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Nonlinear behavior of fixed-end RC beams with circular openings based on experimental and finite element analysis
Abstract Reinforced concrete (RC) beams often require service openings due to architectural and utility demands. However, such openings lead to stress concentrations caused by the reduction in the concrete cross-section and the absence of transverse reinforcement, which can adversely affect the structural performance of beams and lead to premature failures. Despite extensive research on RC beams with openings, most studies have been conducted under simply supported conditions, which do not accurately represent real structural behavior. This study aims to investigate the structural behavior of RC beams with circular mid-span openings under fixed-end (encastre) boundary conditions through both experimental testing and numerical analysis. Openings were introduced in the bending region at 20%, 40%, and 60% of the beam height. Full-scale beam specimens were tested under four-point bending, and detailed nonlinear finite element models were developed using ABAQUS software. The results show that openings exceeding 40% of the beam height significantly reduce ductility and lead to sudden load drops. Additionally, when openings exceed 20%, the remaining concrete section around the opening plays a critical role in load transfer and bond performance. The numerical results exhibit strong agreement with the experimental findings, demonstrating that the proposed modeling approach can reliably capture the structural behavior of beams with openings. The findings provide important insights into the realistic behavior of fixed-end RC beams and contribute to the safe and efficient design of structural members with service openings.
Adsorption mechanisms of methylene blue and methyl orange on activated carbon: scientific interpretation and modeling simulation
A deep learning framework for emotion recognition in music using multimodal data fusion
A versatile method for accurately predicting electronic absorption spectra of tetrapyrrole macrocycles
Association of income inequality and aggregate health indicators in Japan: analyses of prefecture-level panel data
Intelligent english education resource recommendation via LLM–knowledge graph integration and ecological niche fitness modeling
The Amazon can be saved — with concerted action inside and outside Brazil
Design and temperature assessment of analog/RF and linearity parameters on dual material gate junctionless FinFET at 7 nm technology node for nano scale applications
Antibacterial activity, phytochemical profiling and ADMET prediction of bioactive compounds in Origanum syriacum and Salix alba
Coupled experimental and numerical parametric study of projectile penetration into granular sandy soils under low-velocity impact
Abstract This study presents a parametric investigation of soil-projectile interaction under low-velocity penetration with a focus on the joint effect of granular soil properties and projectile characteristics. First, experimental free-fall vertical drop tests were performed on conical-headed projectiles with different apex angles and masses penetrating compacted sandy soil with different degrees of relative density. More extensive studies were carried out through numerical simulation performed with the Abaqus 2024 software to validate the experimental test results and to examine other variables such as different internal friction angles, dropping heights, projectile diameters, nose configurations, angles of impact, as well as cratering. Complementary analyses were performed to investigate projectile acceleration, energy absorption, stress, and plastic strain distribution in the soil body. The results showed that penetration depth decreased with increasing sand relative density, internal friction angle, projectile diameter, and projectile apex angle, while it increased with increasing projectile mass, drop height, and impact angle. Crater diameter was found to increase mainly by increasing drop height and projectile diameter, while its sensitivity to internal friction angle remained comparatively limited within the investigated range. To improve the physical interpretability of the results, dimensionless correlations were developed and combined with correlation-based and response-span-based sensitivity assessments to clarify the relative importance of the governing parameters. Within the investigated conditions, the study provides a validated experimental–numerical framework for interpreting low-velocity projectile penetration in granular sandy soils and for identifying the parameters that most strongly control penetration depth and crater development.
Numerical characterization of electrochemical transport in three-dimensional rhombic zero-depth pores
A comparative study of quantum-inspired PSO and EA with their binary variants for heart disease classification
Gen Z scepticism towards AI is a wake-up call — universities must take it seriously
A novel bicistronic vector inducing balanced alternative splicing for antibody production
Abstract Efficient and stable production of recombinant monoclonal antibodies requires sufficient expression of light (LC) and heavy (HC) chains within host cells. Conventional bicistronic systems such as internal ribosome entry site (IRES)- or 2 A peptide–based vectors often suffer from imbalanced translation efficiencies or the presence of residual peptide tags that can compromise antibody quality. We developed a novel bicistronic expression platform, designated the cassette exon–associated (CAE) system, which exploits alternative splicing derived from the HEG1 gene to generate two mRNA isoforms from a single promoter. The CAE cassette contains synthetic splice donor and acceptor sequences that enable expression of LC and HC without additional peptide sequences. The optimized construct, pCAE3.31, driven by various promoters—including chicken β-actin, cytomegalovirus, and human elongation factor-1α—efficiently expressed functional antibodies in multiple mammalian cell lines. Compared with IRES-based systems, the CAE vector achieved an 8-fold higher antibody yield. Fab fragments were also produced using the CAE system. The CAE system represents a compact and versatile bicistronic expression strategy that ensures expression of LC and HC, avoids extraneous peptide fusion, and is compatible with major mammalian promoters. This platform facilitates efficient production of recombinant antibodies and Fab fragments, supporting screening and potential therapeutic applications.