Open-Source Codes of Topology Optimization: A Summary for Beginners to Start Their Research

Topology optimization(TO),a numerical technique to find the optimalmaterial layoutwith a given design domain,has attracted interest from researchers in the field of structural optimization in recent years.For beginners,opensource codes are undoubtedly the best alternative to learning TO,which can elaborate the implementation of a method in detail and easily engage more people to employ and extend the method.In this paper,we present a summary of various open-source codes and related literature on TO methods,including solid isotropic material with penalization(SIMP),evolutionary method,level set method(LSM),moving morphable components/voids(MMC/MMV)methods,multiscale topology optimization method,etc.Simultaneously,we classify the codes into five levels,fromeasy to difficult,depending on their difficulty,so that beginners can get started and understand the form of code implementation more quickly.

Investigation of Effects of Capacity Spectrum Method on Performance Evaluation of Multi-Story Buildings According to the IRAQI Seismic Code Requirements

The aim of this study is to assess the performance objectives defined in the Iraqi Seismic Code (ISC) in order to make a realistic evaluation related to Performance-Based Seismic Design (PBSD) of multi-story reinforced concrete buildings and also to compare and evaluate structural response demands obtained from nonlinear static analysis procedures according to two versions of the capacity spectrum method (CSM) which are recommended in ATC 40 and ATC 55. Two groups of three-dimensional RC buildings with different heights, designed according to Iraqi Building Code Requirements for Reinforced Concrete (IBC), are investigated. Pushover analyses are carried out to determine the nonlinear behavior of the buildings under three different seismic hazard levels, for two Iraqi seismic zones, of earthquake loads. In order to determine performance levels of the buildings, maximum inter-story drift demands and plasticizing sequence are determined and compared with the related limits using the CSM recommended in ATC 40 and ATC 55. From the results of this research, it can be concluded that RC buildings designed according to the Iraqi codes sufficiently provide the performance objectives stipulated in the ISC. Comparing structural response quantities obtained from the two versions of CSM, effects on performance evaluations of the buildings are investigated comparatively, as well.

Analysis of the Performances of a New Type of Alumina Nanocomposite Structural Material Designed for the Thermal Insulation of High-Rise Buildings

The sol-gel method is used to prepare a new nano-alumina aerogel structure and the thermal properties of this nanomaterial are investigated comprehensively using electron microscope scanning,thermal analysis,X-ray and infrared spectrometer analysis methods.It is found that the composite aerogel alumina material has a multi-level porous nano-network structure.When employed for the thermal insulation of high-rise buildings,the alumina nanocomposite aerogel material can lead to effective energy savings in winter.However,it has almost no energy-saving effect on buildings where energy is consumed for cooling in summer.

The Research on Methodology for Material Code Standardization in the Implementation of MRP－Ⅱ

This paper analyses the current common problems of material code standardization in the implementation of MRP Ⅱ, and puts forward the basic ideas and methods for solving the problems, which has some reference value for the popularization of application o

Gray code based gradient-free optimization algorithm for parameterized quantum circuit

A Gray code based gradient-free optimization(GCO)algorithm is proposed to update the parameters of parameterized quantum circuits(PQCs)in this work.Each parameter of PQCs is encoded as a binary string,named as a gene,and a genetic-based method is adopted to select the offsprings.The individuals in the offspring are decoded in Gray code way to keep Hamming distance,and then are evaluated to obtain the best one with the lowest cost value in each iteration.The algorithm is performed iteratively for all parameters one by one until the cost value satisfies the stop condition or the number of iterations is reached.The GCO algorithm is demonstrated for classification tasks in Iris and MNIST datasets,and their performance are compared by those with the Bayesian optimization algorithm and binary code based optimization algorithm.The simulation results show that the GCO algorithm can reach high accuracies steadily for quantum classification tasks.Importantly,the GCO algorithm has a robust performance in the noise environment.

Dynamic response of buildings under debris flow impact

This study employs the smoothed particle hydrodynamics–finite element method(SPH–FEM) coupling numerical method to investigate the impact of debris flow on reinforced concrete(RC)-frame buildings. The methodology considers the variables of debris flow depth and velocity and introduces the intensity index IDV(IDV = DV) to evaluate three different levels of debris flow impact intensity. The primary focus of this study is to investigate the dynamic response and failure mechanism of RC-frame buildings under debris flow impact, including structural failure patterns, impact force and column displacement. The results show that under a highintensity impact, a gradual collapse process of the RCframe building can be observed, and the damage mode of the frame column reflects shear failure or plastic hinge failure mechanism. First, the longitudinal infill walls are damaged owing to their low out-of-plane flexural capacity;the critical failure intensity index IDV value is approximately 7.5 m2/s. The structure cannot withstand debris flows with an intensity index IDV greater than 16 m2/s, and it is recommended that the peak impact force should not exceed 2100 k N. The impact damage ability of debris flow on buildings mostly originates from the impact force of the frontal debris flow, with the impact force of the debris flow body being approximately 42% lower than that of the debris flow head. Finally, a five-level classification system for evaluating the damage status of buildings is proposed based on the numerical simulation and investigation results of the disaster site.

Research on Sleeve Grouting Density Detection Based on the Impact Echo Method

Grouting defects are an inherent challenge in construction practices,exerting a considerable impact on the operational structural integrity of connections.This investigation employed the impact-echo technique for the detection of grouting anomalies within connections,enhancing its precision through the integration of wavelet packet energy principles for damage identification purposes.A series of grouting completeness assessments were meticulously conducted,taking into account variables such as the divergent material properties of the sleeves and the configuration of adjacent reinforcement.The findings revealed that:(i)the energy distribution for the highstrength concrete cohort predominantly occupied the frequency bands 42,44,45,and 47,whereas for other groups,it was concentrated within the 37 to 40 frequency band;(ii)the delineation of empty sleeves was effectively discernible by examining the wavelet packet energy ratios across the spectrum of frequencies,albeit distinguishing between sleeves with 50%and full grouting density proved challenging;and(iii)the wavelet packet energy analysis yielded variable detection outcomes contingent on the material attributes of the sleeves,demonstrating heightened sensitivity when applied to ultrahigh-performance concrete matrices and GFRP-reinforced steel bars.

Performance of RC buildings after Kahramanmaraş Earthquakes: lessons toward performance based design

Two simultaneous earthquakes occurred in the Kahramanmaraş-Pazarcık and Kahramanmaraş-Elbistan districts of Turkey on February 6,2023,and with magnitudes of 7.7 and 7.6,respectively.These events caused the highest estimated loss recorded in Turkey within the last century from natural disasters.The key reason for the extensive loss was the proximity of eleven cities to the earthquake epicenters.Middle East Technical University teams investigated the building sites in Gaziantep,Kahramanmaras,Hatay,Adiyaman and Adana.The ground motion recordings revealed that in certain locations of Gaziantep,Kahramanmaraşand Hatay,the ground motion levels exceeded the maximum credible earthquake level defined for a return period of 2,475 years in the Turkish Earthquake Code.Residential building performance was investigated with respect to the construction year,which is a good indicator of compliance with modern seismic codes and inspection procedures.About 97%of the collapsed buildings were constructed prior to 2000,whereas over 5,000 buildings,which were built after 2000,collapsed or required urgent demolition.Most of the buildings with minor or greater structural damage sustained heavy infill wall damage rendering occupancy impossible.Aside from damage in older construction with significant structural deficiencies,the damage in some of the more recent and better constructed buildings was observed to be surprisingly poor.This can be attributed to the level of ground motion,significant ductility demands,poor material and workmanship and damage to non-structural elements.With the estimated total loss of above 100 billion dollars and over 50,000 casualties,the current seismic design criterion based on ductility and acceptance of structural damage should be re-evaluated to ensure a more resilient urban environment in high seismic regions.

Seismic fragility assessment of RC frame structure designed according to modern Chinese code for seismic design of buildings

Following several damaging earthquakes in China, research has been devoted to find the causes of the collapse of reinforced concrete （RC） building sand studying the vulnerability of existing buildings. The Chinese Code for Seismic Design of Buildings （CCSDB） has evolved over time, however, there is still reported earthquake induced damage of newly designed RC buildings. Thus, to investigate modern Chinese seismic design code, three low-, mid- and high-rise RC frames were designed according to the 2010 CCSDB and the corresponding vulnerability curves were derived by computing a probabilistic seismic demand model （PSDM）.The PSDM was computed by carrying out nonlinear time history analysis using thirty ground motions obtained from the Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center. Finally, the PSDM was used to generate fragility curves for immediate occupancy, significant damage, and collapse prevention damage levels. Results of the vulnerability assessment indicate that the seismic demands on the three different frames designed according to the 2010 CCSDB meet the seismic requirements and are almost in the same safety level.

Adding Sub-chain Method for Structural Synthesis of Planar Closed Kinematic Chains

For at least the past five decades,structural synthesis has been used as a main means of finding better mechanisms with some predefined function.In structural synthesis,isomorphism identification is still a problem unsolved well,and to solve this problem is very significant to the design of new mechanisms.According to the given degree of freedom（DOF） and link connection property of planar closed chain mechanisms,vertex assortment is obtained.For solving the isomorphism problem,a method of the adding sub-chains is proposed with the detailed steps and algorithms in the synthesizing process.Employing this method,the identification code and formation code of every topological structure are achieved,therefore many isomorphic structures could be eliminated in time during structural synthesis by comparing those codes among different topological graphs,resulting in the improvement of synthesizing efficiency and accuracy,and the approach for eliminating rigid sub-chains in and after the synthesizing process is also presented.Some examples are given,including how to add sub-chains,how to detect simple rigid sub-chains and how to obtain identification codes and formulation codes et al.Using the adding sub-chain method,the relative information of some common topological graphs is given in the form of table.The comparison result is coincident with many literatures,so the correctness of the adding sub-chain method is convinced.This method will greatly improve the synthesizing efficiency and accuracy,and has a good potential for application.

Development of a subchannel code for blockage accidents of LMFRs based on the 3D fuel rod model

To predict the thermal-hydraulic(T/H)parameters of the reactor core for liquid-metal-cooled fast reactors(LMFRs),especially under flow blockage accidents,we developed a subchannel code called KMC-FB.This code uses a time-dependent,four-equation,singlephase flow model together with a 3D heat conduction model for the fuel rods,which is solved by numerical methods based on the finite difference method with a staggered mesh.Owing to the local effect of the blockage on the flow field,low axial flow,increased forced crossflow,and backflow occur.To more accurately simulate this problem,we implemented a robust and novel solution method.We verified the code with a low-flow(~0.01 m/s)and large-scale blockage case.For the preliminary validation,we compared our results with the experimental data of the NACIE-UP BFPS blockage test and the KIT19ROD blockage test.The results revealed that KMC-FB has sufficient solution accuracy and can be used in future flow blockage analyses for LMFRs.

Comparative Studies on Calculation Methods of Shear Behavior of Reinforced Concrete Beams of Chinese Modern Reinforced Concrete Buildings

In order to study the calculation methods of shear behavior of reinforced concrete beams of Chinese modern reinforced concrete buildings,this paper carried out tests on the concrete compressive strength of 12 Chinese modern concrete buildings,the mechanical properties of 66 rebars from different Chinese modern concrete buildings,and the concrete cover thickness of 9 Chinese modern concrete buildings,and the actual material properties and structural configurations have been obtained. Then,the comparison on calculation methods include the Chinese original calculation method,the Chinese present calculation method,the American present calculation method and the European present calculation method is studied with case analysis method.The results show that the Chinese original calculation method of shear behavior of reinforced concrete beams is based on the allowable stress calculation method,and the design safety factors are 3. 55- 4. 00. The standard value of the compressive strength of concrete cubes is 8. 48 MPa,the standard value of the concrete tensile strength is 1.20 MPa,the standard value of the yield strength of rectangular rebars is 229. 56 MPa,and the standard value of the yield strength of round rebars is 276. 82 MPa. The average value of the concrete cover thickness of beams and columns is 35.96 mm. In term of calculation area of hoop rebars of reinforced concrete beams,without considering earthquake loads,the Chinese original structural calculation method is safer than the Chinese present structural calculation method,but is more unsafe than the American present structural calculation method and the European present structural calculation method. The results can provide the support for structural safety assessments and repair designs of Chinese modern reinforced concrete buildings.

Lowering the Error Floor of ADMM Penalized Decoder for LDPC Codes

Decoding by alternating direction method of multipliers(ADMM) is a promising linear programming decoder for low-density parity-check(LDPC) codes. In this paper, we propose a two-step scheme to lower the error floor of LDPC codes with ADMM penalized decoder.For the undetected errors that cannot be avoided at the decoder side, we modify the code structure slightly to eliminate low-weight code words. For the detected errors induced by small error-prone structures, we propose a post-processing method for the ADMM penalized decoder. Simulation results show that the error floor can be reduced significantly over three illustrated LDPC codes by the proposed two-step scheme.

Seismic performance of high-rise buildings in selected regions in Saudi Arabia according to different seismic codes

The design code for each country is revised and updated based on an expected zone’s seismic intensities,geotechnical site classifications,structural systems,construction materials and methods of construction in order to provide more realistic considerations of seismic demand,seismic response,and seismic capacity.Based on the aforementioned provisions,structures designed according to different seismic codes may yield different performances for the same level of hazard.This study aims to investigate and compare the induced responses related to the earthquake-resistant design of reinforced concrete(RC)buildings according to the Saudi building code(SBC-301),American code(ASCE-7),uniform building code(UBC-97),and European code(EC-8).In order to account for the provision regarding the hazard specification and its effect on the induced seismic responses,four regions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with different seismic levels are selected.The code provisions related to the specification of site classification and its effect on the induced design base shear are investigated as well.Significant differences are observed in the induced responses with the variation in seismic design codes for the considered seismic hazards and site classifications.

Investigation Responses of the Diagrid Structural System of High-rise Buildings Equipped with Tuned Mass Damper Using New Dynamic Method

Due to the shortage of land in cities and population growth,the significance of high rise buildings has risen.Controlling lateral displacement of structures under different loading such as an earthquake is an important issue for designers.One of the best systems is the diagrid method which is built with diagonal elements with no columns for manufacturing tall buildings.In this study,the effect of the distribution of the tuned mass damper(TMD)on the structural responses of diagrid tall buildings was investigated using a new dynamic method.So,a diagrid structural systems with variable height with TMDs was solved as an example of structure.The reason for the selection of the diagrid system was the formation of a stiffness matrix for the diagonal and angular elements.Therefore,the effect of TMDs distribution on the story drift,base shear and structural behaviour were studied.The obtained outcomes showed that the TMDs distribution does not significantly affect on improving the behaviour of the diagrid structural system during an earthquake.Furthermore,the new dynamic scheme represented in this study has good performance for analyzing different systems.Abbreviation:TMD-tuned mass damper;SATMD-semiactive-tuned mass dampers;MDOF-multiple degrees of freedom;m_(i)-mass of ith story of the building;c_(i)-damping coefficient of the ith story of the building;k_(i)-stiffness of ith story of the building;x_(i)-displacement of the ith story of the building;md-mass of damper;c_(d)-damping coefficient of the damper;k_(d)-stiffness of damper;x_(d)-displacement of TMD;M_(i)-generalized mass of the ith normal mode;C_(i)-generalized damping of the ith normal mode;K_(i)-generalized stiffness of the ith normal mode;K_(i)(t)-generalized load of the ith normal mode;Y_(i)(t)-generalized displacement of the ith normal mode;[M]-matrices of mass;[C]-matrices of damping;{P(t)}-consequence external forces;N_(i)(τ)-interpolation functions;[Ai]-mechanical properties of the structure.

Procurement Method Selection for Building Maintenance Projects: The Case of Malaysian Public Universities

The purpose of this paper is to implement and validate a decision making framework for building maintenance projects. The growing importance of maintenance sector not only in Malaysia but al- so increasingly globalized, the difficulty in selecting an appropriate procurement method and lack of research in this area provide an impetus for this research. There were 19 procurement selection criteria identified. In addition, there were 4 types of procurements methods which include outsourcing by specialist term contract, outsourcing by tendered schedule term contract, out- sourcing by repair and maintenance contract and outsourcing by measured term contract identified to be the most popular procurement methods adapted by public universities currently and at the same time were considered most important. The decision making framework was developed based on AHP technique and principles. Expert Choice Software was employed as development tool where the criteria and alternatives were integrated into the framework. Finally, structured interview was conducted to validate the framework developed. The validation process was carried out through structured interview with selected public university.

On the Computing of the Minimum Distance of Linear Block Codes by Heuristic Methods

The evaluation of the minimum distance of linear block codes remains an open problem in coding theory, and it is not easy to determine its true value by classical methods, for this reason the problem has been solved in the literature with heuristic techniques such as genetic algorithms and local search algorithms. In this paper we propose two approaches to attack the hardness of this problem. The first approach is based on genetic algorithms and it yield to good results comparing to another work based also on genetic algorithms. The second approach is based on a new randomized algorithm which we call 'Multiple Impulse Method (MIM)', where the principle is to search codewords locally around the all-zero codeword perturbed by a minimum level of noise, anticipating that the resultant nearest nonzero codewords will most likely contain the minimum Hamming-weight codeword whose Hamming weight is equal to the minimum distance of the linear code.

Resin Matrix/Fiber Reinforced Composite Material, Ⅱ: Method of Solution and Computer Code

According to a mathematical model which describes the curing process of composites constructed from continuous fiber-reinforced, thermosetting resin matrix prepreg materials, and the consolidation of the composites, the solution method to the model is made and a computer code is developed, which for flat-plate composites cured by a specified cure cycle, provides the variation of temperature distribution, the cure reaction process in the resin, the resin flow and fibers stress inside the composite, the void variation and the residual stress distribution.

Numerical simulation of wind flow fields around buildings using the lattice Boltzmann method

This paper presents the simulation results of the wind environment around a single high-rise building and that around two tall buildings in tandem arrangement by using the lattice Boltzmann method with an aim to understand the ventilation issues around high-rise buildings in an urban environment.We analyzed the velocity distribution around the buildings and performed numericl simulations to reveal the formation and evolution law of the complex vortex system around the high-rise buildings.Numerical simulation results manifest a periodicity phenamenon in the process of the vortex evolution.For the case of two high-rise buildings,wind velocity in the space between the two buildings is very small,which is nearly a silent regime.Wind velocity above the front building is relatively larger and the maximum wind velocity is approximately 2.5 times the incoming wind velocity.The numerical results can be used in layout planning of high-rise residential buildings to create better environment for ventilation purpose in an urban area.