Structural System Identification by mean of dynamic analysis

Mass and stiffness properties of real structures are different from those considered in design since simplified hypotheses are usually made and because the collaboration of non-structural elements and details are important. When structural problems are investigated (such as pathologies, serviceability and vibration comfort, etc.), knowledge of the actual response of the structure is needed with precision. Therefore, the source of the problem can be identified and solution in terms of reinforcement and possible retrofitting can be proposed. In this Master Thesis dynamic analysis and field data measurement is used in order to identify the parameters of complex structures. A real case study is considered, consisting in an office building with serviceability problems due to vibration. The structural system consists of steel frames; a bus ramp exists coupled to the building which introduces a dynamic excitation. The steel frames span over 17,23 metres without intermediate columns, which leads to low Eigenfrequencies. All frame nodes are clamped, a perimeter steel profile has clamped joints too. Between frames over the distance of 8,6 metres mixed beams are spanned, consisting of steel profile pinned to the frames and concrete slabs on a trapezoidal sheeting. Due to this concrete slabs the floors were assumed diaphragms in horizontal directions. A ramp is connected to the building. This ramp consists of longitudinal steel profiles carrying a trapezoidal sheeting as lost formwork with a concrete slab and an asphalt layer above. Those longitudinal profiles rest on transversal steel frames. The steel frames consist of a series of columns on one side and horizontal profiles which on the other side directly join the building frame´s column. Thus, whenever a vehicle excites the ramp, this vibration is transferred directly to the building, affecting serviceability and comfort. The objective of the research is to investigate the actual behaviour of the building and the possible imperfect connections. After the system is identified, possible actions are investigated in order to improve the service behaviour and comfort. In order to achieve this aim, dynamic traffic loads are simulated by a series of time history functions. Bus passes are simulated and measured under different velocities. As a result the ramp´s Eigenfrequency is 11,1 Hz, and acts as excitation frequency on the building. Especially on the first frame, which has different vibration modes than the others, this excitation frequency matches with a horizontal frame Eigenfrequency, leading to notable accelerations on the floors

Hauptspannungstrajektorien in der numerischen Festkörpermechanik: Ein Algorithmus zur Visualisierung der Bauteilbeanspruchung in zwei und drei Dimensionen

Für die anschauliche Darstellung der Ergebnisse mechanischer Untersuchungen von Bauteilbeanspruchungen existieren diverse Visualisierungsformen. Eine solche Visualisierungsform ist die Darstellung von Hauptspannungstrajektorien, vorwiegend der Hauptnormalspannungstrajektorien des Spannungszustandes eines Bauteils. Trajektorienbilder sind im Bereich des Bauingenieurwesens insbesondere im Massivbau nach wie vor von großem Interesse. So werden beispielsweise die in der Stahlbetonnormung fest verankerten Stabwerkmodelle in erster Linie auf der Basis von Hauptspannungstrajektorien entwickelt. Aus diesem Grund gehören Trajektorienbilder heute nicht nur zum akademischen Standardlehrstoff, sondern werden auch in wissenschaftlichen Veröffentlichungen gern zur Erläuterung von komplexen Spannungszuständen herangezogen. Unglücklicherweise finden sich in der einschlägigen Fachliteratur und in wissenschaftlichen Arbeiten nicht selten grundlegende Fehldarstellungen. Diese Arbeit stellt einen geeigneten Algorithmus zur korrekten Darstellung von Trajektorienbildern auf der Basis numerisch (beispielsweise mit der Finite-Elemente-Methode) berechneter Spannungslösungen bereit. Anhand von systematischen Untersuchungen zu verschiedenen Bauteilgeometrien und Beanspruchungs-konstellationen konnte eine Reihe von immer wieder zu findenden Fehlinterpretationen von Trajektorienbildern aufgezeigt werden. Die oft angenommene Analogie von Spannungstrajektorien zu Stromlinien von Fluidströmungen im Sinne eines „Kraftflusses“ wurde widerlegt. Das Problem bei herkömmlichen Trajektorienbildern, dass diese nicht imstande sind, Auskunft über die Größe der Spannungen zu geben, führte mitunter zu der bisweilen verbreiteten Annahme, die Verdichtung von Trajektorien in einem Trajektorienbild bedeute eine Spannungskonzentration an entsprechender Stelle. Anhand von Beispielen wird dies eindeutig widerlegt. Zur Vermeidung dieses Fehleindrucks wurde eine neue Darstellungsform eingeführt, die neben den Richtungen auch die Größen der Hauptspannungen anhand eines Farbmaßstabes ablesbar macht. Mithilfe einer variablen Schrittweitensteuerung konnte die Genauigkeit bei der Pfadverfolgung der Trajektorien gegenüber festen Schrittweiten maßgeblich verbessert werden. Geeignete Abbruchkriterien gewährleisten das zuverlässige Auffinden von äußeren sowie innenliegenden Bauteilbegrenzungen und die Detektion geschlossener Trajektorien. Einen wesentlichen Punkt stellen mögliche Singularitäten wie isotrope Punkte, isotrope Grenzen oder isotrope Gebiete dar, in denen die Hauptspannungsrichtungen mithilfe der Lösung des Eigenwertproblems nicht eindeutig ermittelbar sind. Deren Nichtbeachtung ist eine wesentliche Ursache für Fehldarstellungen in der Literatur. Die an solchen Stellen auftretenden Effekte und entstehenden Probleme bei der Ermittlung und Interpretierbarkeit von Trajektorienbildern wurden systematisch analysiert und entsprechende Lösungsvorschläge erarbeitet. Bisher blieb die Verwendung von Trajektorienbildern praktisch auf zweidimensionale Probleme beschränkt. Das Potenzial von Spannungstrajektorien zur Visualisierung dreidimensionaler Spannungszustände war bislang noch unerforscht. Daher wurde das Verfahren zur Berechnung von Spannungstrajektorien auf dreidimensionale Spannungszustände übertragen. Während sich einige Teilbereiche des entwickelten Algorithmus, wie beispielsweise die Schrittweitensteuerung, problemlos unter Hinzuziehung einer weiteren Richtungskomponente für dreidimensionale Probleme erweitern lassen, hat sich gezeigt, dass diese Erweiterung auch diverse Nichttrivialitäten enthält. Bei den aus der Berechnung erhaltenen Trajektorien handelt es sich im dreidimensionalen Fall um räumliche Kurven. Eine wesentliche Erkenntnis aus berechneten dreidimensionalen Trajektorienbildern ist, dass sich diese Raumkurven im Unterschied zum ebenen Fall in der Regel nicht schneiden und somit keine Maschen zwischen den Trajektorien wie im Zweidimensionalen aufspannen. Eine noch verbleibende Schwierigkeit bei der Anwendung dreidimensionaler Trajektorienbilder besteht in deren interpretierbarer Darstellung. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurden hierzu einige Vorschläge erarbeitet sowie deren Anwendbarkeit getestet und bewertet. Um die Möglichkeit der eigenständigen Berechnung von Trajektorienbildern einem breiten Nutzerkreis zugänglich zu machen, können aufbauend auf den Erkenntnissen dieser Arbeit leicht bedienbare Softwarelösungen mit grafischer Benutzeroberfläche entwickelt werden. Der Algorithmus zur Trajektorienermittlung wurde mit diesem Ansinnen in allen Details beschrieben. Auf dem Gebiet der Trajektorien dreidimensionaler Spannungszustände hat sich darüber hinaus noch weiterer Forschungsbedarf herausgestellt, hierzu werden in der Arbeit an den entsprechenden Stellen einige Vorschläge zur Weiterentwicklung gemacht. Der entwickelte Algorithmus ermöglicht darüber hinaus auch direkt auch die Ermittlung von Trajektorien materiell oder geometrisch nichtlinearer sowie dynamischer und sonstiger Probleme, sofern der entsprechende Spannungszustand vorliegt. Außerdem kann der Algorithmus prinzipiell auch zur Bestimmung von Hauptschubspannungstrajektorien oder Hauptmomentenlinien angewandt werden.There are several kinds of visualisation for the illustration of the results of mechanical investigations of structural elements’ load bearing behaviour. The illustration of the stress state via principal stress trajectories, mainly principal normal stress trajectories, is one of them. In the field of civil engineering, trajectory plots are still of notable interest, particularly in solid construction. Thus, the truss models as part of the European engineering standards for steel-reinforced concrete are primarily developed using principal stress trajectories. For this reason, trajectory plots are not only part of the academic subjects taught at university, but they are also used in scientific publications for the illustration of complex stress states. Unfortunately, fundamental misrepresentations are not rare in the relevant literature and scientific works. This work provides a suitable algorithm for accurate trajectory plots based on numerically computed stress solutions (e.g. using the finite element method). By means of systematic investigations of several structural element’s geometries and loading situations, a number of prevalent misinterpretations was identified. The analogy often assumed between stress trajectories and streamlines of fluid flow in terms of “load flow” has been disproved. A property of traditional trajectory plots is not able to indicate the level of stress. Thus, in areas of narrowing trajectories stress concentrations are often assumed. By means of examples this assumption was clearly disproved. To prevent the appearance of such misimpressions, the stress levels are represented using a colour scale known from contour plots. An adaptive incrementation during path tracing allows a significant increase of accuracy compared with uniform incrementation. Suitable stop criteria ensure reliable detection of outer and inner borders as well as closing of trajectories. One important aspect is the appearance of singularities like isotropic points, isotropic borders and isotropic areas, where the principal stress directions in terms of eigenvectors are not unique. Non-observance is one of the main causes of misrepresentations of trajectory plots in literature. The effects due to the appearance of isotropic points and the arising problems for calculation and interpretation of stress trajectories were systematically analysed, and proposals for a solution were made. Up to now, the usage of trajectory plots was limited to two-dimensional problems. The potential of stress trajectories for the visualisation of three-dimensional stress states was still unexplored. Therefore, the algorithm for the calculation of stress trajectories was augmented in three dimensions. Some parts of the two-dimensional algorithm like adaptive incrementation could be directly translated simply considering the third coordinate, whereas the necessary modifications of some parts turned out to be non-trivial. The stress trajectories of three-dimensional stress states prove to be space curves. An essential finding from the calculated three-dimensional trajectory plots was, that three-dimensional trajectories – compared to two-dimensional trajectories – generally do not intersect each other. According to this, three-dimensional trajectories generally do not build meshes. The interpretable display of three-dimensional trajectories is still a difficulty. In this work, the applicability of some methods has been tested and assessed. To enable a large group of users to create stress trajectory plots individually, easily operated software solutions with a graphical user interface should be developed. For this purpose, the developed algorithm for tracing trajectories is described in every detail. In the field of three-dimensional stress trajectories need of further research came to light, which is specified in the corresponding parts of this work. In addition, the developed algorithm allows also the calculation of stress trajectories of geometrical and material non-linear as well as dynamic and other problems, if only the stress state is available. Furthermore, the algorithm can be applied for the calculation of principal shear stress trajectories and principal moment trajectories

One-dimensional infinite component vector spin glass with long-range interactions

We investigate zero and finite temperature properties of the one-dimensional spin-glass model for vector spins in the limit of an infinite number m of spin components where the interactions decay with a power, \sigma, of the distance. A diluted version of this model is also studied, but found to deviate significantly from the fully connected model. At zero temperature, defect energies are determined from the difference in ground-state energies between systems with periodic and antiperiodic boundary conditions to determine the dependence of the defect-energy exponent \theta on \sigma. A good fit to this dependence is \theta =3/4-\sigma. This implies that the upper critical value of \sigma is 3/4, corresponding to the lower critical dimension in the d-dimensional short-range version of the model. For finite temperatures the large m saddle-point equations are solved self-consistently which gives access to the correlation function, the order parameter and the spin-glass susceptibility. Special attention is paid to the different forms of finite-size scaling effects below and above the lower critical value, \sigma =5/8, which corresponds to the upper critical dimension 8 of the hypercubic short-range model.Comment: 27 pages, 27 figures, 4 table

Characterization of estrogenicity of phytoestrogens in an endometrial-derived experimental model.

Severe developmental and reproductive disorders in wild animals have been linked to high exposure to persistent environmental chemicals with hormonal activity. These adverse effects of environmental estrogens have raised considerable concern and have received increasing attention. Although numerous chemicals with the capacity to interfere with the estrogen receptor (ER) have been identified, information on their molecular mechanism of action and their relative potency is rather limited. For the endometrium, the lack of information is due to the lack of a suitable experimental model. We investigated the functions of phytoestrogens in an endometrial-derived model, RUCA-I rat endometrial adenocarcinoma cells. The cells were cultured on a reconstituted basement membrane to preserve their functional differentiation and estrogen responsiveness. We assessed the relative binding affinity to the estrogen receptor of the selected phytoestrogens coumestrol, genistein, daidzein, and the putative phytoestrogen mangostin compared to estradiol by a competitive Scatchard analysis. The following affinity ranking was measured: 17beta-estradiol >>> coumestrol > genistein > daidzein >>> mangostin. In addition, we investigated the capacity of these compounds to promote the increased production of complement C3, a well-known estradiol-regulated protein of the rat endometrium. All substances tested increased the production of complement C3, although different concentrations were necessary to achieve equivalent levels of induction compared to estradiol. Mechanistically we were able to demonstrate that the increase of complement C3 production was mediated by primarily increasing its steady-state mRNA level. These findings indicate that RUCA-I cells represent a sensitive model system to elucidate relative potencies and functions of environmental estrogens in an endometrium-derived model

Aspekte der Modellierung des Tragverhaltens von Textilbeton unter biaxialer Beanspruchung

Zur Bemessung und Simulation von flächigen Textilbetonstrukturen werden Berechnungsmodelle benötigt, die das Materialverhalten unter biaxialer Beanspruchung abbilden können. Für eindimensionale Strukturen existieren einige Modelle, zu deren Weiterentwicklung eine Erweiterung zur Abbildung des biaxialen Materialverhaltens vorgeschlagen wird. In diesem Beitrag werden die notwendigen Erweiterungen und deren Umsetzbarkeit bei der Modellierung diskutiert und bewertet.For design and simulation of plane textile reinforced concrete structures mechanical models representing the material behaviour under biaxial loading are necessary. For one-dimensional structures several models were presented in the past. For their further development an extension for biaxial material behaviour is usually proposed. In this paper the required extensions are discussed and their feasibility for modelling is assessed

Relativistic Quark Spin Coupling Effects in the Correlations Between Nucleon Electroweak Properties

We investigate the effect of different relativistic spin couplings of constituent quarks on nucleon electroweak properties. Within each quark spin coupling scheme the correlations between static electroweak observables are found to be independent of the particular shape of the momentum part of the nucleon light-front wave function. The neutron charge form factor is very sensitive to different choices of spin coupling schemes once the magnetic moment is fitted to the experimental value. However, it is found rather insensitive to the details of the momentum part of the three-quark wave function model.Comment: 23 pages, 13 figures, requires axodraw.sty 1 figure corrected, 1 refs. added, some changes in tex

CMR detects decreased myocardial deformation in asymptomatic patients at risk for heart failure

Aims: The main management strategy of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is prevention since HFpEF is associated with many cardiovascular (CV) risk factors, especially since HFpEF is linked to a high risk for both mortality and recurrent heart failure (HF) hospitalizations. Therefore, there is a need for new tools to identify patients with a high risk profile early. Regional strain assessment by CMR seems to be superior in describing deformation impairment in HF. The MyoHealth score is a promising tool to identify cardiac changes early. Methods and results: Heart failure patients irrespective of LVEF and asymptomatic controls were recruited, and CMR based measures were obtained. For this analysis the asymptomatic control group (n = 19) was divided into asymptomatic subjects without CV co-morbidities or evidence of cardiac abnormalities and (n = 12) and asymptomatic subjects with CV co-morbidities or evidence of cardiac abnormalities (n = 7) as well as patients with HFpEF (n = 19). We performed CMR scans at rest and during a stress test using isometric handgrip exercise (HG). Assessing the MyoHealth score at rest revealed preserved regional strain in 85 +/- 9% of LV segments in controls, 73 +/- 11% in at Risk subjects and 73 +/- 8% in HFpEF patients. During stress the MyoHealth score was 84 +/- 7% in controls, 83 +/- 7 in at risk subjects and 74 +/- 11 in HFpEF patients. Conclusion: In summary, we show for the first time that asymptomatic subjects with increased CV risk present with HFpEF like impaired myocardial deformation at rest, while they show results like controls under HG stress. The potential of preventive treatment in this group of patients merits further investigation in future

Primary care practice-based care management for chronically ill patients (PraCMan): study protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial [ISRCTN56104508]

Background: Care management programmes are an effective approach to care for high risk patients with complex care needs resulting from multiple co-occurring medical and non-medical conditions. These patients are likely to be hospitalized for a potentially "avoidable" cause. Nurse-led care management programmes for high risk elderly patients showed promising results. Care management programmes based on health care assistants (HCAs) targeting adult patients with a high risk of hospitalisation may be an innovative approach to deliver cost-efficient intensified care to patients most in need. Methods: PraCMan is a cluster randomized controlled trial with primary care practices as unit of randomisation. The study evaluates a complex primary care practice-based care management of patients at high risk for future hospitalizations. Eligible patients either suffer from type 2 diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic heart failure or any combination. Patients with a high likelihood of hospitalization within the following 12 months (based on insurance data) will be included in the trial. During 12 months of intervention patients of the care management group receive comprehensive assessment of medical and non-medical needs and resources as well as regular structured monitoring of symptoms. Assessment and monitoring will be performed by trained HCAs from the participating practices. Additionally, patients will receive written information, symptom diaries, action plans and a medication plan to improve self-management capabilities. This intervention is addition to usual care. Patients from the control group receive usual care. Primary outcome is the number of all-cause hospitalizations at 12 months follow-up, assessed by insurance claims data. Secondary outcomes are health-related quality of life (SF12, EQ5D), quality of chronic illness care (PACIC), health care utilisation and costs, medication adherence (MARS), depression status and severity (PHQ-9), self-management capabilities and clinical parameters. Data collection will be performed at baseline, 12 and 24 months (12 months post-intervention). Discussion: Practice-based care management for high risk individuals involving trained HCAs appears to be a promising approach to face the needs of an aging population with increasing care demands. Trial registration: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN5610450