• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.169-184
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• 2006

A close form solution of the maximum deflection for cracked columns with rectangular cross-sections was developed and thus the elastic buckling behavior and ultimate bearing capacity were studied analytically. First, taking into account the effect of the crack in the potential energy of elastic systems, a trigonometric series solution for the elastic deflection equation of an arbitrary crack position was derived by use of the Rayleigh-Ritz energy method and an analytical expression of the maximum deflection was obtained. By comparison with the rotational spring model (Okamura et al. 1969) and the equivalent stiffness method (Sinha et al. 2002), the advantages of the present solution are that there are few assumed conditions and the effect of axial compression on crack closure was considered. Second, based on the above solutions, the equilibrium paths of the elastic buckling were analytically described for cracked columns subjected to both axial and eccentric compressive load. Finally, as examples, the influence of crack depth, load eccentricity and column slenderness on the elastic buckling behavior was investigated in the case of a rectangular column with a single-edge crack. The relationship of the load capacity of the column with respect to crack depth and eccentricity or slenderness was also illustrated. The analytical and numerical results from the examples show that there are three kinds of collapse mechanisms for the various states of cracking, eccentricity and slenderness. These are the bifurcation for axial compression, the limit point instability for the condition of the deeper crack and lighter eccentricity and the fracture for higher eccentricity. As a result, the conception of critical transition eccentricity $(e/h)_c$, from limit-point buckling to fracture failure, was proposed and the critical values of $(e/h)_c$ were numerically determined for various eccentricities, crack depths and slenderness.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.16-25
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• 2016

In severe loss of coolant accidents (LOCA), similar to those experienced at Fukushima Daiichi and Three Mile Island Unit 1, the zirconiumalloy fuel claddingmaterials are rapidlyheateddue to nuclear decay heating and rapid exothermic oxidation of zirconium with steam. This heating causes the cladding to rapidly react with steam, lose strength, burst or collapse, and generate large quantities of hydrogen gas. Although maintaining core cooling remains the highest priority in accident management, an accident tolerant fuel (ATF) design may extend coping and recovery time for operators to restore emergency power, and cooling, and achieve safe shutdown. An ATF is required to possess high resistance to steam oxidation to reduce hydrogen generation and sufficient mechanical strength to maintain fuel rod integrity and core coolability. The initiative undertaken by Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) is to demonstrate the feasibility of developing an ATF cladding with capability to maintain its integrity in $1,200-1,500^{\circ}C$ steam for at least 24 hours. This ATF cladding utilizes thin-walled Mo-alloys coated with oxidation-resistant surface layers. The basic design consists of a thin-walled Mo alloy structural tube with a metallurgically bonded, oxidation-resistant outer layer. Two options are being investigated: a commercially available iron, chromium, and aluminum alloy with excellent high temperature oxidation resistance, and a Zr alloy with demonstratedcorrosionresistance.Asthese composite claddings will incorporate either no Zr, or thin Zr outer layers, hydrogen generation under severe LOCA conditions will be greatly reduced. Key technical challenges and uncertainties specific to Moalloy fuel cladding include: economic core design, industrial scale fabricability, radiation embrittlement, and corrosion and oxidation resistance during normal operation, transients, and severe accidents. Progress in each aspect has been made and key results are discussed in this document. In addition to assisting plants in meeting Light Water Reactor (LWR) challenges, accident-tolerant Mo-based cladding technologies are expected to be applicable for use in high-temperature helium and molten salt reactor designs, as well as nonnuclear high temperature applications.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.17 no.2 s.86
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• pp.221-227
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• 2005

The presence of voids behind tunnel linings is very likely to result in settlement or structural collapse. One proposed method of detecting such voids by non-destructive method is radar. More than effectively judging the existence of voids behind tunnel linings, this study aims to develop the analysis algorithm of radar capable of estimation of the shape of specific voids. To acquire directional information and estimate the shape of three-dimensional voids, the radar of three-dipole antenna type is used. As a foundation to this ongoing research, an investigation of microwave polarization methods using three-dipole antenna carried out with various void orientations and void geometries. As a result, it is clarified that the response of four microwave polarization modes depends on void geometry and thus there is a possibility of identifying the geometry and orientation (the shape) of specific voids using radar of three-dipole antenna type.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.1-13
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• 2001

This paper is to examine what implications the regionalism in Spain has for its national development during the last two centuries. Since the beginning of the nineteenth century the regionalism (including territorial nationalisms in periphery) has played a central role in the history of Spanish state-formation. On the one hand, a strong regional identity was related to a structural weakness affecting Spanish nation-building and accused of forging the separatist national movements in the Basque, Catatonia Galicia and so on. On the other hand, the regionalism has contributed to enforcing the Spanish national consciousness in complex and contradictory ways. Therefore, on the contrary to our common understandings of regionalism, the Spanish regionalism has both enforced and counteracted the Spanish nationalism. In the late 1970s after the collapse of Franco regime, the long history of the Spanish regionalism resulted in a state system based on the regional political decentralization.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.52-58
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• 2011

The earthquake characteristic assessment of social overhead facilities would be an important examination issue for seismic capacity enhancement. This study is intended to reasonably evaluate the structural behavior of longperiod frame structures considering near-fault and far-fault earthquake characteristics. Elastic/inelastic time history analyses were performd by selecting the objective structure which can precisely reflect the effect of input ground motion. Based on the result of numerical analysis, we have investigated response aspects of shear force, moment, acceleration and displacement according to earthquake characteristics. Moreover, in order to understand the inelastic behavior of the objective structure, we have analyzed and compared collapse modes by considering the occurrence process of plastic hinges. The outcome of this research is expected to provide the basic information for the seismic safety assessment of long-period frame structures.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.132-137
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• 2021

Background: Flat feet can be identified by assessing the collapse of the medial longitudinal arch (MLA) and these conditions can trigger epidemiological changes in the feet. Many of previous studies compared the muscle activity of lower body in terms of intervention and dynamics to treat the structural defect of flat feet. However, few studies have investigated or analyzed the muscle activity of gastrocnemius muscle in the subjects with flat feet. Objects: This study investigated the differences in changes of medial and lateral plantar flexors in subjects with flat feet during bipedal heel-rise (BHR) task and analyzed the differences in muscle activity between two groups by measuring the electromyography (EMG) of abductor hallucis (AH), tibialis anterior (TA), medial gastrocnemius (MG), lateral gastrocnemius (LG). Methods: A total of Twenty one adult females participated in this experiment. Subjects were assigned to groups according to the navicular drop test. The task was applied to the leg, where the heel lifting action prevailed. The muscle activity of the medial and lateral feet plantar flexors was evaluated, and the % maximum voluntary isometric contractions (%MVIC) of these were compared. Results: For the difference between groups the muscle activity (%MVIC) of LG muscle was statistically significantly low in flat feet group compared to healthy feet group (flat feet: 64.57, healthy feet: 90.17; p < 0.05). Conclusion: The results of this study will contribute to identifying the muscle activities of medial and lateral feet plantar flexors among subjects with flat feet, which can cause abnormal epidemiological changes in the feet.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.639-654
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• 2018

Rocking motion have been used for achieving the 'resilient buildings' against earthquakes in recent studies. Low-rise buildings, unlike the tall ones, because of their small aspect ratio tend to slide rather than move in rocking mode. However, since rocking is more effective in seismic response reduction than sliding, it is desired to create rocking motion in low-rise buildings too. One way for this purpose is making the building's structure rock on its internal bay(s) by reducing the number of bays at the lower part of the building's skeleton, giving it a mushroom form. In this study 'mushroom skeleton' has been used for creating multi-story rocking regular steel buildings with square plan to rock on its one-by-one bay central lowest story. To show if this idea is effective, a set of mushroom buildings have been considered, and their seismic responses have been compared with those of their conventional counterparts, designed based on a conventional code. Also, a set of similar buildings with skeleton stronger than code requirement, to have immediate occupancy (IO) performance level, have been considered for comparison. Seismic responses, obtained by nonlinear time history analyses, using scaled three-dimensional accelerograms of selected earthquakes, show that by using appropriate 'mushroom skeleton' the seismic performance of buildings is upgraded to mostly IO level, while all of the conventional buildings experience collapse prevention (CP) level or beyond. The strong-skeleton buildings mostly present IO performance level as well, however, their base shear and absolute acceleration responses are much higher than the mushroom buildings.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.513-538
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• 2022

This paper reports on experiments addressing the buckling and collapse behavior of an innovative built-up cold-formed steel (CFS) columns. The built-up column consists of four individual CFS lipped channels, two of them placed back-to-back at the web using two self-drilling screw fasteners at specified spacing along the column length, while the other two channels were connected flange-to-flange using one self-drilling screw fastener at specified spacing along the column length. In total, 12 experimental tests are reported, covering a wide range of column lengths from stub to slender columns. The initial geometric imperfections and material properties were determined for all test specimens. The effect of screw spacing, load-versus axial shortening behaviour and buckling modes for different lengths and screw spacing were investigated. Nonlinear finite element (FE) models were also developed, which included material nonlinearities and initial geometric imperfections. The FE models were validated against the experimental results, both in terms of axial capacity and failure modes of built-up CFS columns. Furthermore, using the validated FE models, a parametric study was conducted which comprises 324 models to investigate the effect of screw fastener spacing, thicknesses and wide range of lengths on axial capacity of back-to-back and flange-to-flange built-up CFS channel sections. Using both the experimental and FE results, it is shown that design in accordance with the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) and Australia/New Zealand (AS/NZS) standards is slightly conservative by 6% on average, while determining the axial capacity of back-to-back and flange-to-flange built-up CFS channel sections.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.80 no.6
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• pp.645-655
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• 2021

Performance-based reliability analysis is a practical approach to investigate the seismic performance and stochastic nonlinear response of structures considering a random process. This is significant due to the uncertainties involved in every aspect of the analysis. Therefore, the present study aims to evaluate the performance-based reliability within a stochastic finite element (FE) framework for reinforced concrete (RC) shear walls that are considered as one of the most essential elements of structures. To accomplish this purpose, deterministic FE analyses are conducted for both squat and slender shear walls to validate numerical models through experimental results. The presented numerical analysis is performed by using the ABAQUS FE program. Afterwards, a random-effects investigation is carried out to consider the influence of different random variables on the lateral load-top displacement behavior of RC members. Using these results and through utilizing the Monte-Carlo simulation method, stochastic nonlinear analyses are also performed to generate random FE models based on input parameters and their probabilistic distributions. In order to evaluate the reliability of RC walls, failure probabilities and corresponding reliability indices are calculated at life safety and collapse prevention levels of performance as suggested by FEMA 356. Moreover, based on reliability indices, capacity reduction factors are determined subjected to shear for all specimens that are designed according to the ACI 318 Building Code. Obtained results show that the lateral load and the compressive strength of concrete have the highest effects on load-displacement responses compared to those of other random variables. It is also found that the probability of shear failure for the squat wall is slightly lower than that for slender walls. This implies that 𝛽 values are higher in a non-ductile mode of failure. Besides, the reliability of both squat and slender shear walls does not change significantly in the case of varying capacity reduction factors.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.85 no.2
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• pp.197-206
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• 2023

The deterioration caused by chloride penetration and carbonation plays a significant role in a concrete structure in a marine environment. The chloride corrosion in some marine concrete structures is invisible but can be dangerous in a sudden collapse. Therefore, as a novelty, this research investigates the ability of a non-destructive damage detection method named the Power Spectral Density (PSD) to diagnose damages caused only by chloride ions in concrete structures. Furthermore, the accuracy of this method in estimating the amount of annual damage caused by chloride in various parts and positions exposed to seawater was investigated. For this purpose, the RC Arosa bridge in Spain, which connects the island to the mainland via seawater, was numerically modeled and analyzed. As the first step, each element's bridge position was calculated, along with the chloride corrosion percentage in the reinforcements. The next step predicted the existence, location, and timing of damage to the entire concrete part of the bridge based on the amount of rebar corrosion each year. The PSD method was used to monitor the annual loss of reinforcement cross-section area, changes in dynamic characteristics such as stiffness and mass, and each year of the bridge structure's life using sensitivity equations and the linear least squares algorithm. This study showed that using different approaches to the PSD method based on rebar chloride corrosion and assuming 10% errors in software analysis can help predict the location and almost exact amount of damage zones over time.