• Steel and Composite Structures
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• 제3권2호
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• pp.75-95
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• 2003

A numerical model is presented to simulate the mechanical behaviour of composite steel and concrete columns taking into account the interaction between the hollow steel section and the concrete core. The model, based on displacement finite element methods with an Updated Lagrangian formulation, allows for geometrical and material non linearities combined with heating over all or a part of the section and column length. Comparisons of numerical calculations made using the model with 33 fire resistance tests show that the model is able to predict the fire resistance, expressed in minutes of fire exposure, of composite columns with a good accuracy.

• Interaction and multiscale mechanics
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• 제4권3호
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• pp.207-217
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• 2011

International efforts have focused recently on the development of tungsten surfaces that can intercept energetic ionized and neutral atoms, and heat fluxes in the divertor region of magnetic fusion confinement devices. The combination of transient heating and local swelling due to implanted helium and hydrogen atoms has been experimentally shown to lead to severe surface and sub-surface damage. We present here a computational model to determine the relationship between the thermo-mechanical loading conditions, and the onset of damage and failure of tungsten surfaces. The model is based on thermo-elasticity, coupled with a grain boundary damage mode that includes contact cohesive elements for grain boundary sliding and fracture. This mechanics model is also coupled with a transient heat conduction model for temperature distributions following rapid thermal pulses. Results of the computational model are compared to experiments on tungsten bombarded with energetic helium and deuterium particle fluxes.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제18권5호
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• pp.541-563
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• 2004

For reaching large inelastic deformations without a substantial loss in strength, the potential plastic hinge regions of the reinforced concrete structural members should be confined by adequate transverse reinforcement. Therefore, simple and realistic representation of confined concrete behaviour is needed for inelastic analysis of reinforced concrete structures. In this study, a trilinear stress-strain model is proposed for the axial behaviour of confined concrete. The model is based on experimental work that was carried out on nearly full size specimens. During the interpretation of experimental data, the buckling and strain hardening of the longitudinal reinforcement are also taken into account. The proposed model is used for predicting the stress-strain relationships of confined concrete specimens tested by other researchers. Although the proposed model is simpler than most of the available models, the comparisons between the predicted results and experimental data indicate that it can represent the stress-strain relationship of confined concrete quite realistically.

• Coupled systems mechanics
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• 제2권1호
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• pp.85-110
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• 2013

Generally, mass concrete structural behavior is governed by the strain components. However, relevant guidelines in dam engineering evaluate the structural behavior of concrete dams using stress-based criteria. In the present study, strain-based criteria are proposed for the first time in a professional manner and their applicability in seismic failure evaluation of an arch dam are investigated. Numerical model of the dam is provided using NSAD-DRI finite element code and the foundation is modeled to be massed using infinite elements at its far-end boundaries. The coupled dam-reservoir-foundation system is solved in Lagrangian-Eulerian domain using Newmark-${\beta}$ time integration method. Seismic performance of the dam is investigated using parameters such as the demand-capacity ratio, the cumulative inelastic duration and the extension of the overstressed/overstrained areas. Real crack profile of the dam based on the damage mechanics approach is compared with those obtained from stress-based and strain-based approaches. It is found that using stress-based criteria leads to conservative results for arch action while seismic safety evaluation using the proposed strain-based criteria leads to conservative cantilever action.

• Structural Monitoring and Maintenance
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• 제5권2호
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• pp.231-242
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• 2018

Subway tunnel structure has been rapidly developed in many cities for its strong transport capacity. The model-based damage detection of subway tunnel structure is usually difficult due to the complex modeling of soil-structure interaction, the indetermination of boundary and so on. This paper proposes a new data-based method for the damage detection of subway tunnel structure. The root mean square acceleration and cross correlation function are used to derive a statistical pattern recognition algorithm for damage detection. A damage sensitive feature is proposed based on the root mean square deviations of the cross correlation functions. X-bar control charts are utilized to monitor the variation of the damage sensitive features before and after damage. The proposed algorithm is validated by the experiment of a full-scale two-rings subway tunnel lining, and damages are simulated by loosening the connection bolts of the rings. The results verify that root mean square deviation is sensitive to bolt loosening in the tunnel lining and X-bar control charts are feasible to be used in damage detection. The proposed data-based damage detection method is applicable to the online structural health monitoring system of subway tunnel lining.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• 제2권1호
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• pp.21-34
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• 2002

A model of the process of local buckling in tubular steel structural elements is presented. It is assumed that this degrading phenomenon can be lumped at plastic hinges. The model is therefore based on the concept of plastic hinge combined with the methods of continuum damage mechanics. The state of this new kind of inelastic hinge is characterized by two internal variables: the plastic rotation and the damage. The model is valid if only one local buckling appears in the plastic hinge region; for instance, in the case of framed structures subjected to monotonic loadings. Based on this damage model, a new finite element that can describe the development of local buckling is proposed. The element is the assemblage of an elastic beamcolumn and two inelastic hinges at its ends. The stiffness matrix, that depends on the level of damage, the yielding function and the damage evolution law of the two hinges define the new finite element. In order to verify model and finite element, several small-scale frames were tested in laboratory under monotonic loading. A lateral load at the top of the frame was applied in a stroke-controlled mode until local buckling appears and develops in several locations of the frame and its ultimate capacity was reached. These tests were simulated with the new finite element and comparison between model and test is presented and discussed.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제64권1호
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• pp.59-69
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• 2017

The field of fracture mechanics has gained significance because of its ability to address the behaviour of cracks. Predicting the fracture properties of concrete based on experimental investigations is a challenge considering the quasi-brittle nature of concrete. So, there is a need for developing a standard numerical tool which predicts the fracture energy of concrete which is at par with experimental results. The present study is an attempt to evaluate the fracture energy and characteristic length for different grades of concrete using Concrete Damage Plasticity (CDP) model. Indian Standard and EUROCODE are used for the basic input parameters of concrete. Numerical evaluation is done using Finite Element Analysis Software ABAQUS/CAE. Hsu & Hsu and Saenz stress-strain models are adopted for the current study. Mesh sensitivity analysis is also carried to study the influence of type and size of elements on the overall accuracy of the solution. Different input parameters like dilatation angle, eccentricity are varied and their effect on fracture properties is addressed. The results indicated that the fracture properties of concrete for various grades can be accurately predicted without laboratory tests using CDP model.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제58권5호
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• pp.799-823
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• 2016

A finite element model for the non-linear dynamic analysis of a reinforced concrete (RC) containment shell of a nuclear power plant subjected to extreme loads such as impact and earthquake is presented in this work. The impact is modeled by using an uncoupled approach in which a load function is applied at the impact zone. The earthquake load is modeled by prescribing ground accelerations at the base of the structure. The nuclear containment is discretized spatially by using 20-node brick finite elements. The concrete in compression is modeled by using a modified $Dr{\ddot{u}}cker$-Prager elasto-plastic constitutive law where strain rate effects are considered. Cracking of concrete is modeled by using a smeared cracking approach where the tension-stiffening effect is included via a strain-softening rule. A model based on fracture mechanics, using the concept of constant fracture energy release, is used to relate the strain softening effect to the element size in order to guaranty mesh independency in the numerical prediction. The reinforcing bars are represented by incorporated membrane elements with a von Mises elasto-plastic law. Two benchmarks are used to verify the numerical implementation of the present model. Results are presented graphically in terms of displacement histories and cracking patterns. Finally, the influence of the shear transfer model used for cracked concrete as well as the effect due to a base slab incorporation in the numerical modeling are analyzed.

• Coupled systems mechanics
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• 제11권2호
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• pp.167-198
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• 2022

In this paper we deal with classical instability problems of heterogeneous Euler beam under conservative loading. It is chosen as the model problem to systematically present several possible solution methods from simplest deterministic to more complex stochastic approach, both of which that can handle more complex engineering problems. We first present classical analytic solution along with rigorous definition of the classical Euler buckling problem starting from homogeneous beam with either simplified linearized theory or the most general geometrically exact beam theory. We then present the numerical solution to this problem by using reduced model constructed by discrete approximation based upon the weak form of the instability problem featuring von Karman (virtual) strain combined with the finite element method. We explain how such numerical approach can easily be adapted to solving instability problems much more complex than classical Euler's beam and in particular for heterogeneous beam, where analytic solution is not readily available. We finally present the stochastic approach making use of the Duffing oscillator, as the corresponding reduced model for heterogeneous Euler's beam within the dynamics framework. We show that such an approach allows computing probability density function quantifying all possible solutions to this instability problem. We conclude that increased computational cost of the stochastic framework is more than compensated by its ability to take into account beam material heterogeneities described in terms of fast oscillating stochastic process, which is typical of time evolution of internal variables describing plasticity and damage.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제52권2호
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• pp.258-270
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• 2020

A new task of using the Jacobian-Free-Newton-Krylov (JFNK) method for the PWR core transient simulations involving neutronics, thermal hydraulics and mechanics is conducted. For the transient scenario of PWR, normally the Picard iteration of the coupled coarse-mesh nodal equations and parallel channel TH equations is performed to get the transient solution. In order to solve the coupled equations faster and more stable, the Newton Krylov (NK) method based on the explicit matrix was studied. However, the NK method is hard to be extended to the cases with more physics phenomenon coupled, thus the JFNK based iteration scheme is developed for the nodal method and parallel-channel TH method. The local gap conductance is sensitive to the gap width and will influence the temperature distribution in the fuel rod significantly. To further consider the local gap conductance during the transient scenario, a 1D mechanics model is coupled into the JFNK scheme to account for the fuel thermal expansion effect. To improve the efficiency, the physics-based precondition and scaling technique are developed for the JFNK iteration. Numerical tests show good convergence behavior of the iterations and demonstrate the influence of the fuel thermal expansion effect during the rod ejection problems.