• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.57 no.1
• /
• pp.45-63
• /
• 2016

Fiber metal laminates (FMLs) represent a high-performance family of hybrid materials which consist of thin metal sheets bonded together with alternating unidirectional fiber layers. In this study, the buckling behavior of a FML circular cylindrical shell under axial compression is investigated via both analytical and finite element approaches. The governing equations are derived based on the first-order shear deformation theory and solved by the Navier solution method. Also, the buckling load of a FML cylindrical shell is calculated using linear eigenvalue analysis in commercial finite element software, ABAQUS. Due to lack of experimental and analytical data for buckling behavior of FML cylindrical shells in the literature, the proposed model is simplified to the full-composite and full-metal cylindrical shells and buckling loads are compared with the available results. Afterwards, the effects of FML parameters such as metal volume fraction (MVF), composite fiber orientation, stacking sequence of layers and geometric parameters are studied on the buckling loads. Results show that the FML layup has the significant effect on the buckling loads of FML cylindrical shells in comparison to the full-composite and full-metal shells. Results of this paper hopefully provide a useful guideline for engineers to design an efficient and economical structure.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.19 no.2
• /
• pp.349-368
• /
• 2015

This paper presents a new algorithm to find the optimal distribution of steel diagonal braces (SDB) using artificial bee colony optimization technique. The four different objective functions are employed based on the transfer function amplitude of; the top displacement, the top absolute acceleration, the base shear and the base moment. The stiffness parameter of SDB at each floor level is taken into account as design variables and the sum of the stiffness parameter of the SDB is accepted as an active constraint. An optimization algorithm based on the Artificial Bee Colony (ABC) algorithm is proposed to minimize the objective functions. The proposed ABC algorithm is applied to determine the optimal SDB distribution for planar buildings in order to rehabilitate existing planar steel buildings or to design new steel buildings. Three planar building models are chosen as numerical examples to demonstrate the validity of the proposed method. The optimal SDB designs are compared with a uniform SDB design that uniformly distributes the total stiffness across the structure. The results of the analysis clearly show that each optimal SDB placement, which is determined based on different performance objectives, performs well for its own design aim.

• Earthquakes and Structures
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.239-260
• /
• 2016

Tuned mass dampers (TMDs) have been frequently proposed to mitigate the detrimental effects of dynamic loadings in structural systems. The effectiveness of this protection strategy has been demonstrated for wind-induced vibrations and, to some extent, for seismic loadings. Within this framework, recent numerical studies have shown that beneficial effects can be achieved by placing a linear TMD on the roof of linear elastic structural systems subjected to pulse-like ground motions. Motivated by these positive outcomes, closed-form design formulations have been also proposed to optimize the device's parameters. For structural systems that undergo a near-fault pulse-like ground motion, however, it is unlikely that their dynamic response be linear elastic. Hence, it is very important to understand whether such strategy is effective for inelastic structural systems. In order to provide new useful insights about this issue, the paper presents statistical results obtained from a numerical study conducted for three shear-type hysteretic (softening-type) systems having 4, 8 and 16 stories equipped with a linear elastic TMD. The effectiveness of two design procedures is discussed by examining the performances of the protected systems subjected to 124 natural pulse-like earthquakes.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.35 no.3
• /
• pp.335-348
• /
• 2010

Cutouts are often provided in structural and aircraft components for ventilation, for access, inspection, electric lines and fuel lines or sometimes to lighten the structure. This paper addresses the effects of cutout shape (i.e., circular, square, diamond, elliptical-vertical and elliptical-horizontal) and size on buckling and postbuckling response of quasi-isotropic (i.e., $(+45/-45/0/90)_{2s}$) composite laminate under uni-axial compression. The finite element method is used to carry out the investigation. The formulation is based on first order shear deformation theory and von Karman's assumptions are used to incorporate geometric nonlinearity. The 3-D Tsai-Hill criterion is used to predict the failure of a lamina while the onset of delamination is predicted by the interlaminar failure criterion. It is observed that for the smaller size cutout area there is no significant effect of cutout shape on load-deflection response of the laminate. It is also concluded that the cutout size has substantial influence on the buckling and postbuckling response of the laminate with elliptical-horizontal cutout, while this effect is observed to be the least in case of laminate with elliptical-vertical cutout.

• Computers and Concrete
• /
• v.20 no.6
• /
• pp.711-718
• /
• 2017

Nanotechnology is a new filed in concrete structures which can improve the mechanical properties of them in confronting to impact and blast. However, in this paper, a mathematical model is introduced for the concrete models subjected to impact load for wave propagation analysis. The structure is simulated by the sinusoidal shear deformation theory (SSDT) and the governing equations of the concrete model are derived by energy method and Hamilton's principle. The silicon dioxide ($SiO_2$) nanoparticles are used as reinforcement for the concrete model where the characteristics of the equivalent composite are determined using Mori-Tanaka approach. An exact solution is applied for obtaining the maximum velocity of the model. In order to validate the theoretical results, three square models with different impact point and Geophone situations are tested experimentally. The effect of different parameters such as $SiO_2$ nanoparticles volume percent, situation of the impact, length, width and thickness of the model as well as velocity, diameter and height of impactor are shown on the maximum velocity of the model. Results indicate that the theoretical and experimental dates are in a close agreement with each other. In addition, using from $SiO_2$ nanoparticles leads to increase in the stiffness and consequently maximum velocity of the model.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.51 no.3
• /
• pp.665-675
• /
• 2019

The wire-wrapped fuel bundle is an assembly design in a sodium-cooled fast reactor. A wire spacer is used to maintain a constant gap between rods and to enhance the mixing of coolants. The wire makes the flow complicated by creating a sweeping flow and vortex flow. The vortex affects the flow field and heat transfer inside the subchannels. However, studies on vortices in this geometry are limited. The purpose of this research is to investigate the vortex flow created in the wire-wrapped fuel bundle. For analysis, a RANS-based numerical analysis was conducted for a 37-pin geometry. The sensitivity study shows that simulation with the shear stress transport model is appropriate. For the case of Re of 37,100, the mechanisms of onset, periodicity, and rotational direction were analyzed. The vortex structures were reconstructed in a three-dimensional space. Vortices were periodically created in the interior subchannel three times for one wire rotation. In the edge subchannel, the largest vortex occurred. This large vortex structure blocked the swirl flow in the peripheral region. The small vortex formed in the corner subchannel was negligible. The results can help in understanding the flow field inside subchannels with sweeping flow and vortex structures.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.71 no.5
• /
• pp.485-502
• /
• 2019

In this research, the nonlinear static, buckling and vibration analysis of viscoelastic micro-composite beam reinforced by various distributions of boron nitrid nanotube (BNNT) with initial geometrical imperfection by modified strain gradient theory (MSGT) using finite element method (FEM) are presented. The various distributions of BNNT are considered as UD, FG-V and FG-X and also, the extended rule of mixture is used to estimate the properties of micro-composite beam. The components of stress are dependent to mechanical, electrical and thermal terms and calculated using piezoelasticity theory. Then, the kinematic equations of micro-composite beam using the displacement fields are obtained. The governing equations of motion are derived using energy method and Hamilton's principle based on MSGT. Then, using FEM, these equations are solved. Finally the effects of different parameters such as initial geometrical imperfection, various distributions of nanotube, damping coefficient, piezoelectric constant, slenderness ratio, Winkler spring constant, Pasternak shear constant, various boundary conditions and three material length scale parameters on the behavior of nonlinear static, buckling and vibration of micro-composite beam are investigated. The results indicate that with an increase in the geometrical imperfection parameter, the stiffness of micro-composite beam increases and thus the non-dimensional nonlinear frequency of the micro structure reduces gradually.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.30 no.3
• /
• pp.293-304
• /
• 2019

The optimum cost of a reinforced concrete plane and space frames have been found by using the Genetic Algorithm (GA) method. The design procedure is subjected to many constraints controlling the designed sections (beams and columns) based on the standard specifications of the American Concrete Institute ACI Code 2011. The design variables have contained the dimensions of designed sections, reinforced steel and topology through the section. It is obtained from a predetermined database containing all the single reinforced design sections for beam and columns subjected to axial load, uniaxial or biaxial moments. The designed optimum beam sections by using GAs have been unified through MATLAB to satisfy axial, flexural, shear and torsion requirements based on the designed code. The frames' functional cost has contained the cost of concrete and reinforcement of steel in addition to the cost of the frames' formwork. The results have found that limiting the dimensions of the frame's beams with the frame's columns have increased the optimum cost of the structure by 2%, declining the re-analysis of the optimum designed structures through GA.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.32 no.2
• /
• pp.225-237
• /
• 2019

In this research, the dynamic stability and nonlinear vibration behavior of a smart rotating sandwich cylindrical shell is studied. The core of the structure is a functionally graded material (FGM) which is integrated by functionally graded piezoelectric material (FGPM) layers subjected to electric field. The piezoelectric layers at the inner and outer surfaces used as actuator and sensor, respectively. By applying the energy method and Hamilton's principle, the governing equations of sandwich cylindrical shell derived based on first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT). The Galerkin method is used to discriminate the motion equations and the equations are converted to the form of the ordinary differential equations in terms of time. The perturbation method is employed to find the relation between nonlinear frequency and the amplitude of vibration. The main objective of this research is to determine the nonlinear frequencies and nonlinear vibration control by using sensor and actuator layers. The effects of geometrical parameters, power law index of core, sensor and actuator layers, angular velocity and scale transformation parameter on nonlinear frequency-amplitude response diagram and dynamic stability of sandwich cylindrical shell are investigated. The results of this research can be used to design and vibration control of rotating systems in various industries such as aircraft, biomechanics and automobile manufacturing.

• Computers and Concrete
• /
• v.24 no.3
• /
• pp.185-192
• /
• 2019

In this paper, the buckling of micro sandwich hollow circular plate is investigated with the consideration of the porous core and piezoelectric layer reinforced by functionally graded (FG)carbon nano-tube. For modeling the displacement field of sandwich hollow circular plate, the high-order shear deformation theory (HSDT) of plate and modified couple stress theory (MCST) are used. The governing differential equations of the system can be derived using the principle of minimum potential energy and Maxwell's equation that for solving these equations, the Ritz method is employed. The results of this research indicate the influence of various parameters such as porous coefficients, small length scale parameter, distribution of carbon nano-tube in piezoelectric layers and temperature on critical buckling load. The purpose of this research is to show the effect of physical parameters on the critical buckling load of micro sandwich plate and then optimize these parameters to design structures with the best efficiency. The results of this research can be used for optimization of micro-structures and manufacturing different structure in aircraft and aerospace.