To assess the post-earthquake seismic safety of buildings, it is crucial to predict response, and necessary set appropriate physical parameters response analysis model. Numerous methods have been proposed identify parameters. However, most them are limited linear systems, previous researches on nonlinear systems difficulties in practical applications. In this paper, a model identified for full-...

To determine the potential of a low cost Irish engineered timber product to replace high cost solid timber for use in bending active structures such as gridshells a single Irish engineered timber product in the form of orientated strand board (OSB) was selected. A comparative study of OSB and solid timber was carried out to determine the optimum properties that make a material suitable for use ...

When an elastic object is pressed, we expect it to resist by exerting a restoring force. A reversal of this force corresponds to negative stiffness. If we combine elements with positive and negative stiffness in a composite, it is possible to achieve stiffness greater than ~or less than! that of any of the constituents. This behavior violates established bounds that tacitly assume that each pha...

In this paper, a discontinuity in beams whose intensity is adjusted by the spring stiffness factor is modeled using a torsional spring. Adapting two analyses in strong and weak forms for discontinuous beams, the improved governing differential equations and the modified stiffness matrix are derived respectively. In the strong form, two different solution methods have been presented to make an a...

The design and prototype tests of a segmented and shielded instrumentation structure, based on tube modules connected by canoe ball type kinematic couplings, are presented with application to a high-precision microscope for biological science experiments. The segmented tube design is shown to be significantly less sensitive to deformation from uneven thermal disturbances than a single tube stru...

After clutch engagement in the post-lockup phase, the contact stiffness between friction materials and separators plays an important role in the dynamic behaviour of an Automatic Transmission (AT). The friction material deteriorates progressively during the service-life of a clutch, thus affecting the contact stiffness. The deterioration therefore changes the dynamic behaviour of the AT. In ord...

Seismic base isolation are devices that used to limit the human and material damage caused by an earthquake. This devices diffuse the energy induced at the time of the earthquake before being transferred to the structure.The base isolated structures when subjected to the near-fault eathquakes which contain long-period velocity pulses that may coincide with the period of base isolated structures...

Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) is currently the most commonly-used material, but it may induce adjacent vertebral fracture due to low degradation and high strength. Our study evaluated the feasibility of injectable calcium phosphate cement (ICPC) and fibrin sealant (FS) as an injectable compound carrier of human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) in New Zealand rabbits for vertebroplasty. Re...

BACKGROUND Children with spastic cerebral palsy (CP) experience secondary musculoskeletal adaptations, affecting the mechanical and material properties of muscles and tendons. CP-related changes in the spastic muscle are well documented whilst less is known about the tendon. From a clinical perspective, it is important to understand alterations in tendon properties in order to tailor interventi...

To measure stiffness of the compacted pavement, practitioners use the Compaction Meter Value (CMV); a ratio between the amplitude for the first harmonic of the compactor’s acceleration and the amplitude corresponding to the vibration frequency. Numerous experiments show that CMV is highly correlated with the pavement stiffness, but as of now, there is no convincing theoretical explanation for t...