Abstract
An improved version of the Element-free Galerkin method (EFGM) is presented here for addressing the problem of transverse shear locking in shear-deformable beams with a high length over thickness ratio. Based upon Timoshenko
Address
W. Kanok-Nukulchai, W.J. Barry and K. Saran-Yasoontorn, School of Civil Engineering, Asian Institute of Technology, Pathumthani, 12120, Thailand
Abstract
A high-fidelity model of a tracked vehicle traversing a flexible ground terrain with a varying profile is presented here. In this work, we employed a recursive formulation to model the track subsystem. This method yields a minimal set of coordinates and hence, computationally more efficient than conventional approaches. Also, in the vehicle subsystem, the undercarriage frame is assumed to be connected to the chassis by a revolute joint and a spring-damper unit. This increase in system mobility makes the model more realistic. To capture the vehicle-ground interaction, a Winkler-type foundation with springs-dampers is used. Simulation runs of the integrated tracked vehicle system for vibrations for four varying ground profiles are provided.
Address
Ray P. S. Han, Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA Brian S. Sander, Henderson Engineers Incorporated, Lenexa, KS 66214, USA S.G. Mao, Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
Abstract
With increasing competition, the engineering industry is in need of optimization of designs that would lead to minimum cost or weight. Recent developments in Genetic Algorithms (GAs) makes it possible to model and obtain optimal solutions in structural design that can be put to use in industry. The main objective of this paper is to illustrate typical applications of GAs to practical design of structural systems such as steel trusses, towers, bridges, reinforced concrete frames, bridge decks, shells and layout planning of buildings. Hence, instead of details of GA process, which can be found in the reported literature, attention is focussed on the description of the various applications and the practical aspects that are considered in Genetic Modeling. The paper highlights scope and future directions for wider applications of GA based methodologies for optimal design in practice.
Abstract
A direct discrete formulation suitable for the nonlinear analysis of masonry structures is presented. The numerical approach requires a pair of dual meshes, one for describing displacement fields, one for imposing equilibrium. Forces and displacements are directly used (instead of having to resort to a model derived from a set of differential equations). Associated and nonassociated flow laws are dealt with within a complementarity framework. The main features of the method and of the relevant computer code are discussed. Numerical examples are presented, showing that the numerical approach is able to describe plastic strains, damage effects and crack patterns in masonry structures.
Key Words
crack growth; damage mechanics; discrete formulation; linear complementarity problems; masonry; mathematical programming; nonlinear structural analysis; plasticity.
Address
A. Nappi, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Trieste, P.le Europa 1, 34127 Trieste, Italy F. Ti n- Loi, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia
Abstract
This paper presents the effect of axial stretching on large amplitude free vibration of an extensible suspended cable supported at the same level. The model formulation developed in this study is based on the virtual work-energy functional of cables which involves strain energy due to axial stretching and work done by external forces. The difference in the Euler equations between equilibrium and motion states is considered. The resulting equations govern the horizontal and vertical motion of the cables, and are coupled and highly nonlinear. The solution for the nonlinear static equilibrium configuration is determined by the shooting method while the solution for the large amplitude free vibration is obtained by using the second-order central finite difference scheme with time integration. Numerical examples are given to demonstrate the vibration behaviour of extensible suspended cables.
Key Words
cables; axial stretching; free vibration; large amplitude vibration; nonlinear vibration.
Address
Somchai Chucheepsakul, Department of Civil Engineering, King Mongkut
Abstract
Axially compressed circular cylinders repeat symmetry-breaking bifurcation in the postbuckling region. There exist stable equilibria with all symmetry broken in the buckled configuration, and the minimum postbuckling strength is attained at the deep bottom of closely spaced equilibrium branches. The load level corresponding to such postbuckling stable solutions is usually much lower than the initial buckling load and may serve as a strength limit in shell stability design. The primary concern in the present paper is to compute these possible postbuckling stable solutions at the deep bottom of the postbuckling region. Two computational approaches are used for this purpose. One is the application of individual procedures in computational bifurcation theory. Path-tracing, pinpointing bifurcation points and (local) branch-switching are all applied to follow carefully the postbuckling branches with the decreasing load in order to attain the target at the bottom of the postbuckling region. The buckled shell configuration loses its symmetry stepwise after each (local) branch-switching procedure. The other is to introduce the idea of path jumping (namely, generalized global branch-switching) with static imperfection. The static response of the cylinder under two-parameter loading is computed to enable a direct access to postbuckling equilibria from the prebuckling state. In the numerical example of an elastic perfect circular cylinder, stable postbuckling solutions are computed in these two approaches. It is demonstrated that a direct path jump from the undeformed state to postbuckling stable equilibria is possible for an appropriate choice of static perturbations.
Address
Fumio Fujii, Department of Civil Engineering, Gifu University, Gifu 501-1193, Japan Hirohisa Noguchi, Department of System Design Engineering, Keio University, Yokohama 223-8522, Japan
Abstract
This paper presents the tangent stiffness method for 3-D geometrically nonlinear folding analysis of a reversal arch. Experimental tests are conducted to verify the numerical analysis. The tangent stiffness method can accurately evaluate the geometrical nonlinearity due to the element translating as a rigid body, and the method can exactly handle the large rotation of the element in space. The arch in the experiment is made from a thin flat bar, and it is found that the folding process of the arch may be captured exactly by the numerical analysis with a model consisting of only 18 elements with the same properties.
Key Words
large displacement analysis; geometrical nonlinearity; finite rotation; folding experiment.
Address
Shin-ichi Iguchi and Shigeo Goto, FORUMEIGHT Ltd., 1-31 Tenya-machi, Hakata-ku Fukuoka, Japan Katsushi Ijima and Hiroyuki Obiya, Department of Civil Engineering, Saga University, 1 Honjou Saga, Japan
Abstract
A local point interpolation method (LPIM) is presented for the stress analysis of two-dimensional solids. A local weak form is developed using the weighted residual method locally in two-dimensional solids. The polynomial interpolation, which is based only on a group of arbitrarily distributed nodes, is used to obtain shape functions. The LPIM equations are derived, based on the local weak form and point interpolation. Since the shape functions possess the Kronecker delta function property, the essential boundary condition can be implemented with ease as in the conventional finite element method (FEM). The presented LPIM method is a truly meshless method, as it does not need any element or mesh for both field interpolation and background integration. The implementation procedure is as simple as strong form formulation methods. The LPIM has been coded in FORTRAN. The validity and efficiency of the present LPIM formulation are demonstrated through example problems. It is found that the present LPIM is very easy to implement, and very robust for obtaining displacements and stresses of desired accuracy in solids.
