The history of the Finite Element Method (FEM) dates back to the early 20th century, with its roots traceable to methods for solving partial differential equations developed by mathematicians like Richard Courant and Raymond D. Mindlin. In the 1940s, Courant utilized discretization techniques to solve torsion problems, laying the theoretical groundwork for what would later become FEM. However, the formal development of FEM began in the 1950s with the pioneering work of aerospace engineers like Jon Turner and Ray W. Clough. Turner and his colleagues at Boeing developed the concept of finite elements for analyzing aerospace structures, while Clough coined the term "Finite Element Method" in his influential 1956 paper.
Throughout history, construction materials have evolved significantly, adapting to the needs for durability, strength, and efficiency of each era. From the early civilizations using natural materials like stone and clay, to contemporary advancements in composite materials and nanotechnology, the quest to improve infrastructure has been constant. In ancient times, the earliest stone structures, such as the pyramids of Egypt and the temples of Mesopotamia, demonstrated advanced construction techniques for their time. With the advent of the Roman Empire, concrete was introduced—a mixture of lime, water, and volcanic stone—which enabled the construction of more complex and durable structures, such as the Pantheon and Roman aqueducts.
During the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, construction materials continued to improve with the use of more sophisticated bricks and mortars. However, it was during the Industrial Revolution that significant advancements were made with the introduction of steel and reinforced concrete, allowing for the construction of taller buildings and longer bridges. In the 20th century, the development of new materials such as prestressed concrete and advanced metal alloys revolutionized civil engineering. However, despite these advancements, issues related to the durability and maintenance of concrete structures persisted. The need for new materials that could offer solutions to these problems led to the research and development of self-healing concretes.
Self-healing concretes are designed to autonomously repair cracks and minor damages without human intervention. These materials can be classified into several types based on the self-healing mechanism employed.
On the morning of November 1, 1755, during All Saints' Day, a catastrophic event shook Lisbon. It was one of the most devastating earthquakes in modern history, classified as an XI intensity on the Mercalli scale (extreme earthquake). This disaster was not isolated; it was accompanied by a tsunami and a fire. Reports from the time indicate that the earthquake lasted between three and six minutes, causing cracks up to five meters wide in the city's center. Survivors who fled to the docks saw the water recede, revealing the seabed. Forty minutes later, three giant waves, ranging from 6 to 20 meters high, swept through the port and the city center, advancing up the Tagus River. In areas unaffected by the tsunami, fires erupted, devastating the city for five days, mostly ignited by candles lit in churches in honor of the deceased.
In today's environment, technology and programming are fundamental across numerous industries, particularly in construction. According to a 2023 Stack Overflow report, most professional developers use languages like JavaScript, Python, and Java, highlighting the growing importance of these skills. It is anticipated that by 2025, the global software market will reach 650 billion dollars, reflecting the continuous expansion of technology in various sectors.
Earthquakes not only cause numerous deaths but also significant economic losses due to the damage they inflict on various buildings. The 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Turkey in February 2023 resulted in more than 50,000 deaths and economic losses estimated at over 84 billion dollars. This devastating impact underscores the need to develop devices that mitigate damage to structures. Although devices designed to reduce such damage exist, the effects remain significant due to the unpredictability of earthquakes and because current structural systems are not adaptive but static. Therefore, a new approach is required for structural elements that can adapt in real-time to seismic conditions to prevent further damage. In light of this issue, magnetorheological (MR) isolators are proposed.
Magnetorheological (MR) isolators are devices designed to mitigate the effects of earthquakes on structures by using magnetoactive elastomers (MAEs). These intelligent materials combine a flexible polymer matrix with embedded magnetic particles, enabling an adaptive response under the influence of a magnetic field. The ability of MAEs to modify their mechanical properties in real-time makes them a structural element that can significantly reduce damage to any type of building, providing an innovative and effective solution for seismic protection.
Pre-trained Transformer models, commonly known as GPT, are advanced natural language prediction systems. Their goal is to mimic the process of human speech to facilitate fluid conversations, a task that is inherently complex due to the nuances of human language, which cannot be easily programmed through strict rules. To address these challenges, machine learning is employed, where the machine adjusts itself automatically based on provided examples.
For instance, ChatGPT has been trained with a vast amount of data, including texts from web pages, highly rated Reddit posts, compilations from the Universal Web Library, and the entirety of Wikipedia, covering the period from 2016 to 2019. Despite its capability to generate coherent text, it is crucial to clarify that ChatGPT does not genuinely comprehend the topics, lacks mathematical or abstract thinking, and has limited memory. Although these aspects are continually being improved, the most significant barrier remains human understanding. So, how does ChatGPT work?
