Search results for "Structural engineering"
showing 10 items of 1998 documents
Masonry structures subjected to tsunami loads: Modeling issues and application to a case study
2020
Abstract Tsunamis are among the most dangerous natural disasters for coastal areas experiencing tsunami hazard. One of the major concerns in the assessment of strategies for the risk mitigation is to estimate vulnerability of structures and infrastructures. However, reliable approaches for the evaluation of the structural capacity under tsunami loads are nowadays not always available for all the types of structures, especially masonry. On this aim, the paper deals with the modeling issues of 3D masonry structures subjected to tsunami loads and the effect on the structural behavior of different modeling approaches. First, a brief state of the art on the available studies is presented regardi…
A Viscoelastic Model for the Long-Term Deflection of Segmental Prestressed Box Girders
2017
Most of segmental prestressed concrete box girders exhibit excessive multidecade deflections unforeseeable by past and current design codes. To investigate such a behavior, mainly caused by creep and shrinkage phenomena, an effective finite element (FE) formulation is presented in this article. This formulation is developed by invoking the stationarity of an energetic principle for linear viscoelastic problems and relies on the Bazant creep constitutive law. A case study representative of segmental prestressed concrete box girders susceptible to creep is also analyzed in the article, that is, the Colle Isarco viaduct. Its FE model, based on the aforementioned energetic formulation, was succ…
A comparative molecular dynamics-phase-field modeling approach to brittle fracture
2016
Abstract In this work, a novel comparative method for highly brittle materials such as aragonite crystals is proposed, which provides an efficient and accurate in-sight understanding for multi-scale fracture modeling. In particular, physically-motivated molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are performed to model quasi-static brittle crack propagation on the nano-scale and followingly compared to macroscopic modeling of fracture using the phase-field modeling (PFM) technique. A link between the two modeling schemes is later proposed by deriving PFM parameters from the MD atomistic simulations. Thus, in this combined approach, MD simulations provide a more realistic meaning and physical estima…
On stiffness and damping of vibro-impact dynamics of backlash
2021
We consider the instantaneous stiffness and damping of the vibro-impact in a backlash pair. Opposed to the existing and mostly used models of the backlash, we address the problem of contact and separation, and the associated force propagation within a mechanical pair, from a viewpoint of the vibro-impact dynamics. We discuss the impact forces with the coefficient of restitution as a principal factor which shapes the transient backlash response.We show that a common approach to modeling the backlash by means of a dead-zone in a restoring force is unsuitable for correctly capturing the mechanical impact. We exemplary demonstrate a qualitative accord between an experimental backlash response a…
Evaluation of Load transfer in rigid pavements by Rolling wheel deflectometer and Falling weight deflectometer
2020
Abstract Rigid pavements have widespread use, e.g, in motorways and airports, due to their excellent properties such as high bearing capacity and long lifetime. However, when rigid pavements fail it is often due to bad load transfer efficiency (LTE) at its joints. Traditional methods of measuring LTE can be time consuming. Here, we study the possibility of measuring LTE using a moving load with the aim of achieving higher productivity. An experiment simulating Rolling Weight Deflectometer (RWD) measurements on a joint was carried out to gain understanding and confidence that can guide the analysis of real RWD data. Continuous data from measurements across a joint allows for determination of…
A damage identification procedure based on Hilbert transform: Experimental validation
2010
SUMMARY This paper aims at validating the feasibility of an identification procedure, based on the use of the Hilbert transform, by means of experimental tests for shear-type multi-degree-of-freedom systems. Particularly, a three-degree-of-freedom frame will be studied either numerically or experimentally by means of a laboratory scale model built at the laboratory of the Structural, Aerospace and Geotechnical Engineering Department (DISAG) of University of Palermo. Several damage scenarios have been considered to prove the effectiveness of the procedure. Moreover, the experimental tests have been conducted by considering two different input loads: pulse forces, simulated by means of an ins…
Topology Optimization Design of Internal Reinforcements in a Sailing Dinghy
2021
AbstractIn this paper, a novel approach has been followed based on FEM simulation and Topology Optimization tools to locate and model the reinforcements inside the hull of a sailing dinghy. This process assumes that the inner volume included between the hull and the deck is, at the beginning of the simulation, filled with material; then a portion of this inner volume is eroded until a final free form shape of the reinforcements is obtained. A key point of this procedure is the definition of the optimization constrains because the final shape of the reinforcements must fulfill several requirements such as weight, stiffness and stress. At the end of the optimization procedure, the final shape…
Dynamic Shakedown Sensitivity Analysis by Means of a Probabilistic Approach
2017
The shakedown limit load multiplier problem for elastic plastic structures subjected to a combination of fixed and seismic loads is treated. In particular, reference is firstly made to the unrestricted dynamic shakedown theory. The relevant seismic load history is modeled as a repeated one and, with reference to classically damped structures, appropriate modal analyses are utilized. With the aim of evaluating the reliability of the results arising from the application of the cited theory, a recent probabilistic approach is also utilized. This approach adopts the Monte Carlo method in order to define the necessary seismic acceleration histories and finally compute the related shakedown limit…
Structural assessment of the EU-DEMO WCLL Central Outboard Blanket segment under normal and off-normal operating conditions
2021
Abstract Within the framework of the EUROfusion design activities concerning the EU-DEMO Breeding Blanket (BB) system, a research campaign has been carried out at the University of Palermo with the aim of investigating the structural behaviour of the DEMO Water-Cooled Lithium Lead (WCLL) Central Outboard Blanket (COB) segment. The assessment has been performed considering three different loading scenarios: the Normal Operation (NO), the Over-Pressurization (OP) and the Upward Vertical Displacement Event (VDE-up). In particular, NO scenario represents the loading case referring to the nominal operating conditions, whereas the OP scenario refers to the loading conditions due to an in-box LOCA…
Some conventional and unconventional educational column stability Problems
2006
Two interesting problems are considered for enriching the curriculum of the Strength of Materials course, in the light of recently developed functionally graded materials (FGMs), characterized with the smooth variation of the elastic modulus. These are problems associated with buckling of columns with variable flexural rigidity along the axis of the column. A simple semi-inverse method is proposed for determining closed-form solutions of axially inhomogeneous columns. In order for the presentation to be given in one package, the conventional problems are also recapitulated along with the novel ones. The main approach adopted here is the use of the second-order differential equation, instea…