Sharif Digital Repository

A numerical procedure is proposed for obtaining the static deflection, pull-in (PI) deflection and PI voltage of electrostatically excited capacitive microcantilever beams. The method is not time and memory consuming as Finite Element Analysis (FEA). Nonlinear ordinary differential equation of the static deflection of the beam is derived, w/wo considering the fringing field effects. The nondimensional parameters upon which PI voltage is dependent are then found. Thereafter, using the parameters and the numerical method, three closed form equations for pull-in voltage are developed. The results are in good agreement with others in literature. Copyright © 2006 by ASME  

In this paper we have presented a new form of Kane's equations. This new form is expressed in the matrix form with the components of partial derivatives of linear and angular velocities relative to the generalized speeds and generalized coordinates. The number of obtained equations is equal to the number of degrees of freedom represented in a closed form. Also the equations can be rearranged to appear only one of the time derivatives of generalized speeds in each equation. This form is appropriate especially when one intends to derive equations recursively. Hence in addition to the simplicity, the amount of calculations is noticeably reduced and also can be used in a control unit. Copyright... 

The differential equation governing the motion of an electrically excited capacitive microcantilever beam is a nonlinear PDE [1]. Accurate analysis about its motion is of great importance in MEMS' dynamical response. In this paper first the nonlinear 4th order 2 point boundary value problem (ODE) governing the static deflection of the system is solved using three methods. 1. The nonlinear part is linearized and its exact solution is obtained. 2. For low applied DC voltages (not near pull-in) the solutin is found using the direct straight forward perturbation analysis. 3. Numerical computer solutions which are used for the previous solution's verifications. The next parts are devoted to the... 

Micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) have wide application in the development of sensors for the detection of magnitudes in almost any domain [1]. Resonant mode operation of micro and nano-scale oscillators have gained wide interest for applications including filters, amplifiers, non-linear mixers, atomic scale imaging, biological and chemical sensors. The device that we propose is an electrically actuated microcantilever beam. More precisely, in our design the microcantilever constitutes the movable plate of a micro-capacitor and its displacement is controlled by the voltage applied across the plates. Review of literature shows that the electric field pattern between the beam and the... 

A numerical method based on the transfer matrix method is developed to calculate the critical temperature of two-layer Ising ferromagnet with a weak inter-layer coupling. The reduced internal energy per site has been accurately calculated for symmetric ferromagnetic case, with the nearest neighbor coupling K1 = K2 = K (where K1 and K2 are the nearest neighbor interaction in the first and second layers, respectively) with inter-layer coupling J. The critical temperature as a function of the inter-layer coupling ξ = J/K, is obtained for very weak inter-layer interactions, ξ < 0.1. Also a different function is given for the case of the strong inter-layer interactions (ξ > 1). The importance of... 

Loss of lower extremities has been one of the main problems in human life. Although most of the available knee devices are aesthetically acceptable, there is a necessity for lighter and more compact mechanisms, especially for younger amputees. This problem can be solved by the combining compliant mechanism design with traditional mechanism design methods. In this study, one group of the prosthetics that is known as the compliant knee mechanisms" is evaluated. At first, the different knee mechanisms, such as fourand six-bar knee linkages are investigated to calculate the values of the control moments (actuator torque). Then, the suitable location (where the actuator torque is to be exerted)... 

Scour phenomenon around piles could endanger the stability of the structures placed on them. Therefore, an accurate estimation of the scour depth around piles is very important for engineers. Due to the complexity of the interaction between the current, seabed and pile group; prediction of the scour depth is a difficult task and the available empirical formulas have limited accuracy. Recently, soft computing methods such as artificial neural networks (ANN) and adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) have been used for the prediction of the scour depth. However, these methods do not give enough insight into the generated models and are not as easy to use as the empirical formulas. In... 

With rapid development of methods for dynamic systems modeling, those with less computation effort are becoming increasingly attractive for different applications. This paper introduces a new form of Kane's equations expressed in the matrix notation. The proposed form can efficiently lead to equations of motion of multi-body dynamic systems particularly those exposed to large number of nonholonomic constraints. This approach can be used in a recursive manner resulting in governing equations with considerably less computational operations. In addition to classic equations of motion, an efficient matrix form of impulse Kane formulations is derived for systems exposed to impulsive forces.... 

In the contemporary era, the world is confronting numerous challenges that should be dealt with in the near future like effective management of energy, necessity for economic development, reducing environmental challenges, quality and security of life of its inhabitants. The growing concentration of the global inhabitants into towns and cities puts the urban areas in the center of the concerns and make them vital stakeholders for the viable growth strategy of the world. Consequently, Cyber-physical systems (CPS) can play a significant role in their adaptation to smart cities applications and projects. This paper aims to give an overview of the smart city concept and emerging technologies in... 

The existence of universal semi-log linear relation between potential energy and cooling rate during the molecular dynamics simulations of metallic glasses for Cu-Zr system was formerly reported. For this purpose, different classes of metallic glasses are considered and the validity of this correlation is studied. It is shown that it holds for other thermodynamics potentials and some physical quantities like density and Wendt and Abraham parameter, too. This observation enables us to economically construct atomic scale metallic glass structures equivalent to very low cooling rates, more consistent to experimental works, not accessible using classic molecular simulations. © 2020 Elsevier B.V  

Bond durability of FRP bars and concrete is an important issue to the overall integrity and long-term performance of a strengthening structure. This paper examines the bond durability of GFRP bars embedded in different types of concrete (Normal, self-compacting, light weight, and high strength) exposed to aggressive environments, namely, sea water, alkaline, and acid. A total of 132 specimens were tested in direct pull-out. The development lengths of both control and conditioned specimens were obtained and compared to the current standards. The results revealed bond strength reductions of 0–21% for the light weight, 1–16% for the normal, 5–9% for the high strength, and 4–12% for the... 

Biological systems are highly nonlinear, and there is a significant amount of variability from one patient to another. A controller for drug infusion has to be able to achieve good performance for most of the potential patient population. These controllers are designed for the general population, as no knowledge is available before hand for each particular patient. This necessitates perforce an algorithm that will be able to compensate for the differences between individuals and external factors. Of the possibilities, fuzzy logic direct model reference adaptive control (DMRAC) is the choice for Insulin infusion control for diabetes type I as results presented herein. Safety and robustness... 

The copper/copper (Cu/Cu) interface has an important role in wafer-to-wafer hybrid bonding for 3D integration applications. Reports indicate the possibility of the formation of post-bonding interfacial voids and cracks which must be avoided. Here, we use molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the effect of annealing-induced tensions on the strength and deformation mechanisms of Cu/Cu interfaces. We perform tensile tests on the pristine and defective Cu/Cu interfaces including a prototypical interfacial grain boundary in two defective limits: the presence of a single (isolated) void, and an array of multiple voids. The latter resembles interfacial nanoscale roughness as a result of... 

Different values have been assigned to the ratio of the deflection amplification factor (Cd) to the response modification factor (R) for a specified force-resisting system in the seismic design provisions while the same application is defined for it. An analytical study of the seismic responses of several reinforced concrete frames subjected to a suite of earthquake records performed in this research indicate that the stories’ overstrength and stiffness distribution along the structural height can affect local deflections more than global ones. Therefore, the Cd/R ratio is calculated based on the ratio of both maximum inelastic to maximum elastic displacements and... 

The bond of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) reinforcement is expected to be more sensitive to the strength and geometry of the ribs than conventional steel reinforcement. In this study, the effect of carbon fiber mat anchorage on the pullout behavior of glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars embedded in normal concrete is studied. The studied parameters were the compressive strength of the concrete (16 MPa, 24 MPa, and 37 MPa), and, the length and diameter of the anchorage. In total, 15 variables were studied. Ribbed GFRP bars with 10 mm nominal diameter and 80 mm embedment length, ld, (which is 8 times the bar diameter) were considered. Based on the results for concretes with the... 

This paper experimentally investigates the effects of seawater on pull-out behavior of single rods glued in timber parallel to grain. Considering different rod diameters (6, 8, 10 mm), slenderness ratios (7.5, 10, 15), rebar materials (steel and GFRP), and immersion time in seawater (0, 10, 20, 30, 60, 90 days), 324 specimens were tested. Mean strength reduction about 39 and 55 percent was observed for 90-day immersed joints constructed with GFRP and steel rebars, respectively. Rebar diameter and slenderness ratio significantly influenced ultimate loads, and dominant failure mode was at adhesive/timber interface. Finally, two novel strength models were developed empirically. © 2019 Elsevier... 

Timber is one of the materials widely used in construction and industry all over the world. In this paper, the behavior of strengthened timber beams made of beech wood (Fagus orientalis) were investigated experimentally. The composite timber beams were reinforced with flat, U-shaped, and L-shaped pultruded Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) profiles. The GFRPs were attached to tensile or both tensile and compressive surfaces of beams. Altogether, 24 specimens, including 20 strengthened beams and 4 un-strengthened (control) beams, were tested under three-point bending test. Flexural behavior of specimens was evaluated through their load versus mid-span displacement curves, ultimate load... 

One of the most essential and costly stages in Concrete Face Rockfill Dams (CFRD) construction is to implement the concrete at the upstream face of the dam without joints. As the face concrete is considered as the most integral part to prevent water penetration in CFRDs, it's quality control is of paramount importance. One of the conventional approaches for quality control of the concrete which is used in CFRD is the compressive strength of laboratory samples. The comparison of laboratory and in situ measurements provides information about the accuracy of the obtained results. This research investigates the correlation of concrete compressive strength determined by using different methods in...