Computational Mechanics–New Frontiers for the New Millennium 

About: Computational Mechanics–New Frontiers for the New Millennium is an academic journal. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Finite element method & Porous medium. Over the lifetime, 126 publications have been published receiving 167 citations.

Artificial neural networks in biomedical engineering: a review

Abstract: This paper presents a review of applications of artificial neural networks in biomedical engineering area. Artificial neural networks in general are explained; some limitations and some proven benefits of neural networks are discussed. Use of artificial neural network techniques in various biomedical engineering applications is summarised. A case study is used to demonstrate the efficacy of artificial neural networks in this area. The paper concludes with a discussion of future usage of artificial neural networks in the area of biomedical engineering.

Stress Distribution in Composite Ground of Column-Slab System Under Road Pavement

Abstract: In Column Approach and/or Column System methods, soil-cement columns are installed in a pillar-shaped condition with varying lengths. In the calculation of settlement and bearing capacity of composite ground, the stress ratio between column and surrounding soil is required. This paper is aimed to elucidate the stress transferring mechanism for a column-slab improved composite ground under road pavement based on finite element analysis. The results show for a column-slab system, the floating columns are more economical than end bearing column. Analytical results also show that the stress ratio decreases exponentially with the increase of the thickness of slab and improvement ratio, however, it increases with the increase of length-diameter ratio of column.

Collapse Analysis of Square Tunnels in Cohesive–Frictional Soils

Abstract: The stability of a long square tunnel in a Mohr-Coulomb soil with a uniform friction angle, cohesion, and self-weight is investigated. This problem corresponds to drained loading of a tunnel in clay or rock, is difficult to analyse, and has been addressed rarely in the literature. For a range of tunnel geometries and material properties, rigorous bounds on the internal tunnel pressure required to prevent collapse are obtained using two numerical methods which are based on the bound theorems of classical plasticity and finite elements. The results are presented in terms of dimensionless stability charts and closely bracket the true collapse load for most cases of practical interest. The bounding methods used in the analyses have recently been developed at the University of Newcastle, and lead to large nonlinear programming problems that can be solved very efficiently using special purpose algorithms. The formulations are natural successors to techniques based on linear programming, and are fast enough to be used for large scale stability problems in three-dimensions. The upper and lower bound finite element solutions differ by less than a few per cent for most of the cases studied and, as an additional check, are compared against the analytical upper bound estimates derived from several assumed rigid block collapse mechanisms.

Seepage Failure Analyses of Sandy Ground Using a Liquefaction Analysis Method Based on Finite Deformation Theory

Abstract: Most of seepage failure problems can be classified as liquefaction problem, because effective stresses of sand deposits near/at failure state statically come close to zero. It is, therefore, difficult to predict the seepage failure using conventional deformation analysis methods for saturated soil. In the present paper, a newly developed liquefaction analysis method, which is based on the finite deformation theory, is applied to seepage failure problems. Firstly, 1-D unsteady seepage problem is discussed. Numerical solutions under various initial and boundary conditions are compared with analytical solutions based on the one-dimensional elastic consolidation theory. Secondary, 2-D classical seepage failure problem of horizontal ground with an embedded sheet pile is discussed. It is found that a proposed analysis method can quantitatively explain the distributions of the pore water pressure and the mean effective stress in sand deposit during the unsteady seepage flow until failure, but we need further study to accurately predict the deformation.