Finite Element Analysis

Publications

Aero-Structural Design Investigations for Biplane Wind Turbine Blades

This dissertation uses a detailed Finite Element model to conduct an aero-structural optimization of a novel biplane wind turbine blade, aiming to reduce blade mass while satisfying stress, buckling, and deflection constraints. The Finite Element analysis, integrated with aerodynamic load calculations, shows that the biplane design is a structurally feasible and potentially more cost-effective solution for large-scale wind turbines.

Railway Track Stiffness Variations - Consequences and Countermeasures

T. Dahlberg

This study uses three-dimensional, dynamic Finite Element Analysis to investigate how variations in railway track stiffness, such as at hanging sleepers or bridge transitions, increase damaging wheel-rail contact forces. The FEA simulations are then used to demonstrate that countermeasures like under-sleeper pads and grouting can effectively reduce these dynamic forces and mitigate track degradation.

Modal Testing of Complex Hardened Structures

This paper details the use of the finite element code LS-DYNA to simulate a pyrotechnically-excited test structure, analyzing how the location of a component shelf affects the resulting multi-axial shock environment. The computational analysis demonstrated that shelf placement is a critical design parameter for tuning out-of-plane forces, providing essential guidance for the physical construction of the test apparatus by comparing the finite element results to experimental data.

Simulation of a ballistic impact of a deformable bullet upon a multilayer fabric package

R. Barauskas, A. Abraitiene & A. Vilkauskas

This paper describes a finite element simulation of a bullet impacting a multi-layer fabric, with a focus on creating a simplified yet accurate computational model. The work validates the model against physical experiments to ensure its parameters and behavior align with real-world outcomes.

Finite Element Analysis Techniques Using Loma Prieta Recordings At Lower Crystal Springs Dam

This paper validates a FEA of a dam by utilizing a specialized ground motion propagation technique in LS-DYNA to replicate seismic recordings from the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. The finite element model successfully recreated the measured dynamic response at the dam's crest where foundation properties were well-defined, while sensitivity analyses explored response discrepancies in areas with geological uncertainty, highlighting the method's predictive capabilities and diagnostic utility.