Modelling and analysis of thin-walled beams in the context of the Generalized Beam Theory

In this work, the Generalized Beam Theory (GBT) is used as the main tool to analyze the mechanics of thin-walled beams. After an introduction to the subject and a quick review of some of the most well-known approaches to describe the behaviour of thin-walled beams, a novel formulation of the GBT is presented. This formulation contains the classic shear-deformable GBT available in the literature and contributes an additional description of cross-section warping that is variable along the wall thickness besides along the wall midline. Shear deformation is introduced in such a way that the classical shear strain components of the Timoshenko beam theory are recovered exactly. According to the new kinematics proposed, a reviewed form of the cross-section analysis procedure is devised, based on a unique modal decomposition. Later, a procedure for a posteriori reconstruction of all the three-dimensional stress components in the finite element analysis of thin-walled beams using the GBT is presented. The reconstruction is simple and based on the use of three-dimensional equilibrium equations and of the RCP procedure. Finally, once the stress reconstruction procedure is presented, a study of several existing issues on the constitutive relations in the GBT is carried out. Specifically, a constitutive law based on mirroring the kinematic constraints of the GBT model into a specific stress field assumption is proposed. It is shown that this method is equally valid for isotropic and orthotropic beams and coincides with the conventional GBT approach available in the literature. Later on, an analogous procedure is presented for the case of laminated beams. Lastly, as a way to improve an inherently poor description of shear deformability in the GBT, the introduction of shear correction factors is proposed. Throughout this work, numerous examples are provided to determine the validity of all the proposed contributions to the field.

Optimization of modal filters based on arrays of piezoelectric sensors

Modal filters may be obtained by a properly designed weighted sum of the output signals of an array of sensors distributed on the host structure. Although several research groups have been interested in techniques for designing and implementing modal filters based on a given array of sensors, the effect of the array topology on the effectiveness of the modal filter has received much less attention. In particular, it is known that some parameters, such as size, shape and location of a sensor, are very important in determining the observability of a vibration mode. Hence, this paper presents a methodology for the topological optimization of an array of sensors in order to maximize the effectiveness of a set of selected modal filters. This is done using a genetic algorithm optimization technique for the selection of 12 piezoceramic sensors from an array of 36 piezoceramic sensors regularly distributed on an aluminum plate, which maximize the filtering performance, over a given frequency range, of a set of modal filters, each one aiming to isolate one of the first vibration modes. The vectors of the weighting coefficients for each modal filter are evaluated using QR decomposition of the complex frequency response function matrix. Results show that the array topology is not very important for lower frequencies but it greatly affects the filter effectiveness for higher frequencies. Therefore, it is possible to improve the effectiveness and frequency range of a set of modal filters by optimizing the topology of an array of sensors. Indeed, using 12 properly located piezoceramic sensors bonded on an aluminum plate it is shown that the frequency range of a set of modal filters may be enlarged by 25-50%.

Identificação modal e simulação da resposta sísmica de barragens abóbada

Trabalho Final de Mestrado elaborado no Laboratório Nacional de Engenharia Civil (LNEC) para a obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia Civil pelo Instituto Superior de Engenharia de Lisboa no âmbito do protocolo de cooperação ente o ISEL e o LNEC

Observação e modelação do comportamento dinâmico do viaduto do Corgo: utilização integrada de modelos de identificação modal e modelos de elementos finitos de barra

Trabalho Final de Mestrado elaborado no Laboratório Nacional de Engenharia Civil (LNEC) para a obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia Civil pelo Instituto Superior de Engenharia de Lisboa no âmbito do protocolo de Cooperação entre o ISEL e o LNEC

Análise modal baseada apenas na resposta: decomposição no domínio da frequência

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Complex modal analysis of a slender vertical rotor by finite elements method

In this paper, natural frequencies were analyzed (axial, torsional and flexural) and frequency response of a vertical rotor with a hard disk at the edge through the classical modal and complex analysis. The equation that rules the movement was obtained through the Lagrangian formulation. The model considered the effects of bending, torsion and axial deformation of the shaft, besides the gravitational and gyroscopic effects. The finite element method was used to discretize the structure into hollow cylindrical elements with 12 degrees of freedom. Mass, stiffness and gyroscopic matrices were explained consistently. The classical modal analysis, usually applied to stationary structures, does not consider an important characteristic of rotating machinery which are the methods of forward and backward whirl. Initially, through the traditional modal analysis, axial and torsional natural frequencies were obtained in a static shaft, since they do not suffer the influence of gyroscopic effects. Later research was performed by complex modal analysis. This type of tool, based on the use of complex coordinates to describe the dynamic behavior of rotating shaft, allows the decomposition of the system in two submodes, backward and forward. Thus, it is possible to clearly visualize that the orbit and direction of the precessional motion around the line of the rotating shaft is not deformed. A finite element program was developed using MATLAB (TM) and numerical simulations were performed to validate this model. Natural frequencies and directional frequency forced response (dFRF) were obtained using the complex modal analysis for a simple vertical rotor and also for a typical drill string used in the construction of oil wells.

Complex modal analysis of a vertical rotor through finite element method

Natural frequencies were analyzed (axial, torsional and flexural) and frequency response of a vertical rotor with a hard disk at the edge through the classical and complex modal analysis. The mathematical modeling was based on the theory of Euler-Bernoulli beam. The equation that rules the movement was obtained through the Lagrangian formulation. The model considered the effects of bending, torsion and axial deformation of the shaft, besides the gravitational and gyroscopic effects. The finite element method was used to discretize the structure into hollow cylindrical elements with 12 degrees of freedom. Mass, stiffness and gyroscopic matrices were explained consistently. This type of tool, based on the use of complex coordinates to describe the dynamic behavior of rotating shaft, allows the decomposition of the system in two submodes, backward and forward. Thus, it is possible to clearly visualize that the orbit and direction of the precessional motion around the line of the rotating shaft is not deformed. A finite element program was developed using Matlab ®, and numerical simulations were performed to validate this model.

Wavelets in High-Capacity DWDM Systems and Modal-Division Multiplexed Transmissions

Optical communications receivers using wavelet signals processing is proposed in this paper for dense wavelength-division multiplexed (DWDM) systems and modal-division multiplexed (MDM) transmissions. The optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) required to demodulate polarization-division multiplexed quadrature phase shift keying (PDM-QPSK) modulation format is alleviated with the wavelet denoising process. This procedure improves the bit error rate (BER) performance and increasing the transmission distance in DWDM systems. Additionally, the wavelet-based design relies on signal decomposition using time-limited basis functions allowing to reduce the computational cost in Digital-Signal-Processing (DSP) module. Attending to MDM systems, a new scheme of encoding data bits based on wavelets is presented to minimize the mode coupling in few-mode (FWF) and multimode fibers (MMF). The Shifted Prolate Wave Spheroidal (SPWS) functions are proposed to reduce the modal interference.

Compact Ag@fe3o4 Core-shell Nanoparticles By Means Of Single-step Thermal Decomposition Reaction.

A temperature pause introduced in a simple single-step thermal decomposition of iron, with the presence of silver seeds formed in the same reaction mixture, gives rise to novel compact heterostructures: brick-like Ag@Fe3O4 core-shell nanoparticles. This novel method is relatively easy to implement, and could contribute to overcome the challenge of obtaining a multifunctional heteroparticle in which a noble metal is surrounded by magnetite. Structural analyses of the samples show 4 nm silver nanoparticles wrapped within compact cubic external structures of Fe oxide, with curious rectangular shape. The magnetic properties indicate a near superparamagnetic like behavior with a weak hysteresis at room temperature. The value of the anisotropy involved makes these particles candidates to potential applications in nanomedicine.

Thermal decomposition of mercerized linter cellulose and its acetates obtained from a homogeneous reaction

Cellulose acetates with different degrees of substitution (DS, from 0.6 to 1.9) were prepared from previously mercerized linter cellulose, in a homogeneous medium, using N,N-dimethylacetamide/lithium chloride as a solvent system. The influence of different degrees of substitution on the properties of cellulose acetates was investigated using thermogravimetric analyses (TGA). Quantitative methods were applied to the thermogravimetric curves in order to determine the apparent activation energy (Ea) related to the thermal decomposition of untreated and mercerized celluloses and cellulose acetates. Ea values were calculated using Broido's method and considering dynamic conditions. Ea values of 158 and 187 kJ mol-1 were obtained for untreated and mercerized cellulose, respectively. A previous study showed that C6OH is the most reactive site for acetylation, probably due to the steric hindrance of C2 and C3. The C6OH takes part in the first step of cellulose decomposition, leading to the formation of levoglucosan and, when it is changed to C6OCOCH3, the results indicate that the mechanism of thermal decomposition changes to one with a lower Ea. A linear correlation between Ea and the DS of the acetates prepared in the present work was identified.

Thermal behavior and decomposition kinetics of rifampicin polymorphs under isothermal and non-isothermal conditions

The thermal behavior of two polymorphic forms of rifampicin was studied by DSC and TG/DTG. The thermoanalytical results clearly showed the differences between the two crystalline forms. Polymorph I was the most thermally stable form, the DSC curve showed no fusion for this species and the thermal decomposition process occurred around 245 ºC. The DSC curve of polymorph II showed two consecutive events, an endothermic event (Tpeak = 193.9 ºC) and one exothermic event (Tpeak = 209.4 ºC), due to a melting process followed by recrystallization, which was attributed to the conversion of form II to form I. Isothermal and non-isothermal thermogravimetric methods were used to determine the kinetic parameters of the thermal decomposition process. For non-isothermal experiments, the activation energy (Ea) was derived from the plot of Log β vs 1/T, yielding values for polymorph form I and II of 154 and 123 kJ mol-1, respectively. In the isothermal experiments, the Ea was obtained from the plot of lnt vs 1/T at a constant conversion level. The mean values found for form I and form II were 137 and 144 kJ mol-1, respectively.

Biaxial strain-induced suppression of spinodal decomposition in GaMnAs and GaCrAs

The thermodynamic properties of the magnetic semiconductors GaMnAs and GaCrAs are studied under biaxial strain. The calculations are based on the projector augmented wave method combined with the generalized quasichemical approach to treat the disorder and composition effects. Considering the influence of biaxial strain, we find a tendency to the suppression of binodal decomposition mainly for GaMnAs under compressive strain. For a substrate with a lattice constant 5% smaller than the one of GaAs, for GaMnAs, the solubility limit increases up to 40%. Thus, the strain can be a useful tool for tailoring magnetic semiconductors to the formation or not of embedded nanoclusters. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3448025]

Direct evidence of singlet molecular oxygen generation from peroxynitrate, a decomposition product of peroxynitrite

The decomposition of peroxynitrite to nitrite and dioxygen at neutral pH follows complex kinetics, compared to its isomerization to nitrate at low pH. Decomposition may involve radicals or proceed by way of the classical peracid decomposition mechanism. Peroxynitrite (ONOOH/ONOO(-)) decomposition has been proposed to involve formation of peroxynitrate (O(2)NOOH/O(2)NOO(-)) at neutral pH (D. Gupta, B. Harish, R. Kissner and W. H. Koppenol, Dalton Trans., 2009, DOI: 10.1039/b905535e, see accompanying paper in this issue). Peroxynitrate is unstable and decomposes to nitrite and dioxygen. This study aimed to investigate whether O(2)NOO(-) formed upon ONOOH/ONOO(-) decomposition generates singlet molecular oxygen [O(2) ((1)Delta(g))]. As unequivocally revealed by the measurement of monomol light emission in the near infrared region at 1270 nm and by chemical trapping experiments, the decomposition of ONOO(-) or O(2)NOOH at neutral to alkaline pH generates O(2) ((1)Delta(g)) at a yield of ca. 1% and 2-10%, respectively. Characteristic light emission, corresponding to O(2) ((1)Delta(g)) monomolecular decay was observed for ONOO(-) and for O(2)NOOH prepared by reaction of H(2)O(2) with NO(2)BF(4) and of H(2)O(2) with NO(2)(-) in HClO(4). The generation of O(2) ((1)Delta(g)) from ONOO(-) increased in a concentration-dependent manner in the range of 0.1-2.5 mM and was dependent on pH, giving a sigmoid pro. le with an apparent pK(a) around pD 8.1 (pH 7.7). Taken together, our results clearly identify the generation of O(2) ((1)Delta(g)) from peroxynitrate [O(2)NOO(-) -> NO(2)(-) + O(2) ((1)Delta(g))] generated from peroxynitrite and also from the reactions of H(2)O(2) with either NO(2)BF(4) or NO(2)(-) in acidic media.

Simulation of sugarcane residue decomposition and aboveground growth

Due to the worldwide increase in demand for biofuels, the area cultivated with sugarcane is expected to increase. For environmental and economic reasons, an increasing proportion of the areas are being harvested without burning, leaving the residues on the soil surface. This periodical input of residues affects soil physical, chemical and biological properties, as well as plant growth and nutrition. Modeling can be a useful tool in the study of the complex interactions between the climate, residue quality, and the biological factors controlling plant growth and residue decomposition. The approach taken in this work was to parameterize the CENTURY model for the sugarcane crop, to simulate the temporal dynamics of aboveground phytomass and litter decomposition, and to validate the model through field experiment data. When studying aboveground growth, burned and unburned harvest systems were compared, as well as the effect of mineral fertilizer and organic residue applications. The simulations were performed with data from experiments with different durations, from 12 months to 60 years, in Goiana, TimbaA(0)ba and Pradpolis, Brazil; Harwood, Mackay and Tully, Australia; and Mount Edgecombe, South Africa. The differentiation of two pools in the litter, with different decomposition rates, was found to be a relevant factor in the simulations made. Originally, the model had a basically unlimited layer of mulch directly available for decomposition, 5,000 g m(-2). Through a parameter optimization process, the thickness of the mulch layer closer to the soil, more vulnerable to decomposition, was set as 110 g m(-2). By changing the layer of mulch at any given time available for decomposition, the sugarcane residues decomposition simulations where close to measured values (R (2) = 0.93), contributing to making the CENTURY model a tool for the study of sugarcane litter decomposition patterns. The CENTURY model accurately simulated aboveground carbon stalk values (R (2) = 0.76), considering burned and unburned harvest systems, plots with and without nitrogen fertilizer and organic amendment applications, in different climates and soil conditions.

A contribution to the exact modal solution of in-plane beam structures

The exact vibration modes and natural frequencies of planar structures and mechanisms, comprised Euler-Bernoulli beams, are obtained by solving a transcendental. nonlinear, eigenvalue problem stated by the dynamic stiffness matrix (DSM). To solve this kind of problem, the most employed technique is the Wittrick-Williams algorithm, developed in the early seventies. By formulating a new type of eigenvalue problem, which preserves the internal degrees-of-freedom for all members in the model, the present study offers an alternative to the use of this algorithm. The new proposed eigenvalue problem presents no poles, so the roots of the problem can be found by any suitable iterative numerical method. By avoiding a standard formulation for the DSM, the local mode shapes are directly calculated and any extension to the beam theory can be easily incorporated. It is shown that the method here adopted leads to exact solutions, as confirmed by various examples. Extensions of the formulation are also given, where rotary inertia, end release, skewed edges and rigid offsets are all included. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.