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.

Finite Element Analysis of Coronal Shear Fractures of the Femoral Neck: Displacement of the Femoral Head and Effect of Osteosynthetic Implants

Coronal shear fractures of the femoral neck (CSFF) are the most challenging to treat among proximal femur fractures, directly affecting the life expectancy of patients with osteoporosis. However, an adequate osteosynthesis method has not been elucidated yet. This study investigated the displacement direction of the femoral head fragment and its effect on the bone using finite element method. A finite element model for CSFF was developed from CT image data of a patient with osteoporosis using Mechanical Finder (ver. 11). Subsequently, finite element analyses were performed on six osteosynthesis models under maximum load applied during walking. The compressive stresses, tensile stresses, and compressive strains of each model were examined. The results suggested that the compressive and tensile stress distributions were concentrated on the anterior side of the femoral neck. Compressive strain distribution in the femoral head and neck was concentrated in four areas: at the tip of the blade or lag screw, the anteroinferior side of the blade or lag screw near the fracture site, and the upper right and lower left near the junction of the blade or lag screw and nail. Thus, the distribution of both these stresses revealed that the femoral head fragment was prone to anterior and inferior displacement. Distribution of compressive strains revealed the direction of the stress exerted by the osteosynthetic implant on the bone. The same results were observed in all osteosynthetic implants;thus, the findings could lay the foundation for developing methods for placing osteosynthetic implants less prone to displacement and the osteosynthetic implants themselves. In particular, the study provides insight into the optimal treatment of CSFF.

Stress Distributions Created by Short and Regular Implants Placed in the Anterior Maxilla at Different Angles: A Finite Element Analysis

Although short implants are seen as alternative treatments that require additional surgical techniques in posterior region, they can be applied to anterior maxilla and various studies are required on this subject. The purpose of this study was to examine and compare the peak von Mises stress distributions in the crown, implant and abutment by using finite element analysis (FEA). Besides, a comparison of the implant-abutment connection types in the short implant with the FEA method was established. A short implant (4 × 5 mm) with a taper-lock connection and a regular implant (4 × 9 mm) with a screw connection were used in maxillary central incisor tooth area. Three different titanium abutments with 0?, 15? and 25? angles were used for abutments. In addition, in order to determine whether the stress change in short implants is due to the length of the implant-abutment connection, a screw was designed for a short implant and it was also evaluated in the same three angles. A total of three groups and nine models were generated. 114.6N load was applied to the cingulum area of the crown at an angle of 135? to the long axis of the crowns. A torque load of 25 Ncm was applied to the regular and short implant screw. Von Mises stress distributions of implants, abutments and crowns were evaluated by using FEA. Increased angle in implants increased von Mises stress values of implant, abutment and crown. Screw connection was found higher at all angles in short implants. Close values were found at different angles in taper-lock short implant crowns. The length and the angle in the bone of implant with the type of implant-abutment connection results in the accumulated stress values. Clinical Implications Taper implant-abutment connection system was found to be more promising in terms of stress accumulation in crowns. Although the amount of stress on the abutment increased due to the length of the implant in short implants, taper implant-abutment connection system slightly reduced related to this increase.

Study on Development of Light Aluminum Step by Using Finite Element Analysis

In order to ensure the safe operation of the escalator,the step as a part of transporting passengers,the design will consider a high safety factor,which will increase the weight,the manufacturing cost,and the energy consumption of the steps band operation.Therefore,in order to reduce the weight and ensure the strength and stiffness of the step,through the optimization design,the number of reinforcing rib supports of the step tread plate and riser plate is increased,and the thickness of the step tread plate and riser plate is moderately reduced,so as to achieve the purpose of reducing the weight of the step and reducing the manufacturing cost and operating energy consumption.Through the finite element analysis and testing of the new type step design,Its strength and stiffness fully meet the requirements of GB 16899-2011 and EN 115-1:2017 standards,and the breaking force also meets the industry standards,so that the manufacturing and operating costs of the product can be reduced to improve the competitiveness of the product market.

Finite element analysis of stress at implant-bone interface of dental implants with different structures

The effect of structure,elastic modulus and thickness of lower modulus layer in porous titanium implants on the stress distribution at the implant-bone interface was investigated.Three-dimensional finite element models of different titanium implants were constructed.The structures of the implants included the whole lower modulus style （No.1）,bio-mimetic style （No.2）,the whole lower modulus style in cancellous bone （No.3） and the whole dense style No.4.The stress distributions at bone-implant interface under static loading were analyzed using Ansys Workbench 10.0 software.The results indicated that the distribution of interface stress is strongly depended on the structure of the implants.The maximum stresses in cancellous bone and root region of implant No.2 are lower than those in the other three implants.A decrease in the modulus of the low modulus layer facilitates the interface stress transferring.Increasing the thickness of the low modulus layer can reduce the stress and induce a more uniform stress distribution at the interface.Among the four implants,biomimetic style implant No.2 is superior in transferring implant-bone interface stress to surrounding bones.

Modeling Technology in Finite Element Analysis of Electrostatic Proximity Fuze Problem

In order to analyze the electrostatic field concerned with electrostatic proximity fuze problem using the available finite analysis software package, the technology to model the problem with a scale reduction object and boundary was presented. The boundary is determined by the maximum distance the sensor can detect. The object model is obtained by multiplying the terms in Poisson's equation with a scale reduction factor and the real value can be reconstructed with the same reverse process after software calculation. Using the finite element analysis program, the simulation value is close to the theoretical value with a little error. The boundary determination and scale reduction method is suitable to modeling the irregular electrostatic field around air targets, such as airplane, missile and so on, which is based on commonly used personal computer (PC). The technology reduces the calculation and storage cost greatly.

Finite element analysis of the Taizhou Water Station Site

The Taizhou Water Station Site is an ancient masonry structure ruin built in the Southern Song Dynasty. The main structure was severely damaged. In order to understand its current structural properties and provide a scientific basis for protection design nonlinear finite element analysis and parameter analysis are carried out.The crack patterns deformations and stresses of the main structure under four load cases are analyzed by nonlinear finite element analysis and the effect of the backfill bulk density and modulus on the maximum principal tensile stress and maximum compressive stress are studied by parameter analysis.The results show that the most unfavorable condition for the foundation is the combination of weight＋backfill soil pressure＋additional load the most unfavorable load case to the main structure is weight ＋backfill soil pressure ＋water pressure＋additional heap load the maximum principal tensile stress of the main structure is very sensitive to the changes in the bulk density of the backfill soil.

Seismic performance of double-skin steel-concrete composite box piers: Part Ⅱ—Nonlinear finite element analysis

An accurate finite element （ FE） model was constructed to examine the hysteretic behavior of double-skin steel-concrete composite box （ DSCB） piers for further understanding the seismic performance of DSCB piers; where the local buckling behavior of steel tubes, the confinement of the in-filled concrete and the interface action between steel tube and in-filled concrete were considered. The accuracy of the proposed FE model was verified by the bidirectional cyclic loading test results. Based on the validated FE model, the effects of some key parameters, such as section width to steel thickness ratio, slenderness ratio, aspect ratio and axial load ratio on the hysteretic behavior of DSCB piers were investigated. Finally, the skeleton curve model of DSCB piers was proposed. The numerical simulation results reveal that the peak strength and elastic stiffness decrease with the increase of the section width to steel thickness ratio. Moreover, the increase of the slenderness ratio may result in a significant reduction in the peak strength and elastic stiffness while the ultimate displacement increases. The proposed skeleton curve model can be taken as a reference for seismic performance analyses of the DSCB piers.

STIFFNESS ANALYSIS OF THE MAIN MODULE FOR PARALLEL MACHINE TOOLS BY FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS

With the aid of commercial finite element analysis software package ANSYS,investigations are made on the contributions of main components to stiffness of the main module for parallel machine tools,and it is found that the frame is the main contributor.Then,influences of constraints,strut length and working ways of the main module have also been investigated.It can be concluded that when one of the main planes of the frame without linear drive unit is constrained,the largest whole stiffness can be acquired.And,the stiffness is much better when the main module is used in a vertical machine tool instead of a horizontal one.Finally,the principle of stiffness variation is summarized when the mobile platform reaches various positions within its working space and when various loads are applied.These achievements have provided critical instructions for the design of the main module for parallel machine tools.

Finite element analysis of stress distribution and burst failure of SiC_f/Ti-6Al-4V composite ring

A three-dimensional cyclic symmetry finite element model of titanium-matrix composites（TMCs） ring was developed to investigate the stress distribution and burst failure. The effects of fiber volume fractions, reinforced areas, thermal residual stresses and two different temperatures on stress distribution were studied. The burst speed was obtained through analyzing the hoop tensile stresses under a series of rotating speeds. The results indicate that at the two different temperatures, the influences of fiber volume fractions and reinforced areas on stress level and distribution are different. Some proposals are provided for the structure design of the TMCs ring. With regard to thermal residual stresses, a larger reinforced area is an advisable choice for design of the ring at higher temperature.

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.

Finite element analysis of stiffness and static dent resistance of aluminum alloy double-curved panel in viscous pressure forming

The static dent resistance performance of the aluminum alloy double-curved panel formed using viscous pressure forming (VPF)was studied by finite element analysis,which mainly considers the forming process conditions.The whole simulation consisting of three stages,i.e.,forming,spring-back and static dent resistance,was carried out continuously using the finite element code ANSYS.The influence of blank holder pressure(BHP)and the drawbead on the stiffness and the static dent resistance of the panels formed using VPF was analyzed.The results show that the adequate setting of the drawbead can increase the plastic deformation of the double-curved panel,which is beneficial to the initial stiffness and the static dent resistance.There is an optimum BHP range for the stiffness and the static dent resistance.

Finite element analysis of multi-piece post-crown restoration using different types of adhesives

The multi-piece post-crown technique is more effective in restoring residual root than other restoration techniques.Various types of adhesives have different material properties that affect restoration.Therefore,the choice of adhesive is particularly important for patients.However,the effect of different kinds of adhesives was not too precise by experimental methods when concerning about individual differences of teeth.One tooth root can only be restored with one type of adhesive in experiment.After the mechanical test,this tooth root cannot be restored with other adhesives.With the help of medical imaging technology,reverse engineering and finite element analysis,a molar model can be reconstructed precisely and restored using different types of adhesives.The same occlusal and chewing loads were exerted on the same restored residual root models with different types of adhesives separately.Results of von Mises stress analysis showed that the adhesives with low Young’s modulus can protect the root canal effectively.However,a root canal concentration is apparently produced around the root canal orifice when chewing.Adhesives with large Young’s modulus can buffer the stress concentration of the root canal orifice.However,the root canal tissue may be destroyed because the adhesive is too hard to buffer the load.

Influence of Various Materials on Biomechanical Behavior of Endocrown-Restored, Endodontically-Treated Mandibular First Molar: A 3D-Finite Element Analysis

To evaluate the effect of restorative materials on stress distribution of endodontically treated teeth, the 3D models of an endodontically treated mand^ular first molar, restoration, and cement layer were created. Three different materials （composite resin, ceramage and ceramic） were studied and two loading conditions （vertical and oblique load） were simulated. Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion of enamel, dentine, endocrown and cement were evaluated separately. It is indicated that under both loading conditions, the highest values of Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion were observed in Ceramage-restored group for remaining tooth structure while in ceramic-restored group for the restoration. Compared to composite resin and Ceramage, ceramic endocrown transferred less stress, namely was more protective to the tooth structure.

Three-dimensional finite element analysis on effects of tunnel construction on nearby pile foundation

A three-dimensional finite element simulation was carried out to investigate the effects of tunnel construction on nearby pile foundation.The displacement controlled model (DCM) was used to simulate the tunneling-induced volume loss effects.The numerical model was verified based on the results of a centrifuge test and a set of parametric studies was implemented based on this model.There is good agreement between the trend of the results of the centrifuge test and the present model.The results of parametric studies show that the tunnelling-induced pile internal force and deformation depend mainly on the pile?tunnel distance,the pile length to tunnel depth ratio and the volume loss.Two different zones are separated by a 45° line projected from the tunnel springline.Within the zone of influence,the pile is subjected to tensile force and large settlement;whereas outside the zone of influence,dragload and small settlement are induced.It is also established that the impact of tunnelling on a pile group is substantially smaller as compared with a single pile in the same location with the rear pile in a group,demonstrating a positive pile group effect.

Structure,Orientation and Finite Element Analysis of the Tail Club of Mamenchisaurus hochuanensis

The structure and orientation of the posterior extremity （tail club） of the caudal vertebrae of Mamenchisaurus hochuanensis Young and Chao, 1972 from the Upper Jurassic Shangshaximiao Formation has been analyzed to determine the tail club function using Finite Element Analysis. Of the four caudal vertebrae composing the tail club, the second largest （C＂1＂） was probably the most proximal, and is fixed with the preceding sequence of the caudal vertebrae, whereas the smallest （C＂4＂） is free and forms the termination of the tail club. Our analysis also suggests that the tail club is more efficient in lateral swinging rather than up-and-down motion, and that the best region for the tail club to impact is at the spine of the largest of the four caudals （C＂2＂）, with a maximum load for impact at about 450 N. The tail club of Mamenchisaurus hochuanensis probably also had limitations as a defense weapon and was more possibly a sensory organ to improve nerve conduction velocity to enhance the capacity for sensory perception of its surroundings.

Finite Element Analysis of 3-D Electromagnetic Field in Bloom Continuous Casting Mold

Three-dimensional finite element model of electromagnetic stirrer was built to predict magnetic field in a bloom continuous casting mold for steel during operation. The effects of current intensity, current frequency, and mold copper plate thickness on the magnetic field distribution in the mold were investigated. The results show that the magnetic induction intensity increases linearly with the increase in current intensity and decreases with the increase in current frequency. Increasing current intensity and frequency is available in increasing the electromagnetic force. The Joule heat decreases gradually from surface to center of bloom, and a maximum Joule heat can be found on corner of bloom. The prediction of magnetic induction intensity is in good agreement with the measured values.

Nonlinear Finite Element Analysis of Ocean Cables

This study has focused on developing numerical procedures for the dynamic nonlinear analysis of cable structures subjected to wave forces and ground motions in the ocean. A geometrically nonlinear finite element procedure using the isoparametric curved cable element based on the Lagrangian formulation is briefly summarized. A simple and accurate method to determine the initial equilibrium state of cable systems associated with self-weights, buoyancy and the motion of end points is presented using the load incremental method combined with penalty method. Also the Newmark method is used for dynamic nonlinear analysis of ocean cables. Numerical examples are presented to validate the present numerical method.

Finite element analysis of temperature and stress fields during selective laser melting process of Al−Mg−Sc−Zr alloy

A 3D finite element model was established to investigate the temperature and stress fields during the selective laser melting process of Al−Mg−Sc−Zr alloy.By considering the powder−solid transformation,temperaturedependent thermal properties,latent heat of phase transformations and molten pool convection,the effects of laser power,point distance and hatch spacing on the temperature distribution,molten pool dimensions and residual stress distribution were investigated.Then,the effects of laser power,point distance and hatch spacing on the microstructure,density and hardness of the alloy were studied by the experimental method.The results show that the molten pool size gradually increases as the laser power increases and the point distance and hatch spacing decrease.The residual stress mainly concentrates in the middle of the first scanning track and the beginning and end of each scanning track.Experimental results demonstrate the accuracy of the model.The density of the samples tends to increase and then decrease with increasing laser power and decreasing point distance and hatch spacing.The optimum process parameters are laser power of 325−375 W,point distance of 80−100μm and hatch spacing of 80μm.

3D finite element analysis on pile-soil interaction of passive pile group

The interaction between pile and soft soil of the passive pile group subjected to soil movement was analyzed with three-dimensional finite element model by using ANSYS software. The soil was assumed to be elastic-plastic complying with the Drucker-Prager yield criterion in the analysis. The large displacement of soil was considered and contact elements were used to evaluate the interaction between pile and soil. The influences of soil depth of layer and number of piles on the lateral pressure of the pile were investigated, and the lateral pressure distributions on the (2×1) pile group and on the (2×2) pile group were compared. The results show that the adjacent surcharge may result in significant lateral movement of the soft soil and considerable pressure on the pile. The pressure acting on the row near the surcharge is higher than that on the other row, due to the "barrier" and arching effects in pile groups. The passive load and its distribution should be taken into account in the design of the passive piles.