The paper presents the analysis of strength and stiffness of metric threaded steel rods glued in glulam obtained by using two different gluing methods. The first method is used when the threaded steel rod is glued into a groove larger than the rod’s diameter, while the second method is applied when the diameter of the groove is smaller than the diameter of the threaded steel rod. The steel rod is covered with glue before it is inserted into the smaller diameter groove. The first method investigates the 2-mm-thick glue-line, while the second method analyses the contact when the groove’s diameter is 2 mm smaller than the outer diameter of the rod. Epoxy-type resin is used for both gluing methods. Different gluing methods present different interactions between the steel rod and glulam which result in different failure modes. The second method presents a plastic failure between the steel rod and glulam caused by the local compression and shear of glulam. The presented studies are made using metric threaded steel rods of diameters M12 and M16. In total, 20 specimens are experimentally tested in tension-to-tension tests performed according to EN 26891. The interaction between glulam and glued steel rods is also investigated using the 3D finite element modelling. The results obtained using the proposed 3D finite element model with different contact conditions between steel and glulam and the failure criterion for timber shear are well in line with the experimental findings.
In this paper, finite element modelling is employed for simulating and analysing seepage and slope stability of earthfill dam via GeoStudio software. Two products are employed, which are SLOPE/W for slope stability and SEEP/W for seepage analysis. The behaviour of earthfill dam with four different types of sandy soils having different values of hydraulic conductivity (K) has been studied. Different upstream (US) slopes of 1:2, 1:2.5, 1:3 and 1:3.5 for the earthfill dam are simulated. The downstream (DS) slope is constant at 1:2. The results showed for all the four types of soils that when the US slope is increased, the amount of seepage from the dam increases and the factor of safety (F) decreases. For each US slope, when K (type of soil) increases, both seepage and F increase. Fine sand soil is associated with less seepage and less F. Sixteen equations are obtained to predict both seepage and F with respect to US slope for each type of soil and K of the soil for US slope. An experimental model for earthfill dam is constructed in the laboratory of hydraulics, Benha University to investigate the seepage of water through earthfill dams. It is concluded that seepage decreased when K decreased, and when the US slope for each type of soil decreased. The seepage increased when K increased for each US slope. Seven equations are obtained to predict seepage with respect to US slope for each type of soil, and K for each US slope.
The present paper is dedicated to the analysis of deployable tensegrity columns. The main aim of this work is to present a technique, developed by combining the finite element (FE) analysis and the multibody dynamics (MBD) simulation, which enables precise and reliable simulations of deployable structures. While the finite element model of the column provides information on structural behavior in the deployed state, the dynamical modeling allows to analyze various deployment scenarios, choose active cables for the deployment and for the self-stress application, and to control distributions of internal forces during the assembly process. An example of a deployable column based on a popular tensegrity module – a 3-strut simplex – is presented. By analyzing the proposed column with the use of the developed method it is proven that the technique is suitable for complex simulations of deployable systems.
The web-tapered I-columns have the capacity to resist the flexural buckling and lateral torsional buckling at a particular location where as in the rest of the member the capacity is lower. There needs a focusing on the nonprismatic members, to find the buckling capacity and standard procedures are to be framed in Indian Code IS 800:2007. This exploratory research explores simulated finite element models covering a total of 60 web tapered column sections having taper ratios (h2/h1) from 1.0 to 3.0 using FEA software ANSYS17.2. With an elaborate Eigenvalue buckling analysis, this research has come up with newer design equation for calculating the buckling load of web tapered I columns. This novel equation could predict the buckling stress for any taper ratio of web tapered I column of any length.
This paper describes the analyses of the fatigue life of the asphalt pavement reinforced with geogrid interlayer under traffic loading. Finite Element ANSYS package with using nCode applications, as well as macros specially designed in APDL programming script and VBA were used to model the considered problem. Our analysis included computation of stress, fatigue life, damage matrix and rainflow matrix. The method applied was the one of fatigue calculation: stress – number of cycles in short S-N. On the basis of the performed high cycle fatigue analysis, the influence of the location of the used geogrid and of its bond with asphalt layers on the fatigue life and the work of the asphalt pavement structure were determined. The study was carried out for three temperature seasons i.e. spring and fall (assumed as one season), winter and summer. The variability of the traffic conditions were taken into account by assuming weekly blocks of traffic loading. The calculations were made using the real values of loading measured in field tests on the German highways by means of HS-WIM weighing system. As a result of the performed tests, it was proved that the use of geogrid-reinforcement may prolong the fatigue life of the asphalt pavement. However, it is required that: the geogrid should be located in the tension zone as low as possible in the structure of the asphalt layers. Moreover, it is necessary to provide high stiffness of the bond between the geogrid and the asphalt layers.
This paper concerns load testing of typical bridge structures performed prior to operation. In-situ tests of a twospan post-tensioned bridge loaded with three vehicles of 38-ton mass each formed the input of this study. On the basis of the results of these measurements an advanced FEM model of the structure was developed for which the sensitivity analysis was performed for chosen uncertainty sources. Three uncorrelated random variables representing material uncertainties, imperfections of positioning and total mass of loading vehicles were indicated. Afterwards, two alternative FE models were created based on a fully parametrised geometry of the bridge, differing by a chosen global parameter – the skew angle of the structure. All three solid models were subjected to probabilistic analyses with the use of second-order Response Surface Method in order to define the features of structural response of the models. It was observed that both the ranges of expected deflections and their corresponding mean values decreased with an increase of the skewness of the bridge models. Meanwhile, the coefficient of variation and relative difference between the mean value and boundary quantiles of the ranges remain insensitive to the changes in the skew angle. Owing to this, a procedure was formulated to simplify the process of load testing design of typical bridges differing by a chosen global parameter. The procedure allows - if certain conditions are fulfilled - to perform probabilistic calculations only once and use the indicated probabilistic parameters in the design of other bridges for which calculations can be performed deterministically.
This article presents results of the numerical analysis of the interaction between heavy caterpillar tracks system and subsoil. The main goal of the article is to present an algorithm to design working platforms - temporary structures enabling the work of heavy construction equipment on weak subsoils. A semi-analytical method is based on the results of the numerical analysis performed with use of the finite element method (FE software ZSoil.PC [12]). The calculations were carried out for the piling rig machine - Bauer BH20H (BT60). Three ground models were adopted: Model 1: one layer - weak cohesive soil (clay); Model 2: two layers: weak cohesive soil (clay) and cohesionless working platform (medium sand); Model 3: one layer: strong cohesionless subsoil (medium sand). The following problems were solved: I) entry of the machine on the ground with various geotechnical parameters under each caterpillar tracks II) detection of the maximum permissible angle of ground slope.