• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.8 no.1 s.27
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• pp.139-152
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• 2006

Many experimental and numerical approaches have been developed to evaluate paving materials and to predict pavement response and distress. Micromechanical simulation modeling is a technology that can reduce the number of physical tests required in material formulation and design and that can provide more details, e.g., the internal stress and strain state, and energy evolution and dissipation in simulated specimens with realistic microstructural features. A clustered distinct element modeling (DEM) approach was implemented In the two-dimensional particle flow software package (PFC-2D) to study the complex behavior observed in asphalt mixture fracturing. The relationship between continuous and discontinuous material properties was defined based on the potential energy approach. The theoretical relationship was validated with the uniform axial compression and cantilever beam model using two-dimensional plane strain and plane stress models. A bilinear cohesive displacement-softening model was implemented as an intrinsic interface and applied for both homogeneous and heterogeneous fracture modeling in order to simulate behavior in the fracture process zone and to simulate crack propagation. A disk-shaped compact tension test (DC(T)) with heterogeneous microstructure was simulated and compared with the experimental fracture test results to study Mode I fracture. The realistic arbitrary crack propagation including crack deflection, microcracking, crack face sliding, crack branching, and crack tip blunting could be represented in the fracture models. This micromechanical modeling approach represents the early developmental stages towards a 'virtual asphalt laboratory,' where simulations of laboratory tests and eventually field response and distress predictions can be made to enhance our understanding of pavement distress mechanisms, such its thermal fracture, reflective cracking, and fatigue crack growth.

• Composites Research
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.16-23
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• 2001

Analysis of mechanical behavior for a pultruded-wound hollow rod is presented. For this purpose, the pultruded-wound hollow rod is manufactured by the new winder attached to the conventional pultrusion system. And the conventional pultrusion process is newly altered to manufacture pultruded-wound specimens. A computer program, POST II, is modified to perform this study, In the nonlinear finite element formulation, the updated Lagrangian description method based on the second Piolar-Kirchhoff stress tensor and the Green strain tensor are used. For the finite element modeling of the composite hollow rod, the eight-node degenerated shell element is utilized. In order to estimate the failure, the maximum stress criterion is adopted to the averaged stress in the each layer of the finite elements. As numerical examples, the behavior of glass/up composite hollow rod is investigated from the initial loading to the final collapse. Present finite element results considering stiffness degradation and stress unload due to failure shows excellent agreement with experiments in the ultimate load, failure and deformations.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.31-38
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• 2008

This paper deals with the nonlinear optimal control approach to helicopter maneuver problems using the indirect method. We apply a penalty function to the integral deviation from a prescribed trajectory to convert the system optimality to an unconstrained optimal control problem. The resultant two-point boundary value problem has been solved by using a multiple-shooting method. This paper focuses on the model selection strategies to resolve the problem of numerical instability and high wait time when a high fidelity model with rotor dynamics is applied. Four different types of helicopter models are identified, two of which are linear models with or without rotor models, as well as two models which include the nonlinear mathematical model for rotor in its formulation. The relative computation time and the number of function calls for each model are compared in order to provide a guideline for the selection of helicopter model.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.35 no.10
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• pp.859-867
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• 2007

The objective of this study is to develop and validate a numerical method which can handle the multi-rotor aerodynamic characteristics. For the purpose of power estimation, table look-up method is implemented to the existing unsteady panel code that is coupled with a time-marching free wake model. Also, the Reynolds number scaling is implemented for the application to various regions of Reynolds number. The computed results are validated against the available experimental data for coaxial and tandem rotors. In the validation case for the coaxial rotor, more accurate result is acquired when the thickness effect is considered. The wake instability problem occurs at a particular separation distance between the rotors for tandem rotors. The wake instability is avoided by setting the single-rotor wake geometry as the initial wake geometry for the multi-rotor analysis. The estimated result for rotor separation effect is compared with the result of the momentum theory.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.281-287
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• 1994

The present paper deals with numerical modeling of Love channel waves in transversely isotropic elastic medium. First, an explicit finite-difference scheme of second order approximation is formulated with the wave equation of SH particle displacement in transversely isotropic medium. Since it is a heterogeneous formulation, it should enable efficient modeling of complex model structures without additional treatment of the internal boundary matching. With a model of isotropic coal seam embedded in high velocity host rock, seismograms are synthesized and tutn out to be essentially identical with published ones of Korn and $St{\ddot{o}}ckl$. Next, anisotropic coal seams are investigated. It is found that the horizontal velocity of the seam appears to play a major role of determining the group velocity of Love channel waves. The group velocity increases with the increase of the horizontal velocity or vice versa. However, further study will be needed to exploit fully Love channel waves for the determination of lithology, stratification, fracture in sedimentary rocks, for instance, for hydrocarbon exploration and development.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.347-364
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• 2010

Since its invention in the $19^{th}$ century, Reinforced Concrete (RC) has been widely used in the construction of a lot of different structures, as buildings, bridges, nuclear central plants, or even ships. The details of the mechanical response for this kind of structures depends directly upon the material behavior of each component: concrete and steel, as well as their interaction through the bond-slip, which makes a rigorous engineering analysis of RC structures quite complicated. Consequently, the practical calculation of RC structures is done by adopting a lot of simplifications and hypotheses validated in the elastic range. Nevertheless, as soon as any RC structural element is working in the inelastic range, it is possible to obtain the numerical prediction of its realistic behavior only through the use of non linear analysis. The aim of this work is to develop a new kind of Finite Element: the "Enhanced Solid Element (ESE)" which takes into account the complex composition of reinforced concrete, being able to handle each dissipative material behavior and their different deformations, and on the other hand, conserving a simplified shape for engineering applications. Based on the recent XFEM developments, we introduce the concept of nodal enrichment to represent kinematics of steel rebars as well as bonding. This enrichment allows to reproduce the strain incompatibility between concrete and steel that occurs because of the bond degradation and slip. This formulation was tested with a couple of simple examples and compared to the results obtained from other standard formulations.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.625-638
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• 2007

The damage detection process may appear difficult to be implemented for truss structures because not all degrees of freedom in the numerical model can be experimentally measured. In this context, the damage locating vector (DLV) method, introduced by Bernal (2002), is a useful approach because it is effective when operating with an arbitrary number of sensors, a truncated modal basis and multiple damage scenarios, while keeping the calculation in a low level. In addition, the present paper also evaluates the noise influence on the accuracy of the DLV method. In order to verify the DLV behavior under different damages intensities and, mainly, in presence of measurement noise, a parametric study had been carried out. Different excitations as well as damage scenarios are numerically tested in a continuous Warren truss structure subjected to five noise levels with a set of limited measurement sensors. Besides this, it is proposed another way to determine the damage locating vectors in the DLV procedure. The idea is to contribute with an alternative option to solve the problem with a more widespread algebraic method. The original formulation via singular value decomposition (SVD) is replaced by a common solution of an eigenvector-eigenvalue problem. The final results show that the DLV method, enhanced with the alternative solution proposed in this paper, was able to correctly locate the damaged bars, using an output-only system identification procedure, even considering small intensities of damage and moderate noise levels.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.39-63
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• 2011

Referring to the formulation of physical stochastic optimal control of structures and the scheme of optimal polynomial control, a nonlinear stochastic optimal control strategy is developed for a class of structural systems with hysteretic behaviors in the present paper. This control strategy provides an amenable approach to the classical stochastic optimal control strategies, bypasses the dilemma involved in It$\hat{o}$-type stochastic differential equations and is applicable to the dynamical systems driven by practical non-stationary and non-white random excitations, such as earthquake ground motions, strong winds and sea waves. The newly developed generalized optimal control policy is integrated in the nonlinear stochastic optimal control scheme so as to logically distribute the controllers and design their parameters associated with control gains. For illustrative purposes, the stochastic optimal controls of two base-excited multi-degree-of-freedom structural systems with hysteretic behavior in Clough bilinear model and Bouc-Wen differential model, respectively, are investigated. Numerical results reveal that a linear control with the 1st-order controller suffices even for the hysteretic structural systems when a control criterion in exceedance probability performance function for designing the weighting matrices is employed. This is practically meaningful due to the nonlinear controllers which may be associated with dynamical instabilities being saved. It is also noted that using the generalized optimal control policy, the maximum control effectiveness with the few number of control devices can be achieved, allowing for a desirable structural performance. It is remarked, meanwhile, that the response process and energy-dissipation behavior of the hysteretic structures are controlled to a certain extent.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.319-327
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• 2017

Studying the structural behavior of prestressed segmented girders is quite important due to the large use this type of solution in viaducts and bridges. Thus, this work presents a nonlinear three-dimensional structural analysis of an externally prestressed segmented concrete girder through the Finite Element Method (FEM), using a customized ANSYS platform, version 14.5. Aiming the minimization of the computational effort by using the lowest number of finite elements, a new viscoelastoplastic material model has been implemented for the structural concrete with the UPF customization tool of ANSYS, adding new subroutines, written in FORTRAN programming language, to the main program. This model takes into consideration the cracking of concrete in its formulation, being based on fib Model Code 2010, which uses Ottosen rupture surface as the rupture criterion. By implementing this new material model, it was possible to use the three-dimensional 20-node quadratic element SOLID186 to model the concrete. Upon validation of the model, an externally prestressed segmented box concrete girder that was originally lab tested by Aparicio et al. (2002) has been computationally simulated. In the discretization of the structure, in addition to element SOLID186 for the concrete, unidimensional element LINK180 has been used to model the prestressing tendons, as well as contact elements CONTA174 and TARGE170 to simulate the dry joints along the segmented girder. Stresses in the concrete and in the prestressing tendons are assessed, as well as joint openings and load versus deflection diagrams. A comparison between numerical and experimental data is also presented, showing a good agreement.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.161-183
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• 2017

This paper investigates the damage identification of the concrete pile element through axial wave propagation technique using computational and experimental studies. Now-a-days, concrete pile foundations are often common in all engineering structures and their safety is significant for preventing the failure. Damage detection and estimation in a sub-structure is challenging as the visual picture of the sub-structure and its condition is not well known and the state of the structure or foundation can be inferred only through its static and dynamic response. The concept of wave propagation involves dynamic impedance and whenever a wave encounters a changing impedance (due to loss of stiffness), a reflecting wave is generated with the total strain energy forked as reflected as well as refracted portions. Among many frequency domain methods, the Spectral Finite Element method (SFEM) has been found suitable for analysis of wave propagation in real engineering structures as the formulation is based on dynamic equilibrium under harmonic steady state excitation. The feasibility of the axial wave propagation technique is studied through numerical simulations using Elementary rod theory and higher order Love rod theory under SFEM and ABAQUS dynamic explicit analysis with experimental validation exercise. Towards simulating the damage scenario in a pile element, dis-continuity (impedance mismatch) is induced by varying its cross-sectional area along its length. Both experimental and computational investigations are performed under pulse-echo and pitch-catch configuration methods. Analytical and experimental results are in good agreement.