Vibration analysis of damaged and undamaged steel structure systems: cantilever column and frame

This paper presents the experimental and numerical studies conducted on a steel column and a steel frame structure using free vibration analysis.The effects of damages on structures were investigated,which were simulated by introducing multiple cracks at different locations in the experimental and numerical models.The acceleration responses of the test models,were recorded through an accelerometer,and were used to calibrate the numerical models developed in finite element based software.Modal frequencies of damaged and undamaged structures were compared and analyzed,to derive relationships for damaged and undamaged structures’frequencies in terms of crack depth.It was found that,due to the presence of cracks,the mechanical properties of a structure changes,whereby,the modal frequencies decrease.An approximately linear trend was observed for the frequency decrease with the increase in crack depth,which was also confirmed by the numerical models.The derived relationships were extended to further develop a mechanics-based damage scale for steel structures,to help facilitate structural health monitoring and screening of vulnerable structures.

Melting Characteristics of a Phase Change Material Mixed with Nano Particles of Cobalt Oxide Bounded in a Trapezoidal Structure

A novel trapezoidal design for storage of heat energy through melting of phase-change material(PCM)is investigated.Latent heat thermal energy storage system(LHTES)is a promising option to diminish mis-match between energy consumption and supply.For this purpose,Paraffin:Rubitherm-35(RT35)material is successively melted in aluminum structure which is heated from one side and the other sides are kept adiabatic.Melting of PCM is observed experimentally and melt fronts are photographed for various time lengths.The fluid-solid module in COMSOL Multiphysics 5.4 has been utilized.The transient heat conduction with enthalpy function is hired.Simulations are carried out for enhancement of thermal conductivity through addition of nano-entities of cobalt oxide Co3O4.Themelting time is notably reduced with inclusion of nano-entities to enhance thermal conductivity.The time spans for melt start and total melt in case of pure PCM are 375 and 4500(s)respectively whereas for the nano mix case,these are 150 and 3000 s.Thus 33%shorter time length is noticed for charging of the PCM trapezoidal matrix with nano entities of Co3O4 aremixed.The results fromsimulation and lab observations depict similar patterns and are in quite close comparison.