In this paper, a sensitivity analysis of artificial neural networks (NNs) is presented and employed for estimating the patch load resistance of plate girders subjected to patch loading. To evaluate the accuracy of the proposed NN model, the results are compared with the previously proposed empirical models, so that we can estimate the resistance of plate girders subjected to patch loading. The empirical models are calibrated, for improving the formulae, with experimental data set which was collected from the corresponding literature. NNs models are later trained and validated through using the existing experimental data. In this process several NNs architectures are taken into account. A set of good NNs models are selected and then analyzed regarding their robustness when confronted with the test data set and regarding their ability to reproduce the effect of uncertainty on the data. A sensitivity analysis is conducted herein in order to investigate the effect of variability in material and geometrical properties of plate girders. Thereafter, several estimates measuring the efficiency and the quality of the NN model and the calibrated models are obtained and discussed.

There has been a dramatic growth in asphalt recycling and reclaiming as a technically and environmentally preferred way of rehabilitating deteriorated pavements over the last couple of decades. One of the latest asphalt recycling techniques is cold in-place recycling using foamed bitumen. In recent years, there have been a number of successfully implemented cold in-place asphalt recycling projects in Iran; and it seems that the utilization of this method is gaining more acceptances amongst the road authorities and the contractors. At the same time, endeavors to evaluate the performance properties of foamed bitumen mixes were started and are still in progress. The present research, studies the mechanical and the performance properties of foamed bitumen mixes. In the first phase of the project, the effect of aggregate grading, bitumen and cement content and compaction efforts, on resilient modulus and indirect tensile strength (ITS) of 144 foamed bitumen specimens (of various curing conditions) has been investigated and analyzed. In the next phase, the effect of above parameters on resilient modulus and unconfined compressive strength (UCS) of 108 different samples was studied. Results indicate that for the tested materials, changing the aggregate grading from coarse to fine didn’t have a significant effect on resilient modulus, ITS, UCS and the moisture susceptibility of the specimens. Also the effect of increasing bitumen content from two to four percent is negligible. On the contrary, adding one percent cement and increasing it to two percent considerably improved the moisture susceptibility and the mechanical properties of the mixes. Based on the obtained data, a regression model between resilient modulus and ITS of the foamed bitumen mixes was developed to facilitate the prediction of the resilient modulus based on the corresponding ITS values.

This paper assesses three definitions of eccentricity employed in the description of asymmetric multistory buildings. Other definitions of static eccentricity in multistory buildings fall essentially into one of the above categories. Using the three approaches, formulae are developed to evaluate the asymmetry of shear-type buildings where the deformation is governed by the lateral and rotational rigid-floor displacements arising from the seismic design loadings. Finally by modelling three concrete buildings according to Iranian concrete code (ABA) and investigating these three definitions and comparing them, the best method for representing Iranian 2800 Standard was selected. Simple comparisons and comments on the alternative approaches are presented with the aid of these appropriate examples. This clarification of the definition of eccentricity is needed for improved understanding of the application of codified torsional design procedures. It is also a prerequisite for advanced studies of the inelastic seismic response of multistory shear buildings.

In the present work, a feasibility study has been carried out in order to investigate the suitability of the use of skeletal double layer grid systems as the ceilings and walls of residential, educational, hospital, commercial and administrative buildings in seismic areas by a series of the nonlinear static as well as dynamic time history analyses of representative models. In the case of the sample single story buildings designed in accordance with the common Allowable Stress Design methods, the pushover analysis results have indicated that a lighter structure with higher stiffness and lateral load carrying capacity can be achieved compared with a similar building composed of the moment resisting frame system. It has been demonstrated that with the imposition of appropriate limitations on member slenderness ratios for a few critical members, the ductility of the structure can be improved considerably. Also, the influence of the slope of the post buckling curve representing the member behavior has been found to be remarkable. A comparison of the response of the structure under the influence of three translational components of ground motion with single component excitation has demonstrated the significance of the consideration of the vertical component of ground motion in the analysis and design of such building structures. With due consideration of the lightweight and high indeterminacy of the structural system under consideration, the preliminary investigation carried out here has revealed that the proposed system is a potential candidate for the mass production of common types of building structures in seismic areas and hence deserves further theoretical and experimental investigations.

In order to study the effect of multi-support excitation of Earthquake Ground Motion on the seismic response of embankment dams, the dynamic response of the Masjed Soleiman earth dam is analyzed. In this research, the Spatially Variation of Earthquake Ground Motion (SVEGM) is introduced by ten different models. Consequently, the stochastic SVEGM model which accounts for both incoherence and wave passage effects is used to specify the non-uniform earthquake excitation. Based on the analysis results, the normal and shear stress distributions as well as the shear strain distribution and their maximum values on the dam body were estimated. Totally, the results of this research indicate that the distribution of stresses, strains and displacement in upstream-downstream direction of dam body increase by increasing the non- uniformity of the input excitation. This increment, which is depended to the number of uniform zone and is independent from the different coherency models, is almost between 50-180 per cent.

In order to simulate the bed scouring around piers, many researchers have developed sophisticated numerical algorithms. In this work, the numerical modeling of souring around cylindrical piers are performed by solution of the shallow water equations flow and depth averaged turbulent model equations coupled with the empirical relations for cohesive and granular beds. The shallow water flow equations include to the depth average continuity and motion and depth average turbulent model equations in horizontal Cartesian coordinate systems. For computation of bed erosion at each time step, the numerical results of turbulent flow model are combined with SRICOS empirical bed erosion empirical relations, which are derived from laboratory experiments. The governing partial differential equations of depth average turbulent flow are converted to discrete form using a vertex base finite volume method suitable for triangular unstructured meshes. Therefore, scouring due to flow around piers with arbitrary shape can be modeled. Several test cases of scouring on the cohesive and sandy beds around circular piers are modeled using the developed numerical model and the computed results are compared with the laboratory measurements reported for scouring in cohesive and granular bed around circular piers by the previous experimental workers. Despite of the simplicity and light computational work load of the introduced algorithm, the computed results show promising agreements with the anticipated trends.

Ties are designed and executed in order to prevent foundation mutual movements. According to the regulations of Iran and NEHRP, ties are designed for 10 and 25 percent of the greatest axial force (tensile and pressure) in either columns of two ends of ties, respectively. The question arising here is that how can ties be designed according to Iran and NEHRP regulation for a percentage of maximum axial loads of surrounding columns. To what stage of loading is their function effective to prevent relative settlement? When will plastic joints be formed? And finally for which forces should tie be designed in order to prevent formation of plastic joints? In this research 8 individual footings models together with linking tie were analyzed under nonlinear analysis in ANSYS software. For a better perception of effective parameters in tie designing, the changes of axial forces maximally between two columns (column bases) to the force of tie designing as well as relative settlement of tie were investigated in the following three conditions: 1-Studying horizontal distance of two Individual footings. 2- Studying the effect of type of soil in analysis of individual footing. 3- Studying the effect of gravity load in analysis of individual footing. It is obvious that by analysis of finite element models and studying their relative settlement we can evaluate the function of tie and answer the issues raised to some extent.

In this research, application of some real-time operation methods on a single-reservoir system, Karoon IV, with decreasing sum of drinking, industry and agriculture deficit has been considered. These methods include standard operation policy (SOP), stochastic dynamic programming (SDP) and some types of operational rule curves with different orders of inflow and reservoir storage volume. To rank aforesaid, a multiattribute decision method, ELECTRE I, with combination of indices, objective function and reservoir performance criteria (reliability, resiliency and vulnerability) has been used. This ranking is accomplished in two different states including: (1) performances criteria and (2) objective function and performance criteria using the same weights for all criteria. Results show that rule curves were selected as the suitable policy in real-time operation and models validation has been presented by testing nominated curve for dry, normal and wet years.

Wavelet Analysis has called the attentions in numerical solutions of PDEs in recent years. Because of orthogonality and compact support of Daubechies scaling functions, these functions have excellent ability of providing good accuracy and convergence for the approximation of the solution in singularities. In this article the method of using these functions for numerical solving of PDE for Euler–Bernoulli beams is formulated. This procedure needs to calculate derivatives and integrals of scaling functions as the shape functions of wavelet-based finite element method. Because of non-explicit formulation and high oscillation of these functions, conventional methods -like Gauss method for integration- are not suitable and accurate. Thus some special methods are formulated for these requirements. The ability and high accuracy of wavelet-based beam element for different boundary conditions and loads is shown in some examples.

A fairly complete monitoring of soil-structure interaction was performed during the construction stages of Resalat tunnel, a large span highway twin tunnel, and the instrumentation results were processed and analyzed. This project is one of the limited numbers of urban tunnels with a large span of 16 m and a low overburden (6 to 30 m) which are excavated through soft ground and passes underneath several deformation-sensitive urban areas. The proximity of two large span tunnels makes this project very special. Excavation of each 16 m span tunnel was designed to be done in five stages by a sequential excavation method and the number of stages sometimes was increased to 8 and more in order to restrict the ground deformation and surface settlements. Since measurement of some geotechnical parameters of course grained alluvial of Tehran is extremely difficult and sometimes impossible by conventional laboratory tests or even in-situ tests, the inverse analysis of instrumentation data can be used as an effective alternative for assessment of these parameters. These parameters mainly include the coefficient of cohesion due to soil cementation C, at rest coefficient of soil lateral pressure Ko, and to some extent the modulus of elasticity E. In this paper, the construction stages of Resalat twin tunnel are simulated by a finite element based numerical model and the possible sets of geotechnical parameters of the host ground are assessed.