Sound Enhancement of Orthotropic Sound Radiation Plates Using Line Loads and Considering Resonance Characteristics

A new vibro-acoustic method is presented to analyze the sound radiation behavior of orthotropic panel-form sound radiators using strip-type exciters to exert line loads to the panels for sound radiation. The simple first-order shear deformation theory together with the Ritz method is used to formulate the proposed method that makes the vibro-acoustic analysis of elastically restrained stiffened orthotropic plates more computationally efficient than the methods formulated on the basis of the other shear deformation theories. An elastically restrained orthotropic plate consisting of two parallel strip-type exciters was tested to measure the experimental sound pressure level curve for validating the effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed method. The resonance characteristics (natural frequency and mode shape) detrimental to sound radiation are identified in the vibro-acoustic analysis of the orthotropic plate. For any orthotropic sound radiation plate, based on the detrimental mode shapes, a practical procedure is presented to design the line load locations on the plate to suppress the major sound pressure level dips for enhancing the smoothness of the plate sound pressure level curve. For illustration, the sound radiation enhancement of orthotropic plates with different fiber orientations for aspect ratios equal to 3, 2, and 1 subjected to one or two line loads is conducted using the proposed procedure. The results for the cases with two line loads perpendicular to the fiber direction and located at the nodal lines of the major detrimental mode shape may find applications in designing orthotropic panel-form speakers with relatively smooth sound pressure level curves.

Validation of Mooring Simulations (for Mooring Integrity Assessment) With In-Service Tension Measurements

Integrity of mooring system is of high importance in the offshore industry. In-service assessment of loads in the mooring lines is however very challenging. Direct monitoring of mooring line loads through load cells or inclinometers requires subsea installation work and continuous data transmission. Other solutions based on GPS and motion monitoring have been presented as solutions to overcome these limitations [1]. Monitoring solutions based on GPS and motion data provide good practical benefits, because monitoring can be conducted from accessible area. The procedure relies on accurate numerical models to model the relation between global motions and response of the mooring system. In this paper, validation of this monitoring approach for a single unit will be presented. The unit under consideration is a turret-moored unit operating in Australia. In-service measurements of motions, GPS and line tensions are available. A numerical time-domain model of the mooring system was created. This model was used to simulate mooring line tensions due to measured FPSO motions. Using the measured unit response avoids the uncertainty resulting from a prediction of the hydrodynamic response. Measurements from load cells in various mooring lines are available. These measurements were compared against the results obtained from the simulations for validation of the approach. Three different periods, comprising a total of five weeks of data, were examined in more detail. Two periods are mild weather conditions with different dominant wave directions. The third period features heavy weather conditions. In this paper, the data set and numerical model are presented. A comparison between the measured and numerically calculated mooring line forces will be presented. Differences between the calculated and measured forces are examined. This validation study has shown that in-service monitoring of mooring line loads through GPS and motion data provides a new opportunity for mooring integrity assessment with reduced monitoring system complexity.

Development and Testing of Bridle Line Power Generation for Aquaculture

This paper presents the development and testing of Gator, a hydraulic Power Take Off (PTO) being commercialised for the Aquaculture market. Gator uses a novel polymer bellows to pump pressurised water through a power take off system, while also providing a non-linear force response that reduces mooring line loads over traditional mooring lines. The Gator system is comprised of 4 distinct subsystems: The Gator pump, hydraulics, turbine, and electrical storage & control. The Gator pump is a polymer component that compresses under load, pumping water through check valves into the hydraulic system. The connected hydraulic system takes the pressurised water, regulates the pressure and flow rates with an accumulator, and provides a steady flow of water to the turbine, generating electricity. This paper will provide an overview of the technical development of the Gator system over several phases, which has focussed its adaptation for use in the aquaculture industry as an inline pump on cage mooring lines. A description of comprehensive testing undertaken on a linear test rig to simulate the variable loading that the system would experience in operation will be provided as well as some of the early characterisation results from this testing.

Optimal load redistribution on interdependent networks under a novel flow interaction model

Complex systems are always composed of many subsystems that exhibit interdependent relationship with each others. It becomes increasingly important across many fields to understand the effect of interdependence among these subsystems. In this paper, we consider a novel flow interaction model on a system comprising two networks with initial line loads and capacities. Once a line in one network is subjected to overload failure, its load will be redistributed to the whole system. Based on this model, we study how load transfer due to redistribution affects the dynamic process of failure propagation and the failure outbreak threshold. Furthermore, we solve an optimal load transfer problem to find the minimum cumulative cost on the low failure level. Our results provide theoretical guidance for optimal load scheduling to suppress cascades in the interdependent networks.

Two Dimensional Deformation of a Multilayered Thermoelastic Half-Space Due to Surface Loads and Heat Source

This article deals with a 2-D problem of quasi-static deformation of a multilayered thermoelastic medium due to surface loads and heat source. The propagator matrix is obtained for the multilayered formalism of thermoelastic layers. Analytical solutions, in terms of the displacements, stresses, heat flux and temperature function, are obtained for normal strip and line loads, shear strip and line loads and strip and line heat sources. Numerical computation of the obtained analytical expressions is also done. The effects of layering have been studied. For the verification of the results, results of earlier studies have been obtained as particular cases of the present study.

Distribution of Concentrated Loads in Timber-Concrete Composite Floors: Simplified Approach

Timber-concrete composite (TCC) solutions are not a novelty. They were scientifically referred to at the beginning of the 20th century and they have proven their value in recent decades. Regarding a TCC floor at the design stage, there are some assumptions, at the standard level, concerning the action of concentrated loads which may be far from reality, specifically those associating the entire load to the beam over which it is applied. This naturally oversizes the beam and affects how the load is distributed transversally, affecting the TCC solution economically and mechanically. Efforts have been made to clarify how concentrated loads are distributed, in the transverse direction, on TCC floors. Real-scale floor specimens were produced and tested subjected to concentrated (point and line) loads. Moreover, a Finite Element (FE)-based model was developed and validated and the results were collected. These results show that the “loaded beam” can receive less than 50% of the concentrated point load (when concerning the inner beams of a medium-span floor, 4.00 m). Aiming at reproducing these findings on the design of these floors, a simplified equation to predict the percentage of load received by each beam as a function of the floor span, the transversal position of the beam, and the thickness of the concrete layer was suggested.

Demonstration of the Intelligent Mooring System for Floating Offshore Wind Turbines

Existing mooring systems for floating offshore wind turbines are largely based on designs from the oil and gas industry. Even though these can ensure the safe station keeping of the floating wind platform, the design of the mooring system is currently largely conservative, leading to additional expense in an industry striving to achieve cost reduction. Recent interest in the usage of mooring materials with non-linear stiffness has shown that they have the potential to reduce peak line loads, ultimately reducing cost. This paper reports on the combined physical testing and numerical modeling of a hydraulic-based mooring component with these characteristics. The results suggest that the inclusion of the component as part of the OC4 semi-submersible platform can reduce the peak line loads by 10%. The paper also discusses a number of challenges associated with modeling and testing dynamic mooring materials.

Enhancing the Behavior of One-Way Reinforced Concrete Slabs by Using Laced Reinforcement

This paper studies experimentally the behavior of laced reinforced concrete one-way slabs under monotonic load. The experimental program included testing three simply supported one-way slabs of dimensions (1500 mm length, 600 mm width, and thickness 130mm. One of these slabs was the control specimen which was designed without lacing reinforcement steel and the other two specimens designed were with two variable lacing reinforcement ratio (0.27% and 0.52%). All specimens were cast with normal of 22 MPa compressive strength. Specimens were tested under two equal line loads applied at the third parts of the slab (monotonic load) gradually applying up to failure. The specimens showed an enhanced in ultimate load capacity up to 40% as a result of increasing the lacing steel ratio to 0.52 %. Also, decreasing in deflection at service and at ultimate load levels by 42% and %57 respectively. In addition, the results showed that specimen with lacing reinforcement are more ductility than specimen without lacing reinforcement so using of lacing steel reinforcement leads to significant improvements in ductility index which reached to about 49% with increasing the lacing steel ratio to (0.52%).