• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.549-567
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• 2015

A first-order moment method (FORM) reliability analysis is commonly used for structural stability analysis. It requires the values and partial derivatives of the performance to function with respect to the random variables for the design. These calculations can be cumbersome when the performance functions are implicit. A Gaussian process (GP)-based response surface is adopted in this study to approximate the limit state function. By using a trained GP model, a large number of values and partial derivatives of the performance functions can be obtained for conventional reliability analysis with a FORM, thereby reducing the number of stability analysis calculations. This dynamic renewed knowledge source can provide great assistance in improving the predictive capacity of GP during the iterative process, particularly from the view of machine learning. An iterative algorithm is therefore proposed to improve the precision of GP approximation around the design point by constantly adding new design points to the initial training set. Examples are provided to illustrate the GP-based response surface for both structural and non-structural reliability analyses. The results show that the proposed approach is applicable to structural reliability analyses that involve implicit performance functions and structural response evaluations that entail time-consuming finite element analyses.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.311-326
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• 2024

Transmission tower structures are particularly susceptible to damage and even collapse under strong seismic ground motions. Conventional seismic analyses of transmission towers are usually performed by considering only ground motion uncertainty while ignoring structural uncertainty; consequently, the performance evaluation and failure prediction may be inaccurate. In this context, the present study numerically investigates the seismic responses and failure mechanism of transmission towers by considering multiple sources of uncertainty. To this end, an existing transmission tower is chosen, and the corresponding three-dimensional finite element model is created in ABAQUS software. Sensitivity analysis is carried out to identify the relative importance of the uncertain parameters in the seismic responses of transmission towers. The numerical results indicate that the impacts of the structural damping ratio, elastic modulus and yield strength on the seismic responses of the transmission tower are relatively large. Subsequently, a set of 20 uncertainty models are established based on random samples of various parameter combinations generated by the Latin hypercube sampling (LHS) method. An uncertainty analysis is performed for these uncertainty models to clarify the impacts of uncertain structural factors on the seismic responses and failure mechanism (ultimate bearing capacity and failure path). The numerical results show that structural uncertainty has a significant influence on the seismic responses and failure mechanism of transmission towers; different possible failure paths exist for the uncertainty models, whereas only one exists for the deterministic model, and the ultimate bearing capacity of transmission towers is more sensitive to the variation in material parameters than that in geometrical parameters. This research is expected to provide an in-depth understanding of the influence of structural uncertainty on the seismic demand assessment of transmission towers.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.367-382
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• 2007

A nonlinear numerical method was developed to assess the stability of suspension bridge catwalks under a wind load. A section model wind tunnel test was used to obtain a catwalk's aerostatic coefficients, from which the displacement-dependent wind loads were subsequently derived. The stability of a suspension bridge catwalk was analyzed on the basis of the geometric nonlinear behavior of the structure. In addition, a full model test was conducted on the catwalk, which spanned 960 m. A comparison of the displacement values between the test and the numerical simulation shows that a numerical method based on a section model test can be used to effectively and accurately evaluate the stability of a catwalk. A case study features the stability of the catwalk of the Runyang Yangtze suspension bridge, the main span of which is 1490 m. Wind can generally attack the structure from any direction. Whenever the wind comes at a yaw angle, there are six wind load components that act on the catwalk. If the yaw angle is equal to zero, the wind is normal to the catwalk (called normal wind) and the six load components are reduced to three components. Three aerostatic coefficients of the catwalk can be obtained through a section model test with traditional test equipment. However, six aerostatic coefficients of the catwalk must be acquired with the aid of special section model test equipment. A nonlinear numerical method was used study the stability of a catwalk under a yaw wind, while taking into account the six components of the displacement-dependent wind load and the geometric nonlinearity of the catwalk. The results show that when wind attacks with a slight yaw angle, the critical velocity that induces static instability of the catwalk may be lower than the critical velocity of normal wind. However, as the yaw angle of the wind becomes larger, the critical velocity increases. In the atmospheric boundary layer, the wind is turbulent and the velocity history is a random time history. The effects of turbulent wind on the stability of a catwalk are also assessed. The wind velocity fields are regarded as stationary Gaussian stochastic processes, which can be simulated by a spectral representation method. A nonlinear finite-element model set forepart and the Newmark integration method was used to calculate the wind-induced buffeting responses. The results confirm that the turbulent character of wind has little influence on the stability of the catwalk.