Το ζήτημα της σταδιακής κατάρρευσης ήρθε στο προσκήνιο με την κατάρρευση του κτηρίου Ronan Point Apartment Building στο Ηνωμένο Βασίλειο, το 1968. Με αφορμή το γεγονός αυτό, σχεδόν το σύνολο των κανονισμών οπλισμένου σκυροδέματος ανά τον κόσμο απέκτησε διατάξεις σχετικά με την προστασία κατασκευών από σταδιακή κατάρρευση. Στα πλαίσια αυτού, εξετάζονται δύο διατάξεις πλακολωρίδας δύο ανοιγμάτων υπό το σενάριο της κατάρρευσης της ακραίας στήριξης. Η πρώτη διάταξη είναι οπλισμένη κατά τα συνήθη πρότυπα, ενώ η δεύτερη περιλαμβάνει επιπλέον οπλισμό στο άνω πέλμα των ανοιγμάτων. Οι αναλύσεις διεξάγονται σε περιβάλλον πεπερασμένων στοιχείων ANSYS και συγκρίνονται με αντίστοιχα πειραματικά αποτελέσματα. Συμπεραίνεται ότι οι συνήθεις πλάκες δεν έχουν την δυνατότητα ανάπτυξης μεγάλων μετατοπίσεων και ότι η προσθήκη οπλισμού στο άνω πέλμα των ανοιγμάτων των πλακών προσδίδει σε αυτές την απαραίτητη πλαστιμότητα, ώστε να μπορούν να αναπτύξουν μεγάλεις μετακινήσεις και να αναπτύσσονται δυνάμεις ελκυστήρα. / The issue of progressive collapse came to the foreground with the collapse of the Ronan Point Building in the UK, in 1968. In response to this event, most reinforced concrete codes around the work integrated regulations in regard to protection of buildings against progressive collapse. Two two-span slab assemblies are analysed for the collapse of the outer support. The first assembly is reinforce according to the common practice, while the second has added reinforced to the top end of the spans. The analyses are performed with ANSYS and compared with experimental results. It is concluded that commonly reinforced slabs do not have the ability to withstand large deflections. Additional top end reinforcement gives slabs the necessary plasticity in order for large deflections to be developed and tension (tie) forces to build up in the section.

Proper positioning of Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) components influences the functionality of the device, especially in devices where the motion is in the range of hundreds of micrometers. There are two main obstacles to positioning: off-axis displacement, and position determination. This work studies four large-displacement devices, their axial and transverse stiffness, and piezoresistive response. Methods for improving the device characteristics are described. The folded-beam suspension, small X-Bob, large X-Bob and double X-Bob were characterized using non-dimensional metrics that measure the displacement with regard to the size of the device, and transverse stiffness with regard to axial stiffness. The stiffness in each direction was determined using microprobes to induce displacement, and microfabricated force gauges to determine the applied force. The large X-Bob was optimized, increasing the transverse stiffness metric by 67%. Four-point resistance testing and microprobes were used to determine the piezoresistive response of the devices. The piezoresistive response of the X-Bob was maximized using an optimization routine. The resulting piezoresistive response was over seven times larger than that of the initial design. Piezoresistive encoders for ratcheting actuation of large-displacement MEMS are introduced. Four encoders were studied and were found to provide information on the performance of the ratcheting actuation system at frequencies up to 920 Hz. The PMT encoder produced unique signals corresponding to distinct ideal and non-ideal operation of the ratchet wheel actuation system. Encoders may be useful for future applications which require position determination.

The purpose of this research is to investigate the use of compliant mechanisms in space applications and design, analyze, and test a compliant space mechanism. Current space mechanisms are already highly refined and it is unclear if significant improvements in performance can be made by continuing to refine current designs. Compliant mechanisms offer a promising opportunity to change the fundamental approach to achieving controlled motion in space systems and have potential for dramatic increases in mechanism performance given the constraints of the space environment. A compliant deployment hinge was selected for development after industry input was gathered. Concepts for large-displacement compliant hinges are investigated. A design process was developed that links the performance requirements of deployment to the design parameters of a deployment hinge. A large-displacement monolithic compliant rotational hinge, the Flex-16, is designed, analyzed, and tested. It was developed for possible application as a spacecraft deployment hinge and designs were developed using three different materials (polypropylene, titanium, and carbon nanotubes) and manufacturing processes (CNC milling, electron beam manufacturing metal rapid prototyping, and a carbon nanotube framework) on two size scales (macro and micro). A parametric finite element model allowed for prediction of prototype behavior before fabrication. The Flex-16 hinge is capable of 90 degrees of deflection without failure or contact and can be designed to meet industry requirements for space.

The material point method (MPM) is efficiently applied for the simulation of structures undergoing large deformations where fracture and crack initiation are expected. The eigenfracture approach is introduced in the paper at hand for the implicit MPM to model crack development and propagation in static and dynamic fracture of brittle elastic materials. Eigenfracture is an energetic fracture formulation applied in the postprocessing step of the implicit MPM, making its implementation relatively straightforward. Furthermore, the driving energy used to check crack propagation is evaluated using the representative crack elements (RCE), by which the crack is modeled as a discrete phenomenon. The RCE approach shows more realistic results compared to other split models. Additionally, the fracture description of reinforced materials within the MPM is also presented in this article by coupling truss finite elements to the MPM, considering the bond stress-slip constitutive model. Two- and three-dimensional problems in static and dynamic applications are presented to assess the efficacy of the approach.

<div>Due to the instabilities that may occur in dc power systems with regulated power electronic loads such as those used in aircraft, ships, as well as terrestrial vehicles, many analysis techniques and design methodologies have been developed to ensure stable operation following small disturbances starting from normal operating conditions. However, these techniques do not necessarily guarantee large-displacement</div><div>stability following major disturbances such as faults, regenerative operation, pulsed loads, and/or loss of generating capacity. In this thesis, a formal mathematical definition of large-displacement stability is described and the analytical conditions needed to guarantee large-displacement stability are investigated for a notional dc power system. It is shown possible to guarantee large-displacement stability for any piecewise continuous value of load power provided it is bounded by the peak rating of the dc source.</div>

O trabalho se baseia em uma formulação numérica (Método dos Elementos Finitos Posicional) que é combinada a um modelo viscoelástico adequado (Kelvin-Voigt adaptado), o que direciona para o cumprimento do objetivo: a simulação de sólidos viscoelásticos em deformações finitas e de fluidos viscosos. A formulação desenvolvida é Lagrangeana total descrita para posições, permitindo aplicações em não linearidade dinâmica (com a utilização do método de Newton-Raphson para solução do sistema de equações não lineares e integração temporal via algoritmo implícito de Newmark) e sua combinação com um modelo viscoelástico coerente é deduzida neste trabalho. Inicialmente, são resolvidos problemas com elemento de chapa bidimensional, porém o elemento finito final utilizado é de sólido prismático de base triangular. Dois modelos são adotados para consideração do comportamento viscoelástico, (i) um modelo modificado de Kelvin-Voigt associado ao modelo constitutivo de Saint-Venant-Kirchhoff e (ii) um modelo visco-hiperelástico completo coerente para deformações finitas desenvolvido a partir da decomposição multiplicativa sobre o gradiente da função mudança de configuração em uma parcela volumétrica e duas isocóricas. Foram selecionados e comentados 15 exemplos em detalhe, abrangendo todas as etapas desta pesquisa, com problemas elásticos, dinâmicos, viscoelásticos em pequenas e grandes deformações, de flexão, de impacto e de fluidos viscosos. Os resultados obtidos para os exemplos de validação foram satisfatórios, coerentes com as referências, e o conjunto das análises conduzidas mostram a potencialidade da formulação alternativa desenvolvida neste trabalho. / The work is based on a numerical formulation (Positional Finite Element Method) combined with a suitable viscoelastic model (adapted Kelvin-Voigt), what directs to achieving its main goal: the simulation of viscoelastic solids in finite strain and of viscous fluids. The developed formulation is total Lagrangian described for positions, allowing applications in nonlinear dynamics (using the Newton-Raphson method for solution of the system of nonlinear equations, and performing time integration via an implicit Newmark algorithm); its combination with adequate viscoelastic model is shown step-by-step in this work. Initially, problems are solved using two-dimensional plate element, but the final finite element is a triangular-based prismatic solid. Two models are adopted in order to consider the viscoelastic behavior, (i) a modified Kelvin-Voigt model associated with the Saint-Venant-Kirchhoff constitutive model, and (ii) a coherent visco-hyperelastic model for finite deformations developed from the multiplicative decomposition over the deformation gradient in one volumetric and two isochoric parts. 15 examples were selected and commented in detail, comprehending all stages of this research, solving problems that are elastic, dynamic, viscoelastic under small and large strain, under flexural behavior, submitted to impact, and of viscous fluids problems. The results obtained for the validation examples were satisfactory, consistent with the references, and the whole of the conducted analysis shows the potentials of the alternative formulation developed in this work.

Der Vortrag beschreibt die zugrunde liegende Theorie und die Softwarefunktionalität des in PTC Creo Simulate 3.0 eingeführten Kontaktmodells mit endlicher Reibung und vergleicht dieses mit den bis Creo Simulate 2.0 exklusiv verwendeten Kontaktmodellen (ideal reibungsfrei und unendlich reibungsbehaftet). An zwei Modellbeispielen (ein von zwei Bremsbacken geklemmtes Bremsschwert und ein verschraubtes Schwungrad) wird versucht, die Funktionsweise des neuen Modells zu demonstrieren. Wegen aktueller Qualitätsprobleme der Software wird die Brauchbarkeit der Kontaktmodelle für den Anwender bewertet (Stand Creo 3.0 M080 / Creo 2.0 M200) und umfangreiches Feedback an den Softwarehersteller PTC gegeben. / The presentation describes the underlying theory and software functionality of the finite friction contact model introduced with PTC Creo Simulate 3.0. It is being compared with the friction-free and infinite friction contact model used exclusively until Creo Simulate 2.0. It is being tried to demonstrate the mode of operation of the new model with help of two examples: A brake sword clamped by two brake pads and a bolted flywheel. Because of actual software quality problems, the usability of the contact model for the user is being rated (status Creo 3.0 M080 / Creo 2.0 M200). Furthermore, comprehensive feedback is given to the software developer PTC.

Der Vortrag beschreibt, wie mittels des Kontaktmodells mit endlicher Reibung in Creo Simulate 3.0 ein Schwungrad mit axial verschraubtem mit Kegel-Presssitz berechnet werden kann. Da in Creo Simulate 3.0 des Softwareentwicklers PTC das Kontaktmodell mit endlicher Reibung nur für die Theorie großer Verformungen implementiert ist, nicht jedoch für einfache Analysen mit kleinen Deformationen, muss der Anwender einige softwareseitige Einschränkungen geschickt umgehen. Es werden Vorgehensweisen vorgeschlagen, wie der Anwender dies bewerkstelligen kann. Ein besonderer Schwerpunkt liegt dabei auf der Modellierung von Schrauben sowie der Einstellung der Schraubenvorspannung. Rechenergebnisse des Programms werden mit analytischen Lösungen verglichen. / The presentation describes how to analyze a flywheel with axially bolted hub-shaft- connection using a conical press fit with help of the finite friction contact model in Creo Simulate 3.0. Since Creo Simulate 3.0 from PTC offers a finite friction contact model implementation just for large displacement analysis, but not for simple analyses with small displacements, the user has to work around a couple of code specific limitations. Best practices are proposed how to do this. Special attention is paid on bolt modeling and preload adjustment. Analysis results are compared with analytical solutions.

Der Vortrag beschreibt die zugrunde liegende Theorie und die Softwarefunktionalität des in PTC Creo Simulate 3.0 eingeführten Kontaktmodells mit endlicher Reibung und vergleicht dieses mit den bis Creo Simulate 2.0 exklusiv verwendeten Kontaktmodellen (ideal reibungsfrei und unendlich reibungsbehaftet). An zwei Modellbeispielen (ein von zwei Bremsbacken geklemmtes Bremsschwert und ein verschraubtes Schwungrad) wird versucht, die Funktionsweise des neuen Modells zu demonstrieren. Wegen aktueller Qualitätsprobleme der Software wird die Brauchbarkeit der Kontaktmodelle für den Anwender bewertet (Stand Creo 3.0 M080 / Creo 2.0 M200) und umfangreiches Feedback an den Softwarehersteller PTC gegeben. / The presentation describes the underlying theory and software functionality of the finite friction contact model introduced with PTC Creo Simulate 3.0. It is being compared with the friction-free and infinite friction contact model used exclusively until Creo Simulate 2.0. It is being tried to demonstrate the mode of operation of the new model with help of two examples: A brake sword clamped by two brake pads and a bolted flywheel. Because of actual software quality problems, the usability of the contact model for the user is being rated (status Creo 3.0 M080 / Creo 2.0 M200). Furthermore, comprehensive feedback is given to the software developer PTC.