Out-of-plane stability of simply supported beams with knee braces

This paper investigates the buckling of thin-walled beams braced by horizontal knee angles, which is a new practice currently coming into use in Chinese industrial buildings with small and moderate overhead cranes of light or medium duty to improve the stability of simply supported crane runway girders. It was found that this technique increases significantly the elastic buckling capacity of thin-walled beams. The increase in elastic-plastic buckling capacity may also be as high as 40% compared with unbraced beams. Simple formulae are presented for buckling moments of the knee-braced beams. Compared with the results of finite element analysis, the proposed formulae have excellent accuracy in prediction of the critical loads of knee-braced beams under concentrated load at mid-span and uniformly distributed loads. The application of the formulae was explained through an example of a practical crane runway girder.     

On the characteristics of new ductile knee bracing systems

In this paper, a new structural lateral bracing system called ‘Chevron Knee Bracing’ (CKB) is investigated. This new form of framing system is constructed through the knee and the diagonal brace elements. The knee part is a fuse-like component that dissipates energy by the formation of plastic flexural and/or shear hinges at its ends and mid-span, when the building is subjected to severe lateral loads. However, the diagonal brace component, on the other hand, provides the required level of lateral stiffness and remains in the elastic range without buckling at any time. In this investigation, first, by studying of the system in the elastic region, three new and practical parameters are established. Then, the best fitting optimal shape and angle of the knee and brace elements are projected, analytically. In the next step, by developing a nonlinear analytical knee element model, the actual behavior of this new CKB system is experienced in the nonlinear static and dynamic analysis, on two example structural systems, where the knee element happens to be in the moment and/or shear yielding mode. Using the results on nonlinear analysis of these test problems, the main properties of the CKB, such as the energy dissipation characteristics of the proposed systems, are properly inspected by establishment of an energy calculation algorithm. Finally, based on the presented optimal shape of the CKB in this paper, two step-by-step algorithms accompanied by appropriate main graphs and charts are suitably demonstrated and nonlinear behavior of the new model for flexural and shear yielding modes is well determined, which is followed in the next paper.     

Behaviour of semi-rigid steel beam-to-beam joints under bending and axial forces

This paper presents an analysis of semi-rigid beam-to-beam end-plate bolted joints that are subjected to bending and tension or a compression axial force. Usually the influence of axial force on joint rotational stiffness is neglected. According to EC3, the axial load, which is less than 10% of plastic resistance of the connected member under axial force, may be disregarded in the calculation of characteristics of a joint. Actually, the level of axial forces in joints of structures can be significant and has a significant influence on characteristics of semi-rigid joints. One of the most popular practical methods permitting the determination of rotational stiffness and moment resistance of a joint is the so-called component method. The extension of the component method for evaluating the influence of bending moment and axial force on the rotational stiffness and moment resistance of a joint are presented in the paper. The numerical results of calculations of characteristics of joints and calculations of steel framework are presented in this paper as well.     

Initial fracture behavior of satin woven fabric composites

Final fractures of composites is considered to be caused by cumulation of the microfractures, so that, the initiation of microfracture, namely, initial fracture is important factor to know the mechanical properties. Microfracture behaviors in textile composites were regarded to be decided by the geometry of textile fabric quantitatively. In this study, initial fracture in plain and satin woven fabric composites was investigated and the effect of weaving structure on initial fracture behavior was clarified. First, in order to investigate the geometry of textile fabric, crimp ratio and aspect ratio were measured. Tensile testing was performed and knee point on the stress–strain curve was identified. Fracture process of composites was observed by replica method. Initial fracture in plain woven fabric composite was confirmed as transverse crack in weft fiber bundle, on the other hand, in satin woven fabric composites both transverse crack and filament fracture at the same time was observed. The effects of changes in crimp ratio and aspect ratio on the initial fracture of woven fabric composites were discussed.     

Clamped end conditions and cross section deformation in the finite element absolute nodal coordinate formulation

In the finite element absolute nodal coordinate formulation (ANCF), the elimination of the relative translations and rotations at a point does not necessarily define a fully clamped joint, particularly in the case of fully parameterized ANCF finite elements that allow for the deformation of the cross section. In this investigation, the formulations and results of two different sets of clamped end conditions that define two different joints are compared. The first joint, called the partially clamped joint, eliminates only the translations and rotations at a point on the cross section. The second joint, called the fully clamped joint, eliminates all the translation, rotation and deformation degrees of freedom at a point on the cross section. The kinematic equations that define the partially and fully clamped joints are developed, and the dynamic equations used in the comparative numerical study presented in this paper are shown. As discussed in this investigation, the fully clamped joint does not allow for the deformation of the cross section at the joint node since the gradient vectors remain orthogonal unit vectors. The partially clamped joint, on the other hand, allows for the deformation of the cross section. Nanson’s formula is used as a measure of the deformation of the cross section in the case of the partially clamped joint. A very flexible pendulum that has a rigid body attached to its free end is used to compare the results of the partially and fully clamped joints. The numerical results obtained using this very flexible pendulum example show that, while the type of joint (partially or fully clamped) does not significantly affect the gross reference motion of the system, there are fundamental differences between the two joints since the partially clamped joint allows for the cross section deformations at the joint node.     

Are knee savers and knee pads a viable intervention to reduce lower extremity musculoskeletal disorder risk in residential roofers?

One factor commonly associated with musculoskeletal disorder risk is extreme postures. To lessen this risk, extreme postures should be reduced using proactive and prevention-focused methods. The effect of combinations of two interventions, knee pads and knee savers, on lower extremity kinematics during deep or near full flexion kneeling on differently sloped surfaces was analyzed. Nine male subjects were requested to keep a typical resting posture while kneeling on a sloped roofing simulator with and without knee pads and knee savers. Three-dimensional peak knee kinematics were recording using a motion capture system. The kinematic data were analyzed with a two-way—4(intervention) X 3(slope)—repeated measure analysis of variance (ANOVA). It was observed that knee pads did not alter lower extremity kinematics in a way that may reduce musculoskeletal injury risk, but they do provide comfort. Knee savers did statistically significantly reduce peak lower extremity kinematics, however these changes were small and it is uncertain if the changes will reduce musculoskeletal injury risk. This study has provided initial data that supports the use of knee savers as a potential intervention to reduce musculoskeletal disorder risk due to lower extremity joint angles on a sloped surface, nonetheless, further testing involving other musculoskeletal disorder risk factors is needed prior to a conclusive recommendation.     

膝关节骨性关节炎人群康复机器人研究现状及发展趋势

随着社会老龄化的加快,膝关节骨性关节炎（KneeOsteoarthritis,KOA）发病趋于年轻化,其对社会和患者产生极大困扰。为有效抑制KOA病变,并对KOA关节置换术后康复提供辅助,各类运动支具和康复训练装置应运而生,其中,康复辅具在KOA人群的康复训练中发挥了重要作用。为更全面地研究康复机器人在KOA人群康复训练中的应用,在分析KOA人群不同发病阶段康复需求的基础上,综述了辅助下肢运动障碍人群进行康复训练的机器人在机构结构、控制等方面的研究现状;针对KOA人群的康复机器人关键技术进行了分析。这为未来KOA人群康复机器人的设计提供了理论依据。     

膝关节外骨骼综合测试系统设计与实现

膝关节外骨骼系统是一种人体膝关节助力设备,其主要作用为可以使穿戴者在行走、奔跑、爬坡等运动过程中获得膝关节部位的助力扭矩,提升穿戴者的行动及负载能力;根据膝关节外骨骼系统的产品特点,对膝关节外骨骼的测试需求进行了研究,得到常规数据、助力效率、舒适度、寿命测试、关节驱动特性等5种测试需求;后基于测试需求,对一种膝关节外骨骼综合测试系统进行了架构设计,并对各种测试科目包括常规数据测试、助力效率、穿戴舒适度、使用寿命、关节驱动特性等进行测试方法研究.经实际应用试验表明,该测试系统可满足膝关节外骨骼设备的测试需求.     

多目标优化Knee前沿搜索方法研究进展

多目标优化算法是近年来进化计算研究领域的一个热点,大多数的多目标优化算法试图找到问题的完整的Pareto前沿.然而,随着待优化问题目标个数的增加,算法需要更大的种群规模才能合理地描绘出完整的Pareto前沿.显然这样不仅增加了算法的运行时间,更增加了(决策者)最终解的选择难度.因此,聚焦于搜索Pareto前沿上的特定区...