Services

In "Structural & Stochastic Dynamics", we also share our expertise of structural dynamics and nonlinear mechanics with the industry. All sorts of collaborations are possible. You may hire our services for one day or less, for pointwise help on specific problems. We do also accept donation and financial support for PhD theses on specific topics of your own interest. Feel free to contact us to study the solution that best suits your needs. Over the last five years we quoted projects from 750€ to 45,000€. Many options are possible; just ask.

Some of our industrial collaborators:
BEG (Bureau d'Etudes Greisch), BECS (Bureau d'Etudes Cerfontaine Schumer), Bureau d'Etudes Louis, Batiserf, Eloy & Fils, Arcelor-Mittal, Besix, Arcadis, Van Wetter, Ecostal, Epslog, Exxon.

Examples of former & ongoing projects

 Development of an analytical model for the design of ligatures for stacks of metallic plates, under transport and maneuvers conditions

 

This project aims at developing a software for the computation of the response of a stack of flat elements sliding on top of each other, and subject to a dynamic motion of the bottom element. Coulomb friction or dimple restraint between two adjacent element is model and analyzed via a non-smooth time stepping method. The model determines the internal forces in the ligatures that are installed to keep the stability of the stack.

 

Topic:
Stack pile dynamics
Date:
Jan-Apr. 2014
Contractor:
Arcelor-Mittal (Ougrée, BE)

 

Digital simulation of spectrum compatible accelerograms  (GOSCA)

 

Topic:
Generation Of Spectrum Compatible Accelerogram (GOSCA)
Date:
Jan 2014
Contractor:
Besix (Bruxelles, BE)

GoSCA is a homemade software [V. Denoël  2001 (C)], that aims at the Generation of Spectrum Compatible Accelerograms. It synthetizes accelerograms that are compatible with any given response spectrum, i.e. accelerograms that are such that their pseudo-acceleration response spectrum fits any target spectrum. Usual response spectra such as those of EC8 are predefined, but user-defined spectra are also possible. Various time envelopes, duration, PGA and fitting requirement are possible.  The software was used in this particular case to synthetize accelerograms for the design of a bulding in Azerbaijan. In former projects (with Besix or other companies), we have generated accelerograms for Turkey, Egypt, Mexico and Europe.

 

Structural design of support structures for photovoltaic panels subjected to unusual wind loading

 

Topic:
Wind Engineering
Date:
Nov 2012
Contractor:
Ecostal (Jalhay, BE)

The proper computaton of the ballast load for self-standing photovoltaic pannels is a dfficult task as it has to meet the safety standard imposed by the Eurocode but at the same time meet the tight limits imposed by the practical limitations of installation. While 80kg or 100 kg per pannel support seem to be an overall 

recommendation, onsite inspection apparently reveals that this recommendation is seldom followed. With the aim to come up with lighter but still safe enough recommendantions to installers, this research projet has the final aim to provide a simple spreadsheet for an

advanced design of the ballasting of self-standing photovoltaic pannels, according to the design guidelines of Eurocode 1. The deliverable of this research project is an Excel spreadsheets with the height of the flat roof, the terrain category, the type of pannel (size, weight), ...

 

Design of a hybrid cable-stayed and suspended bridge over the Bosphorus. Assessment of differential seismic ground motionS

 

Topic:
Seismic Engineering - Random Dynamics
Date:
Aug.-Dec. 2012
Contractor:
Bureau Etudes Greisch (Angleur, BE)

In this research-oriented project, we have summarized and compared several spectral analysis methods for the seismic analysis of a long bridge with different ground motions at its supports.  Those spectral analysis methods relying on multiple support excitation, usually coined as Spatially Varying Earthquake Ground Motion, have been compared to step-by-step time domain simulation. Although our developments were applied to an academized very long and multiple span bridge, the underlying motivation of the client concerns the design of the Third Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul (Turkey).

 

Assessment of the dynamic response of radio-telescopes under seismic wave propagation loading

 

Topic:
Structural Dynamics - Modal Identification
Date:
Jun.-Aug. 2011
Contractor:
Carrière Lhoist (Belgium)

The objective of this study is to assess the risk of vibration of high-precision instruments, resulting from the groud motion generated by the explosion required by the mine operation. The thesis that is pursued in the work is that amplitudes of vibrations generated by daily and extreme winds are larger than those resulting from the mine activiy, even closer. (In collaboration with the ORB - Belgian Royal Observatory)

The Meteorological Royal Observatory of Humain (close to Rochefort) is famous for its radio-telescopes installed along a several hundred meter long T-shape rails. A nearby mine is intending to develop closer to the Observatory, from a distance of 1000m, down to 500 meters.

 

Modal identification of the footbridge in peterbos

 

The new footbridge in Peterbos, completely designed by the Bureau d'Etudes Greisch was built in April 2011. Some days before opening, we checked experimentally that the mode shapes and natural frequencies of the actual bridge properly matches those of the numerical model. Also the estimation of the modal damping ratio could demonstrate the sufficiently large interanl damping to hinder any sort of vibration.

Topic:
Structural Dynamics - Modal Identification
Date:
Apr. 2011
Contractor:
Bureau d'Etudes Greisch (Belgium)

 

Design of the 1.2KM-LONG Death ride for the Grimp-Day competition

 

Topic:
Structural Dynamics
Date:
2009-2010
Contractor:
Grimp (Namur, Belgium).

Grimp'Day is a yearly competition organized by the special intervention group of the national fire brigade (GRIMP). The competition consists in several challenges taking place in different hotspot of the city of Namur. To move from one spot to another, the participants have to run, jogg or move with a death ride. In the 2010 edition, a death ride was installed from the top of the citadel up on a hill, down to a barge that was anchored in the River Meuse. At that time, this death ride was the biggest death-ride ever built in urban area.

It was desired to use a climbing gear compatible with the classical 10mm diameter cable. This diameter is typically used for death-rides of several hundreds of meters. It thus required a serious computation, to make sure that the cable was not too tight (otherwise large stresses mail yield failure at those high working stress rates), nor too loose so that the riders may effectively reach the end of the ride, safely of the barge, and not in the middle of the river Meuse. With this double-side contraint, the cable was finally taught at approximately 80% of its yield stress in static configuration.