Computational Methods in Engineering

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In this paper, a new method is proposed for the speed control of a three-phase current forced synchronous machine drive. This metohd is based on the use of an approximate constant commutation safety margin angle in the output thyristor bridge of the drive system as well as on the compenastion of stator magnetization reaction. The commutation process in the output converter of the machine drive is naturally performed by means of the rotor induced emfs in the stator winding. In comparsion with other speed control methods reported for these types of drives, this method is more stable and robust. In additon, higher efficency and power factor can be achieved for the synchronous machine drive through this method. The impacts of rotor damper windings on the drive system performance are also explained in the paper.

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The paper presents the results of casting and testing of 264 GFRC specimens. The glass fibers were 25 mm long, with the aspect ratio (L/D) ranging between 1250 and 3570. The parameters studied were the ratio (by weight) of fibers to cement, i.e. F/C=0%, 1.5%, 3%, and 4.5%, and the ratio of coarse to fine aggregates (gravel to sand), i.e. G/S=1.1, 0.7 and 0.2. In total, 12 mix designs were selected for GFRC specimens while the water-cement ratio was constant and equal to W/C=0.4. The balling of glass fibers in the mix was overcome by using adequate and sufficient antistatic agents. The specimens were tested under compressive, tensile and flexular loading at the ages of 7 and 28 days. Furthermore, the modulus of elasticity and the absorption of the concretes were determined. Finally, the mechanical and physical properties of the GFRC specimens were analysed and an empirical expression describing the modulus of elasticity of the GFRC was proposed.

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In most cases, structural engineers assume a concrete floor to be a rigid diaphragm. Although this simplification is in most cases acceptable, it should be noted that such an assumption may be distrusted due to certain problems. Concrete structures with staggered shear walls are among those whose analysis should be conducted with special concern for the behavior of their floor diaphragms. However, in the structures with staggered shear walls, the horizontal shear due to lateral loads is transmitted to the lower stories through the floor diaphragm since the walls are not usually located over each other in consecutive stories. Therefore, the rigidity of the floor diaphragm is of great importance. In the present study, a parametric analysis was performed to investigate the effect of the rigidity of the floor diaphragm on the load-carrying procedure of the structures with staggered shear walls. The investigated parameters were the number of stories, the ratio of length to width of the plan, and the thickness of walls and diaphragms. Furthermore, the study was carried out for both rectangular and I-shaped plans. All analyses were dynamically performed by ANSYS 5.4 using acceleration spectrum recommended by Iranian Building Code Standard No. 2800. Finally, the behavior of these structures and comparison of the frequencies, the maximum lateral displacements and the shear in the walls and columns as the responses of rigid and flexible diaphragms were highlighted and outlined. Keywords: Reinforced concrete, staggered shear wall, load carrying, floor diaphragm, rigidity.

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In this paper, mixed forced and natural convection heat transfer in a rectangular cavity has been numerically studied. the cavity receives a uniform heat flux from one side and is ventilated with a uniform external flow. The external flow enters the cavity from the heated side and leaves the cavity from the opposite side. The velocity and temperature fields and heat transfer rate are determined by solving the two-dimensional continuity, momentum and energy equations. In this research, steady-state flow with constant Reynolds number, Re=100, is considered. Rayleigh number is in the range of 0≤Ra≤107. First, the results are presented for a cavity with constant aspect ratio, AR=2, and four different inlet and exit opening positions. Then cases with a fixed opening position and different aspect ratios including 0.1, 0.25, 1, 4 and 10 are modeled. In the cavities with opening in the bottom or cavities with aspect ratios less than one, the results show weak effects of natural convection on heat transfer. This research has been done for air as a working fluid (Pr=0.71). In some cases, the results are compared with those from previous studies. Keywords: Convection, Natural, Forced, Cavity, Rayleigh, Ventilate

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Triaxial consolidated drained, unconfined compression, and CBR tests have been conducted in order to study the stress-strain, strength, and volume change characteristics of fine sand specimens reinforced by polymeric fibers made from carpet wastes. The variables are aspect ratio (length/width) and weight percentage of the fibers. The results indicate that the peak strength and total volume change of reinforced specimens increase whereas the maximum elastic modulus decreases as the fiber content increases. The rate of increase in the peak strength and total volume change, however, diminishes with increasing the fiber content. The effect of increase in the aspect ratio on results is similar to that of the fiber content.

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Forced hydraulic jump in a horizontal stilling basin with one and two continuous sills at the downstream end of an ogee standard weir was investigated. Experiments were completed on sills of five different heights which were fixed at two different distances from the toe of the weir. The main characteristics of the jump such as the sequent depth ratio, relative roller length, and relative energy loss were analysed. Based on the momentum equation and using an experimental coefficient, a method was adopted to predict the sequent depth ratio. Using the results of the experiments, an analytical expression was developed for the prediction of the relative roller length. These methods agree well with the writers, and other investigators, experiments. The results of experiments on one and two prolonged sills showed that by increasing the height of the sill or shortering the distance of the sill from the toe of the weir, the reduction of the sequent depth and also the roller length obtains, but the energy loss increases

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In this article, turbulent flow heat transfer in the air gap between rotor and stator of a generator under nonhomogeneous heat flux is studied experimentally. The rotor consists of four symmetrical triangular grooves. The stator surface is smooth and does not include any grooves. The relative heat flux between the rotor and the stator is 1 to 3. Temperature and heat flux are measured locally at three axial and two angular positions of inner and outer surface. The pressure drop of air flow through the air gap is also measured. In this work, the axial Reynolds number and rotational velocity of the rotor ranges are 4000

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Although studies on RC beams under shear have a history record of more than 100 years, many important issues in this context still remain that have evaded attention. The aim of the current study is to study a number of these less investigated aspects of the behavior of RC beams under shear. For this purpose, and based on the modified compression field theory, a computer program has been written to study the effects of transverse and longitudinal steel reinforcement and shear span, a/d, on the behavior of RC beams under shear. The results show that the shear capacity of the beam cannot be increased beyond an optimum amount of transverse steel ratio. This paper will try to provide a precise definition of this optimum transverse steel ratio. Another finding of the present study is that increasing tensile longitudinal steel ratio increases the amount of the optimum transverse steel ratio, while increasing a/d decreases the optimum transverse steel ratio.

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Stability of reinforced slopes is almost always carried out using limit equilibrium methods and controlled by the shear strengths of the slope materials and the extension force of reinforcements. According to limit equilibrium methods, the stability of slopes is assessed by dividing the whole failure wedge into several vertical elements. In order to determine the safety factor of the reinforced slopes, a new approach is proposed based on the inclined slices method. According to this approach, a 4n formulation is introduced which uses fewer unknowns and a simpler formulation to calculate the extension forces of reinforcements and safety factors of the slopes. Additionally, moment and forces equilibrium in all slices are taken into account while the tensile force of each reinforcing element is independently calculated. Comparisons revealed differences at 5 to 10 percent level between analytical results obtained from this method and those of ReSSA software.

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In this research, nonlinear dynamic analysis of concrete shear wall using a new nonlinear model based on damage mechanics approach and considering bond slip effects is presented. Nonlinear behavior of concrete is modeled by a rotational smeared crack model using damage mechanics approach. The proposed model considers major characteristics of the concrete subjected to two and three dimensional loading conditions. These characteristics are pre-softening behavior, softening initiation criteria and fracture energy conservation. The model was used in current research analysis after verification by some available numerical tests. Reinforcements are modeled by a bilinear relationship using two models: Discrete truss steel element and Smeared model. In Discrete model the effects of bond-slide between concrete and rebar is mentioned using the bond-link element model concept. Based on the presented algorithms and methodology, an FEM code is developed in FORTRAN. The validity of the proposed models and numerical algorithms has been checked using the available experimental results. Finally, numerical simulation of CAMUS I and CAMUS III reinforced concrete shear walls is carried out. Comparisons of deduced results confirm the validity of proposed models. The obtained results, both in the expected displacements and crack profiles for the walls, show a good accuracy with respect to the experimental results. Also, using discrete truss element model with respect to the smeared steel model leads to increasing the accuracy of maximum displacement response to 7% in analysis.

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This paper presents a macro model to predict unreinforced masonry structures in plane behavior. The model is based on the concept of multilaminate theory. In the past, the method has been used to model behavior of soil, disregarding the cohesion and the tensile strength. Regarding its mathematical base, and the possibility of applying in other cases, this method is used to predict the ultimate failur load in URM structures in present study. This model is intrinsically capable of spotting induced anisotropy of brittle material such as concrete, rocks and masonry, develponig as a result of cracking. Here, the yield surface applied, consists an generalized mohr-coulomb yield surface, along with a cap model and a cut-off tensile. Comparing numerical results predicted to be obtained in non-linear analysis of masonry structures unreinforced against lateral load, with the results of ther experimental data shows capability of the model in failure analysis of URM structures.