• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.423-437
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• 2007

The empirical mode decomposition (EMD) method is well-known for its ability to decompose a multi-component signal into a set of intrinsic mode functions (IMFs). The method uses a sifting process in which local extrema of a signal are identified and followed by a spline fitting approximation for decomposition. This method provides an effective and robust approach for decomposing nonlinear and non-stationary signals. On the other hand, the IMF components do not automatically guarantee a well-defined physical meaning hence it is necessary to validate the IMF components carefully prior to any further processing and interpretation. In this paper, an attempt to use the EMD method to identify properties of nonlinear elastic multi-degree-of-freedom structures is explored. It is first shown that the IMF components of the displacement and velocity responses of a nonlinear elastic structure are numerically close to the nonlinear normal mode (NNM) responses obtained from two-dimensional invariant manifolds. The IMF components can then be used in the context of the NNM method to estimate the properties of the nonlinear elastic structure. A two-degree-of-freedom shear-beam building model is used as an example to illustrate the proposed technique. Numerical results show that combining the EMD and the NNM method provides a possible means for obtaining nonlinear properties in a structure.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.1029-1062
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• 2016

In this research, the nonlinear free vibration analysis of boron-nitride micro ribbon (BNMR) on the Pasternak elastic foundation under electrical, mechanical and thermal loadings using modified strain gradient theory (MSGT) is studied. Employing the von $K{\acute{a}}rm{\acute{a}}n$ nonlinear geometry theory, the nonlinear equations of motion for the graphene micro ribbon (GMR) using Euler-Bernoulli beam model with considering attached mass and size effects based on Hamilton's principle is obtained. These equations are converted into the nonlinear ordinary differential equations by elimination of the time variable using Kantorovich time-averaging method. To determine nonlinear frequency of GMR under various boundary conditions, and considering mass effect, differential quadrature element method (DQEM) is used. Based on modified strain MSGT, the results of the current model are compared with the obtained results by classical and modified couple stress theories (CT and MCST). Furthermore, the effect of various parameters such as material length scale parameter, attached mass, temperature change, piezoelectric coefficient, two parameters of elastic foundations on the natural frequencies of BNMR is investigated. The results show that for all boundary conditions, by increasing the mass intensity in a fixed position, the linear and nonlinear natural frequency of the GMR reduces. In addition, with increasing of material length scale parameter, the frequency ratio decreases. This results can be used to design and control nano/micro devices and nano electronics to avoid resonance phenomenon.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.67-85
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• 2017

This study investigates numerically the behavior of tilted angle shear connectors embedded in solid concrete slabs. Two different tilted angle connectors were used, titled angle with 112.5 and 135 degrees between the angle leg and steel beam flange. A nonlinear finite element model was developed to simulate and validate the experimental push-out tests. Parametric studies were performed to investigate the variations in concrete strength and connector's dimensions. The results indicate that the ultimate strength of a tilted angle shear connector is directly related to the square root of the concrete compressive strength. The effects of variations in the geometry of tilted angle connectors on the shear capacity are discussed in details. Based on the numerical analyses, two equations are proposed to estimate the ultimate capacity of tilted angle shear connectors of 112.5 and 135 degrees in the defined range of parameters.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.677-686
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• 2018

The structural responses are often used to identify the structural local damages. However, it is usually difficult to gain the responses of the track, as the sensors cannot be installed on the track directly. The vehicles running on a track excite track vibration and can also serve as response receivers because the vehicle dynamic response contains the vibration information of the track. A damage identification method using the vehicle responses and sensitivity analysis is proposed for the vehicle-track coupling system in this paper. Different from most damage identification methods of vehicle-track coupling system, which require the structural responses, only the vehicle responses are required in the proposed method. The local damages are identified by a sensitivity-based model updating process. In the vehicle-track coupling system, the track is modeled as a discrete point supported Euler-Bernoulli beam, and two vehicle models are proposed to investigate the accuracy and efficiency of damage identification. The measured track irregularity is considered in the calculation of vehicle dynamic responses. The measurement noises are also considered to study their effects to the damage identification results. The identified results demonstrate that the proposed method is capable to identify the local damages of the track accurately in different noise levels with only the vehicle responses.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.66 no.2
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• pp.237-248
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• 2018

This study presents the investigation of wave dispersion characteristics of a magneto-electro-elastic functionally graded (MEE-FG) nanosize beam utilizing nonlocal strain gradient theory (NSGT). In this theory, a material length scale parameter is propounded to show the influence of strain gradient stress field, and likewise, a nonlocal parameter is nominated to emphasize on the importance of elastic stress field effects. The material properties of heterogeneous nanobeam are supposed to vary smoothly through the thickness direction based on power-law form. Applying Hamilton's principle, the nonlocal governing equations of MEE-FG nanobeam are derived. Furthermore, to derive the wave frequency, phase velocity and escape frequency of MEE-FG nanobeam, an analytical solution is employed. The validation procedure is performed by comparing the results of present model with results exhibited by previous papers. Results are rendered in the framework of an exact parametric study by changing various parameters such as wave number, nonlocal parameter, length scale parameter, gradient index, magnetic potential and electric voltage to show their influence on the wave frequency, phase velocity and escape frequency of MEE-FG nanobeams.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.577-591
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• 2016

In this study, the transfer length of 2400 MPa, seven-wire high-strength steel strands with a 15.2 mm diameter in pretensioned prestressed concrete (PSC) beams utilizing high strength concrete over 58 MPa at prestress release was evaluated experimentally. 32 specimens, which have the variables of concrete compressive strength, concrete cover depth, and the number of PS strands, were fabricated and corresponding transfer lengths were measured. The strands were released gradually by slowly reducing the pressure in the hydraulic stressing rams. The measured results of transfer length showed that the transfer length decreased as the concrete compressive strength and concrete cover depth increased. The number of strands had a very small effect, and the effect varied with both the concrete cover depth and concrete strength. The results were compared to current design codes and transfer lengths predicted by other researchers. The comparison results showed that the current transfer length prediction models in design codes may be conservatively used for 2400 MPa high-strength strands in high-strength concrete beams exceeding 58 MPa at prestress release.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.461-472
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• 2012

This study proposes an optics-based active sensing system for continuous monitoring of underground pipelines in nuclear power plants (NPPs). The proposed system generates and measures guided waves using a single laser source and optical cables. First, a tunable laser is used as a common power source for guided wave generation and sensing. This source laser beam is transmitted through an optical fiber, and the fiber is split into two. One of them is used to actuate macro fiber composite (MFC) transducers for guided wave generation, and the other optical fiber is used with fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors to measure guided wave responses. The MFC transducers placed along a circumferential direction of a pipe at one end generate longitudinal and flexural modes, and the corresponding responses are measured using FBG sensors instrumented in the same configuration at the other end. The generated guided waves interact with a defect, and this interaction causes changes in response signals. Then, a damage-sensitive feature is extracted from the response signals using the axi-symmetry nature of the measured pitch-catch signals. The feasibility of the proposed system has been examined through a laboratory experiment.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 2011.04a
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• pp.178-181
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• 2011

본 연구에서는 광섬유센서를 내장한 스마트강연선을 이용하여 초고성능콘트리트로 제작된 하이브리드 사장교 세그먼트의 횡방향 도입 긴장력을 계측하고 세그먼트 내부의 프리스트레스를 계측하여 즉시손실에 해당하는 정착장치 활동에 의한 손실과 마찰손실을 도로교설계기준(2005)의 설계 마찰손실과 비교하였다. 제작된 2개의 UHPC 사장교 세그먼트는 횡방향 길이 16.7m, 종방향 길이 1.75m, 높이 1.5m이며 각 시험체의 1/4, 1/2, 3/4지점에 긴장력을 계측하기 위해 3개의 FBG센서를 배치하였다. 긴장력은 유압잭을 이용하여 5개의 강연선에 동시에 순차적으로 도입되었으며, 단부에서 최대 도입 긴장력은 세그먼트 1은 734kN, 세그먼트 2는 639kN이었다. 도로교설계기준에 제시된 마찰계수의 중간값(파상마찰계수=0.00405, 곡률마찰계수=0.20)을 사용하여 FBG센서 위치에서 계산된 긴장력은 계측치와 5% 이내의 차이를 보였으며, 정착장치 활동에 의한 순간손실은 긴장단에서 최대 12.8%로 계측되었다. 이로부터 이 연구에서 제시하는 긴장력계측방법의 적용성을 입증할 수 있었으며, 향후 이 방법은 프리스트레스트 콘크리트 교량의 설계기준 마찰계수 개정을 위한 연구에 좋은 도구로 활용될 수 있을 것으로 기대된다.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2000.07c
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• pp.2107-2109
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• 2000

A pulsed Nd:YAG laser is used widely for materials processing and medical instrument. It's very important to control the laser energy density in those fields using a pulsed Nd:YAG laser. A pulse repetition rate and a pulse width are regarded as the most dominant factors to control the energy density of laser beam. In this paper, the alternating charge and discharge system was designed to adjust a pulse repetition rate This system is controlled by microprocessor and allows to replace an expensive condenser for high frequency to cheap one for low frequency. In addition, The microcontroller monitors the flow of cooling water, short circuit. and miss firing and so on. We designed Nd:YAG laser firmware with smart microcontroller, and want to explain general matters about the firmware from now.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.645-663
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• 2015

Recently, an indirect displacement estimation method using data fusion of acceleration and strain (i.e., acceleration-strain-based method) has been developed. Though the method showed good performance on beam-like structures, it has inherent limitation in applying to more general types of bridges that may have complex shapes, because it uses assumed analytical (sinusoidal) mode shapes to map the measured strain into displacement. This paper proposes an improved displacement estimation method that can be applied to more general types of bridges by building the mapping using the finite element model of the structure rather than using the assumed sinusoidal mode shapes. The performance of the proposed method is evaluated by numerical simulations on a deck arch bridge model and a three-span truss bridge model whose mode shapes are difficult to express as analytical functions. The displacements are estimated by acceleration-based method, strain-based method, acceleration-strain-based method, and the improved method. Then the results are compared with the exact displacement. An experimental validation is also carried out on a prestressed concrete girder bridge. The proposed method is found to provide the best estimate for dynamic displacements in the comparison, showing good agreement with the measurements as well.