• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.1157-1176
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• 2015

This study presents optimizing structural topology patterns using regularization of Heaviside function. The present method needs not filtering process to typical SIMP method. Using the penalty formulation of the SIMP approach, a topology optimization problem is formulated in co-operation, i.e., couple-signals, with design variable values of discrete elements and a regularized Heaviside step function. The regularization of discontinuous material distributions is a key scheme in order to improve the numerical problems of material topology optimization with 0 (void)-1 (solid) solutions. The weak forms of an equilibrium equation are expressed using a coupled regularized Heaviside function to evaluate sensitivity analysis. Numerical results show that the incorporation of the regularized Heaviside function and the SIMP leads to convergent solutions. This method is tested using several examples of a linear elastostatic structure. It demonstrates that improved optimal solutions can be obtained without the additional use of sensitivity filtering to improve the discontinuous 0-1 solutions, which have generally been used in material topology optimization problems.

• Advances in aircraft and spacecraft science
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.77-93
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• 2016

In this paper, a zero-dimensional mathematical formulation for rapid and explosive decompression analyses of pressurized aircraft is developed. Air flows between two compartments and between the damaged compartment and external ambient are modeled by assuming an adiabatic, reversible transformation. Both supercritical and subcritical decompressions are considered, and the attention focuses on intercompartment venting systems. In particular, passive and active vents are addressed, and mathematical models of both swinging and translational blowout panels are provided. A numerical procedure based on an explicit Euler integration scheme is also discussed for multi-compartment aircraft analysis. Various numerical solutions are presented, which highlight the importance of considering the opening dynamics of blowout panels. The comparisons with the results from the literature demonstrate the validity of the proposed methodology, which can be also applied, with no lack of accuracy, to the decompression analysis of spacecraft.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.689-704
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• 2017

The paper presents experimental and numerical investigations of prefabricated composite structural building reinforced concrete slabs with the insulating material for a residential building construction. The building slabs were composed of concrete and expanded polystyrene. In experiments, the slabs in the full-scale 1:1 were subjected to vertical concentrated loads and failed along a diagonal shear crack. The experiments were numerically evaluated using the finite element method based on two different constitutive continuum models for concrete. First, an elasto-plastic model with the Drucker-Prager criterion defined in compression and with the Rankine criterion defined in tension was used. Second, a coupled elasto-plastic-damage formulation based on the strain equivalence hypothesis was used. In order to describe strain localization in concrete, both models were enhanced in the softening regime by a characteristic length of micro-structure by means of a non-local theory. Attention was paid to the formation of critical diagonal shear crack which was a failure precursor.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.1047-1059
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• 2019

This work describes the development of a numerical module with a multiphysics structure to simulate the thermo-hydro-chemo-mechanical behavior of compacted bentonites. First, the conceptual model, based on the state-of-the-art formulation for clay-based engineered barriers in deep geological repositories, is described. Second, the advantages of multiphysics-based modules are highlighted. Then, the guidelines to develop a code using such tools are outlined, presenting an example of implementation. Finally, the simulation of three tests that illustrate the behavior of compacted bentonites assesses the scope of the developed code. The satisfactory results obtained, and the relative simplicity of implementation, show the opportunity of the modeling strategy proposed.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.55-67
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• 2019

The finite solutions of deflection and the corresponding in-plane stress values of the graded sandwich shallow shell structure are computed in this research article via a higher-order polynomial shear deformation kinematics. The shell structural equilibrium equation is derived using the variational principle in association with a nine noded isoprametric element (nine degrees of freedom per node). The deflection values are computed via an own customized MATLAB code including the current formulation. The stability of the current finite element solutions including their accuracies have been demonstrated by solving different kind of numerical examples. Additionally, a few numerical experimentations have been conducted to show the influence of different design input parameters (geometrical and material) on the flexural strength of the graded sandwich shell panel including the geometrical configurations.

• Journal of the Architectural Institute of Korea Structure & Construction
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• v.35 no.9
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• pp.171-182
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• 2019

Isogeometric concept is introduced to carry out free vibration analysis of plane structures. The geometry of structures is represented by using non-uniform rational B-spline surface (NURBS) and its basis function is consistently used in the formulation of plane stress element. In addition, multi-patch strategy is introduced to deal with the openings in building. The performance of the present isogeometric plane stress element is investigated by using five numerical examples. From numerical results, it is found to be that the isogeometric concept can successfully identify reliable natural frequencies and associated mode shapes of plane structures with/without openings in efficient way.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.76 no.5
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• pp.599-611
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• 2020

A state-space method is developed to investigate the time-dependent behaviors of an angle-ply cylindrical shell in cylindrical bending with surface-bonded piezoelectric layers. Both the interfacial diffusion and sliding are considered to describe the properties of the imperfect interfaces. Particularly, a matrix reduction technique is adopted to establish the transfer relations between the elastic and piezoelectric layers of the laminated shell. Very different from our previous paper, in which an approximate numerical technique, i.e. power series expansion method, is used to deal with the time-dependent problems, the exact solutions are derived in the present analysis based on the piezoelasticity equations without any assumptions. Numerical results are finally obtained and the effects of imperfect interfaces on the electro-mechanical responses of the laminated shell are discussed.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.83 no.3
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• pp.283-292
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• 2022

A nonlinear vibrational analysis of sandwich curved panels having multi-scale face sheets has been performed in this article based on differential quadrature method (DQM). All mechanical properties of multi-scale skins have been established in the context of three-dimensional Mori-Tanaka scheme for which the influences of glass fibers and random carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been taken into account. The governing equations for sandwich the panel have been developed based upon thin shell formulation in which geometry nonlinearities have been taken into account. Next, DQ approach has been applied to solve the governing equations for determining the relationships of frequencies with deflections for curved panels. It will be demonstrated that the relationships of frequencies with deflections are dependent on the changing of CNT weight fractions, fibers alignment, fibers volume, panel radius and skin thickness.

• Kyungpook Mathematical Journal
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• v.62 no.3
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• pp.557-581
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• 2022

The anisotropic-diffusion convection equation with exponentially variable coefficients is discussed in this paper. Numerical solutions are found using a combined Laplace transform and boundary element method. The variable coefficients equation is usually used to model problems of functionally graded media. First the variable coefficients equation is transformed to a constant coefficients equation. The constant coefficients equation is then Laplace-transformed so that the time variable vanishes. The Laplace-transformed equation is consequently written as a boundary integral equation which involves a time-free fundamental solution. The boundary integral equation is therefore employed to find numerical solutions using a standard boundary element method. Finally the results obtained are inversely transformed numerically using the Stehfest formula to get solutions in the time variable. The combined Laplace transform and boundary element method are easy to implement and accurate for solving unsteady problems of anisotropic exponentially graded media governed by the diffusion convection equation.

• Ocean Systems Engineering
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.247-265
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• 2022

In the present study, we focus on the CFD simulations for the performance and the rotor-generated wake of a model-scale wind turbine which was designed for wave tank experiments. The CFD simulations with fully resolved rotor geometry are performed using MARIN's community-based open-source CFD code ReFRESCO. The absolute formulation method (AFM) is leveraged to model the rotating wind turbine. The k - ω SST turbulence model is adopted in the incompressible Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) simulations. First, the thrust and torque coefficients, C_T and C_P, are calculated at different Tip Speed Ratios (TSR), and the results are compared against the experimental data and previous numerical results. The pressure distribution of the turbine blades at the 70% span is obtained and compared to the results obtained by other tools. Then, a verification study aiming at quantifying the discretization uncertainty of the turbine performance with respect to the grid resolution in the wake region is performed. Last, the rotor-generated wake at the TSR of 7 is presented and discussed.