Sharif Digital Repository

The optimal distribution of fluid viscous dampers (FVD) in controlling the seismic response of eccentric, single-storey, moment resisting concrete structures is investigated using the previously defined center of damping constant (CDC). For this purpose, a number of structural models with different one-way stiffness and strength eccentricities are considered. Extensive nonlinear time history analyses are carried out for various arrangements of FVDs. It is shown that the arrangement of FVDs for controlling the torsional behavior due to asymmetry in the concrete structures is very dependent on the intensity of the peak ground acceleration (PGA) and the extent of the structural stiffness and... 

Slotted bolted connections (SBCs) have been developed and used as an axial friction damper in braced frames since 1980s. To employ the benefits of SBCs in moment resisting frames (MRFs), rotational slotted bolted connections have been developed more recently with limited application in members that flexural behavior is dominated to shear. In this paper, shear slotted bolted connection (SSBC) is introduced as a new type of friction dampers to employ the benefits of SBCs in lateral load resisting systems with predominant shear behavior members that dissipate energy by traditional yielding mechanisms. The SSBC is a modified bolted connection that dissipates energy through friction in which... 

This paper proposes a design solution for static eccentricity (SE) in axial flux resolvers (AFRs). There are two definitions for SE in AFRs. The first approach is based on the definition of SE in conventional radial flux resolvers, wherein the rotor axis does not coincide with the stator bore, but the rotor rotates around its own shaft. In other words, it is different in the angular inclination of the rotor and stator axis. Thus, the air gap of the motor is not uniform. In the second approach, which is more common in AFRs, when SE occurs, air-gap length remains uniform. Rotor axis remains parallel with the stator axis, although it does not coincide with the stator bore. This means that there... 

The axial flux brushless resolver without rotor windings is newly proposed resolver that has the advantages of variable reluctance (VR) resolvers for having no winding on rotor and also, its manufacturing process is much simpler than that of VR resolvers. The influence of different mechanical faults on the position error of the studied resolver is discussed. Different types of eccentricities, inclined rotor and run out error independently and simultaneously are studied using 3D time stepping finite-element method. The results show the maximum position error is related to the resolver under static eccentricity (SE), so an optimised rotor is proposed for the studied resolver to overcome this... 

In many earthquake prone regions in developing countries, substandard steel moment resisting frame (SMRF) systems pose a profound danger to people and economy in the case of a strong seismic event. Eccentric bracing systems with replaceable vertical links can be utilized as an efficient and practical seismic retrofitting technique to reduce future earthquake damages to such structures. This paper aims, for the first time, to demonstrate the efficiency of eccentric bracing systems with vertical links as a seismic retrofitting technique for the SMRF structures with WCSB and to develop fragility curves for such structures. To achieve this aim, first, the effect of the vertical links on the... 

The eccentric bracing system equipped with vertical links is capable of providing high levels of stiffness, strength and ductility, and therefore, can be efficiently used for seismic retrofit of existing structures. This study aims to investigate the seismic reliability of steel moment-resisting frames retrofitted by this system using a novel combined series–parallel system approach. The seismic response of 4, 8 and 12-storey steel moment-resisting frames (MRFs) are evaluated under a set of design basis earthquakes (DBE) before and after retrofitting intervention. Adopting an engineering demand parameter approach (EDP-Based) for reliability assessment and development of analytical models for... 

The eccentric bracing system equipped with vertical links is capable of providing high levels of stiffness, strength and ductility, and therefore, can be efficiently used for seismic retrofit of existing structures. This study aims to investigate the seismic reliability of steel moment-resisting frames retrofitted by this system using a novel combined series–parallel system approach. The seismic response of 4, 8 and 12-storey steel moment-resisting frames (MRFs) are evaluated under a set of design basis earthquakes (DBE) before and after retrofitting intervention. Adopting an engineering demand parameter approach (EDP-Based) for reliability assessment and development of analytical models for... 

Recent studies have indicated the need of considering aftershocks in the seismic design/assessment of structures. This article investigates the effect of sequential mainshock and aftershock earthquakes on eccentrically braced steel frames with vertical energy-absorbing links. To achieve this, 4, 8 and 12-storey frame buildings are modelled in Perform3D® software considering non-linear behaviour of materials and components. The frames are subjected to a set of 12 main earthquake records corresponding to the required hazard level, and then subsequent aftershocks are applied using incremental dynamic analysis (IDA). To reduce the computational cost, an alternative approach is also adopted by... 

An approximate method is presented that can be used to determine the non-linear behaviour of a new structural bracing system called the `Disposable Knee Bracing'. In this framing system, a special form of diagonal brace connected to a knee element instead of beam-column joint, is investigated. The diagonal element provides lateral stiffness during moderate earthquakes. However, the knee element is designed to have three plastic joints for dissipation of the energy caused by strong earthquake. This article demonstrates the transformation of a complex problem into a new, practical set of design charts and graphs. First, by studying of the elastic behaviour of the system, a suitable shape and... 

In this paper, earthquake-induced economic loss of buildings with the eccentrically braced frame as the lateral load resisting system is investigated. Economic loss in this paper includes collapse loss, demolition loss, and structural and nonstructural repair loss. A simplified probabilistic story-based loss estimation procedure is employed for this purpose. A thorough study is conducted on the verification of shear link response with experimental results as shear link is the main source of nonlinearity in eccentrically braced frames. Nonlinear response history analyses are conducted on four, eight and sixteen story prototype models and engineering demand parameters such as story drift... 

Most slab-on-girder steel bridges have been designed and constructed without seismic resistance consideration; as a result, their members, connections, and more commonly their substructure are not sized and detailed to provide the required ductile response needed during major earthquakes. A ductile seismic retrofit solution proposed in this investigation consist of converting of existing end diaphragms into ductile end diaphragms and replacing the end cross-frames and the lower lateral-braced panels adjacent to the supports by special ductile diaphragms. Consequently, this creates ductile fuses to protect the rest of the super- and substructure. This paper illustrates the typical seismic... 

Inverter driven electrical machines need resolver for position estimation and efficient electronic commutations. In this paper, the resolver signals are also used for the purpose of mechanical fault diagnosis. Therefore, a comprehensive procedure based on winding function (WF) method is presented to propose a noninvasive index to identify the mechanical fault's type (static/dynamic eccentricity) and even its percentage. In this regard, once the resolver signals are measured and saved in health condition. Then, during the operation of the motor, calculating the proposed index using the healthy and faulty signals leads to predict the fault type and its percentage. The success of the proposed... 

In this paper static eccentricity (SE) fault diagnosis in wound rotor (WR) resolver is considered and a new noninvasive index is proposed. Using the proposed index not only leads to SE detection but also, helps to precisely determine the eccentricity level. Furthermore, the location of the fault is determined using two search coils. In this regard, a mathematical model based on the winding function method is proposed. In the proposed model the influence of non-uniform air-gap length on calculating the inductances is considered. Then, time-stepping finite element method (TSFEM) is used for approving the success of the proposed index. Finally, experimental tests are done to validate the... 

A new bracing system with new features somewhat different from those of the existing ones was devised and is presented. These features comprise some of the advantages of eccentric bracing systems including their ability to dissipate energy through bending of flexural elements while lacking some of the disadvantages of such systems including their inability of being replaced upon damage during events such as earthquakes, etc. While in traditional types of braces, including both concentric and eccentric ones, braces are under axial loading, in this new system they work in a bending capacity. As a result, the sort of flexibility which is introduced in the system in the presence of eccentric... 

Since any error in the rotor angle caused by the resolver affects the entire permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) control drive system, it is necessary to investigate its effect on mechanical vibrations. Torsional vibration is accordingly considered in the following study. Thereby, first, the effect of resolver errors on the harmonic content of motor current and, subsequently, torque ripple (TR) was investigated. Then, dynamical modeling is done for the generator-motor-resolver set to get the mechanical frequency response (FR) resulting from the resolver errors. Based on the above modeling, the dynamic equations (DEQs) of the system were derived, and the mechanical characteristics of... 

Considering the interaction of flexural moment and shear force in the steel frames with haunch or intermediate beam length and eccentrically braced frames with intermediate link length is a major concern of the structural analysis and design. This article contains two stages. In the first stage, to investigate the moment–shear interaction for the highly ductile steel I-sections, a study is carried out using finite element analysis and a simple and practical relationship is developed. In the second stage, a simple approach based on virtual work method for assemblage of interconnected rigid bodies is employed to consider collapse mechanisms with mixed hinges. Using this approach, the... 

Considering the interaction of flexural moment and shear force in the steel frames with haunch or intermediate beam length and eccentrically braced frames with intermediate link length is a major concern of the structural analysis and design. This article contains two stages. In the first stage, to investigate the moment–shear interaction for the highly ductile steel I-sections, a study is carried out using finite element analysis and a simple and practical relationship is developed. In the second stage, a simple approach based on virtual work method for assemblage of interconnected rigid bodies is employed to consider collapse mechanisms with mixed hinges. Using this approach, the... 

In the present paper, a mixed, shear-flexural (VM) hinge element, with zero or nonzero length, for using in frames, has been introduced, where shear-flexural interaction has been considered. The element has the capability of modeling flexural yielding, shear yielding and their interaction in frames, subjected to all kinds of monotonic or cyclic loadings. The inelastic shear and flexural deformations and tangential stiffnesses are considered by using the multi-surfaces approach with dissimilar yield surfaces and by a stiffness matrix with nonzero off-diagonal components. A new kinematics hardening rule and, also, a new non-associated flow rule are introduced. The mixed hinge element can be... 

Background: The use of functional knee braces for returning to sports or during demanding activities following anterior cruciate ligament rupture is common; yet despite being commonly prescribed, its mechanism of action remains unknown. Objectives: To examine the effect of functional knee braces on mean muscle activity when performing lunge exercises. Study design: Pre-/post-test (within-subject research design). Methods: A total of 10 male participants with unilateral isolated anterior cruciate ligament deficiency participated. Electromyographic activities of six muscles around the knee were recorded during lunge exercises, with and without wearing a custom functional knee brace. The lunge... 

The chaotic behavior of the secondary asteroid in a system of binary asteroids due to the asphericity and orbital eccentricity is investigated analytically and numerically. The binary asteroids are modeled with a sphere–ellipsoid model, in which the secondary asteroid is ellipsoid. The first-order resonance is studied for different values of asphericity and eccentricity of the secondary asteroid. The results of the Chirikov method are verified by Poincare section which show good agreement between analytical and numerical methods. It is also shown that asphericity and eccentricity affect the size of resonance regions such that beyond the threshold value, the resonance overlapping occurs and...