Numerical simulation on the seismic performance of retrofitted masonry walls based on the combined finite-discrete element method

Due to the long construction life,improper design methods,brittle material properties and poor construction techniques,most existing masonry structures do not perform well during earthquakes.The retrofitting method using an external steel-meshed mortar layer is widely used to retrofit existing masonry buildings.Assessing the seismic performance of masonry walls reinforced by an external steel-meshed mortar layer reasonably and effectively is a difficult subject in the research field of masonry structures.Based on the combined finite-discrete elements method,the numerical models of retrofitted brick walls with four different masonry mortar strengths by an external mortar layer are established.The shear strength of mortar and the contact between the retrofitted mortar layer and the brick blocks are discussed in detail.The failure patterns and load-displacement curves of the retrofitted brick walls were obtained by applying low cycle reciprocating loads to the numerical model,and the bearing capacity and the failure mechanism of the retrofitted walls were obtained by comparing the failure patterns,ultimate bearing capacity,deformability and other aspects with the tests.This study provides a basis for improving the seismic strengthening design method of masonry structures and helps to better assess the seismic performance of masonry structures after retrofitting.

Anisotropic shearing mechanism of Kangding slate:Experimental investigation and numerical analysis

The shear mechanical behavior is regarded as an essential factor affecting the stability of the surrounding rocks in underground engineering.The shear strength and failure mechanisms of layered rock are significantly affected by the foliation angles.Direct shear tests were conducted on cubic slate samples with foliation angles of 0°,30°,45°,60°,and 90°.The effect of foliation angles on failure patterns,acoustic emission(AE)characteristics,and shear strength parameters was analyzed.Based on AE characteristics,the slate failure process could be divided into four stages:quiet period,step-like increasing period,dramatic increasing period,and remission period.A new empirical expression of cohesion for layered rock was proposed,which was compared with linear and sinusoidal cohesion expressions based on the results made by this paper and previous experiments.The comparative analysis demonstrated that the new expression has better prediction ability than other expressions.The proposed empirical equation was used for direct shear simulations with the combined finite-discrete element method(FDEM),and it was found to align well with the experimental results.Considering both computational efficiency and accuracy,it was recommended to use a shear rate of 0.01 m/s for FDEM to carry out direct shear simulations.To balance the relationship between the number of elements and the simulation results in the direct shear simulations,the recommended element size is 1 mm.

A coupled cryogenic thermo-hydro-mechanical model for frozen medium:Theory and implementation in FDEM

This paper presents the development of a coupled modeling approach to simulate cryogenic thermo-hydro-mechanical(THM)processes associated with a freezing medium,which is then implemented in the combined finite-discrete element method code(FDEM)for multi-physics simulation.The governing equations are deduced based on energy and mass conservation,and static equilibrium equations,considering water/ice phase change,where the strong couplings between multi-fields are supplemented by critical coupling parameters(e.g.unfrozen water content,permeability,and thermal conductivity).The proposed model is validated against laboratory and field experiments.Results show that the cryogenic THM model can well predict the evolution of strongly coupled processes observed in frozen media(e.g.heat transfer,water migration,and frost heave deformation),while also capturing,as emergent properties of the model,important phenomena(e.g.latent heat,cryogenic suction,ice expansion and distinct three-zone distribution)caused by water/ice phase change at laboratory and field scales,which are difficult to be all revealed by existing THM models.The novel modeling framework presents a gateway to further understanding and predicting the multi-physical coupling behavior of frozen media in cold regions.

Numerical Simulation of Interaction Between Laminar Flow and Elastic Sheet

A numerical simulation of the interaction between laminar flow with low Reynolds number and a highly flexible elastic sheet is presented. The mathematical model for the simulation includes a three-dimensional finitevolume based fluid solver for incompressible viscous flow and a combined finite-discrete element method for the three-dimensional deformation of solid. An immersed boundary method is used to couple the simulation of fluid and solid. It is implemented through a set of immersed boundary points scattered on the solid surface. These points provide a deformable solid wall boundary for the fluid by adding body force to Navier-Stokes equations. The force from the fluid is also obtained for each point and then applied on the boundary nodes of the solid. The vortex-induced vibration of the highly flexible elastic sheet is simulated with the established mathematical model. The simulated results for both swing pattern and oscillation frequency of the elastic sheet in low Reynolds number flow agree well with experimental data.

The Virtual Geoscience Workbench, VGW: Open Source tools for discontinuous systems

In 1989 work began on merging finite and discrete elements. During 1990 algorithmic solutions for the new combined method were developed, together with a C-based implementation known as the Y code. In 2004 these developments and implementations were published as a textbook. Queen Mary University of London ~QMUL） and Imperial College are currently engaged in a research project to make Y codes in both 2D and 3D available in Open Source format and with mainly geoscience problems in mind. The result is a set of Open Source tools for Geoscience （VGW）, key components of which are summarised in this paper, together with illustrative range of simulation results. 2009 Chinese Society of Particuology and Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.