Search results for "Mechanical engineering"
showing 10 items of 4245 documents
The indirect force method
1990
Abstract It is known that the matrix force method shows some advantages over the displacement method for certain classes of problems, particularly in optimization and in the stress concentration analysis. Notwithstanding this, few efforts have been made to employ this method in engineering problems. In this paper, within the elastic analysis of frames and trusses, the indirect force method, utilizing beam-node type finite elements, is proposed. This method is based on the kinematical and mechanical study of nodes and of beams, the latter connected with the nodes by their first extremes according to a preliminary arrangement. In this formulation kinematical singularities are included, in the…
A coupled Finite Volume–Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics method for incompressible flows
2016
Abstract An hybrid approach is proposed which allows to combine Finite Volume Method (FVM) and Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH). The method is based on the partitioning of the computational domain into a portion discretized with a structured grid of hexahedral elements (the FVM-domain ) and a portion filled with Lagrangian particles (the SPH-domain ), separated by an interface made of triangular elements. A smooth transition between the solutions in the FVM and SPH regions is guaranteed by the introduction of a layer of grid cells in the SPH-domain and of a band of virtual particles in the FVM one (both neighboring the interface), on which the hydrodynamic variables are obtained throug…
Limit analysis of frame systems stiffended by panels
1974
Limit analysis of frame systems stiffened by nonperforated and perforated panels by discretisation of the panels into one-dimensional finite elements. The fundamental equation of the problem arrived at is very general in scope and is of particular interest for the analysis of the structural-systems subjected to shear as the effect of the wind or of the earthquake one.
Dynamic shakedown of structures with variable appended masses and subjected to repeated excitations
1996
Elastic shakedown for discrete, or finite-element discretized, structures subjected to combinations of static and time-variable loads is addressed in the hypothesis of elastic-perfectly plastic material behavior. The static load is conceived as the weight of an additional mass appended to the structure, whereas the time-variable load is conceived as an unknown sequence of excitations belonging to a specified domain, with intervals between subsequent excitations during which the structure is considered as being motionless. It is shown that, in the plane of the static and time-variable load parameters, the structure's dynamic shakedown domain is nonconvex and that its boundary curve generally…
Damping effect on the ITER vacuum vessel displacements during slow downward locked and rotating asymmetric vertical displacement events
2018
Abstract In this paper, we present the electromechanical coupled analysis of the ITER vacuum vessel in case of slow downward locked and rotating Asymmetric VDEs. The numerical model for simulating the AVDE includes the asymmetric distribution of the halo currents obtained by a suitable 3D kink perturbation of a slow VDE downward computed by the 2D code DINA. In the case of a rotational AVDE, the rotation frequency of the kink asymmetry has been chosen to be ω = 2π × 5 rad/s. The model includes the mesh of the main passive components facing the plasma. The whole torus (360 degrees) has been discretized. It is shown that the very high complexity of the numerical model can be suitably treated.…
Results of a literature review on methods for estimating buildings energy demand at district level
2019
Abstract In the framework of distributed energy planning, evaluating reliable energy profiles of different sectors has a prominent role. At the same time, it is a quite challenging task, since the availability of actual energy profiles of buildings at the district level is not widespread. A survey of over 70 studies in scientific literature has been accomplished and a set of criteria has been defined for classifying the selected contributions based on the energy demand data features, source and/or estimation methods, highlighting the ones adopting hourly energy profiles. As final results, tables summarizing the main methods characteristics and a selection of studies providing directly useab…
Targeted steel frames by means of innovative moment resisting connections
2021
Abstract The present paper proposes the use of stepped cross section devices on steel frames aiming at reproducing a pre-established target push-over curve. To this aim a Limited Resistance Plastic Device (LRPD) to be inserted along selected structural members is proposed. The following two main specific features for LRPD are required: any elastic flexural stiffness variation of the original selected member must be avoided; an ultimate plastic bending moment value equal to an assigned percentage of the original limit resistance value must be ensured. Steel frames equipped with LRPD are modeled by means of an extension of a recently proposed Fibre Smart Displacement Based (FSDB) beam element…
On the finite element simulation of thermal phenomena in machining processes
2007
Machining processes are frequently investigated by numerical simulations. Usually 2D analyses are carried out in order to reduce CPU times, considering orthogonal cutting conditions. In this way, the computational time sharply reduces and many process variables may be calculated (i.e. forces, chip morphology, shear angle, contact length). On the other hand, the analysis of thermal aspects involved in machining, for instance the temperature distribution reached in tool, still represents an open problem. Finite element codes are able to simulate a very short process time that is not sufficient to reach steady state conditions. Several approaches have been proposed to overcome this problem: in…
Thermofluid-dynamic assessment of the EU-DEMO divertor single-circuit cooling option
2023
Until 2019, the thermo-hydraulic development of the EU-DEMO divertor was based on the “double-circuit” concept, in which two independent cooling circuits served by two different Primary Heat Transfer Systems were used to cool the Plasma-Facing Components (PFC) and the Cassette Body (CB). During the Divertor Final Design Review Meeting, held in May 2020, the possibility to adopt a single cooling circuit to serve both components was suggested. This new cooling circuit was originally conceived with the aim of simplifying remote maintenance, with potential benefits for some aspects of safety and balance of plant design and integration. During the years from 2020 to 2022, in the fram…
Subsurface flow and large-scale lateral saturated soil hydraulic conductivity in a Mediterranean hillslope with contrasting land uses
2017
Abstract The lateral saturated hydraulic conductivity, Ks,l , is the soil property that mostly governs subsurface flow in hillslopes. Determinations of Ks,l at the hillslope scale are expected to yield valuable information for interpreting and modeling hydrological processes since soil heterogeneities are functionally averaged in this case. However, these data are rare since the experiments are quite difficult and costly. In this investigation, that was carried out in Sardinia (Italy), large-scale determinations of Ks,l were done in two adjacent hillslopes covered by a Mediterranean maquis and grass, respectively, with the following objectives: i) to evaluate the effect of land use change o…