• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.63 no.6
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• pp.713-723
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• 2017

As a new type of ballastless track, longitudinal continuous slab track (CST) has been widely used in China. It can partly isolate the interaction between the ballastless track and the bridge and thus the rail expansion device would be unnecessary. Compared with the traditional track, CST is composed of multi layers of continuous structures and various connecting components. In order to investigate the performance of CST on a long-span bridge, the spatial finite element model considering each layer of the CST structure, connecting components, bridge, and subgrade is established and verified according to the theory of beam-rail interaction. The nonlinear resistance of materials between multilayer track structures is measured by experiments, while the temperature gradients of the bridge and CST are based on the long-term measured data. This study compares the force distribution rules of ballasted track and CST as respectively applied to a long span bridge. The effects of different damage conditions on CST structures are also discussed. The results show that the additional rail stress is small and the CST structure has a high safety factor under the measured temperature load. The rail expansion device can be cancelled when CST is adopted on the long span bridge. Beam end rotation caused by temperature gradient and vertical load will have a significant effect on the rail stress of CST. The additional flexure stress should be considered with the additional expansion stress simultaneously when the rail stress of CST requires to be checked. Both the maximum sliding friction coefficient of sliding layer and cracking condition of concrete plate should be considered to decide the arrangement of connecting components and the ultimate expansion span of the bridge when adopting CST.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.493-503
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• 2018

With the further increase of span length, the cable-stayed bridge tends to be more slender, and becomes more susceptible to the seismic action. By taking a super long-span cable-stayed bridge with main span of 1400m as example, structural response of the bridge under the E1 horizontal and vertical seismic excitations is investigated numerically by the multimode seismic response spectrum and time-history analysis respectively, the seismic behavior and also the effect of structural nonlinearity on the seismic response of super long-span cable-stayed bridge are revealed. Furthermore, the effect of structural parameters including the girder depth and width, the tower structural style, the tower height-to-span ratio, the side-tomain span ratio, the auxiliary piers in side spans and the anchorage system of stay cables etc on the seismic performance of super long-span cable-stayed bridge is investigated numerically by the multimode seismic response spectrum analysis, and the favorable earthquake-resistant structural system of super long-span cable-stayed bridge is proposed.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.557-572
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• 2012

This paper focuses on the vibration control of long-span reticulated steel structures under multi-dimensional earthquake excitation. The control system and strategy are constructed based on Magneto-Rheological (MR) dampers. The LQR and Hrovat controlling algorithm is adopted to determine optimal MR damping force, while the modified Bingham model (MBM) and inverse neural network (INN) is proposed to solve the real-time controlling current. Three typical long-span reticulated structural systems are detailedly analyzed, including the double-layer cylindrical reticulated shell, single-layer spherical reticulated shell, and cable suspended arch-truss structure. Results show that the proposed control strategy can reduce the displacement and acceleration effectively for three typical structural systems. The displacement control effect under the earthquake excitation with different PGA is similar, while for the cable suspended arch-truss, the acceleration control effect increase distinctly with the earthquake excitation intensity. Moreover, for the cable suspended arch-truss, the strand stress variation can also be effectively reduced by the MR dampers, which is very important for this kind of structure to ensure that the cable would not be destroyed or relaxed.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.445-457
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• 2020

The buffeting response is a vital consideration for long-span bridges in typhoon-prone areas. In the conventional analysis, the turbulence and structural vibrations are assumed as stationary processes, which are, however, inconsistent with the non-stationary features observed in typhoon winds. This poses a question on how the stationary assumption would affect the evaluation of buffeting responses under non-stationary wind actions in nature. To figure out this problem, this paper presents a comparative study on buffeting responses of a long-span cable-stayed bridge based on stationary and non-stationary perspectives. The stationary and non-stationary buffeting analysis frameworks are firstly reviewed. Then, a modal analysis of the example bridge, Sutong Cable-stayed Bridge (SCB), is conducted, and stationary and non-stationary spectral models are derived based on measured typhoon winds. On this condition, the buffeting responses of SCB are finally analyzed by following stationary and non-stationary approaches. Although the stationary results are almost identical with the non-stationary results in the mean sense, the root-mean-square value of buffeting responses are underestimated by the stationary assumption as the time-varying features existing in the spectra of turbulence are neglected. The analytical results highlights a transition from stationarity to non-stationarity in the buffeting analysis of long-span bridges.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.171-180
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• 2019

This paper presents a restart iterative approach for time-domain flutter analysis of long-span bridges using the commercial FE package ANSYS. This approach utilizes the recursive formats of impulse-response-function expressions for bridge's aeroelastic forces. Nonlinear dynamic equilibrium equations are iteratively solved by using the restart technique in ANSYS, which enable the equilibrium state of system to get back to last moment absolutely during iterations. The condition for the onset of flutter instability becomes that, at a certain wind velocity, the amplitude of vibration is invariant with time. A long-span suspension bridge was taken as a numerical example to verify the applicability and accuracy of the proposed method by comparing calculated results with wind tunnel tests. The proposed method enables the bridge designers and engineering practitioners to carry out time-domain flutter analysis of bridges in commercial FE package ANSYS.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.103-122
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• 2006

The capacity of tubular truss chords subjected to concentrated reaction forces in the vicinity of the open end (i.e., the bearing region) is not directly treated by existing design specifications; although capacity equations are promulgated for related tubular joint configurations. The lack of direct treatment of bearing capacity in existing design specifications seems to represent an unsatisfactory situation given the fact that connections very often control the design of long-span tubular structures comprised of members with slender cross-sections. The case of the simple-span overhead highway sign truss is studied, in which the bearing reaction is applied near the chord end. The present research is aimed at assessing the validity of adapting existing specifications' capacity equations from related cases so as to be applicable in determining design capacity in tubular truss bearing regions. These modified capacity equations are subsequently used in comparisons with full-scale experimental results obtained from testing carried out at the University of Pittsburgh.

• Structural Monitoring and Maintenance
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.261-281
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• 2023

Magnetic flux sensors are commonly used in monitoring the cable force, but the application of the sensors in large diameter non-closed Galfan cables, as those adopted in Yueqing Gymnasium which is located in Yueqing City, Zhejiang Province, China and is the largest span hybrid space structure in the world, is seldom done in engineering. Based on the construction of Yueqing Gymnasium, this paper studies the cable tension monitoring using the magnetic flux method across two stages, namely, the pre-calibration stage before the cable leaves the rigging factory and the field tension formation stage of the cable system. In the pre-calibration stage in the cable factory, a series of 1:1 full-scale comparative tests were carried out to study the feasibility and relability of this kind of monitoring method, and the influence on the monitoring results of charging and discharging voltage, sensor location, cable diameter and fitting method were also studied. Some meaningful conclusions were obtained. On this basis, the real-time cable tension monitoring system of the structure based on the magnetic flux method is established. During the construction process, the monitoring results of the cables are in good agreement with the data of the on-site pressure gauge.The work of this paper will provide a useful reference for cable force monitoring in the construction process of long-span spatial structures.

• Journal of Korean Association for Spatial Structures
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• v.2 no.3 s.5
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• pp.81-92
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• 2002

The objective of this paper is to help to make decision of the appropriate structural types in long span structured building due to range of span. For the intention, based on 7 forces of structural element, it is analized the relationships among 6 configurations of structural element(d/1), 25 structural types, 4 materials, and span-length known with 186 sample from 1850 to 1996. 1) bending forces: $club(1/100{\sim}1/10),\;plate(1/100{\sim}1/10),\;rahmen(steel,\;10{\sim}24m)\;simple\;beam(PC,\;10{\sim}35m)$ 2) shearing forces: $shell(1/100{\sim}1/1000)\;hyperbolic\;paraboloids(RC,25{\sim}97m)$ 3) shearing+bending forces: plate, folded $plate(RC21{\sim}59m)$ 4) compression axial forces: club, $arch(RC,\;32{\sim}65m)$ 5) compression+tension forces: shell, braced dome $shell(RC,\;40{\sim}201m),\;vault\;shell(RC,\;16{\sim}103m)$ 6) compression+tension axial forces: $rod(1/1000{\sim}1/100)$, cable(below 1/1000)+rod, coble+rod+membrane(below 1/1000), planar $truss(steel,\;31{\sim}134m),\;arch\;truss(31{\sim}135m),\;horizontal\;spaceframe(29{\sim}10\;8m),\;portal\;frame(39{\sim}55m),\;domical\;space\;truss(44{\sim}222m),\;framed\;\;membrane(45{\sim}110m),\;hybrid\;\;membrane\;(42{\sim}256m)$ 7) tension forces: cable, membrane, $suspension(60{\sim}150m),\;cable\;\;beam(40{\sim}130m),\;tensile\;membrane(42{\sim}136m),\;cable\;-slayed(25{\sim}90m),\;suspension\;membrane(24{\sim}97m),\;single\;layer\;pneumatic\;structure(45{\sim}231m),\;double\;layer\;pneumatic\;structures(30{\sim}44m)$

• Wind and Structures
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.649-663
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• 2014

The present paper discusses the characteristics of unsteady aerodynamic forces on long-span curved roofs. A forced vibration test is carried out in a wind tunnel to investigate the effects of wind speed, vibration amplitude, reduced frequency of vibration and rise/span ratio of the roof on the unsteady aerodynamic forces. Because the range of parameters tested in the wind tunnel experiment is limited, a CFD simulation is also made for evaluating the characteristics of unsteady aerodynamic forces on the vibrating roof over a wider range of parameters. Special attention is paid to the effect of reduced frequency of vibration. Based on the results of the wind tunnel experiment and CFD simulation, the influence of the unsteady aerodynamic forces on the dynamic response of a full-scale long-span curved roof is investigated on the basis of the spectral analysis.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.513-522
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• 2019

A long-span transmission tower-line system is indispensable for long-distance electricity transmission across a large river or valley; hence, the failure of this system, especially the collapse of the supporting towers, has serious impacts on power grids. To ensure the safety and reliability of transmission systems, this study experimentally and numerically investigates the collapse failure of a 220 kV long-span transmission tower-line system subjected to severe earthquakes. A 1:20 scale model of a transmission tower-line system is constructed in this research, and shaking table tests are carried out. Furthermore, numerical studies are conducted in ABAQUS by using the Tian-Ma-Qu material model, the results of which are compared with the experimental findings. Good agreement is found between the experimental and numerical results, showing that the numerical simulation based on the Tian-Ma-Qu material model is able to predict the weak points and collapse process of the long-span transmission tower-line system. The failure of diagonal members at weak points constitutes the collapse-inducing factor, and the ultimate capacity and weakest segment vary with different seismic wave excitations. This research can further enrich the database for the seismic performance of long-span transmission tower-line systems.