Displacement In Vertical Direction Research Articles

Nonlinear buckling behavior of hybrid composites with different notch types

Abstract In this study, the effect of change of notch type on non-linear buckling behavior in composite plates was investigated experimentally and numerically. The composite plate is produced by applying the vacuum infusion method using carbon and aramid hybrid woven fabric and epoxy. Primarily, in the composite plates, a circular hole in the middle, a U single edge notch and semicircle double edge notches are formed. The specimens were subjected to buckling tests, being placed on their two edges, while the others were free. Afterwards, the load displacement graphs of the plates under pressure load were obtained experimentally for the behavior before and after buckling. In the numerical study, non-linear buckling analysis was performed using the finite element method. As a result, experimental and numerical buckling behaviors were obtained in accordance with each other. Since the net cross section bearing the pressure load is equal for all notch types, an effective difference between the maximum damage loads has not been achieved. So, the variation of notch type does not change the load displacement behavior characteristics of the plates after buckling. However, due to the unsymmetrical geometry in U notched plates, an uneven change in horizontal displacements along the width of the plate was achieved. The maximum stress concentration formed around the notch increased after buckling with the increase of displacement in vertical direction.

Postural control during quiet standing and voluntary stepping response tasks in individuals post-stroke: a case-control study

ABSTRACT Background: Postural control impairments following a stroke have an impact on mobility, reduce independence, and increase the risk of falls. Assessing these impairments during tasks representative of real-life situations, such as quiet standing (QS) and voluntary stepping response (VSR), will enhance our understanding of how the postural control system is impaired in individuals post-stroke (IPS). It will also inform the development of a more targeted and effective rehabilitation to prevent falls in IPS. Objectives: Identify the postural control impairments encountered by IPS during QS and VSR. Methods: Twenty IPS and 16 healthy controls were recruited to perform QS and VSR tasks, while ground reaction forces and whole-body motion were measured. Displacement and speed variation of the COM, center of pressure (COP) displacement and spatiotemporal data were calculated and compared between groups. Results: During QS, IPS exhibited greater maximal COP displacement in mediolateral direction, COM displacement in vertical direction and COM speed excursions compared to controls. During VSR, IPS exhibited smaller step length, braking force, posterior foot placement in relation to the pelvis and COM anteroposterior excursion compared to controls. IPS presented less static and dynamic postural stability compared to controls. Conclusions: Greater postural sway during QS, smaller anteroposterior COM displacement before losing balance and altered voluntary recovering steps during VSR could place IPS at more risk of falling when they face a postural challenge in the community. These novel results will improve the current knowledge base and should be considered in IPS rehabilitation.

장애물 보행 시 노화에 따른 신체질량중심의 변화

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare three dimensional displacement and peak velocity of the center of mass (COM) during obstacle crossing in young and older adults. METHODS: 10 young adults (6 males/4 females, <TEX>$24.6{\pm}1.9$</TEX> years, age range: 22.0-26.9) and 10 older adults (1 male/9 females, <TEX>$76.9{\pm}5.1$</TEX> years, age range: 65.2-81.2) participated in the study. Both groups crossed an obstacle, which is 10% of leg length, and COM was measured using motion analysis system. Independent t-test was used to find significant differences between two groups. RESULTS: The older adults showed significantly greater and faster COM displacement and peak velocity in mediolateral (M-L) direction as compared with young adults (p<.01 and p<.001 respectively). However, the young adults showed significantly greater and faster COM displacement and peak velocity in anteroposterior (A-P) direction as compared with older adults (p<.05 and p<.001 respectively). Furthermore, the young adults showed faster peak velocity of COM in vertical direction as compared with older adults (p<.001). However, no significant difference was found in the COM displacement in vertical direction between two groups. CONCLUSION: Greater and faster COM displacement and peak velocity in M-L direction in older adults were due to compensatory adjustment for appropriate contact on base of support of swing limb. Thus, the motion of the COM in M-L direction may be a crucial factor to identify risk of falls in older adults.

Soil Saturated Simulation in Embankment during Strong Earthquake by Effect of Elasticity Modulus

The dynamic analysis process was started after failure in some embankments during an earthquake. In this context, maximum displacement was reported at the crest based on interaction between structure and reservoir. This paper investigates the dynamic behavior of short embankment on soft soil. For this purpose, numerical analysis was carried out using ANSYS13 program based on finite-element method. Simulated models were vibrated by strong earthquake, so the peak ground acceleration (PGA) and duration were 0.65 g and 5.02 seconds, respectively. The comparison results were discussed in key points of plane strain analysis based on modulus ratio between saturated embankment and foundation. As concluded, the modulus ratio between 0.53 and 0.66 led to having a minimum value of horizontal displacement, relative displacement in vertical direction, and shear stress. Consequently, the shear stress was increased while the modulus ratio was decreased. Finally, to avoid more rigidity in the embankment on the soft soil, optimum modulus ratio was recommended at 0.66 in order to reduce the probabilistic of body cracks at the crest with respect to homogeneous behavior during an earthquake.

Field investigation on variation of rail support modulus in ballasted railway tracks

Rail support modulus is an important factor in safety of railway track. This parameter is defined as support force imposing on rail length unit per rail unit displacement in vertical direction. Rail support modulus is important because it affects track performance and maintenance requirements. Both low and large modulus is undesirable. Low modulus of the rail support has been shown to cause differential settlement that then increases maintenance needs. On the other hand, higher value of rail support causes axle load to be distributed on fewer sleepers and therefore received dynamic loads for any sleeper and rail-sleeper fastening will be increased. Sandy desert areas are critical regions about the contamination of ballast. In these areas, flowing sand grains influence between ballast aggregates and increase the stiffness of ballast layer and the rail support modulus. In this paper, the results of a field investigation about the effect of ballast contamination on the values of the rail support modulus in sandy desert areas are presented.

Can bivalve veligers escape feeding currents of adult bivalves?

While the stock of introduced Pacific oysters ( Crassostrea gigas) increased in the Oosterschelde estuary (SW Netherlands), so did the filtration pressure of all bivalve species together. In the same period, stocks of native bivalves declined slightly. The expansion of Pacific oysters in Dutch estuaries might be partially due to better abilities of their larvae to avoid or escape filtration, compared to larvae of native bivalves. In this context, escape and swimming abilities of Pacific oyster larvae and the larvae of the native blue mussel ( Mytilus edulis) were compared. Swimming behaviour of C. gigas larvae and larvae of M. edulis was recorded in still water and in a suction current mimicking a bivalve feeding current, in a horizontal and in a vertical plane. Larval swimming behaviour in a suction flow field was reconstructed by subtracting local water movement vectors from the total movement of larvae, yielding movement paths due to larval swimming alone. Swimming speeds and the rate of displacement in vertical direction of C. gigas and M. edulis larvae were related to larval shell length, and to the pitch of up- or downward swimming. Larvae of both species did not show escape reactions in a suction flow field. With increasing shell length, larval swimming speeds of both species increased significantly. Swimming speeds of C. gigas larvae were significantly higher than swimming speeds of M. edulis larvae, resulting in a faster vertical displacement. The ability to migrate to more favourable water layers faster may offer C. gigas an advantage over native bivalves with slower swimming larvae.

Modeling of time-dependent force response of fingertip to dynamic loading

An extended exposure to repeated loading on fingertip has been associated to many vascular, sensorineural, and musculoskeletal disorders in the fingers, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, hand–arm vibration syndrome, and flexor tenosynovitis. A better understanding of the pathomechanics of these sensorineural and vascular diseases in fingers requires a formulation of a biomechanical model of the fingertips and analyses to predict the mechanical responses of the soft tissues to dynamic loading. In the present study, a model based on finite element techniques has been developed to simulate the mechanical responses of the fingertips to dynamic loading. The proposed model is two-dimensional and incorporates the essential anatomical structures of a finger: skin, subcutaneous tissue, bone, and nail. The skin tissue is assumed to be hyperelastic and viscoelastic. The subcutaneous tissue was considered to be a nonlinear, biphasic material composed of a hyperelastic solid and an invicid fluid, while its hydraulic permeability was considered to be deformation dependent. Two series of numerical tests were performed using the proposed finger tip model to: (a) simulate the responses of the fingertip to repeated loading, where the contact plate was assumed to be fixed, and the bone within the fingertip was subjected to a prescribed sinusoidal displacement in vertical direction; (b) simulate the force response of the fingertip in a single keystroke, where the keyboard was composed of a hard plastic keycap, a rigid support block, and a nonlinear spring. The time-dependent behavior of the fingertip under dynamic loading was derived. The model predictions of the time-histories of force response of the fingertip and the phenomenon of fingertip separation from the contacting plate during cyclic loading agree well with the reported experimental observations.

Displacement of the pelvis during human walking: experimental data and model predictions

Displacements of the pelvis during treadmill walking were studied in dependence of walking speed, stride frequency and stride length. Displacement curves per stride cycle were described by means of harmonic analysis. Simple mechanical, or geometrical models of the body's center of mass (COM) tajectory during walking were used to predict amplitude and timing of pelvic displacements. As predicted by inverted pendulum models, the amplitude of pelvic displacement in vertical direction depended on stride length. Anterior-posterior displacements were predicted by assuming equal maxima of potential and forward kinetic energy of the body. Predictions for left-right displacements were based upon a model that assumed a constant stride width and a sinusoidal movement pattern. In agreement with this model, the amplitude of pelvic displacement in left-right direction depended on stride frequency. The presented models give insight into mechanical mechanisms which determine the pelvic trajectory during walking. The presented data may be useful in the clinical evaluation of gait disturbances.