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A special issue of Buildings (ISSN 2075-5309). This special issue belongs to the section "Building Structures".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 December 2023) | Viewed by 18818

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Dr. Dongming Li

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School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, China
Interests: construction materials; mechanical analysis
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Dr. Zechuan Yu

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School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
Interests: multi-scale materials modeling; high-throughput spectroscopy analysis; bridge health monitoring
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The developments and applications of advanced numerical and computer methods in civil engineering have become increasingly more important for modern engineers and researchers in recent decades. Advanced numerical and computer methods can be used, from the material level to the structural level, for solving nearly all engineering problems solely or in combination with experimental/theoretical studies. In this Special Issue, we would like to collect manuscripts that present recent progress either in the novel development or the new application of advanced numerical and computer methods for solving problems in civil engineering. Our interests include but are not limited to the following areas:

Advanced finite element/meshless/boundary element/peridynamic/discrete element/date-driven based/machine-learning based/CFD technologies in civil engineering;
Advanced atom-level/molecular-level/cross-scale/multi-physics modeling in civil engineering;
Advanced strength/stability/failure/fatigue/fracture/dynamic/thermal/accoustic analysis and optimization in civil engineering with numerical and computer methods;
Other contents in the scope of advanced numerical and computer methods in civil engineering.

Dr. Dongming Li
Dr. Zechuan Yu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Buildings is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

numerical methods
computer methods
civil engineering
computational mechanics
computational materials

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Related Special Issue

Advanced Numerical and Computer Methods in Civil Engineering—2nd Edition in Buildings (3 articles)

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

25 pages, 7451 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Behavior of Stiffened Rafts Resting on Expansive Soil and Subjected to Column Loads of Lightweight-Reinforced Concrete Structures

by Mohamed H. Abu-Ali, Basuony El-Garhy, Ahmed Boraey, Wael S. Alrashed, Mostafa El-Shami, Hassan Abdel-Daiem and Badrelden Alrefahi

Buildings 2024, 14(3), 588; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14030588 - 22 Feb 2024

Viewed by 1439

Abstract

An approach to estimate the behavior of stiffened rafts under column loads of a lightweight-reinforced concrete structure resting on expansive soils is presented in this paper. The analysis was conducted using the computer program SLAB97, which estimates the 3D distorted mound shape using the finite difference method by solving the transient suction diffusion equation in 3D and computing the corresponding soil movements. The interaction between the stiffened rafts and the 3D distorted mound shape is then analyzed using the finite element method. The SLAB97 program has been validated by comparing its results with the results of others that were shown to be valid. The goal of the study is to make the expansive soil structure interaction models that the previous researchers proposed more logical. Assuming the worst initial 3D distorted mound shapes of the two cases of edge heave and edge shrinkage, an upper-bound solution is obtained. Using the two scenarios of edge shrinkage and edge heave, the program was utilized in a parametric investigation to examine the impact of various parameters on the behavior of stiffened rafts on expansive soils. These parameters include the stiffening beam depth, the maximum differential movement of the distortion mound shape, and the raft dimensions. The behavior of the stiffened rafts subjected to concentrated column loads is concluded to be similar to that of the stiffened rafts subjected to uniform and perimeter line loads in both cases of distortion modes, with regard to the shape of raft deformation and distribution of the bending moments; however, the values of the design parameters such as maximum deflection, maximum differential deflection, and maximum moments are entirely different in these two situations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Numerical and Computer Methods in Civil Engineering)

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15 pages, 3910 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Continuously Derivable Uniaxial Tensile Stress-Strain Model of Cold-Formed Circular Steels

by Chang Yang, Ling Ying, Binbin Wang and Qi Li

Buildings 2024, 14(1), 36; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14010036 - 22 Dec 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1106

Abstract

Promoting prefabricated steel structures is considered one of the crucial approaches to meeting the objectives of “carbon peak” and “carbon neutrality” in the construction industry. Due to insufficient practical experience and incomplete fine engineering techniques in civil construction, the sustainable development of prefabricated building systems in China faces many challenges. Taking steel components as an example, the design process of tubular columns does not pay enough attention to the influence of the cold-working effect on material mechanical properties, and the constitutive relationship of cold-formed steels is not clear, which will cause an engineering economic burden and may affect the judgment of catastrophic problems. To serve the refined design and meet the intelligent construction technology using the computer platform, a modified Menegotto-Pinto model using a continuously derivable function is proposed in the paper. The proposed model can successfully describe the complete stress-strain curve of cold-formed circular mild steels as long as the basic mechanical parameters of the parent material are determined. Taking into account the influence of the strength and thickness of the parent steel sheets, as well as the internal bending radius r, on the cold-rolling effect, the model can also flexibly track the elastic-plastic nonlinearity of the cold-formed materials. In addition, the research shows that the cold-rolling effect will weaken with the increase of the yield strength f_sy,₀ of the parent steels and r/t ratio, and may disappear when f_sy,₀ reaches 1748 MPa or the r/t ratio is approximately 60, which can be used as economic indicators during the design process. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Numerical and Computer Methods in Civil Engineering)

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23 pages, 7004 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Two-Step Identification Method and Experimental Verification of Weld Damage at Joints in Spatial Grid Structures

by Hui Liu, Jianwei Huang, Xueliang Wang and Xiuwen Lv

Buildings 2023, 13(9), 2141; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13092141 - 23 Aug 2023

Viewed by 1025

Abstract

Welded joints in grid structures are susceptible to damage and destruction when exposed to random excitation. The complexity of the grid structure poses challenges for realizing the damage recognition of welded joints. In this study, a two-step method is proposed specifically for damage identification of welded joints in grid structures, combining wavelet analysis and fuzzy pattern recognition to accurately identify the location and extent of damage in welded joints. Firstly, the structure is divided based on the analysis of the influence range of joint damage. Key joints are selected within the sub-regions where sensors are installed, and the acceleration response of these key joints is measured. Wavelet analysis is then applied to identify the sub-regions where weld damage occurs. Secondly, an equivalent finite element model is established for joints with varying degrees of damage. The damage index, calculated as the ratio of the absolute value of the difference in the first-order element strain mode of the members, increases with the degree of damage during joint weld damage. By monitoring the changes in the damage index of sensitive members, which exhibit significant changes with varying weld damage degrees, a damage pattern database is constructed for each sub-region. The membership degree between joint damage and the patterns in the pattern database is then calculated to determine the location and degree of weld damage. To validate the effectiveness of the proposed method, an experiment was conducted using a grid structure model with replaceable members. Highly sensitive FBG sensors were designed to measure the acceleration response of the joints, resulting in accurate identification of damaged sub-regions solely through the measurement of key joint acceleration responses. Furthermore, within the damaged sub-regions, the fuzzy pattern recognition method precisely determined the location and degree of weld damage in the joints. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method effectively reduces the complexity of the structure by dividing the grid structure into sub-regions, and enables the two-step identification method to achieve successful damage identification for the joints in the grid structure with high efficiency and accuracy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Numerical and Computer Methods in Civil Engineering)

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16 pages, 6902 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Application and Practice of Variable Axial Force Cable in Powerhouse Truss Reinforcement System

by Zizhen Shen, Min Hong, Xunfeng Li, Zigang Shen, Lianbo Wang and Xueping Wang

Buildings 2023, 13(5), 1271; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13051271 - 12 May 2023

Viewed by 1283

Abstract

Long-span steel structure trusses are widely used in factory buildings. However, with the increase in service time and dynamic load fatigue, transverse cracks at the bottom of the middle span and oblique deformation of the abdomen during the operation process may appear in a considerable part of long-span trusses with dynamic load. The U-shaped cracks at the bottom and belly, as well as the mid-span down deflection of the main truss, can also reduce the functionality of the factory building truss structure and limit the original crane load, thus affecting the normal safety and durability of the structure. Therefore, the principle of variable axial force cable system in the long-span factory building truss structure and 3D3S software modelling were applied. Analysing and studying the reinforcement method of large-span powerhouse trusses can provide practical experience for subsequent similar projects. In view of the above phenomenon, the large-span powerhouse trusses of Hongcheng Powerhouse No. 1 and No. 2, located in Tonglu, Zhejiang Province, were used as the research objects, and the variable axial force cable method was proposed to strengthen and lift the load. Considering the span of the powerhouse truss, a cable system with 22 m and a controlling force of 400 kN was proposed for Powerhouse 1, and a cable system with a variable axial force of 24 m was proposed for Powerhouse 2. The force model of large-span trusses was established by using the finite element method, which is commonly used to analyse the force of the truss. The influence of the reinforcement effect was analysed under two working conditions and compared from three aspects: stiffness, bearing capacity and stability. Furthermore, the phenomenon of uneven stress distribution was analysed. The stress distribution characteristics of each node were understood by simulating the most disadvantageous node plates with the greatest internal force before and after reinforcement. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Numerical and Computer Methods in Civil Engineering)

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21 pages, 15776 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Finite Element Modeling of Interface Behavior between Normal Concrete and Ultra-High Performance Fiber-Reinforced Concrete

by Xuan-Bach Luu and Seong-Kyum Kim

Buildings 2023, 13(4), 950; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13040950 - 3 Apr 2023

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3138

Abstract

The behavior at the interface between normal strength concrete (NSC) and Ultra-High Performance Fiber-Reinforced Concrete (UHPFRC) plays a crucial role in accurately predicting the capacity of UHPFRC for strengthening and repairing concrete structures. Until now, there has been a lack of sufficient finite element (FE) models for accurately predicting the behavior at the interface between NSC and UHPFRC. This study aims to investigate the structural behavior of composite members made of NSC and UHPFRC by developing a model that accurately simulates the interface between the two materials using a linear traction-separation law. Novel parameters for the surface-based cohesive model, based on the traction-separation model, were obtained and calibrated from prior experiments using analytical methods. These parameters were then integrated into seven FE models to simulate the behavior at the interface between NSC and UHPFRC in shear, tensile, and flexural tests. The accuracy of the FE models was validated using experimental data. The findings revealed that the proposed FE models could effectively predict the structural behavior of composite NSC-UHPFRC members under various working conditions. Specifically, the maximum deviations between EXP and FEA were 6.8% in ultimate load for the shear test and 15.9% and 2.8% in ultimate displacement for the tensile and flexural tests, respectively. The model can be utilized to design the use of UHPFRC and ultra-high performance fiber-reinforced shotcrete (UHPFRS) for repairing and strengthening damaged concrete structures. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Numerical and Computer Methods in Civil Engineering)

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16 pages, 11148 KiB

Open AccessArticle

On Interpolative Meshless Analysis of Orthotropic Elasticity

by You-Yun Zou, Yu-Cheng Tian, D. M. Li, Xu-Bao Luo and Bin Liu

Buildings 2023, 13(2), 387; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13020387 - 31 Jan 2023

Viewed by 1341

Abstract

As one possible alternative to the finite element method, the interpolation characteristic is a key property that meshless shape functions aspire to. Meanwhile, the interpolation meshless method can directly impose essential boundary conditions, which is undoubtedly an advantage over other meshless methods. In this paper, the establishment, implementation, and horizontal comparison of interpolative meshless analyses of orthotropic elasticity were studied. In addition, the radial point interpolation method, the improved interpolative element-free Galerkin method and the interpolative element-free Galerkin method based on the non-singular weight function were applied to solve orthotropic beams and ring problems. Meanwhile, the direct method is used to apply the displacement boundary conditions for orthotropic elastic problems. Finally, a detailed convergence study of the numerical parameters and horizontal comparison of numerical accuracy and efficiency were carried out. The results indicate that the three kinds of interpolative meshless methods showed good numerical accuracy in modelling orthotropic elastic problems, and the accuracy of the radial point interpolation method is the highest. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Numerical and Computer Methods in Civil Engineering)

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23 pages, 17229 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Numerical Strategy for Column Strengthened with FRCM/SRG System

by Salvatore Verre

Buildings 2022, 12(12), 2187; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings12122187 - 9 Dec 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1631

Abstract

The use of fabric-reinforced cementitious mortar (FRCM) or steel-reinforced grout (SRG) is now recognized to be effective in enhancing the axial capacity of masonry columns when confinement is achieved. Numerous experimental tests demonstrated the symbiotic role of the fabric and the inorganic matrix. An open issue is still related to the numerical simulation. In fact, if the compressive behavior by the numerical simulation of the unreinforced and reinforced masonry columns confined by a FRCM/SRG jacket may follow different approaches. The inorganic matrix transfers the stresses from the substrate to the fabric differently, depending on the presence or absence of cracks. The fabric consists of an open grid whose yard could be differently stressed after the matrix damage because of the occurrence of a possible slippage at the fabric–matrix interface. Definitely, these aspects are difficult to numerically predict. The paper herein is devoted to the assessment of different numerical approaches for the FRCM/SRG confinement of masonry columns by considering data from the literature and varying the parameters related to the matrix, the fabric, and the masonry itself. The goal is to best fit the experimental outcomes (from different available sources) with different strategies based on a finite element (FE) modeling. The results show good matching between the experimental and theoretical curves for the different FRCM/SRG systems. The results evidenced that the accuracy of the experimental versus the numerical curves match is met for the different FRCM/SRG systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Numerical and Computer Methods in Civil Engineering)

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16 pages, 4312 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Prediction of Unstable Hydrodynamic Forces on Submerged Structures under the Water Surface Using a Data-Driven Modeling Approach

by Van My Nguyen, Hoang Nam Phan and Thanh Hoang Phan

Buildings 2022, 12(10), 1683; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings12101683 - 13 Oct 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2070

Abstract

Catastrophic failures of partially or fully submerged structures, e.g., offshore platforms, hydrokinetic turbine blades, bridge decks, etc., due to the dynamic impact of free surface flows such as waves or floods have revealed the need to evaluate their reliability. In this respect, an accurate estimation of hydrodynamic forces and their relationship to instability in structures is required. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) solver is known as a powerful tool to identify dynamic characteristics of flow; however, it commonly consumes a huge computational cost, especially in cases of re-simulations needed. In this paper, an efficient surrogate model based on the Gaussian process is developed to rapidly predict the nonlinear hydrodynamic pressure coefficients on submerged bodies near the water surface. For this purpose, a CFD model is first developed, which is based on a two-dimensional incompressible Navier–Stokes solver incorporating free surface treatment and turbulent flow models. Then, an experimental design is adopted to generate initial training samples considering the effect of the submerged body shape ratio and flow Re number. Surrogate models of hydrodynamic pressure coefficients and their instability based on Gaussian process modeling are established using the outcome from the CFD simulations, where optimal trend and correlation functions are also investigated. Once surrogate models are obtained, the mean and oscillation amplitudes of hydrodynamic pressure coefficients on a submerged rectangular body, which represents the shape of most civil structures, can be rapidly predicted without the attempt at re-simulation. The findings can be practically applied in rapidly assessing hydrodynamic forces and their instability of existing submerged civil structures or in designing new structures, where a suitable shape ratio should be adopted to avoid flow-induced instability of hydrodynamic forces. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Numerical and Computer Methods in Civil Engineering)

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23 pages, 8708 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Fragility Analysis of Wind-Induced Collapse of a Transmission Tower Considering Corrosion

by Chuncheng Liu and Zhao Yan

Buildings 2022, 12(10), 1500; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings12101500 - 21 Sep 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2475

Abstract

To investigate the variation law of the wind-resistant performance of transmission towers during their operation, this paper proposes an evaluation method for the wind resistance of the transmission tower considering corrosion, and a 220-kV transmission tower is analyzed as an example. Considering the uncertainty of the material and geometric parameters, the wind-induced collapse of the transmission tower was analyzed, and the collapse wind speeds were obtained via pushover and incremental dynamic analyses. In addition, the sensitivity of the transmission tower to various parameters was analyzed. Based on the existing meteorological and corrosion data, corrosion prediction models were established using a back-propagation (BP) artificial neural network, and the mean relative error between the predicted and measured values of the test samples was 8.91%. On this basis, the corrosion depth of the tower members in the four regions was predicted, and the fragility of the transmission tower was analyzed considering the effects of corrosion and strong winds. The results show that the collapse wind speed of the transmission tower is most significantly affected by the thickness of the angle steel, followed by the elastic modulus and yield strength, and is less affected by the width of the angle steel. When the exposure time was 25 years, the wind-resistant performance of transmission towers in regions with severe acid rain and coastal industrial regions decreased by 10% to 20%. With an increase in exposure time, the failure mode of the transmission tower tended to be brittle failure. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Numerical and Computer Methods in Civil Engineering)

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19 pages, 3730 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Application of a Modified Differential Quadrature Finite Element Method to Flexural Vibrations of Composite Laminates with Arbitrary Elastic Boundaries

by Wei Xiang, Xin Li and Lina He

Buildings 2022, 12(9), 1380; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings12091380 - 4 Sep 2022

Viewed by 1608

Abstract

This paper formulates a modified differential quadrature finite element method (DQFEM) by a combination of the standard DQFEM and the virtual boundary spring technique, which makes it easy to implement arbitrary elastic restraints by assigning reasonable values to the boundary spring stiffnesses. This new formulated method can offer a unified solution for flexural vibrations of composite laminates subjected to general elastic boundary combinations including all the classical cases. The influences of the number of Gauss–Lobatto nodes and the boundary spring stiffnesses on the convergence characteristics of natural frequencies are investigated, and some conclusions are drawn in terms of the minimum number of unilateral nodes required to generate convergent solutions and the optimal values of the boundary spring stiffnesses to simulate classical boundaries. Numerical examples are performed for composite laminates under various classical boundary conditions. Excellent accuracy, numerical stability, and reliability of the present method are demonstrated by comparisons with available exact and numerical solutions in open literatures. Additionally, for elastically constrained composite laminates, which are beyond the scope of most existing approaches, numerous new results obtained by the present method may serve as reference values for other research. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Numerical and Computer Methods in Civil Engineering)

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