Sharif Digital Repository

Recorded accelerograms in the regions near active faults may have specific characteristics that inclusion of their effects on the response of structures is necessary. Of particular importance are permanent displacement, i.e. fling-step, rupture directivity pulses and high-frequency content. Several researchers have focused on the effects of rupture directivity pulses on response of structures. They have shown that long-period structures are severely affected by these types of excitations. However, in near-fault regions, the question 'which building structures are long period?' has not been clearly and quantitatively answered. In this paper, responses of 10-, 20-, 30- and 40-story steel... 

The formulation of three-dimensional dynamic behavior of a Beam On Elastic Foundation (BOEF) under moving loads and a moving mass is considered. The weight of the vehicle is modeled as a moving point load, however the effect of the lateral excitation is considered by modeling: (case 1) a lateral moving load with random intensity for wind excitation and (case 2) a moving mass just in lateral direction of the beam for earthquake excitation. A Dirac-delta function is used to describe the position of the moving load and the moving mass along the beam. The beam foundations are considered as elastic Winkler-type in two perpendicular transverse directions. This model is proposed to investigate the... 

The formulation of three-dimensional dynamic behavior of a Beam On Elastic Foundation (BOEF) under moving loads and a moving mass is considered. The weight of the vehicle is modeled as a moving point load, however the effect of the lateral excitation is considered by modeling: (case 1) a lateral moving load with random intensity for wind excitation and (case 2) a moving mass just in lateral direction of the beam for earthquake excitation. A Dirac-delta function is used to describe the position of the moving load and the moving mass along the beam. The beam foundations are considered as elastic Winkler-type in two perpendicular transverse directions. This model is proposed to investigate the... 

This paper investigates the effects of acid normality (0.01-6 N HCl) and combustion retention time (0.25- 16 hours) on the pozzolanic properties of pre-combustion acid-treated rice husk ash. The pozzolanic reactivity was quantified by adding ground ash to saturated Ca(OH)2 solutions and monitoring the time-dependent electrical conductivity and pH of the solutions. Also, the strength activity of ashes from different processes was measured by testing the compressive strength of mortars. It was observed that acid treatment results in ashes with higher SiO2 content, lower alkali and unburned carbon content, better grindability, and smaller particle size, in comparison with ash from non-acid... 

Abstract In this study, the response spectrum of a time-varying system such as a beam subjected to moving masses under a harmonic and earthquake support excitations is explored. The excitations are supposed to act on the horizontal directions of the beam axis. The inertial effect of the moving masses on the natural frequencies of the beam for different cases of loading is investigated and a critical value of a so called parameter "mass staying time" is presented to avoid dynamic instability of the system. Finally, some 3D response spectra for different supports excitations as well as the beam natural frequencies are depicted  

One of the most conventional and energy efficient methods to improve the engineering properties of concrete is the utilization of waste materials and by-products. Among agricultural wastes, rice husk ash (RHA) has exhibited the greatest potential to enhance the characteristics of cement mixtures. However, the investigations on the properties and performance of RHA are slim compared to its potential advantages and few systematic studies can be found in the literature regarding parameters influencing the chemo-physical and microstructural characteristics of RHA along with its performance in cement mixtures. In this study, the effect of retention time of rice husk is systematically... 

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to present a shape optimization technique for powder forming processes based on the genetic algorithm approach. The genetic algorithm is employed to optimize the geometry of component based on a fixed-length vector of design variables representing the changes in nodal coordinates. The technique is used to obtain the desired optimal compacted component by changing the boundaries of component and verifying the prescribed constraints. Design/methodology/approach - The numerical modeling of powder compaction simulation is applied based on a large deformation formulation, powder plasticity behavior, and frictional contact algorithm. A Lagrangian finite... 

In this paper, the dynamic behavior of Horizontally Curved Beams (HCBs) resting on an elastic foundation and subjected to a moving mass is investigated. The governing coupled non-linear differential equations of equilibrium are derived, where Coriolis acceleration, centrifugal force and rotary inertia are incorporated in the problem formulation. In the proposed analytical solution, by employing the transition matrix technique, the governing differential equations of motion are subsequently transformed into a new system of linear ordinary differential equations which can be solved using standard numerical procedures. The accuracy as well as the robustness of the solution is ascertained... 

In this paper, the computational aspects of large deformation frictional contact are presented in powder forming processes. The influence of powder-tool friction on the mechanical properties of the final product is investigated in pressing metal powders. A general formulation of continuum model is developed for frictional contact and the computational algorithm is presented for analyzing the phenomena. It is particularly concerned with the numerical modeling of frictional contact between a rigid tool and a deformable material. The finite element approach adopted is characterized by the use of penalty approach in which a plasticity theory of friction is incorporated to simulate sliding... 

In this paper, the influence of powder-tool friction on the mechanical properties of the final product is investigated in pressing metal powders. A computational algorithm is presented for simulation of frictional contact in the compaction process of powder. The large deformation finite element (FE) formulation is characterized by the use of penalty approach in which a plasticity theory of friction is incorporated to simulate sliding resistance at the powder-tool interface. The constitutive relations for friction are derived from a Coulomb friction law. A double-surface cap plasticity model is employed together with the nonlinear contact friction behavior in numerical simulation of powder... 

A new shear strengthening method involving post-tensioning of the critical shear region of reinforced concrete beams is investigated. Thirty-one experiments were carried out using 24 specimens. Theoretical load-deflection relations are obtained from moment-curvature analysis using fiber cross sections and taking into consideration the effects of different concrete confinements along the beam length. A theoretical shear strength model that includes three shear resisting components in the critical shear region of the strengthened beams is provided. Experimental results from beams with and without shear strengthening are compared with calculated load-deflection relations and predicted shear... 

This paper presents the results of an experimental and analytical study on high-strength, reinforced-concrete (RC) columns with different levels of initial ductility enhanced with carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) wraps. Six square columns 260 mm wide and 1650 mm long were tested under constant axial load and reversed cyclic lateral load. The test specimens were divided into three groups. Groups I and II were designed and detailed according to the requirements of American Concrete Institute ACI318-02 for intermediate-moment frames. Group I was wrapped with CFRP, group II was control specimens, and group III was designed and detailed according to the requirements of ACI318-02 for... 

An experimental study of the. flexural behavior of Reinforced-Concrete (RC) arches strengthened with Glass Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) layers was performed. A total of 36 specimens including 3 un-strengthenod (control) and 33 strengthened RC arches were tested under centrally concentrated point load. The variables of this study were steel reinforcement ratio, number of GFRP layers, and location and arrangement of GFRP layers. Failure mode, load-displacement response of specimens, crack propagation patterns, and GFRP debonding were examined. The extrados strengthening method was shown to Ix1 more effective than the intrados strengthening one in improving the failure load and rigidity of... 

An experimental study of the. flexural behavior of Reinforced-Concrete (RC) arches strengthened with Glass Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) layers was performed. A total of 36 specimens including 3 un-strengthenod (control) and 33 strengthened RC arches were tested under centrally concentrated point load. The variables of this study were steel reinforcement ratio, number of GFRP layers, and location and arrangement of GFRP layers. Failure mode, load-displacement response of specimens, crack propagation patterns, and GFRP debonding were examined. The extrados strengthening method was shown to Ix1 more effective than the intrados strengthening one in improving the failure load and rigidity of... 

This paper deals with the in-plane dynamics of Horizontally Curved Beams (HCBs) supported by a visco-elastic foundation under the excitation induced by a moving mass. What has been included as worthy of detailed exposition is the inevitable contribution of the inertial actions of the mass object into the problem formulation. By taking into account the effect of Coriolis acceleration, centrifugal force and rotary inertia, the governing coupled non-linear differential equations of equilibrium for a simply supported HCB are derived. In the proposed solution, a new system of linear ordinary differential equations is distilled from the governing differential equations of motion, which can be...