Collapse Behavior of Pipe-Framed Greenhouses with and without Reinforcement under Snow Loading:A 3-D Finite Element Analysis

The present paper first investigates the collapse behavior of a conventional pipe-framed greenhouse under snow loading based on a 3-D finite element analysis,in which both geometrical and material non-linearities are considered.Three snow load distribution patterns related to the wind-driven snow particle movement are used in the analysis.It is found that snow load distribution affects the deformation and collapse behavior of the pipe-framed greenhouse significantly.The results obtained in this study are consistent with the actual damage observed.Next,discussion is made of the effects of reinforcements by adding members to the basic frame on the strength of the whole structure,in which seven kinds of reinforcement methods are examined.A buckling analysis is also carried out.The results indicate that the most effective reinforcement method depends on the snow load distribution pattern.

SIMPLIFIED ANALYSIS METHOD FOR ULTIMATE LOAD CAPACITY OF WEB PLATES OF BOX GIRDERS

The prosperous post buckling load capacity of web plates of box girders can be used.In this article,the post buckling behaviour of web plates of box girders under different loading conditions is theoretically analyzed and on the basis of domestic and overseas design codes of steel structures,the corresponding simplified analysis methods are put forward for the engineering design or code revision.It is proved that the simplified methods are safe,efficient and practicable through the comparison between several results.

Influence of load capacity on hydrostatic journal support deformation in finite element calculation

Based on the application of the four-oil-pad radial hydrostatic bearing in heavy equipments, the deformation of the four-oil-pad radial hydrostatic bearing was calculated by using the finite element method. The formula of film stiffness, film thickness and carrying capacity were established; the influence of the main parameters, such as load, load area and deformation on the supportability was analyzed; and the capacity of the two kinds of bearings was compared. The result shows that the carrying capacity of typeⅠ is prior to that of type Ⅱ . Calculations provide a theoretical basis for the bearing choosing and structure designing in the actual project.

A multiscale 3D finite element analysis of fluid/solute transport in mechanically loaded bone

The transport of fluid, nutrients, and signaling molecules in the bone lacunar-canalicular system （LCS） is critical for osteocyte survival and function. We have applied the fluorescence recovery after photobleaching （FRAP） approach to quantify load-induced fluid and solute transport in the LCS in situ, but the measurements were limited to cortical regions 30-50 μm underneath the periosteum due to the constrains of laser penetration. With this work, we aimed to expand our understanding of load-induced fluid and solute transport in both trabecular and cortical bone using a multiscaled image-based finite element analysis （FEA） approach. An intact murine tibia was first re-constructed from microCT images into a three-dimensional （3D） linear elastic FEA model, and the matrix deformations at various locations were calculated under axial loading. A segment of the above 3D model was then imported to the biphasic poroelasticity analysis platform （FEBio） to predict load-induced fluid pressure fields, and interstitial solute/fluid flows through LCS in both cortical and trabecular regions. Further, secondary flow effects such as the shear stress and/or drag force acting on osteocytes, the presumed mechano-sensors in bone, were derived using the previously developed ultrastructural model of Brinkman flow in the canaliculi. The material properties assumed in the FEA models were validated against previously obtained strain and FRAP transport data measured on the cortical cortex. Our results demonstrated the feasibility of this computational approach in estimating the fluid flux in the LCS and the cellular stimulation forces （shear and drag forces） for osteocytes in any cortical and trabecular bone locations, allowing further studies of how the activation of osteocytes correlates with in vivo functional bone formation. The study provides a promising platform to reveal potential cellular mechanisms underlying the anabolic power of exercises and physical activities in treating patients with skeletal deficiencies.

Finite element failure analysis of continuous prestressed concrete box girders

In order to analyze the load carrying capacity of prestressed concrete box girders, failure behaviors of in-situ deteriorated continuous prestressed concrete box girders under loading are experimentally observed and a finite failure analysis method for predicting behaviors of box girders is developed. A degenerated solid shell element is used to simulate box girders and material nonlinearity is considered. Since pre-stressed concrete box girders usually have a large number of curve prestressed tendons, a type of combined element is presented to simulate the prestressed tendons of box girders, and then the number of elements can be significantly reduced. The analytical results are compared with full-scale failure test results. The comparison shows that the presented method can be effectively applied to the failure analysis of in-situ continuous prestressed concrete box girders, and it also shows that the studied old bridge still has enough load carrying capacity.

Finite Element Analysis for the Structure Optimization Design of the CPUE Load-Bearing Wheel of Tracked Vehicle

A new kind of material cast polyurethane elastomers (CPUE) is introduced to take the place of rubber on load bearing wheel for the first time. Based on load bearing wheel dimensions, material properties and operating conditions, the structure of wheel flange is optimized by zero order finite element method. A detailed three dimensional finite element model of flange of load bearing wheel is developed and utilized to optimize structure of wheel flange. Its service life, which is affected by flange structure parameter, is analyzed by comparing the optimization results with those of prototype of wheel. The results of optimization are presented and the stress field of load bearing wheel in optimal dimension obtained by using finite element analysis method is demonstrated. The finite element analysis and optimization results show that the CPUE load bearing wheel is feasible and suitable for the tracked vehicle and has a guiding value in practice of the weighting design of the whole tracked vehicle.

Finite Element Analysis on the Pre-load Structures of the Central Solenoid for the HT-7U Device

The central solenoid is an important part of the HT-7U device. In this paper， the computational analysis of the stress and the displacement on the pre-load structures of the central solenoid have been made by the finite element analysis system COSMOS/M2.0 under room and/or operating temperature. According to the analytical results, the clip aprons and compression plates are all satisfied with safety design criteria.

The finite element analysis of articular cartilage fiber-reinforced composite model under rolling load

Articular cartilage is a layer of low-friction,load-bearing soft hydrated tissue covering bone-ends in diarthrosis,which plays an important role in spreading the load,reducing the joint contact stress,joint friction and wear during exercise.The vital mechanical function

3D Finite Element Analysis of a Man Hip Joint Femur under Impact Loads

Objective： The biomechanical characters of the bone fracture of the man femoral hip joint under impact loads are explored. Methods ：A biosystem model of the man femoral hip joint by using the GE （ General Electric） lightspeed multi-lay spiral CT is conducted. A 3D finite element model is established by employing the finite element software ANSYS. The FE analysis mainly concentrates on the effects of the impact directions arising from intense movements and the parenchyma on the femoral hip joint on the stress distributions of the proximal femur. Results：The parenchyma on the hip joint has relatively large relaxation effect on the impact loads. Conclusion：Effects of the angle δ of the impact load to the anterior direction and the angle γ of the impact load to the femur shaft on the bone fracture are given;δ has larger effect on the stress and strain distributions than the angle γ,which mainly represents the fracture of the upper femur including the femoral neck fracture when the posterolateral femur is impacted, consistent with the clinical resuits.

Limit load and failure mechanisms of a vertical Hoek-Brown rock slope

The problem considered in this short note is the limit load determination of a vertical rock slope.The classical limit theorem is employed with the use of adaptive finite elements and nonlinear programming to determine upper and lower bound limit loads of a Hoek-Brown vertical rock slope.The objective function of the mathematical programming problem is such as to optimize a boundary load,which is known as the limit load,resembling the ultimate bearing capacity of a strip footing.While focusing on the vertical slope,parametric studies are carried out for several dimensionless ratios such as the dimensionless footing distance ratio,the dimensionless height ratio,and the dimensionless rock strength ratio.A comprehensive set of design charts is presented,and failure envelopes shown with the results explained in terms of three identified failure mechanisms,i.e.the face,the toe,and the Prandtl-type failures.These novel results can be used with great confidence in design practice,in particularly noting that the current industry-based design procedures for the presented problem are rarely found.

Effects of cement-enhanced soil on the ultimate lateral resistance of composite pile in clayey soil

The composite pile consisting of core-pile and surrounding cement-enhanced soil is a promising pile foundation in recent years.However,how and to what extent the cement-enhanced soil influences the ultimate lateral resistance has not been fully investigated.In this paper,the ultimate lateral resistance of the composite pile was studied by finite element limit analysis(FELA)and theoretical upper-bound analysis.The results of FELA and theoretical analysis revealed three failure modes of laterally loaded composite piles.The effects of the enhanced soil thickness,strength,and pile-enhanced soil interface characteristics on the ultimate lateral resistance were studied.The results show that increasing the enhanced soil thickness leads to a significant improvement on ultimate lateral resistance factor(N P),and there is a critical thickness beyond which the thickness no longer affects the N P.Increasing the enhanced soil strength induced 6.2%-232.6%increase of N P.However,no noticeable impact was detected when the enhanced soil strength was eight times higher than that of the natural soil.The maximum increment of N P is only 30.5%caused by the increase of interface adhesion factor(a).An empirical model was developed to calculate the N P of the composite pile,and the results show excellent agreement with the analytical results.

Three-dimensional Finite Element Analysis of the Mechanical Properties of Helical Thread Connection

Conventional analytical and numerical methods for the mechanical properties of helical threads are relied on many assumptions and approximations and thus hardly yield satisfied results. A parameterized 3D finite element model of bolted joints with real helical thread geometry is established and meshed with refined hexahedral elements. The Von Mises plasticity criterion, kinematic hardening rule of materials and interfacial contacts are employed to make it possible for the suggested model be able to approach real assembly conditions. Then, the mechanical properties of bolted joints with different thread pitches, thread numbers and modular ratios are investigated, including the contact pressure distribution at joint interfaces, the axial load distribution and stress concentration in screw threads during the loading and unloading process. Simulation results indicate that the load distribution in screw threads produced by the suggested model agrees well the results from CHEN’s photoelastic tests. In addition, an interesting phenomenon is found that tightening the bolt with a large preload first and then adjusting the clamping force by unloading can make the load distribution more uniform and reduce the maximum residual equivalent stress in thread roots by up to 40%. This research provides a simple and practical approach to constructing the 3D finite element model and predicting the mechanical properties of helical thread connection.

Ultimate Load Capacity and Reinforcement of Circular-Hollow-Section N-Joint

Experimental research and numerical analysis were applied to study the ultimate load capacity(ULC) and reinforcement of circular-hollow-section N-joint.Four specimens were tested under static load.The ULC of each specimen was obtained and the detailed failure conditions were discussed.Based on the results, both welding a plate on the chord member and filling concrete in the chord member are effective to reinforce the N-joint, but it is suggested that these two methods should not be applied simultaneously.Mo...

Strength reduction and step-loading finite element approaches in geotechnical engineering

The finite element limit analysis method has the advantages of both numerical and traditional limit equilibrium techniques and it is particularly useful to geotechnical engineering.This method has been developed in China,following well-accepted international procedures,to enhance understanding of stability issues in a number of geotechnical settings.Great advancements have been made in basic theory,the improvement of computational precision,and the broadening of practical applications.This paper presents the results of research on（1） the efficient design of embedded anti-slide piles,（2） the stability analysis of reservoir slopes with strength reduction theory,and（3） the determination of the ultimate bearing capacity of foundations using step-loading FEM（overloading）.These three applications are evidence of the design improvements and benefits made possible in geotechnical engineering by finite element modeling.

Stability Analysis of Space Compcoite Structore and Its Ultimate Bearing Capacity

In this paper, using incremental equilibrium equation, the authors have studiedthe effeet of ultimate bearing capacity of every component on structuralstability, and discussed the stability analysis method for space compositestructures. With the help of the test results for the concrete filled ateel tubeskeleton of the long-spen RC arch bridse, it is proved that the proposed methodis accurate and reliable.

Finite element analysis of γ'-phase raft mechanism in Ni-based single crystal superalloy

The finite element method was applied to study the mechanics of rafting ofγ' precipitates in a single crystal Ni-based superalloy with the [001] orientation. The results show that the creep and rafting are closely related with the stress and strain energy density distributions in the matrix channels. The application of an external stress leads to differential levels of von Mises stress and strain energy density, and the largest value of the stress appears at the corners of the matrix near the interface. Creep dislocations penetrate preferentially into the most highly stressed matrix channels where theγ'-phase rafting is also enlarged. Meanwhile, the von Mises stress ofγmatrix andγ' precipitate increases with the increase of temperature, thus the rafting becomes easier at a higher temperature. Moreover, according to the analysis of slip systems for the Ni-based superalloy, the critical external load for bowing a dislocation through a matrix channel at 950℃is about 180 MPa, which is consistent with the related experimental results.

Finite element analysis of anchor plates using non-coaxial models

The non-coaxial model simulating the non-coincidence between the principal stresses and the principal plastic strain rates is employed within the framework of finite element method（FEM） to predict the behaviors of anchors embedded in granular material.The non-coaxial model is developed based on the non-coaxial yield vertex theory,and the elastic and conventional coaxial plastic deformations are simulated by using elasto-perfectly plastic Drucker-Prager yield function according to the original yield vertex theory.Both the horizontal and vertical anchors with various embedment depths are considered.Different anchor shapes and soil friction and dilation angles are also taken into account.The predictions indicate that the use of non-coaxial models leads to softer responses,compared with those using conventional coaxial models.Besides,the predicted ultimate pulling capacities are the same for both coaxial and non-coaxial models.The non-coaxial influences increase with the increasing embedment depths,and circular anchors lead to larger non-coaxial influences than strip anchors.In view of the fact that the design of anchors is mainly determined by their displacements,ignoring the non-coaxiality in finite element numerical analysis can lead to unsafe results.

Ultimate Bearing Capacity of Hollow Spherical Joints Welded with Circular Pipes under Eccentric Loads

The hollow spherical joints welded with circular pipes applied to the National Swimming Center of China are subjected to large bending moments, but the influence of bending moments is not considered in the design equations in Technical Specification for Latticed Shells. Based on the von Mises yield criterion, multilinear isotropic hardening rule and associated flow rule, the elasto-plastic finite element model is put forward to analyze the behavior of the joints, and a calculation method for the joints under bending moments or eccentric loads is proposed. It is shown by the analytical results of joint that the stiffening rib can improve the ultimate bearing capacity by 10% for joints under axial tensile load, by 40% for joints under axial compressive load, and by 50% for joints under bending moment. The unified calculation equations for joints with or without stiffening rib are put forward, which can be applied to calculating the ultimate bearing capacity of the hollow spherical joints with circular pipes under eccentric loads.

Analysis of Force Transmission by a Knee Loading Device from Skin and Soft Tissue to Knee Joint Elements

Dynamic loading to a knee joint is considered to be an effective modality for enhancing the healing of long bones and cartilage that are subject to ailments like fractures, osteoarthritis, etc. We developed a knee loading device and tested it for force application. The device applies forces on the skin, whereas force transmitted to the knee joint elements is directly responsible for promoting the healing of bone and cartilage. However, it is not well understood how loads on the skin are transmitted to the cartilage, ligaments, and bone. Based on a CAD model of a human knee joint, we conducted a finite element analysis (FEA) for force transmission from the skin and soft tissue to a knee joint. In this study, 3D models of human knee joint elements were assembled in an FEA software package (SIMSOLID). A wide range of forces was applied to the skin with different thickness in order to obtain approximate force values transmitted from the skin to the joint elements. The maximum Von Mises stress and displacement distributions were estimated for different components of the knee joint. The results demonstrate that the high load bearing areas were located on the posterior portion of the cartilage. This prediction can be used to improve the design of the knee loading device.

基于SolidWorks的装载机专用轮胎拆装机械手有限元分析及优化设计

以5 t装载机23.5-25规格轮胎为研究对象,利用SolidWorks软件建立了轮胎拆装机械手初始三维模型,并通过SolidWorks Simulation对夹爪和悬臂部分进行负载模拟仿真与应力静态分析。依据有限元分析结果对机械手初始三维模型进行结构优化和可靠性验证,通过增加肋板和加强筋减小了悬臂端部的形变,避免了悬臂容易发生弯曲断裂的问题,同时兼顾了因机械手自重增加而导致的成本升高问题。经过优化的机械手三维模型具有经济性、安全性和可视性等优点,为有效预防机械手工作过程的失效及提高生产率提供了有益借鉴。