structure is determined using rotational limits based on the ductility of structural members that are subjected to fire. These limits are temperature dependent and take into account the level of the structural damage at the end of the earthquake and the effect of geometric initial imperfections of structural members.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.661-679
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• 2013

In this work, the safety performance of a commercial motorcycle helmet already placed on the market is assessed. The assessed motorcycle helmet is currently homologated by several relevant motorcycle standards. Impacts including translational and rotational motions are accurately simulated through a finite element numerical framework. The developed model was validated against experimental results: firstly, a validation concerning the constitutive model for the expanded polystyrene, the material responsible for energy absorption during impact; secondly, a validation regarding the acceleration measured at the headform's centre of gravity during the linear impacts defined in the ECE R22.05 standard. Both were successfully validated. After model validation, an oblique impact was simulated and the results were compared against head injury thresholds in order to predict the resultant head injuries. From this comparison, it was concluded that brain injuries such as concussion and diffuse axonal injury may occur even with a helmet certified by the majority of the motorcycle helmet standards. Unfortunately, these standards currently do not contemplate rotational components of acceleration. Conclusion points out to a strong recommendation on the necessity of including rotational motion in forthcoming motorcycle helmet standards and improving the current test procedures and head injury criteria used by the standards, to improve the safety between the motorcyclists.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.351-373
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• 2014

This paper investigates the seismic response of lightweight acceleration-sensitive non-structural components (NSCs) mounted on irregular reinforced concrete (RC) primary structures (P-structures) using non-linear dynamic finite element (FE) analysis. The aim of this paper is to study the influence of NSC to P-structure vibration period ratio, peak ground acceleration, NSC to P-structure height ratio, and P-structure torsional behaviour on the seismic response of the NSCs. Representative constitutive models were used to simulate the behaviour of the RC P-structures. The NSCs were modelled as vertical cantilevers fixed at their bases with masses on the free ends and varying lengths so as to match the frequencies of the P-structures. Full dynamic interaction is considered between the NSCs and P-structures. A set of 21 natural and artificial earthquake records were used to evaluate the seismic response of the NSCs. The numerical results indicate that the behaviour of the NSCs is significantly influenced by the investigated parameters. Comparison between the FE results and Eurocode (EC8) predictions suggests that EC8 underestimates the response of NSCs mounted on the flexible sides of irregular RC P-structures when the fundamental periods and heights of the NSCs match those of the P-structures. The perceived cause of this discrepancy is that EC8 does not take into account the amplification in the dynamic response of NSCs induced by the torsional behaviour of RC P-structures.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.21 no.9
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• pp.818-826
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• 2015

This paper presents a novel methodology for estimating vehicle ego-motion, i.e. tri-axis linear velocities and angular velocities by using stereo vision sensor and 2G1Y sensor (longitudinal acceleration, lateral acceleration, and yaw rate). The estimated ego-motion information can be utilized to predict future ego-path and improve the accuracy of 3D coordinate of obstacle by compensating for disturbance from vehicle movement representatively for collision avoidance system. For the purpose of incorporating vehicle dynamic characteristics into ego-motion estimation, the state evolution model of Kalman filter has been augmented with lateral vehicle dynamics and the vanishing point estimation has been also taken into account because the optical flow radiates from a vanishing point which might be varied due to vehicle pitch motion. Experimental results based on real-world data have shown the effectiveness of the proposed methodology in view of accuracy.