SteelConverter and Caltech VirtualShaker: Rapid Nonlinear Cloud-Based Structural Model Conversion and Analysis

STEEL, the Caltech created nonlinear large displacement analysis software, is currently used by a large number of researchers at Caltech. However, due to its complexity, lack of visualization tools (such as pre- and post-processing capabilities) rapid creation and analysis of models using this software was difficult. SteelConverter was created as a means to facilitate model creation through the use of the industry standard finite element solver ETABS. This software allows users to create models in ETABS and intelligently convert model information such as geometry, loading, releases, fixity, etc., into a format that STEEL understands. Models that would take several days to create and verify now take several hours or less. The productivity of the researcher as well as the level of confidence in the model being analyzed is greatly increased.

It has always been a major goal of Caltech to spread the knowledge created here to other universities. However, due to the complexity of STEEL it was difficult for researchers or engineers from other universities to conduct analyses. While SteelConverter did help researchers at Caltech improve their research, sending SteelConverter and its documentation to other universities was less than ideal. Issues of version control, individual computer requirements, and the difficulty of releasing updates made a more centralized solution preferred. This is where the idea for Caltech VirtualShaker was born. Through the creation of a centralized website where users could log in, submit, analyze, and process models in the cloud, all of the major concerns associated with the utilization of SteelConverter were eliminated. Caltech VirtualShaker allows users to create profiles where defaults associated with their most commonly run models are saved, and allows them to submit multiple jobs to an online virtual server to be analyzed and post-processed. The creation of this website not only allowed for more rapid distribution of this tool, but also created a means for engineers and researchers with no access to powerful computer clusters to run computationally intensive analyses without the excessive cost of building and maintaining a computer cluster.

In order to increase confidence in the use of STEEL as an analysis system, as well as verify the conversion tools, a series of comparisons were done between STEEL and ETABS. Six models of increasing complexity, ranging from a cantilever column to a twenty-story moment frame, were analyzed to determine the ability of STEEL to accurately calculate basic model properties such as elastic stiffness and damping through a free vibration analysis as well as more complex structural properties such as overall structural capacity through a pushover analysis. These analyses showed a very strong agreement between the two softwares on every aspect of each analysis. However, these analyses also showed the ability of the STEEL analysis algorithm to converge at significantly larger drifts than ETABS when using the more computationally expensive and structurally realistic fiber hinges. Following the ETABS analysis, it was decided to repeat the comparisons in a software more capable of conducting highly nonlinear analysis, called Perform. These analyses again showed a very strong agreement between the two softwares in every aspect of each analysis through instability. However, due to some limitations in Perform, free vibration analyses for the three story one bay chevron brace frame, two bay chevron brace frame, and twenty story moment frame could not be conducted. With the current trend towards ultimate capacity analysis, the ability to use fiber based models allows engineers to gain a better understanding of a building’s behavior under these extreme load scenarios.

Following this, a final study was done on Hall’s U20 structure [1] where the structure was analyzed in all three softwares and their results compared. The pushover curves from each software were compared and the differences caused by variations in software implementation explained. From this, conclusions can be drawn on the effectiveness of each analysis tool when attempting to analyze structures through the point of geometric instability. The analyses show that while ETABS was capable of accurately determining the elastic stiffness of the model, following the onset of inelastic behavior the analysis tool failed to converge. However, for the small number of time steps the ETABS analysis was converging, its results exactly matched those of STEEL, leading to the conclusion that ETABS is not an appropriate analysis package for analyzing a structure through the point of collapse when using fiber elements throughout the model. The analyses also showed that while Perform was capable of calculating the response of the structure accurately, restrictions in the material model resulted in a pushover curve that did not match that of STEEL exactly, particularly post collapse. However, such problems could be alleviated by choosing a more simplistic material model.

Uso de ambientes virtuais para a simulação de acidentes radiológicos

Em um ambiente virtual, construído com o uso de tecnologia computacional, encontram-se presentes entidades virtuais inseridas em um espaço tridimensional, que é utilizado para a simulação de processos críticos, como os acidentes radiológicos. A pronta detecção de um acidente radiológico e a determinação da sua possível extensão são fatores essenciais para o planejamento de respostas imediatas e de ações de emergência. A integração das representações georeferenciadas do espaço tridimensional, com modelos baseados em agentes autônomos, com o objetivo de construir ambientes virtuais que tenham a capacidade de simular acidentes radiológicos é a proposta dessa tese. As representações georeferenciadas do espaço tridimensional candidatas são: i)as representações espaciais usadas nos sistemas de informações geográficas (SIG) e ii) a representação adotada pelo Google MapsTM. Com o uso deste ambiente pode-se: quantificar as doses recebidas pelas pessoas; ter uma distribuição espacial das pessoas contaminadas; estimar o número de indivíduos contaminados; estimar o impacto na rede de saúde; estimar impactos ambientais; gerar zonas de exclusão; construir cenários alternativos; treinar pessoal técnico para lidar com acidentes radiológicos.

Fast and compact simulation models for a variety of FET nano devices by the CMOS EKV equations

In this paper we explore the possibility of using the equations of a well known compact model for CMOS transistors as a parameterized compact model for a variety of FET based nano-technology devices. This can turn out to be a practical preliminary solution for system level architectural researchers, who could simulate behaviourally large scale systems, while more physically based models become available for each new device. We have used a four parameter version of the EKV model equations and verified that fitting errors are similar to those when using them for standard CMOS FET transistors. The model has been used for fitting measured data from three types of FET nano-technology devices obeying different physics, for different fabrication steps, and under different programming conditions. © 2009 IEEE NANO Organizers.

FPGA, physics-based modeling of IGBT and pin diode for hardware co-simulation of complex power electronic converters and systems

This paper presents the steps and the challenges for implementing analytical, physics-based models for the insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) and the PIN diode in hardware and more specifically in field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). The models can be utilised in hardware co-simulation of complex power electronic converters and entire power systems in order to reduce the simulation time without compromising the accuracy of results. Such a co-simulation allows reliable prediction of the system's performance as well as accurate investigation of the power devices' behaviour during operation. Ultimately, this will allow application-specific optimisation of the devices' structure, circuit topologies as well as enhancement of the control and/or protection schemes.

一种基于Agent的自适应的分布式入侵检测系统

针对传统分布式入侵检测系统组件之间依赖程度大、系统不够健壮且入侵检测系统自身结构固定不能适应入侵的变化的问题,提出了一种基于Agent的自适应的分布式入侵检测系统(简称AAA-DIDS)·AAADIDS采用Agent概念重新构造系统的组件,改进了分布式入侵检测系统由于高层节点单一无冗余而产生的可靠性差的缺陷,从构造上克服了分布式入侵检测系统的脆弱性·同时,AAADIDS系统采用智能技术构建了自适应的入侵检测系统模型,增加了系统应对入侵行为变化的智能性·AAA-DIDS系统相对于传统的分布式入侵检测系统有效地提高了系统自身的可靠性和针对外界变化的适应能力·

一种基于Agent的自适应软件过程模型

传统的软件过程模型大多是静态的、机械的、被动的,它们要求软件工程人员在描述软件过程时预期所有可能发生的情况,并且显式地定义这些问题的解决方案.当软件过程所处的环境发生变化时,软件过程无法自适应地对这些变更作出相应的调整.提出了一种基于Agent的自适应软件过程模型.在这种软件过程模型中,软件过程被描述为一组相互独立而对等的实体——软件过程Agent.这些软件过程Agent能够对软件过程环境的变化主动地、自治地作出反应,动态地确定和变更其行为以实现软件开发的目标.

基于Agent的智能交通体系及仿真

交通问题已成为全世界所共同关注的主要问题 ,如何运用现代的科技手段来缓解日益严峻的交通压力 ,是目前研究的重点。该文基于目前交通问题及交通系统发展的现状 ,结合计算机软件技术的最新成果———Agent技术 ,提出了基于Agent技术的智能交通控制的体系结构 ,论述了该结构的优点 ;并根据Agent的特点 ,介绍了运用Agent技术进行交通仿真的优势 ,探讨了具体采用Agent技术进行交通仿真的方法。

一种基于移动Agent的复合Web服务容错模型

现有的Web服务容错侧重于通过扩展Web服务标准来提供容错能力.由于Web服务标准体系本身不断发展变化,并且标准之间的兼容性问题依然存在,使得这些研究成果的可实施性较弱.文章提出一种基于移动Agent的复合Web服务容错模型--MAFTM模型,从系统层次而非标准层次来解决复合Web服务的容错问题.首先说明基于移动Agent的工作流与复合Web服务的关系.在此基础上,给出MAFTM模型,包括故障类型、复制机制、"exactly once"语义和一致性算法,并证明MAFTM模型的正确性.

基于Rete算法的多Agent的实时协同推理

1 引言多Agent系统是由若干具有一个或多个目标的Agent按照一定的信息关系和控制关系以及问题求解能力的分布模式组成的系统,它主要研究一组在逻辑上或物理上分离的Agent之间行为的协调。目前,多Agent系统已应用于诸如空中交通控制、电子商务、通讯网络管理和作业调度等生产实际领域。Agent技术应用到实际领域时映射的对象一般有

基于Agent的机器人新型控制器模型研究

进行了基于Agent的机器人新型控制器模型研究 ,在指出传统机器人控制器的缺陷基础上首先介绍了机器人控制器适应先进制造要求的发展方向 ,在此基础上详细介绍了提出的基于Agent的机器人新型控制器模型 ,对于开发未来的开放化机器人控制器具有重要的指导意义。

网络环境下基于Agent的多机器人协调与路径规划

本文针对基于Ａｇｅｎｔ的分布协作式多机器人装配系统——ＤＡＭＡＳ的特点，在原有工作的基础上，提出了网络环境下基于Ａｇｅｎｔ的路径规划思想，重新定义Ａｇｅｎｔ各功能模块的内容，建立系统中的通讯机制．同时，介绍了系统进行路径规划的工作过程，给出了路径规划器的规划算法

基于Multi-Agent的生产过程建模与仿真技术研究

某些流程行业由于采用按配方进行分组加工的模式组织生产,在排产时存在多条路径调度优化的问题,应用一般的优化算法对于现场在线调度难以给出满意结果,而基于Agent的过程仿真在解决离散、非线性系统模拟方面有显著的优势,本文采用Agent的方法对生产过程建模,然后对方案组内的备选方案进行仿真,通过对比各方案的仿真结果找到最优的方案作为执行方案,为现场的优化排产提供决策支持。

Subsethood-based fuzzy modelling and classification

K. Rasmani and Q. Shen. Subsethood-based fuzzy modelling and classification. Proceedings of the 2004 UK Workshop on Computational Intelligence, pages 181-188.

The Multiscale Systems Immunology project: software for cell-based immunological simulation.

BACKGROUND: Computer simulations are of increasing importance in modeling biological phenomena. Their purpose is to predict behavior and guide future experiments. The aim of this project is to model the early immune response to vaccination by an agent based immune response simulation that incorporates realistic biophysics and intracellular dynamics, and which is sufficiently flexible to accurately model the multi-scale nature and complexity of the immune system, while maintaining the high performance critical to scientific computing. RESULTS: The Multiscale Systems Immunology (MSI) simulation framework is an object-oriented, modular simulation framework written in C++ and Python. The software implements a modular design that allows for flexible configuration of components and initialization of parameters, thus allowing simulations to be run that model processes occurring over different temporal and spatial scales. CONCLUSION: MSI addresses the need for a flexible and high-performing agent based model of the immune system.

An evaluation of remifentanil-sevoflurane response surface models in patients emerging from anesthesia: model improvement using effect-site sevoflurane concentrations.

INTRODUCTION: We previously reported models that characterized the synergistic interaction between remifentanil and sevoflurane in blunting responses to verbal and painful stimuli. This preliminary study evaluated the ability of these models to predict a return of responsiveness during emergence from anesthesia and a response to tibial pressure when patients required analgesics in the recovery room. We hypothesized that model predictions would be consistent with observed responses. We also hypothesized that under non-steady-state conditions, accounting for the lag time between sevoflurane effect-site concentration (Ce) and end-tidal (ET) concentration would improve predictions. METHODS: Twenty patients received a sevoflurane, remifentanil, and fentanyl anesthetic. Two model predictions of responsiveness were recorded at emergence: an ET-based and a Ce-based prediction. Similarly, 2 predictions of a response to noxious stimuli were recorded when patients first required analgesics in the recovery room. Model predictions were compared with observations with graphical and temporal analyses. RESULTS: While patients were anesthetized, model predictions indicated a high likelihood that patients would be unresponsive (> or = 99%). However, after termination of the anesthetic, models exhibited a wide range of predictions at emergence (1%-97%). Although wide, the Ce-based predictions of responsiveness were better distributed over a percentage ranking of observations than the ET-based predictions. For the ET-based model, 45% of the patients awoke within 2 min of the 50% model predicted probability of unresponsiveness and 65% awoke within 4 min. For the Ce-based model, 45% of the patients awoke within 1 min of the 50% model predicted probability of unresponsiveness and 85% awoke within 3.2 min. Predictions of a response to a painful stimulus in the recovery room were similar for the Ce- and ET-based models. DISCUSSION: Results confirmed, in part, our study hypothesis; accounting for the lag time between Ce and ET sevoflurane concentrations improved model predictions of responsiveness but had no effect on predicting a response to a noxious stimulus in the recovery room. These models may be useful in predicting events of clinical interest but large-scale evaluations with numerous patients are needed to better characterize model performance.