• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.231-256
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• 2016

This study concerns the derivation of optimum tuning formulas for a passive Tuned Mass Damper (TMD) device, for the case of benchmark ideal excitations acting on a single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) damped primary structure. The free TMD parameters are tuned first through a non-linear gradient-based optimisation algorithm, for the case of harmonic or white noise excitations, acting either as force on the SDOF primary structure or as base acceleration. The achieved optimum TMD parameters are successively interpolated according to appropriate analytical fitting proposals, by non-linear least squares, in order to produce simple and effective TMD tuning formulas. In particular, two fitting models are presented. The main proposal is composed of a simple polynomial relationship, refined within the fitting process, and constitutes the optimum choice. A second model refers to proper modifications of literature formulas for the case of an undamped primary structure. The results in terms of final (interpolated) optimum TMD parameters and of device effectiveness in reducing the structural dynamic response are finally displayed and discussed in detail, showing the wide and ready-to-use validity of the proposed optimisation procedure and achieved tuning formulas. Several post-tuning trials have been carried out as well on SDOF and MDOF shear-type frame buildings, by confirming the effective benefit provided by the proposed optimum TMD.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.755-770
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• 2009

This study proposes a new smart base isolation system that employs Magneto-Rheological Elastomers (MREs), a class of smart materials whose elastic modulus or stiffness can be varied depending on the magnitude of an applied magnetic field. It also evaluates the dynamic performance of the MRE-based isolation system in reducing vibrations in structures subject to various seismic excitations. As controllable stiffness elements, MREs can increase the dynamic control bandwidth of the isolation system, improving its vibration reduction capability. To study the effectiveness of the MRE-based isolation system, this paper compares its dynamic performance in reducing vibration responses of a base-isolated single-story structure (i.e., 2DOF) with that of a conventional base-isolation system. Moreover, two control algorithms (linear quadratic regulator (LQR)-based control and state-switched control) are considered for regulating the stiffness of MREs. The simulation results show that the MRE-based isolation system outperformed the conventional system in suppressing the maximum base drift, acceleration, and displacement of the structure.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.65-88
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• 2011

A new method for the seismic design of plane steel moment resisting frames is developed. This method determines the design base shear of a plane steel frame through modal synthesis and spectrum analysis utilizing different values of the strength reduction (behavior) factor for the modes considered instead of a single common value of that factor for all these modes as it is the case with current seismic codes. The values of these modal strength reduction factors are derived with the aid of a) design equations that provide equivalent linear modal damping ratios for steel moment resisting frames as functions of period, allowable interstorey drift and damage levels and b) the damping reduction factor that modifies elastic acceleration spectra for high levels of damping. Thus, a new performance-based design method is established. The direct dependence of the modal strength reduction factor on desired interstorey drift and damage levels permits the control of deformations without their determination and secures that deformations will not exceed these levels. By means of certain seismic design examples presented herein, it is demonstrated that the use of different values for the strength reduction factor per mode instead of a single common value for all modes, leads to more accurate results in a more rational way than the code-based ones.

• Proceedings of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea Conference
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• 2006.03a
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• pp.327-336
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• 2006

Site coefficients in IBC and KBC codes have some limits to predict the rational seismic responses of a structure, because they consider only the effect of the soil amplification without the effects of the structure-soil interaction. In this study, upper and lower limits of site coefficients are estimated through the pseudo 3-D elastic seismic response analyses of structures built on linear or nonlinear soil layers considering the structure-soil interaction effects. Soil characteristics of site classes of A, B, and C were assumed to be linear, and those of site classes of D and E were done to be nonlinear and the Ramberg-Osgood model was used to evaluate shear modulus and damping ratio of a soil layer depending on the shear wave velocity of a soil layer. Seismic analyses were performed with 12 weak or moderate earthquake records, scaled the peak acceleration to 0.1g or 0.2g and deconvoluted as earthquake records at the bedrock 30m beneath the outcrop. With the study results of the elastic seismic response analyses of structures, new standard response spectrum and upper and lower limits of the site coefficients of Fa and Fv at the short period range and the period of 1 second are suggested Including the structure-soil interaction effects.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.352-356
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• 2013

Recently, the stationary discontinuous armature, Permanent Magnet Linear Synchronous Motor (PM-LSM), was suggested as a driving source for long-distance transportation system. However, as these motors arrange armatures discontinuously, an edge occurs thereby leading to a cogging force. This works as a factor that hinders the acceleration and deceleration that takes place when movers enter into and eject from armatures. Therefore, in this study, the installation of auxiliary teeth on the edge of the armature of PM-LSM is suggested in order to reduce the cogging force caused by the edge when the armature is placed in a discontinuous arrangement. Auxiliary teeth are optimally designed by a 2-D numerical analysis using the finite element method was performed to generate the optimum design of the auxiliary teeth. The validity of the study was confirmed through the comparison of the cogging force induced at the edge in respect to the design parameter using the basic model.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.805-820
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• 2016

A fully coupled non-linear effective stress response finite difference (FD) model is built to survey the counter-intuitive recent findings on the reliance of pore water pressure ratio on foundation contact pressure. Two alternative design scenarios for a benchmark problem are explored and contrasted in the light of construction emission rates using the EFFC-DFI methodology. A strain-hardening effective stress plasticity model is adopted to simulate the dynamic loading. A combination of input motions, contact pressure, initial vertical total pressure and distance to foundation centreline are employed, as model variables, to further investigate the control of permanent and variable actions on the residual pore pressure ratio. The model is verified against the Ghosh and Madabhushi high acceleration field test database. The outputs of this work are aimed to improve the current computer-aided seismic foundation design that relies on ground's packing state and consistency. The results confirm that on seismic excitation of shallow foundations, the likelihood of effective stress loss is greater in deeper depths and across free field. For the benchmark problem, adopting a shallow foundation system instead of piled foundation benefitted in a 75% less emission rate, a marked proportion of which is owed to reduced materials and haulage carbon cost.

• Journal of Auto-vehicle Safety Association
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.31-38
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• 2020

This study is to develop the prediction model for the HIC15 in frontal vehicle crash tests. The 28 frontal impact test results of the MY2019 and MY2020 USNCAP are utilized. The metrics for evaluating the crash pulse severity such as moving average acceleration, Restraint Quotient (RQ) and ride-down efficiency are reviewed to find out whether the metrics can predict the HIC15. It is observed that the R² values based on the linear regression of all pairs between the existing metrics and the occupant injuries such as the HIC15, 3 ms chest g's and chest deflection are very low. In this study, using the vehicle crash pulses, the linear regression model for estimating the HIC15 is developed. The vehicle crash pulse is splitted seven 10 ms intervals in 70 ms after impact for extracting the average accelerations in each intervals. The prediction model can predict effectively not only the HIC15 but also the maximum head g's, chest deflection and 3 ms chest g's of 13 vehicles out of 28 vehicles.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.585-595
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• 2022

Using the nonlinear static procedures has become very common in seismic codes to achieve the nonlinear response of the structure during an earthquake. The capacity spectrum method (CSM) adopted in ATC-40 is considered as one of the most known and useful procedures. For this procedure the seismic demand can be approximated from the maximum deformation of an equivalent linear elastic Single-Degree-of-Freedom system (SDOF) that has an equivalent damping ratio and period by using an iterative procedure. Data from the results of this procedure are plotted in acceleration- displacement response spectrum (ADRS) format. Different improvements have been made in order to have more accurate results compared to the Non Linear Time History Analysis (NL-THA). A new procedure is presented in this paper where the iteration process shall not be required. This will be done by estimation the ductility demand response spectrum (DDRS) and the corresponding effective damping of the bilinear system based on a new parameter of control, called normalized yield strength coefficient (η), while retaining the attraction of graphical implementation of the improved procedure of the FEMA-440. The proposed procedure accuracy should be verified with the NL-THA analysis results as a first implementation. The comparison shows that the new procedure provided a good estimation of the nonlinear response of the structure compared with those obtained when using the NL-THA analysis.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.549-580
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• 2022

This paper assesses the influences of modeling assumptions and uncertainties on the performance of the non-linear finite element (FE) model updating procedure and model clustering method. The results of a shaking table test on a four-story steel moment-resisting frame are employed for both calibrations and clustering of the FE models. In the first part, simple to detailed non-linear FE models of the test frame is calibrated to minimize the difference between the various data features of the models and the structure. To investigate the effect of the specified data feature, four of which include the acceleration, displacement, hysteretic energy, and instantaneous features of responses, have been considered. In the last part of the work, a model-based clustering approach to group models of a four-story frame with similar behavior is introduced to detect abnormal ones. The approach is a composition of property derivation, outlier removal based on k-Nearest neighbors, and a K-means clustering approach using specified data features. The clustering results showed correlations among similar models. Moreover, it also helped to detect the best strategy for modeling different structural components.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.617-624
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• 2022

A new intelligent adaptive control scheme was proposed that combines the control based on interference observer and fuzzy adaptive s-curve for flight path tracking control of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The most important contribution is that the control configurations don't need to know the uncertainty limit of the vehicle and the influence of interference is removed. The proposed control law is an integration of fuzzy control estimator and adaptive proportional integral (PI) compensator with input. The rated feedback drive specifies the desired dynamic properties of the closed control loop based on the known properties of the preferred acceleration vector. At the same time, the adaptive PI control compensate for the unknown of perturbation. Additional terms such as s-surface control can ensure rapid convergence due to the non-linear representation on the surface and also improve the stability. In addition, the observer improves the robustness of the adaptive fuzzy system. It has been proven that the stability of the regulatory system can be ensured according to linear matrix equality based Lyapunov's theory. In summary, the numerical simulation results show the efficiency and the feasibility by the use of the robust control methodology.