Scipedia
Not a member yet
33380 research outputs found
Sort by
A study on the structural systems with tapered hardening-type hysteresis devices
Get PDFThe Japanese seismic design code allows for formation of plastic hinges at beam ends during large earthquakes. However, in cases in which seismic motion exceeds anticipated levels, seismic energy surpassing the structure’s absorption capacity may result in partial destruction, ultimately leading to the collapse of the whole building. Unexpected damage to buildings may also occur if they are subjected to long-period ground motions. To prevent such damage, we propose a displacement control device with hardening-type hysteresis. We performed experiments and analysis to verify the performance
Constitutive modelling of wood-based materials
Get PDFWood, unlike steel and concrete, is an anisotropic material. Because of its inherent characteristics, the mechanical behaviour of wood depends on the grain direction and the load type. Appropriate material models are the fundamental basis of reliable simulations. The constitutive models incorporated in existing general design software packages are often limited, making the software unsuitable for accurately predicting the mechanical behaviour and failure modes of wood-based materials. In this paper, a comprehensive constitutive model, composed of sub-models for describing the elastic properties, strength criterion, post-peak softening for quasi-brittle failure modes, plastic flow and hardening rule for yielding failure modes, and densification perpendicular to grain, was introduced. Modelling considerations on the effects of temperature, moisture content, and loading time were discussed. Advanced and practical modelling methods and key considerations for wood-based products were introduced, aiming to support practicing engineers and researchers to become better acquainted with modelling and analysing timber structures
Estimation of peak flow in flood-producing rivers using numerical simulation, geospatial information and evolutionary algorithms
No full textFloods produce enormous human and material losses every year. Evaluating their extent and severity, and especially simulating possible future scenarios can improve the response, mitigation and prevention of the effects of this phenomenon. This paper presents a methodology to reproduce the extent of floods produced by channel overflows and recorded by satellite images, identifying the maximum discharge that produced it by means of the numerical solution of the 2D shallow water equations and Differential Evolution. The objective is to minimize the difference between the extent of the flooded area recorded in the satellite images, and that obtained in the simulation by adjusting the maximum value of the flow curve used at the entrance of the channel in the solution domain. The proposal is applied to data and images corresponding to an area located south of the city of Villahermosa, in the Mexican state of Tabasco, which is an area susceptible to flooding by the overflow of the Río de la Sierra. Our proposal shows that it is possible to have more accurate information on the extent and height of water in the flooded area than that shown by the satellite, which can be used as information for prevention and mitigation plans for the adverse effects of flooding. Palabras clave: Modelado de inundaciones, gasto máximo en ríos, Iber, evolución diferencia
Research on similarity law of nonlinear shock response of ship plate frame structure under underwater explosion
Get PDFThe anti-explosion ability of ship grillage structure is an important index to evaluate the vitality of ships. Its model test is a low-cost and effective method to evaluate the vitality of ships and guide the design of ship anti impact structures. In view of the nonlinear and nonstationary process of underwater explosion damage to ship grillage, this paper breaks through the nonlinear effect of transient explosion impact that is not considered in the traditional scale model design, focuses on the one-dimensional nonlinear impact response of ship grillage structure, and carries out the characterization study of the similarity between model experiments and real ships. Considering that the vertical motion of the prototype and the model grillage structure in the model test obey the random walking model, the vertical impact response of the deck grillage is characterized as one-dimensional nonlinear non-stationary Brownian motion, which is described by Hurst index. Based on the classical similarity law, the similarity transformation relationship between the range R and the mean square deviation S is derived, and the Hurst index of the model and the prototype meets the equal relationship; Take a section of grillage structure on a real ship and conduct prototype, 1/2, 1/3, 1/4 and 1/5 one-dimensional nonlinear explosion impact scale simulation tests respectively. The numerical response results show obvious nonlinear characteristics, and the Hurst index of displacement, velocity and acceleration response of the model within the pulse width range is less than 5% compared with the prototype. According to the scale invariance of fractional Brownian motion, the similarity conversion relationship of multiple parameters (displacement, velocity, acceleration and mean square response) is obtained. With the mean square response as the characteristic parameter, the response value of the prototype is converted through this relationship, and compared with the model simulation results, the multi parameter response error under each scale ratio is less than 20%. It provides theoretical and technical support for conducting similar experiments on nonlinear response of underwater explosion shock of ship
Improvement of the impact behavior of forged composite plates reinforced with continuous fiber tapes
No full textThe conception of structural components using thermoplastic composite materials faces a dilemma when selecting the material/manufacturing process pairing. Continuous fiber-reinforced composites offer the best properties, but their design freedom is limited to shell-type parts. On the other hand, manufacturing processes for discontinuous fiber, such as injection (LFT) and forging (GMT), allow the production of complex geometries, but their mechanical properties are substantially lower. In fact, LFT and GMT are important in the current automotive industry, but their applications are limited to semi-structural components or internally complex geometries whose functionality is more focused on function integration rather than supporting high mechanical loads. The hybridization of discontinuous fiber composites with continuous fiber materials presents itself as a promising approach to achieve a synergistic effect from both technologies.
In this study, the impact behavior of glass fiber-reinforced polyamide forged plates (GMT) was characterized, along with their hybridization with unidirectional carbon reinforcements. In the first phase, the effect of the processing temperature was investigated, concluding that increasing the temperature promotes the compaction between the two materials, resulting in improved impact resistance. Specifically, a 14% increase was observed in both maximum force and dissipated energy. In the second phase, the effect of hybridization with unidirectional tapes as reinforcement was analyzed, showing the same positive effect. The hybridization led to a 20% improvement in maximum force and a 36% increase in dissipated energy
Integrated geophysical methods in identifying preferential flow paths in an earth dam
Get PDFThe evaluation of safety conditions in dams is of utmost importance to ensure stability and often involves subsurface investigation methods. Geophysical methods have emerged as a modern and relevant alternative, often more practical than traditional direct methods. This study aims to integrate the application and interpretation of resistivity and selfpotential methods to identify preferential flow paths in a small earth dam. The investigation was conducted at a dam located on the Viçosa Campus of the Federal University of Viçosa (UFV), with three main soil layers: embankment, silty clay, and alluvium. Analysis of the results revealed potential conductive zones and negative spontaneous potential anomalies, suggesting the occurrence of piping and the presence of buried structures in the spillway area. Moreover, the geophysical investigation methodology proved effective in evaluating geotechnical characteristics and flow conditions of the dam, contributing to the foundation for future safety and stability analyses of the structure
The Next Generation of Testing with LWD to Assess the In-Situ Permanent Deformation of Geomaterials under Repeated Loading
Get PDFThis study focuses on evaluating in-situ permanent deformation in fine-grained soils through the application of a specially designed Repeated Light Weight Deflectometer (LWD) test. The primary objective is to investigate how water content and applied stress levels influence permanent deformations in the field. Additionally, the study aims to assess the utility of LWD-derived data in predicting permanent strains. Results indicate a significant correlation between permanent deformations and key parameters, such as the number of load cycles, applied stress levels, and water content. It is observed that permanent deformations increase proportionally with these variables, particularly in cases of elevated water content and higher stress levels. The soil demonstrates an increased susceptibility to accumulating permanent deformations, persisting even after numerous LWD load applications. In response to these findings, a predictive model is presented to estimate accumulated permanent strain, exhibiting a commendable fit to data for moisture contents up to 22%, corresponding to an average water content of 19%. Ultimately, this research underscores the pivotal role of water content and applied stress levels in determining permanent deformation characteristics in fine-grained subgrade soils. The study also provides a valuable predictive model derived from repeated in-situ LWD measurements, offering critical insights into the field permanent deformation behaviour of subgrade soil. This simple and time-saving test enhances engineering practices for pavement design and construction
The Pseudo-N Values: Proposal and Practice
Get PDFThe N-value by the standard penetration test (SPT) is commonly used for site characterisation in geotechnical engineering. S-wave velocity, typically estimated by borehole measurement or seismic survey, is also indicative of the strength of the ground. Many researchers attempted to find precise relationships between these parameters. However, N-values estimated from S-wave velocity using these formulae are subject to substantial errors, and the errors are inevitable due to the different nature of the parameters. The formula for pseudo-N value was first proposed in 2011 as (Suto, 2011). This is a simplified formula derived from the formulae found by the previous authors. By using this simple formula as a common practice, with understanding of existence of error, the results can be compared from site to site. This presentation first compares the N-value and S-wave velocity in their natures, methods, practice and cost. Then it examines the previously published formulae and proposed formula of pseudo-N value. Some examples of use of the pseudo-N values are also presented at the end
Temperature based Leakage Detection and Monitoring Systems in view of Tailings Storage Facilities
No full textCharacterizing the in-situ state of soils is essential for evaluating their vulnerability and the consequences of failure. The cone penetration test (CPT) enables efficient, repeatable, and continuous soil characterization based on the recorded response to penetration. Particularly for waste storage facilities, analysis of CPT results can help avoid failures that could lead to significant socio-economic and environmental impacts. Human-made soils in waste storage facilities, like coal combustion products and mine tailings, can have a large fraction of silt-sized particles, which makes them prone to experiencing partial drainage during CPT soundings at standard penetration rates. However, the current state of practice still predominantly adopts the assumption of fully drained or undrained conditions, which may lead to inaccurate interpretation of soil properties and state. This study aims to explore a new CPT-based characterization framework for intermediate silty soils using cone tip resistance values to determine the soil state. To do so, CPT soundings were performed in-flight in centrifuge models of a coal combustion product with different initial densities at varying penetration velocities. Soils with a low density and contractive behavior experience a decrease in tip resistance as the penetration velocity is increased due to the generation of excess pore pressures, resulting in high ratios of drained to undrained tip resistance (Qtn,drained/Qtn,undrained). In contrast, the tip resistance increases with penetration velocity, resulting in low Qtn,drained/Qtn,undrained ratios in soils of a high density and dilative behavior. The proposed framework uses Qtn,drained/Qtn,undrained to identify contractive layers and is expected to help assess the vulnerability of soil layers to experience liquefaction failure
Using Dilatometer to Predict Stress Increase Component of Foundation Settlement
No full textBecause soil resists applied stresses in the x, y, and z directions, the ratio of horizontal to vertical stresses, ko, determines the soil stress distribution. The dilatometer test predicts the unit weight of the soil and the horizontal stress ratio at rest, ko, providing the necessary input to determine the stress increase applied to the soil. The Boussinesq stress distribution assumes the soil has a linear elastic stress-strain relationship. This distribution has no input from the soil’s material properties. Harr (1977) proposed using the normal probability distribution with ko input to more accurately compute stress distribution. The authors show the Harr stress distribution for different values of ko and compares them with the Boussinesq stress and Westergaard stress distributions. The authors also present some case studies of stress distribution measurements and proposes modern instrumentation needed for additional research to determine the best prediction method