• Journal of Electrical Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.8 no.3
• /
• pp.565-571
• /
• 2013

This paper presents an effective method to improve efficiency of switched reluctance motor by optimizing energy conversion loop. A nonlinear analytical model which takes saturation account is developed to calculate inductance and flux-linkage. The flux-linkage curve is studied to calculate the co-energy increment to obtain the optimum exciting current. For a given cross-section, the exciting current at which co-energy increment is maximum was found to be constant while stack length varies. Then the energy conversion loop was optimized by varying the stack length and turns of windings. The constraints during optimization were that motor was excited by the maximum increment co-energy current and the energy in the loop was determined by rated power of motor. Dynamic finite element analysis was used to evaluate the efficiency of various models and the comparison of results shows promising effects of the proposed method. Experiment was also conducted to validate the simulation result.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.36 no.5
• /
• pp.587-602
• /
• 2020

In recent years, the composite columns have been widely used in the structures. These columns are mainly used to construct the structures with a large span and high floor height. Concrete filled tubes (CFTs) are a type of composite column, which are popular nowadays due to their numerous benefits. The purpose of this study is to investigate such frames at elevated temperatures. The method used in this research is based on section 2.2 of Eurocode 4. First, for the verification purpose, a comparison was made between the experimental results and the numerical model of the concrete filled tube. Then a composite frame was analyzed under fire temperature with different parameters. The results showed that the failure time decreased with increasing the friction of different models. Moreover, investigation of the concrete moisture content revealed that an increase in the concrete moisture content from 3% to 10% led to extended failure time for different models. For instance, in the second frame model, the failure time has increased up to 8%.

• Earthquakes and Structures
• /
• v.7 no.5
• /
• pp.843-859
• /
• 2014

In the present study, the seismic performance of structural walls with boundary elements confined by conventional tie hoops and steel fiber concrete (SFC) was investigated. Cyclic lateral loading tests on four wall specimens under constant axial load were performed. The primary test parameters considered were the spacing of boundary element transverse reinforcement and the use of steel fiber concrete. Test results showed that the wall specimen with boundary elements complying with ACI 318-11 21.9.6 failed at a high drift ratio of 4.5% due to concrete crushing and re-bar buckling. For the specimens where SFC was selectively used in the plastic hinge region, the spalling and crushing of concrete were substantially alleviated. However, sliding shear failure occurred at the interface of SFC and plain concrete at a moderate drift ratio of 3.0% as tensile plastic strains of longitudinal bars were accumulated during cyclic loading. The behaviors of wall specimens were examined through nonlinear section analysis adopting the stress-strain relationships of confined concrete and SFC.

• Advances in aircraft and spacecraft science
• /
• v.9 no.3
• /
• pp.263-278
• /
• 2022

The time-varying structural reliability of an aeroelastic launch vehicle subjected to stochastic parameters is investigated. The launch vehicle structure is under the combined action of several stochastic loads that include aerodynamics, thrust as well as internal combustion pressure. The launch vehicle's main body structural flexibility is modeled via the normal mode shapes of a free-free Euler beam, where the aerodynamic loadings on the vehicle are due to force on each incremental section of the vehicle. The rigid and elastic coupled nonlinear equations of motion are derived following the Lagrangian approach that results in a complete aeroelastic simulation for the prediction of the instantaneous launch vehicle rigid-body motion as well as the body elastic deformations. Reliability analysis has been performed based on two distinct limit state functions, defined as the maximum launch vehicle tip elastic deformation and also the maximum allowable stress occurring along the launch vehicle total length. In this fashion, the time-dependent reliability problem can be converted into an equivalent time-invariant reliability problem. Subsequently, the first-order reliability method, as well as the Monte Carlo simulation schemes, are employed to determine and verify the aeroelastic launch vehicle dynamic failure probability for a given flight time.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.49 no.3
• /
• pp.257-270
• /
• 2023

In this study, the feasibility and applicability of a friction damper with a vertical installation scheme are investigated. This device is composed of a steel section and two friction hinges at both ends which dissipate seismic energy. Due to its small width and vertical installation scheme, the proposed damper can minimize the interference with architectural functions. To evaluate the performance of the proposed damper, its mechanical behavior is theoretically evaluated and the required formulas for the yield strength and elastic stiffness are derived. The theoretical formulas are verified by establishing the analytical model of the damper in the SAP2000 software and comparing their results. To further investigate the performance of the developed damper, the provided analytical model is applied to a 4-story reinforced concrete (RC) structure and its performance is evaluated before and after retrofit under the Maximum Considered Earthquake (MCE) hazard level. The seismic performance is thoroughly evaluated in terms of maximum interstory drift ratio, displacement time history, residual displacement, and energy dissipation. The results show that the proposed damper can be efficiently used to protect the structure against seismic loads.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.88 no.1
• /
• pp.67-81
• /
• 2023

The reinforced concrete (RC) structures might need strengthening or upgradation due to adverse environmental conditions, design defects, modification requirements, and to prolong the expected lifespan. The RC beams have been efficiently strengthened using the near surface mounted (NSM) approach over the externally bonded reinforcing (EBR) system. In this study, the performance of RC beam elements strengthened with NSM-steel rebars was investigated using an experimental program and nonlinear finite element modeling (FEM). Nine medium-sized, rectangular cross-section RC beams total in number made up for the experimental evaluation. The beams strengthened with varying percentages of NSM reinforcement, and the number of grooves was assessed in four-point bending experiments up to failure. Based on the experimental evaluation, the load-displacement response, crack features, and failure modes of the strengthened beams were recorded and considered. According to the experimental findings, NSM steel greatly improved the flexural strength (up to about 84%) and stiffness of RC beams. The flexural response of the tested beams was simulated using a 3D non-linear finite element (FE) model. The findings of the experiments and the numerical analysis showed good agreement. The effect of the NSM groove and reinforcement on the structural response was then assessed parametrically.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.89 no.4
• /
• pp.363-374
• /
• 2024

Significant changes have been made to estimate the punching shear capacity for edge column-slab joints in the latest editions of most current codes. The revised equations account for axial forces as well as moments conveyed to columns from slabs, which have a substantial impact on the punching resistance of such joints. Many key design parameters, such as reinforcement-ratio, concrete strength, size-effect, and critical-section perimeter, were treated differently or even ignored in various code provisions. Consequently, wide ranges of predicted punching shear strength were detected by applying different code formulas. Therefore, it is essential to assess the various current Codes' design-equations. Because of the similarity in estimated outcomes, only the ACI, EC, and SNiP are used in this study to cover a wide range of estimation ranges from highly conservative to unconservative. This paper is devoted to analyzing the techniques in these code provisions, comparing the estimated punching resistance with available experimental data, and finally developing efficient models predicting the punching capacity of edge column-slab connections. 63 samples from past investigations were chosen for validation. To appropriately predict the punching shear, newly updated equations for ACI and SNiP are provided based on nonlinear regression analysis. The proposed equations'results match the experimental data quite well.

• Computers and Concrete
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.7-17
• /
• 2017

In Chinese Design Codes, for super high-rise buildings with complex structural distribution, which are regarded as code-exceeding buildings, elasto-plastic time history analysis is needed to validate the requirement of "no collapse under rare earthquake". In this paper, a 117-story super high-rise building is discussed. It has a height of 597 m and a height-width ratio of 9.5, which have both exceeded the limitations stipulated by the Chinese Design Codes. Mega columns adopted in this structure have cross section area of about $45m^2$ at the bottom, which is infrequent in practical projects. NosaCAD and Perform-3D, both widely used in nonlinear analyses, were chosen in this study, with which two model were established and analyzed, respectively. Elasto-plastic time history analysis was conducted to look into its seismic behavior, emphasizing on the stress state and deformation abilities under intensive seismic excitation.From the comparisons on the results under rare earthquake obtained from NosaCAD and Perform-3D, the overall responses such as roof displacement, inter story drift, base shear and damage pattern of the whole structure from each software show agreement to an extent. Besides, the deformation of the structure is below the limitation of the Chinese Codes, the time sequence and distribution of damages on core tubes are reasonable, and can dissipate certain inputted energy, which indicates that the structure can meet the requirement of "no collapse under rare earthquake".

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.51 no.3
• /
• pp.487-502
• /
• 2014

In buildings structures, the flexural stiffness reduction of beams and columns due to concrete cracking plays an important role in the nonlinear load-deformation response of reinforced concrete structures under service loads. Most Seismic Design Codes do not precise effective stiffness to be used in seismic analysis for structures of reinforced concrete elements, therefore uncracked section properties are usually considered in computing structural stiffness. But, uncracked stiffness will never be fully recovered during or after seismic response. In the present study, the effect of concrete cracking on the lateral response of structure has been taken into account. Totally 120 cases of 3 Dimensional Dynamic Analysis which considers the real and accidental torsional effects are performed using ETABS to determine the effective structural system across the height, which ensures the performance and the economic dimensions that achieve the saving in concrete and steel amounts thus achieve lower cost. The result findings exhibits that the dual system was the most efficient lateral load resisting system based on deflection criterion, as they yielded the least values of lateral displacements and inter-storey drifts. The shear wall system was the most economical lateral load resisting compared to moment resisting frame and dual system but they yielded the large values of lateral displacements in top storeys. Wall systems executes tremendous stiffness at the lower levels of the building, while moment frames typically restrain considerable deformations and provide significant energy dissipation under inelastic deformations at the upper levels. Cracking found to be more impact over moment resisting frames compared to the Shear wall systems. The behavior of various lateral load resisting systems with respect to time period, mode shapes, storey drift etc. are discussed in detail.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.445-466
• /
• 2007

As the LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) tank contains cryogenic liquid, realistic thermal analyses are of a primary importance for a successful design. The structural details of the LNG tank are so complicated that some strategies are necessary to reasonably predict its temperature distribution. The proposed heat transfer model can consider the beneficial effects of insulation layers and a suspended deck on temperature distribution of the outer concrete tank against cryogenic conditions simply by the boundary conditions of the outer tank model. To this aim, the equilibrium condition or heat balance in a steady state is utilized in a various way, and some aspects of heat transfer via conduction, convection and radiation are implemented as necessary. Overall thermal analysis procedures for the LNG tank are revisited to examine some unjustifiable assumptions of conventional analyses. Concrete and insulation properties under cryogenic condition and a reasonable conversion procedure of the temperature-induced nonlinear stress into the section forces are discussed. Numerical examples are presented to verify the proposed schemes in predicting the actual temperature and stress distributions of the tank as affected by the cryogenic LNG for the cases of normal operation and leakage from the inner steel tank. It is expected that the proposed schemes enable a designer to readily detect the effects of insulation layers and a suspended deck and, therefore, can be employed as a useful and consistent tool to evaluate the thermal effect in a design stage of an LNG tank as well as in a detailed analysis.