Finite Element Results Research Articles

Research on Lateral Deformation Control Criteria of Metro Shield Tunnels with Excessive Ellipticity

In recent years, excessive lateral deformation of subway shield tunnels has been observed due to adjacent engineering activities. This study examines the monitoring of excessive lateral deformation of the shield tunnel and the special steel plate reinforcement process to enhance the safety and stability of the operating subway tunnel structure. It uses a three-dimensional refined finite-element model of the shield tunnel for parametric structural loading simulation analysis to propose a structural deformation limit value suitable for the subway shield tunnel. This study’s findings indicated the following: (1) as observed from the engineering examples, a tunnel with significant elliptical deformation increases the likelihood of cracking and other structural issues in the adjacent subway shield tunnel segment; (2) as observed from the post-reinforcement monitoring data, the steel plate reinforcement method effectively enhances the load-bearing stability of the damaged tunnel structure; (3) based on the finite-element simulation results and the comprehensive review of practical conditions, the standard warning value for lateral deformation, using ellipticity evaluation of the subway shield tunnel, is established at 20‰, with a control value of 25‰. The outcomes of this research offer valuable insights into the operation, maintenance, and health monitoring of subway shield tunnels.

General point load weight function for semi-elliptical surface cracks in round bars

Offshore mooring chains are continuously subjected to cyclic environmental loadings, resulting in fatigue cracks that always develop at the surface and grow across the circular cross-sections. To analyse the fatigue crack growth in a mooring chain based on a fracture mechanics-based approach, the evaluation of stress intensity factors (SIFs) of surface cracks in the chain segments becomes essential. A general point load weight function of SIFs for semi-elliptical surface cracks in straight and curved round bars was derived in this study. Parametric three-dimensional finite element (FE) models were developed to calculate the SIF solutions for determining the unknown parameters in the weight function. The analysis matrix covered wide ranges of aspect ratios 0.1 ≤ a/c ≤ 2.0, relative crack depths 0.03 ≤ a/D ≤ 0.6 and relative bar curvatures 0.0 ≤ D/Ri ≤ 1.5. The developed weight function was verified against the solutions available in the literature and FE results, indicating good accuracy. The proposed weight function can be used in SIF calculation and remaining fatigue life prediction of surface cracked round bar components under complex stress distributions, such as chain links.

Optimal design of composite sandwich panel with auxetic reentrant honeycomb using asymptotic equivalent model and PSO algorithm

The composite honeycomb sandwich with auxetic reentrant honeycomb (CSP-ARH) is a typical negative Poisson’s ratio structure, which has better mechanical properties than composite structure with positive Poisson’s ratio. In this study, a 2D asymptotic equivalent model (AEM) based on the variational asymptotic method (VAM) is proposed and used to analyze the vibration and buckling problems of CSP-ARH incorporating CFRP facesheets and an aluminum honeycomb core. After validation with 3D finite element results, a particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is applied to optimize the mesoscopic size of composite facesheets and honeycomb core. The primary objectives of the optimization process involve maximizing the buckling load and natural frequency, minimizing the mass while satisfying specific mechanical properties requirements. Moreover, a few additional optimization iterations are performed to find the optimal shape coefficients of the curved fibers in the CFRP facesheets for variable stiffness composite sandwich panels. The shape of the curved fiber is defined using a cubic polynomial function f(x,y) and is described by a 20 × 20 grid of discrete elements. The results indicate that CSP-ARH with optimal curved fibers shapes exhibit superior performance compared to those with straight fibers, with buckling load and natural frequency increased by 8.18% and 7.09%, respectively.

Machine Learning for Film Thickness Prediction in Elastohydrodynamic Lubricated Elliptical Contacts

This study extends the use of Machine Learning (ML) approaches for lubricant film thickness predictions to the general case of elliptical elastohydrodynamic (EHD) contacts, by considering wide and narrow contacts over a wide range of ellipticity and operating conditions. Finite element (FEM) simulations are used to generate substantial training and testing datasets that are used within the proposed ML framework. The complete dataset entails 915 samples; split into an 823-sample training dataset and a 92-sample testing dataset, corresponding to 90% and 10% of the combined dataset samples, respectively. The proposed ML model consists of a pre-processing stage in which conventional EHD dimensionless groups are used to minimize the number of inputs into the model, reducing them to only three. The core of the model is based on Gaussian Process Regression (GPR), a powerful ML regression tool, well-suited for small-sized datasets, producing output central and minimum film thicknesses, also in dimensionless form. The last stage is a post-processing one, in which the output film thicknesses are retrieved in dimensional from. The results reveal the capabilities and potential of the proposed ML framework, producing quasi-instantaneous predictions that are far more accurate than conventional film thickness analytical formulae. In fact, the produced central and minimum film thickness predictions are on average within 0.3% and 1.0% of the FEM results, respectively.

Seismic behavior of partially encased composite columns-steel plate shear wall structure with different semi-rigid joints

Seismic performance of partially encased concrete (PEC) column-steel plate shear wall (SPSW) structure is significantly affected by the characteristics of beam-column connections. Three component models of semi-rigid beam-column connections, including the bidirectional bolt extended end-plate connection, the flush end-plate connection, and the web double-angle steel connection, are designed according to Eurocode 3. Afterward, three 1/3-scale two-story single-span PEC column-SPSW structures with the three types of semi-rigid connections are tested under quasi-static cyclic loading. The test results indicate that all three structures satisfy the design requirement of “strong frame-weak wall plate”. The PEC-SPSW structure with the bidirectional bolt extended end-plate connections exhibits a higher bearing capacity and stiffness than the other two structures. Compared with the web double-angle connection, the adoption of bidirectional bolt extended end-plate connection increases the yield bearing capacity by 14.32% and the initial stiffness by 16.16%, but ductility decreases by 17.65%. The energy dissipation of each story of the structure with flush end-plate connections is relatively balanced. The energy dissipated by the second-story of SPSW is less than that of its first-story due to the higher rotational stiffness of the bidirectional bolt extended end-plate connections. The PEC-SPSW structures fracture at the column foot. The reliability of the initial rotational stiffness component models is verified by comparing the finite element (FE) and test results.

Ultimate state assessment of medium-thick composite cylindrical pressure shells based on progressive damage

The ultimate strength of medium-thick composite pressure shells under hydrostatic pressure was studied by experimental test and finite element method in this paper. The ultimate strength, damage form and strain response of cylindrical shells were obtained by hydrostatic destruction test, which carried out for two T700 carbon fiber/epoxy composite cylindrical pressure shells with different length. Meanwhile, finite element models were built to predict the strength failure pressure based on the progressive damage mechanism of composite materials and its initial defects. The finite element results were in close agreement with the experimental results. A parametric study was carried out to discuss the effect of radius-length ratio and radius-thickness ratio on ultimate strength. Based on the numerical results, an empirical formula was proposed as a function of radius-length ratio and radius-thickness ratio to predict the ultimate strength of medium-thick composite pressure shells.

A symplectic analytical wave propagation model for forced vibration of thin plate with acoustic black hole indentation

In recent years, acoustic black holes (ABHs) have been revealed as an effective bending wave control technology and widely used to regulate the vibration and noise reduction performance of plate structure. However, the isolation effect of most traditional ABH plate can only be aroused at frequencies above the cut-off frequency. In order to widen the frequency range of the ABH effect, this paper embedded single and multiple ABH indentations at the end of plate. For the forced vibration response of the ABH indentation plate, an analytical wave propagation model was proposed based on the symplectic method. The governing equations of bending vibration of thin plate was first introduced into the symplectic dual system, then the symplectic analytical solution of wave propagation parameters and waveforms were obtained. A Gaussian-discretization scheme was used to discretize the ABH indentation, whereas the proposed method was used to evaluate the wave amplitude. The vibration response was finally obtained using the superposition principle and wave propagation, reflection, and transmission relationships. The effectiveness of the proposed method was verified using the finite element results. The results showed that the ABH indentation plate, especially the plate with multiple ABH indentations, had significant vibration reduction performance. Considering that embedding ABH indentation can weaken the structural rigidity of the plate, the ABH indentation plate with reinforcing stiffeners was then proposed to alleviate this limitation, and the influence of the width and quantity of reinforcing stiffeners on the vibration response was studied. The results indicated that the increase of width will to some extent weaken the ABH effect, and the quantity of stiffeners had a significant impact on the ABH effect.

A unified approach for the prediction of the effective properties of laminated composite cellular core

The performance of cellular core sandwich panels is influenced significantly by the choice of geometric and material parameters of the cellular core and skins. In order to determine the optimal design of sandwich panels, it is important to relate the geometric and material parameters of the cellular core to the resulting performance of the sandwich panel. Theoretical homogenisation models are computationally efficient and plays an important role in the inverse design of sandwich panel. This paper presents a methodology to determine the equivalent homogenised properties for composite cellular core systems. The methodology was developed based on a strain energy-based homogenisation approach. Unlike other existing models, the proposed model in this paper is applicable to different core shapes and different composite wall layer configurations. An existing model was further extended for comparison purposes to determine the equivalent properties of hexagonal composite honeycomb core. Results from both models were compared with finite element (FE) results for hexagonal honeycomb cores, and the predictions from the proposed model are also compared with FE results for different cellular core shapes. A good agreement was found between the predicted and FE results. The proposed model was found to be superior to existing models in its ability to consider different core shapes and composite wall layer configurations.

Performance of round-ended recycled aggregate CFST stub columns after fire exposure

The post-fire performance of round-ended recycled aggregate concrete-filled steel tubular (RE-RACFST) short columns has been investigated experimentally and numerically. The test parameters included cross-section aspect ratios, recycled aggregate replacements and steel ratios. Twelve short columns were first heated for 90 min following ISO 834 standard fire, followed by natural cooling. Subsequently, axial compressive tests were performed to obtain the damage mode, load versus axial deformation, and strain development of the columns. The test results revealed that a higher level of recycled aggregate content resulted in decreased bearing capacity and elastic stiffness of RE-RACFSTs, and an earlier onset of the confining effect. Furthermore, finite element (FE) models were established and benchmarked against the experimental results. Parametric investigations were then conducted to study the effects of key factors on the residual load-carrying capacity. Finally, according to the experimental and FE results, a simplified formula was proposed to estimate the post-fire residual capacity of RE-RACFST stub columns.

Torsional Behavior of Concrete-Filled Circular Steel Tubes Strengthened with CFRP.

In order to study the torsional performance of steel tube concrete after reinforcement with a carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP), the mechanical properties of 18 specimens were studied from both experimental and finite element perspectives. The T-θ curve and τ-γ curve of the specimen were measured in the experiment, and the failure mode of the specimen was analyzed. Subsequently, a reasonable finite element model was established using ABAQUS software, and the variation in various parameters surrounding the performance of the specimen was analyzed. Based on the experimental and finite element results, a formula for calculating the bearing capacity of the specimen was established. According to both the experimental and numerical results, the torsional bearing capacity of C-CF-CFRP-ST, defined as the torque endured by the specimen with maximum shear strain, was determined to be 15,000 με, together with its corresponding calculation formula. After the test, it was demonstrated that the main components of the concrete-filled CFRP-steel tube composite material-the steel tube and the concrete-could be used as reusable resources.

Eccentric compression behavior of circular concrete‐filled steel tubes reinforced with internal latticed steel angles

AbstractThe eccentric compression behavior of the CFSTs reinforced with inner latticed steel angles was experimentally investigated, and test results, such as the load–displacement curves, load‐strain curves, distributions of lateral deflection, and ultimate load, were obtained and analyzed. Test results showed the influence of the latticed steel angles on the ultimate load was not obvious when the steel consumption was relatively small, and the lateral deformation was not obvious when the compression load was smaller than 80% of the ultimate load. The corresponding finite element (FE) model was established and validated by the test results, and parametric analysis was also conducted subsequent to validation. The analysis results showed the contribution of latticed steel angles to the ultimate load would be diminished as the eccentric distance increases. Moreover, the design equations for the ultimate load were proposed based on the FE results, and the calculation results indicated the proposed design equations can predict the ultimate load conservatively and safely.

Density-graded Voronoi honeycombs – A local transversely isotropic description

Density-graded cellular materials, in which their relative density varies with location, are amenable to design for multi-functions, and have been used in mechanical buffers and protective structures. To estimate the force–deformation responses of density-graded cellular materials efficiently without resorting to modelling individual cells, a constitutive model based on local transverse isotropy is adopted. Metallic Voronoi honeycomb-like specimens with cell sizes that vary with position, are fabricated via 3D printing, to represent a density-graded cellular material with local transverse isotropy that varies with position. From quasi-static compression tests and cell-based finite element (FE) simulations, the influence of relative density on the continuum constitutive model is investigated and demonstrated to be significant. The model is then used to predict the global stress–strain response and deformation of cellular materials with positive and negative density-gradients, defined along the loading direction, subjected to uniaxial quasi-static compression, quasi-static indentation, and dynamic compression. The results show that for quasi-static compression, severe plastic deformation progresses from the low relative density region to the high relative density region; however, impact loading and indentation of negative density-gradient Voronoi honeycombs generates two zones of gross deformation – in the vicinity of the applied load and the opposite lower density end. Predictions based on the proposed constitutive model display good correlation with experimental and cell-based FE results.

Structural behaviour of cold-formed steel elliptical hollow section stub columns after exposure to ISO-834 fire curve

The present study undertakes the post-fire stub column behaviour of cold-formed steel elliptical hollow sections (CFS-EHS) by experimental and numerical analyses. A total of 18 CFS-EHS stub column specimens made up of four cross-section series was firstly prepared, heated in a gas furnace as per the ISO-834 standard fire and then naturally cooled down to ambient temperature. Four fire exposure temperatures of 300 °C, 550 °C, 750 °C and 900 °C were adopted. Details of the experimental campaign, e.g., specimen preparation, test procedures and results, are presented. Accurate finite element (FE) model was established to mimic the experimental responses from various perspectives. Exhaustive parametric studies were subsequently conducted on 224 post-fire CFS-EHS stub columns to generate substantial data. The test and FE results were compared with the strength calculations using the equivalent diameter method and equivalent rectangular hollow section method developed for hot-finished steel elliptical hollow sections without fire exposure, the Direct Strength Method (DSM) stipulated in the American Specification AISI S100, as well as the modified DSM previously calibrated for CFS-EHS without fire exposure. By replacing the material properties obtained at ambient temperature with the post-fire material properties in the aforementioned design methods, it is shown that the equivalent section methods and the existing DSM overly underestimate the column strengths, whilst the modified DSM yields precise and reliable strength estimations. It is recommended to adopt the modified DSM for calculating the residual compressive strengths of CFS-EHS stub columns after exposure to the ISO-834 standard fire.

Vertical Monotonic and Cyclic Responses of a Bucket in Over-Consolidated Clay

Bucket foundations, especially multi-bucket foundations, have become an alternative for large offshore wind turbines. Vertical responses of a single bucket are critical for the serviceability design of tripod or tetrapod bucket foundations. Centrifuge tests are conducted to investigate the responses of a single bucket under monotonic and symmetric cyclic loading in over-consolidated clay. The strength of clay is obtained by cone penetration tests. The monotonic vertical capacity measured in the centrifuge tests are compared with the finite element results, with errors less than 6%. The effects of the ratio of cyclic loading amplitude to vertical capacity (ranging between 0.37 and 0.64) and the number of cycles on the accumulation of vertical displacement and evolution of stiffness are explored. Simplified functions are proposed to predict the evolutions of dimensional and dimensionless stiffness.

A new semi-analytic method for calculating the thermal–mechanical coupling stress intensity factor of interfacial crack

The interfacial crack thermal–mechanical coupling stress intensity factor (SIF) calculation plays an important role in anti-cracking design and safety assessment of compressed air energy storage (CAES) multi-layer cavern. In current SIF calculation method, there is no consideration of thermal–mechanical coupling effect caused by the difference between the singularity of stress field (λ) and temperature field (λT). In this study, a new semi-analytic method for calculating the thermal–mechanical coupling SIF of interfacial crack is established based on a new thermal–mechanical coupling Williams expansion for the cases of both insulated and constant temperature. The singularity index of temperature field at the crack-tip is dependent on the material parameters (heat conduction coefficient ki) for the crack perpendicular to and terminated at the interface, but independent on the material parameters (ki) for the crack located at the interface. The larger the difference of bi-material's heat conduction coefficient (ki), the larger the value of stress field when the crack is located on the side of larger Young's modulus (Ei) or on the side of lower ki. The semi-analytic method is degenerately verified by available literature results (without thermal–mechanical coupling term) and completely verified by finite element results (with thermal–mechanical coupling term), which can provide a theoretical basis for anti-cracking optimal design of CAES multi-layer caverns under thermal–mechanical loading condition.

Design and finite element analysis of S355J2 wing holders on tank wagons

Wagon component failures that occur during service life can be reduced by applying appropriate geometric changes and using optimization techniques. Therefore, crucial changes are being studied to improve design and performance in structures such as connecting parts, braking systems, suspension, and transmission systems. The wing holders also have a load-bearing feature in connecting the body to the chassis. The strength of the wagon, component stabilization, and weight reduction are of great importance during transportation. In this study, finite element analysis was carried out for the novel type wing holders of the tank wagon system designed via simpler and stepless with various thicknesses. The von Mises stresses and total deformations, as finite element results, for the thicknesses of 10 mm, 12 mm, and 14 mm occurred due to the standard of EN 12663-2:2010 for both longitudinal and vertical loading conditions were extracted from the software. Finally, according to the design improvements, a new wing holder model was developed, which can contribute to the reduction of production and assembly costs.

Comparative study on free vibration analysis of rotating bi-directional functionally graded beams using multiple beam theories with uncertainty considerations

The present study investigates the free vibration behavior of rotating beams made of functionally graded materials (FGMs) with a tapered geometry. The material properties of the beams are characterized by an exponential distribution model. The stiffness and mass matrices of the beams are derived using the principle of virtual energy. These matrices are then evaluated using three different beam theories: Bernoulli–Euler (BE) or Classical Beam Theory (CBT), Timoshenko (T) or First-order Shear Deformation Theory (FSDT), and Reddy (R) or Third-order Shear Deformation Theory (TSDT). Additionally, the study incorporates uncertainties in the model parameters, including rotational velocity, beam material properties, and material distribution. The mean-centered second-order perturbation method is employed to account for the randomness of these properties. To ensure the robustness and accuracy of the probabilistic framework, numerical examples are presented, and the results are compared with those obtained through the Monte Carlo simulation technique. The investigation explores the impact of critical parameters, including material distribution, taper ratios, aspect ratio, hub radius, and rotational speed, on the natural frequencies of the beams is explored within the scope of this investigation. The outcomes are compared not only with previously published research findings but also with the results of 3-Dimensional Finite Element (3D-FE) simulations conducted using ANSYS to validate the model’s effectiveness. The comparisons demonstrate a strong agreement across all evaluations. Specifically, it is observed that for thick beams, the results obtained from FSDT and TSDT exhibit a greater agreement with the 3D-FE simulations compared to CBT. It is shown that the coefficient of variation (C.O.V.) of first mode eigenvalue of TSDT, FSDT and CBT are approximately identical for random rotational velocity and discernible deviations are noted in CBT compared to FSDT and TSDT in the case of random material properties. The findings suggest that TSDT outperforms FSDT by eliminating the need for a shear correction coefficient, thereby establishing its superiority in accurately predicting the natural frequencies of rotating, tapered beams composed of FGMs.

A novel methodology to characterise the ductile-to-brittle transition behaviour of pipeline steels using the dynamic tensile tear test

Brittle fracture control strategies for high-pressure pipelines are essential to prevent catastrophic failures resulting in significant economic losses and environmental damage. Typically, this is achieved by operating the pipeline well above the ductile-to-brittle transition temperature (DBTT). In general, a series of lab-scale fracture tests, such as the Charpy V-Notch (CVN) or Drop Weight Tear Test (DWTT), are performed at different temperatures to construct the ductile-to-brittle transition curve and determine the DBTT. However, when applied to high-grade steels, correction factors or additional criteria are often necessary to obtain satisfactory results. As an alternative lab-scale testing methodology to characterise high-grade steels, the Dynamic Tensile Tear Test (DT3) has been introduced. Recently, an experimental campaign was conducted with the implementation of a liquid nitrogen spray cooling system to characterise the ductile-to-brittle transition behaviour of X70 grade steel using the DT3 system. In this work, tests were performed at temperatures ranging from −80 °C to 25 °C. The transition behaviour was analysed using measured data, and fractography was performed using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The DBTT for the considered X70 grade steel was determined, and the performance of the DT3 methodology was compared to CVN and DWTT testing methods. Additionally, numerical models were created using Finite Element (FE) modelling and results were compared to the obtained experimental data. By implementing a stress-strain cleavage criterion in combination with the MBW material model, the models considered both ductile damage and failure, as well as brittle failure and mixed ductile-brittle failure. It can be concluded that the DT3-based transition curve provided a satisfactory DBTT prediction. Furthermore, numerical results showed a good correlation with experimental observations and demonstrated a similar transition behaviour.

Mixed Finite Element for Crack Analysis in Functionally Graded Material

This study presents a mixed finite element formulated using isoparametric techniques and extended to analyze quasi-static crack propagation in functionally graded materials. The mixed mode is analyzed for homogeneous and functionally graded beamssubjected to three-point bending and for homogeneous and functionally graded plates under uniform axial tension. The mixed finite element results are compared with previous experimental and numerical results published in the literature.

Improving the behavior of concentrically braced frame braces using a flexural damper: Experimental and numerical study

SummaryAlthough the concentrically braced frames (CBFs) systems have high lateral elastic stiffness and strength, they reflect a low seismic energy absorption capacity mainly due to their diagonal buckling under compressive loading. To overcome this problem, researchers have proposed metallic shear damper as the most popular due to its satisfactory performance and affordable cost. In this paper, an innovative metallic damper with a flexural mechanism is proposed to improve the behavior of CBF systems. It provides ease of fabrication and replacement after damage, competitive cost, and improved resistance to buckling of the CBF member. The performance of the damper was evaluated experimentally and numerically. Subsequently, two types of dampers, (a) made of rectangular flexural plates (RFP) and (b) made of I‐shaped flexural plates (IFP), were designed and evaluated. Experimental as well as numerical results indicated that both dampers provide stable and symmetrical hysteresis curves with a high energy absorption capacity. Results indicated that the IFP damper has greater stiffness (1.94–2.3 times) and ultimate strength (1.76 times) but a lower overstrength (66% less) and ductility (47% less) than the RFP damper. Moreover, design expressions were presented for the proposed damper and showed a good agreement with finite element results.