A curved shell finite element for the geometrically non-linear analysis of box-girder beams curved in plan
A four-noded curved shell finite element for the geometrically non-linear analysis of beams curved in plan is introduced. The structure is conceived as a sequence of macro-elements (ME) having the form of transversal segments of identical topology where each slice is formed using a number of the curved shell elements which have 7 degrees of freedom (DOF) per node. A curved box-girder beam example is modelled using various meshes and linear analysis results are compared to the solutions of a well-known computer program SAP2000. Linear and non-linear analyses of the beam under increasing uniformly distributed loads are also carried out. In addition to box-girder beams, the proposed element can also be used in modelling open-section beams with curved or straight axes and circular plates under radial compression. Buckling loads of a circular plate example are obtained for coarse and successively refined meshes and results are compared with each other. The advantage of this element is that curved systems can be realistically modelled and satisfactory results can be obtained even by using coarse meshes.
Spatial Finite Element Analysis for Dynamic Response of Curved Thin-Walled Box Girder Bridges
According to the flexural and torsional characteristics of curved thin-walled box girder with the effect of initial curvature, 7 basic displacements of curved box girder are determined. And then the strain-displacement calculation correlations were established. Under the curvilinear coordinate system, a three-noded curved girder finite element which has 7 degrees of freedom per node for the vibration characteristic and dynamic response analysis of curved box girder is constructed. The shape functions are used as the interpolation functions of variable curvature and variable height to accommodate to the variation of curvature and section height. A MATLAB numerical analysis program has been implemented.
The effect of continuous exposure to low frequency electric fields on three generations of mice: A pilot study
Mice were allowed to mate, gestate, deliver and rear their offspring for 3 successive generations while being continuously exposed to 60 Hz electric fields. Mice exposed to vertical electric fields exhibited decreased body weights at 35 days postpartum and increased mortality, rates for 3 successive generations. Mice exposed to horizontal electric fields exhibited decreased body weights for 2 successive generations.