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Article
Publication date: 24 April 2020

Jiawei Wang and Quansheng sun

In order not to affect the highway and railway traffic under the bridge during the construction process, bridges adopting swivel construction method are increasingly used at areas…

Abstract

Purpose

In order not to affect the highway and railway traffic under the bridge during the construction process, bridges adopting swivel construction method are increasingly used at areas where the traffic is heavy. Previous studies are mostly conducted by assuming that the bridge is under its own stability conditions, without considering the impact of construction error, changes of external condition and wind-induced vibration on the stability of the bridge, which poses serious challenges to the bridge construction process. This paper aims to analyze the extent to which static load and fluctuating wind effect influence structural stability and to test the credibility of the structure.

Design/methodology/approach

A finite element calculation method is used to analyze a T-shaped rigid frame swivel bridge. A full bridge model was built, and a local model of the turntable structure established; the two are then combined means of node coupling. Subsequently, the three sensitivity indexes – deflection rate, stress change rate and the change rate of spherical hinges – are used to evaluate in what way the bridge stability is influenced under various factors.

Findings

It is found that the stability of the swivel bridge is quite sensitive to unilateral overweight, steel beam tension and wind-induced vibration effects but less sensitive to the change of bulk density. Also found is that the change of elastic modulus exerts some effects on deflection but has negligible effects on other stability indexes. Furthermore, the transverse unbalanced torque on the bridge generated by wind-induced vibration is an important factor in determining the size of the turntable, indicating that it is not just controlled by the weight of the bridge.

Originality/value

All factors affecting the stability of swivel construction are analyzed, and solutions to reduce the influence are proposed. The influence of wind-induced vibration effects on swivel construction is analyzed for the first time. It is pointed out that wind-induced vibration effects have great influence on the structure, and its influence could not be neglected.

Details

Multidiscipline Modeling in Materials and Structures, vol. 16 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1573-6105

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 December 2022

Muizz Oladapo Sanni-Anibire and Yusuf A. Adenle

Vertical urban settlements are becoming the predominant form of contemporary urban design in response to population increase and rapid urbanization. These developments are…

Abstract

Purpose

Vertical urban settlements are becoming the predominant form of contemporary urban design in response to population increase and rapid urbanization. These developments are, however, perceived to be poorly designed and incongruent with the users’ needs. The purpose of this study was to present a resident satisfaction assessment of Hong Kong’s vertical settlements.

Design/methodology/approach

A review of the literature was conducted on the concept of vertical urbanism, residential satisfaction and postoccupancy evaluation. Fifty performance indicators were classified into three groups including indoor environment, safety and maintenance; furniture, utilities and spaces; and privacy, appearance and city life. These indicators were used to develop a Web-based questionnaire administered to residents in the three administrative regions of Hong Kong. Ninety-eight respondents participated in the study, and the results were analyzed using the resident satisfaction index and the overall satisfaction index. A multilinear regression analysis was also made to develop a model describing the most relevant performance indicators for determining the overall residential satisfaction.

Findings

The results revealed that residents expressed dissatisfaction with performance indicators, including “level of noise generated from outside the building (neighboring buildings, traffic, noise, etc.),” “variation and stability of indoor temperature,” “sustainable design of the building’s environment (cyclability, walkability, electric charging stations, etc.),” “availability and capacity of car parking,” “size and adequacy of spaces for social interaction” and “considerations for occupants with special needs (disabled, aged people, children, occupants with a medical condition, etc.).” The results also revealed that some indicators such as the maintenance of elevators, adequate interior space and surrounding areas were considered as significantly influencing residential satisfaction. Similarly, the building height and wind-induced motion were not significantly influencing residential satisfaction. The results also revealed that a multilinear Regression model with five variables and an adjusted R2 value of 93% could estimate the overall residential satisfaction.

Originality/value

The concept of vertical urban design is the new paradigm in the shaping of future cities. The originality of this study is its adoption of post-occupancy evaluation to assess occupants’ residential satisfaction. As well as the determination of factors that should inform the planning, design and management of vertical urban settlements. Thus, the study has significant implications for research in vertical urban development, as well as the professional practice of building and urban planners, designers and managers.

Details

Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology , vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1726-0531

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 April 2020

Xiaofeng Wang, Haoyue Chu and Qingshan Yang

This paper aims to numerically study the effects of boundary conditions, pre-stress, material constants and thickness on the dynamic performance of a wrinkled thin membrane.

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to numerically study the effects of boundary conditions, pre-stress, material constants and thickness on the dynamic performance of a wrinkled thin membrane.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the stability theory of plates and shells, the dynamic equations of a wrinkled thin membrane were developed, and they were solved with the Lanczos method

Findings

The effects of wrinkle-influencing factors on the dynamic performance of a wrinkled membrane are determined by the wrinkling stage. The effects are prominent when wrinkling deformation is evolving, but they are very small and can hardly be observed when wrinkling deformation is stable. Mode shapes of a wrinkled membrane are sensitive to boundary conditions, pre-stress and Poisson’s ratio, but its natural frequencies are sensitive to all these five factors.

Practical implications

The research work in this paper is expected to help understand the dynamic behavior of a wrinkled membrane and present access to ensuring its dynamic stability by controlling the wrinkle-influencing factors.

Originality/value

Very few documents investigated the dynamic properties of wrinkled membranes. No attention has yet been paid by the present literature to the global dynamic performance of a wrinkled membrane under the influences of the factors that play a pivotal role in the wrinkling deformation. In view of this, this paper numerically studied the global modes and corresponding frequencies of a wrinkled membrane and their variation with the wrinkle-influencing factors. The results indicate that the global dynamic properties of a wrinkled membrane are sensitive to these factors at the stage of wrinkling evolution.

Article
Publication date: 1 March 1960

This book is chiefly concerned with the thermodynamic and mechanical design of the various types of heat exchanger used in conjunction with the gas turbine with a view to…

Abstract

This book is chiefly concerned with the thermodynamic and mechanical design of the various types of heat exchanger used in conjunction with the gas turbine with a view to improving economy, performance and suitability. At the same time, the manner in which the thermodynamic optimization of the gas turbine air preheater has been treated is likely to make the work of considerable interest to those concerned with super‐critical steam cycles and nuclear power applications.

Details

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, vol. 32 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0002-2667

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 7 October 2022

Hüseyin Emre Ilgın

To date, there are no studies in the literature that provide a comprehensive understanding of the interrelationships between the slenderness ratio and the main design criteria in…

2082

Abstract

Purpose

To date, there are no studies in the literature that provide a comprehensive understanding of the interrelationships between the slenderness ratio and the main design criteria in supertall towers (=300 m). In this paper, this important issue was explored using detailed data collected from 75 cases.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper was carried out with a comprehensive literature review including the database of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat(CTBUH) (CTBUH, 2022), peer-reviewed journals, MSc theses and PhD dissertations, conference proceedings, fact sheets, architectural and structural magazines and other Internet sources. In this study, the case study method was also used to gather and consolidate information about supertall towers to analyze the interrelationships. Cases were 75 supertall buildings in various countries [44 from Asia (37 from China), 16 from the Middle East (6 from Dubai, the United Arab Emirates), 11 from the United States of America and 3 from Russia, 1 from the UK].

Findings

The paper's findings highlighted as follows: (1) for buildings in the height range of 300–399 m, the slenderness ratio was usually between 7 and 7.9 and megatall towers were frequently built at a slenderness ratio of 10–15; (2) the median slenderness ratio of buildings in the 400–599 m height ranges was around 8.6; (3) a trend towards supertall slender buildings (=8) was observed in Asia, the Middle East and North America; (4) residential, office and mixed-use towers had a median slenderness ratio of over 7.5; (5) all building forms were utilized in the construction of slender towers (>8); (6) the medium slenderness ratio was around 8 for supertall buildings constructed with outriggered frame and tube systems; (7) especially concrete towers reached values pushing the limits of slenderness (>10) and (8) since the number of some supertall building groups (e.g. steel towers) was not sufficient, establishing a scientific relationship between aspect ratio and related design criteria was not possible.

Originality/value

To date, there are no studies in the literature that provide a comprehensive understanding of the interrelationships between the slenderness ratio and the main design criteria in supertall towers (=300 m). This important issue was explored using detailed data collected from 75 cases.

Details

International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation, vol. 41 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2398-4708

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 26 June 2007

Jun Luo, Shaorong Xie, Zhenbang Gong and Tiansheng Lu

In order to replace the conventional human maintenance of cable‐stayed bridges, a robot is designed and constructed for tasks such as cleaning, painting and rust‐detecting.

1041

Abstract

Purpose

In order to replace the conventional human maintenance of cable‐stayed bridges, a robot is designed and constructed for tasks such as cleaning, painting and rust‐detecting.

Design/methodology/approach

Adopting a modular approach, two kinds of climbing mechanisms, plus a painting mechanism and a rust‐detecting method are designed.

Findings

A robot that can climb and maintain the cables of cable‐stayed bridges has been designed and constructed. It has been proved by experiment that the robot can overcome many disadvantages of conventional human bridge‐maintenance, and drastically improve efficiency, cost, and safety.

Research limitations/implications

The robot is of industrial size, but a new mechanism requiring less installing time will be designed for the future.

Practical implications

The robot has been applied to cables of the Nanpu Bridge and Xupu Bridge in Shanghai. More than 80 cable‐stayed bridges and six suspension bridges have been built or are being constructed across large rivers in China alone. This gives an enormous potential market.

Originality/value

The cable maintenance robot developed in this paper is the world's first special robot for the cables of cable‐stayed bridges.

Details

Industrial Robot: An International Journal, vol. 34 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-991X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 July 2014

Saad AboMoslim and Alan Russell

The paper aims to study screening design and construction technologies of skyscrapers. Skyscraper projects provide an illustration of important driving factors (e.g. economies of…

1097

Abstract

Purpose

The paper aims to study screening design and construction technologies of skyscrapers. Skyscraper projects provide an illustration of important driving factors (e.g. economies of scale and international expertise) when utilising a wide range of solutions, including innovative ones, in the design and construction of building systems and subsystems. The need exists for a methodology for the speedy screening and comprehensive evaluation of candidate solutions covering the complete spectrum of systems that comprise a building project and that have an impact on life cycle performance. Presented in this paper is a three-step evaluation framework directed at meeting this need, along with application of the first step to three case studies performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Research objectives were achieved by an extensive literature review of the current state-of-the-art evaluation tools and criteria; formulation of a three-step evaluation process for screening and ranking candidates; identification and structuring of comprehensive checklists of evaluation criteria; application of the first step of the evaluation framework to three case studies to gauge completeness and ease of use; and assessment of the framework by experienced practitioners.

Findings

The framework proposed provides a structured and transparent approach to assessing design/construction choices. It makes explicit the spectrum of criteria to be considered when assessing their feasibility. Feedback from industry professionals indicates that the framework is reflective of industry needs.

Originality/value

The originality and value of the approach lies in the comprehensiveness of the criteria considered, their relevance to signature building projects that draw on international expertise and technologies and their relevance to all phases of the project life cycle.

Details

Construction Innovation, vol. 14 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1471-4175

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 April 2005

M.R. Siddique, M.S. Hamed and A.A. El Damatty

This paper presents a new numerical model that, unlike most existing ones, can solve the whole liquid sloshing, nonlinear, moving boundary problem with free surface undergoing…

1062

Abstract

Purpose

This paper presents a new numerical model that, unlike most existing ones, can solve the whole liquid sloshing, nonlinear, moving boundary problem with free surface undergoing small to very large deformations without imposing any linearization assumptions.

Design/methodology/approach

The time‐dependent, unknown, irregular physical domain is mapped onto a rectangular computational domain. The explicit form of the mapping function is unknown and is determined as part of the solution. Temporal discretization is based on one‐step implicit method. Second‐order, finite‐difference approximations are used for spatial discretizations.

Findings

The performance of the algorithm has been verified through convergence tests. Comparison between numerical and experimental results has indicated that the algorithm can accurately predict the sloshing motion of the liquid undergoing large interfacial deformations.

Originality/value

The ability to model liquid sloshing motion under conditions leading to large interfacial deformations utilizing the model presented in this paper improves our ability to understand the problem of sloshing motion in tuned liquid dampers (TLDs), which would eventually help in constructing more effective TLDs.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. 15 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 December 2023

Shahe Liang, Zhiqiang Zhang and Aiqun Li

A new type of variable damping viscous damper is developed to meet the settings of different damping parameter values at different working stages. Its main principle and design…

Abstract

Purpose

A new type of variable damping viscous damper is developed to meet the settings of different damping parameter values at different working stages. Its main principle and design structure are introduced, and the two-stage and multi-stage controllable damping methods are proposed.

Design/methodology/approach

The theoretical calculation formulas of the damping force of power-law fluid variable damping viscous damper at elongated holes are derived, aiming to provide a theoretical basis for the development and application of variable damping viscous dampers. For the newly developed variable damping viscous damper, the dynamic equations for the seismic reduction system with variable damping viscous dampers under a multi-degree-of-freedom system are established. A feasible calculation and analysis method is proposed to derive the solution process of time history analysis. At the same time, a program is also developed using Matlab. The dynamic full-scale test of a two-stage variable damping viscous damper was conducted, demonstrating that the hysteresis curve is complete and the working condition is stable.

Findings

Through the calculation and analysis of examples, the results show that the seismic reduction effect of high and flexible buildings using the seismic reduction system with variable damping viscous dampers is significant. The program developed is used to analyze the seismic response of a broadcasting tower using a variable damping TMD system under large earthquakes. The results indicate that the installation of variable damping viscous dampers can effectively control the maximum inter-story displacement response of TMD water tanks and can effectively consume seismic energy.

Originality/value

This method can provide a guarantee for the safe and effective operation of TMD in wind and vibration control.

Details

International Journal of Structural Integrity, vol. 15 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1757-9864

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 April 2005

Jaroslav Mackerle

Ceramic materials and glasses have become important in modern industry as well as in the consumer environment. Heat resistant ceramics are used in the metal forming processes or…

5130

Abstract

Purpose

Ceramic materials and glasses have become important in modern industry as well as in the consumer environment. Heat resistant ceramics are used in the metal forming processes or as welding and brazing fixtures, etc. Ceramic materials are frequently used in industries where a wear and chemical resistance are required criteria (seals, liners, grinding wheels, machining tools, etc.). Electrical, magnetic and optical properties of ceramic materials are important in electrical and electronic industries where these materials are used as sensors and actuators, integrated circuits, piezoelectric transducers, ultrasonic devices, microwave devices, magnetic tapes, and in other applications. A significant amount of literature is available on the finite element modelling (FEM) of ceramics and glass. This paper gives a listing of these published papers and is a continuation of the author's bibliography entitled “Finite element modelling of ceramics and glass” and published in Engineering Computations, Vol. 16, 1999, pp. 510‐71 for the period 1977‐1998.

Design/methodology/approach

The form of the paper is a bibliography. Listed references have been retrieved from the author's database, MAKEBASE. Also Compendex has been checked. The period is 1998‐2004.

Findings

Provides a listing of 1,432 references. The following topics are included: ceramics – material and mechanical properties in general, ceramic coatings and joining problems, ceramic composites, piezoceramics, ceramic tools and machining, material processing simulations, fracture mechanics and damage, applications of ceramic/composites in engineering; glass – material and mechanical properties in general, glass fiber composites, material processing simulations, fracture mechanics and damage, and applications of glasses in engineering.

Originality/value

This paper makes it easy for professionals working with the numerical methods with applications to ceramics and glasses to be up‐to‐date in an effective way.

Details

Engineering Computations, vol. 22 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0264-4401

Keywords

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