Evaluation of numerical procedures to determine seismic response of structures under influence of soil-structure interaction

In this study, the accuracy and reliability of fully nonlinear method against equivalent linear method for dynamic analysis of soil-structure interaction is investigated comparing the predicted results of both numerical procedures with the results of experimental shaking table tests. An enhanced numerical soil-structure model has been developed which treats the behaviour of the soil and the structure with equal rigour. The soil-structural model comprises a 15 storey structural model resting on a soft soil inside a laminar soil container. The structural model was analysed under three different conditions: (i) fixed base model performing conventional time history dynamic analysis, (ii) flexible base model (considering full soil-structure interaction) conducting equivalent linear dynamic analysis, and (iii) flexible base model performing fully nonlinear dynamic analysis. The results of the above mentioned three cases in terms of lateral storey deflections and inter-storey drifts are determined and compared with the experimental results of shaking table tests. Comparing the experimental results with the numerical analysis predictions, it is noted that equivalent linear method of dynamic analysis underestimates the inelastic seismic response of mid-rise moment resisting building frames resting on soft soils in comparison to the fully nonlinear dynamic analysis method. Thus, inelastic design procedure, using equivalent linear method, cannot adequately guarantee the structural safety for mid-rise building frames resting on soft soils. However, results obtained from the fully nonlinear method of analysis fit the experimental results reasonably well. Therefore, this method is recommended to be used by practicing engineers.

A family of simple and robust finite elements for linear and geometrically nonlinear analysis of laminated composite plates

A family of simple, displacement-based and shear-flexible triangular and quadrilateral flat plate/shell elements for linear and geometrically nonlinear analysis of thin to moderately thick laminate composite plates are introduced and summarized in this paper.

The developed elements are based on the first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT) and von-Karman’s large deflection theory, and total Lagrangian approach is employed to formulate the element for geometrically nonlinear analysis. The deflection and rotation functions of the element boundary are obtained from Timoshenko’s laminated composite beam functions, thus convergence can be ensured theoretically for very thin laminates and shear-locking problem is avoided naturally.

The flat triangular plate/shell element is of 3-node, 18-degree-of-freedom, and the plane displacement interpolation functions of the Allman’s triangular membrane element with drilling degrees of freedom are taken as the in-plane displacements of the element. The flat quadrilateral plate/shell element is of 4-node, 24-degree-of-freedom, and the linear displacement interpolation functions of a quadrilateral plane element with drilling degrees of freedom are taken as the in-plane displacements.

The developed elements are simple in formulation, free from shear-locking, and include conventional engineering degrees of freedom. Numerical examples demonstrate that the elements are convergent, not sensitive to mesh distortion, accurate and efficient for linear and geometric nonlinear analysis of thin to moderately thick laminates.

Nonlinear large deformation dynamic analysis of electroactive polymer actuators

Electroactive polymers have attracted considerable attention in recent years due to their sensing and actuating properties which make them a material of choice for a wide range of applications including sensors, biomimetic robots, and biomedical micro devices. This paper presents an effective modeling strategy for nonlinear large deformation (small strains and moderate rotations) dynamic analysis of polymer actuators. Considering that the complicated electro-chemo-mechanical dynamics of these actuators is a drawback for their application in functional devices, establishing a mathematical model which can effectively predict the actuator's dynamic behavior can be of paramount importance. To effectively predict the actuator's dynamic behavior, a comprehensive mathematical model is proposed correlating the input voltage and the output bending displacement of polymer actuators. The proposed model, which is based on the rigid finite element (RFE) method, consists of two parts, namely electrical and mechanical models. The former is comprised of a ladder network of discrete resistive-capacitive components similar to the network used to model transmission lines, while the latter describes the actuator as a system of rigid links connected by spring-damping elements (sdes). Both electrical and mechanical components are validated through experimental results.

Stability analysis of a general family of nonlinear positive discrete time-delay systems

In this paper, we propose a new approach to analyse the stability of a general family of nonlinear positive discrete time-delay systems. First, we introduce a new class of nonlinear positive discrete time-delay systems, which generalises some existing discrete time-delay systems. Second, through a new technique that relies on the comparison and mathematical induction method, we establish explicit criteria for stability and instability of the systems. Three numerical examples are given to illustrate the feasibility of the obtained results.

Chaotic synchronization of time-delay coupled Hindmarsh–Rose neurons via nonlinear control

Chaotic synchronization of two time-delay coupled Hindmarsh–Rose neurons via nonlinear control is investigated in this paper. Both the intrinsic slow current delay in a single Hindmarsh–Rose neuron and the coupling delay between the two neurons are considered. When there is no control, chaotic synchronization occurs for a limited range of the coupling strength and the time-delay values. To obtain complete chaotic synchronization irrespective of the time-delay or the coupling strength, we propose two nonlinear control schemes. The first uses adaptive control for chaotic synchronization of two electrically coupled delayed Hindmarsh–Rose neuron models. The second derives the sufficient conditions to ensure a complete synchronization between master and slave models through appropriate Lyapunov–Krasovskii functionals and the linear matrix inequality technique. Numerical simulations are carried out to show the effectiveness of the proposed methods.

Nonlinear identification of pneumatic servo-drive

Three nonlinear approaches to model the nonlinear pneumatic servo- drive are presented. The three nonlinear approaches are: (1) the multi input-single output (MISO) approach, which describes the single input-single output (SISO) nonlinear plant using a MISO linear representation which allows replacement of the nonlinear analysis by a linear one without approximation, and is studied in both time and frequency domains; (2) piecewise linearization, which systematically replaces, using artificial neural network, the nonlinear surface representing the plant in the hyper input-output space by a number of linear planes that are continuous over the boundaries between them; and (3) Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS), in which the fuzzy rules are placed in a neural network structure, and which consequently utilizes neural networks learning rules to systematically tune the nonlinear fuzzy model. The superiority of these nonlinear models over the best model that can be developed using linear identification techniques is shown.

There are always two sides to a story: the use of social dramas as a mode of data analysis in information systems

With the continually evolving social nature of information systems research there is a need to identify different “modes of analysis” (Myers, 1997) to uncover our understanding of the complex, messy and often chaotic nature of human factors. One suggested mode of analysis is that of social dramas, a tool developed in the anthropological discipline by Victor Turner. The use of social dramas also utilises the work by Goffman (1959; 1997) and enables the researcher to investigate events from the front stage, reporting obvious issues in systems implementation, and from the back stage, identifying the hidden aspects of systems implementation and the underpinning discourses. A case study exploring the social dramas involved in systems selection and implementation has been provided to support the use of this methodological tool.

Nonlinear discrimination using support vector machine

Appropriate training data always play an important role in constructing an efficient classifier to solve the data mining classification problem. Support Vector Machine (SVM) is a comparatively new approach in constructing a model/classifier for data analysis, based on Statistical Learning Theory (SLT). SVM utilizes a transformation of the basic constrained optimization problem compared to that of a quadratic programming method, which can be solved parsimoniously through standard methods. Our research focuses on SVM to classify a number of different sizes of data sets. We found SVM to perform well in the case of discrimination compared to some other existing popular classifiers.

Fractional polynomials and model selection in generalized estimating equations analysis, with an application to a longitudinal epidemiologic study in Australia

In epidemiologic studies, researchers often need to establish a nonlinear exposure-response relation between a continuous risk factor and a health outcome. Furthermore, periodic interviews are often conducted to take repeated measurements from an individual. The authors proposed to use fractional polynomial models to jointly analyze the effects of 2 continuous risk factors on a health outcome. This method was applied to an analysis of the effects of age and cumulative fluoride exposure on forced vital capacity in a longitudinal study of lung function carried out among aluminum workers in Australia (1995-2003). Generalized estimating equations and the quasi-likelihood under the independence model criterion were used. The authors found that the second-degree fractional polynomial models for age and fluoride fitted the data best. The best model for age was robust across different models for fluoride, and the best model for fluoride was also robust. No evidence was found to suggest that the effects of smoking and cumulative fluoride exposure on change in forced vital capacity over time were significant. The trend 1 model, which included the unexposed persons in the analysis of trend in forced vital capacity over tertiles of fluoride exposure, did not fit the data well, and caution should be exercised when this method is used.

Application of real and functional analysis to solve boundary value problems

This thesis is about using appropriate tools in functional analysis arid classical analysis to tackle the problem of existence and uniqueness of nonlinear partial differential equations. There being no unified strategy to deal with these equations, one approaches each equation with an appropriate method, depending on the characteristics of the equation. The correct setting of the problem in appropriate function spaces is the first important part on the road to the solution. Here, we choose the setting of Sobolev spaces. The second essential part is to choose the correct tool for each equation. In the first part of this thesis (Chapters 3 and 4) we consider a variety of nonlinear hyperbolic partial differential equations with mixed boundary and initial conditions. The methods of compactness and monotonicity are used to prove existence and uniqueness of the solution (Chapter 3). Finding a priori estimates is the main task in this analysis. For some types of nonlinearity, these estimates cannot be easily obtained, arid so these two methods cannot be applied directly. In this case, we first linearise the equation, using linear recurrence (Chapter 4). In the second part of the thesis (Chapter 5), by using an appropriate tool in functional analysis (the Sobolev Imbedding Theorem), we are able to improve previous results on a posteriori error estimates for the finite element method of lines applied to nonlinear parabolic equations. These estimates are crucial in the design of adaptive algorithms for the method, and previous analysis relies on, what we show to be, unnecessary assumptions which limit the application of the algorithms. Our analysis does not require these assumptions. In the last part of the thesis (Chapter 6), staying with the theme of choosing the most suitable tools, we show that using classical analysis in a proper way is in some cases sufficient to obtain considerable results. We study in this chapter nonexistence of positive solutions to Laplace's equation with nonlinear Neumann boundary condition. This problem arises when one wants to study the blow-up at finite time of the solution of the corresponding parabolic problem, which models the heating of a substance by radiation. We generalise known results which were obtained by using more abstract methods.

Combinatorial problem arising in chaotic control

An optimization problem arising in the analysis of controllability and stabilization of cycles in discrete time chaotic systems is considered.

A simple displacement-based quadrilateral laminated composite plate element : Part II : linear analysis

The 4-node, 24-dof quadrilateral displacement-based element (Zhang et al. 2004), which have been developed successfully for linear analysis of thin to thick laminated composite plates, is extended further for geometrically nonlinear analysis in this paper. The proposed element is based on the first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT) and von-Karman's large deflection theory, and the total Lagrangian approach is employed to formulate the element. The deflection and rotation functions of the element boundary are obtained from Timoshenko's laminated composite beam functions. The developed element is simple in formulation, free from shear-locking, and include conventional engineering degrees of freedom. Numerical examples demonstrate that the element is accurate and efficient for large deformation, small rotation geometrically nonlinear analysis of thin to moderately thick laminated composite plates.