• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.194-215
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• 2021

Termites are important decomposers in the ecosystem. They are also economically significant structural pests. In this study, we reviewed the developments of termite control and recent research on termite management to provide information on the prevention and control of termites. In Korea, most of the damage to wooden historical buildings is caused by subterranean termites. Reticulitermes speratus kyushuensis is the main species, which is widely found throughout the country. In the early 1900s, inorganic insecticides, such as arsenic dust, were used for termite control. After the synthesis of chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticide in the 1940s, it was widely utilized and demonstrated high termite control efficacy. However, chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticides were later banned, disappearing from markets after reports emerged concerning environmental contamination and toxicity to humans. Therefore, the termite control industry sought a new termiticide; hence many pesticides were utilized for termite control. Organophosphate (1960s), carbamate (1970s), pyrethroid, and insect growth inhibitor (1980s) were newly synthesized and adopted. In the 1990s, the first commercial baits using chitin synthesis inhibitors (CSI) were developed, providing a means to eliminate an entire colony of subterranean termites around a structure. Many studies have been carried out on soil termiticides (liquid termiticides) and CSI baits to increase their efficacy, and different baits such as aboveground bait stations, fluid bait, and high-durability bait were also developed in the 2000s. In addition, the paradigm of termite control has shifted from localized treatments using soil termiticides to area-wide pest management using CSI baits to create termite-free zones and protect buildings over time. Termite infestations in wooden historical buildings in Korea have been reported since 1980, and considerable attention was drawn in the 1990s when several UNESCO world heritages such as the Jongmyo Shrine and the Janggyeong Panjeon Depositories of Haeinsa Temple were infested by subterranean termites. Since then, a survey of termite infestation in wooden architectural heritage has been conducted, and the National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and Heritage Care Program regularly monitors those properties. Finally, we suggest termite management using primarily CSI baits, selective application of various soil treatments applied to the object, foundation soil treatment, research and development of durable termite baits, application of area-wide programs for wooden-building complexes, application of integrated termite management (ITM), and regular education for owners and managers to prevent and reduce termite damage.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.102-111
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• 2022

Termites are a group of social insects that are one of the primary causes of damage to wooden architectural heritage. Since termite damage impairs the authenticity and structural stability of cultural heritage, it is imperative to prevent it. This study examines the extent of termite damage to wooden architectural heritage as part of efforts to prevent termite damage to nationally designated wooden architectural heritage sites across the country. The extent of termite damage to each cultural heritage was assessed qualitatively and quantitatively and comparatively analyzed by region using the results of the "Investigation on Biological Damage to Wooden Architectural Heritages" conducted by the National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage from 2016 to 2019. It involved 362 nationally designated wooden architectural heritages(25 national treasures, 157 treasures, 180 national folklore cultural heritages) and 1,104 buildings. The results were as follows: termite detection dogs reacted at 317(87.6%) of the 362 wooden heritages, with visible termite damage observed in 185 cases(51.1%). Furthermore, termite damage was confirmed using one of two methods(detection dogs or visual inspection) in 324 cases(89.5%). Of the 1,104 buildings, termite detection dogs reacted at 668(60.5%), while 339(30.7%) showed visible termite damage. Employing one of the two methods, damage was confirmed in 702 buildings(63.6%). The country was categorized into nine regions(Seoul Metropolitan Area, Gangwon, Chungbuk, Chungnam, Jeonbuk, Jeonnam, Gyeongbuk, Gyeongnam, and Jeju) to examine the termite damage rate and the degree of damage to each cultural heritage according to location. Termite detection dogs reacted to more than 70% of the cultural heritage in all regions. Visible damage was minimal in the Seoul metropolitan area(32.1%) and Gangwon(21.4%) but severe in Chungnam(65.6%), Jeonnam(67.3%), and Gyeongnam(68.2%). By quantifying the degree of termite damage of each cultural heritage as a ratio of the absence of termite damage among the total absence, the average termite damage of the cultural heritage across the country was 9.2%. Regional variance analysis showed that the cultural heritage in Jeonbuk and Jeonnam showed a statistically significantly higher degree of termite damage than the cultural heritage in the Seoul metropolitan area, Chungbuk, and Gyeongbuk. This paper comprehensively analyzed termite damage to nationally designated wooden architectural heritage. The findings are expected to be valuable in establishing policies for the preservation and management of cultural heritage sites in the future.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.80-86
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• 2022

Termites cause massive damage to wooden architectural heritage structures. Chemical treatments have been commonly used to control them. In foreign countries, physical barriers made of sheet and particles impenetrable to termite are being used as an alternative to the chemical method. To study the efficacy of physical barriers, we investigated the appropriate sand particle size that can prevent the penetration of R. speratus kyushuensis. Upon evaluating the barrier properties of sand with particle sizes ranging from 0.85 to 4.00 mm, the penetration of termites was found to be effectively blocked at a particle size range of 1.00 to 2.80 mm. At smaller particle sizes, termites managed to move the sand particles and build an almost linear mud tube to penetrate the sand layer. At larger particle sizes, the termites could penetrate the sand layer by passing through the sand gaps.

• Journal of the Architectural Institute of Korea Structure & Construction
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.11-18
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to estimate the resistance capacity of a traditional wooden house with shear walls made of wood panel. In order to achieve the purpose of the study, the load - displacement test was carried out and the resistance moment values of the shear walls were proposed. The shear walls were made by placing studs with a nominal dimension of $38mm{\times}89mm$ at intervals of 600 mm, and attaching 12 mm thick plywood with 8-d size pegs at intervals of 150 mm. The type of traditional building wall was classified and showed the moment resistance ability of each wall type. This value is expressed as a proportional value divided by the moment resisting capacity of the standard size shear walls not divided into the divided small frames. Although some frames have proportional values larger than 1.0 even though they have openings, most of them show values smaller than 1.0. Also, even without the openings, it showed a smaller value than 1, such as 0.84 and 0.67.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.177-186
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• 2019

A Termiticide that is applied to the soil treatment method, one of the methods for preventing termites in Korea's wooden cultural properties, will be subjected to the leaching of the effective ingredient in treated soil by the moisture behavior of rain. As a result, termiticide is deteriorated and needs to be reprocessed, but the standards and evaluation methods are nonexistent in korea. Accordingly, a basic indoor evaluation measure was proposed for the evaluation of the effectiveness of the termiticide chamber and the calculation of the reprocessing period. First, avoidance and contact toxicity were assessed at two concentrations of the same termiticide as a method for assessing termiticide suitability. The evaluation of mortality revealed that the soil termiticide used in this experiment was non-repellent, and that death from contact was confirmed. Afterwards, artificial rainfall and soil penetration tests were conducted to determine efficacy of termiticide in soil and the approximate reprocessing period was calculated by comparing the weather data. Persistence evaluation revealed perforation by termites after continuous water exposure of more than about 160 to 170mm of water injection condition. Based on the results, compared with weather data for the last five years, the termiticide of concentration used in this experiment is expected to remain effective for about one year if treated after September. The purpose of this study was to provide basic data for the establishment of a manual for the selection of termiticide for soil treatment by calculating the efficacy for termite mortality and the duration of the leaching effectiveness by water behavior in soil.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.56-69
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• 2016

Flame resistant treatment has been applied since 1973 for fire prevention in historical wooden buildings, but several problems, such as whitening and discoloration are constantly occurring in some Dancheong, in spite of evaluation criteria. It is supposed that these phenomena are caused by the stability issue of flame retardant, Dancheong production methods, the residue of chemicals, which were applied in the past, building location environments, etc., but no evaluation and cause inspection has been performed. Therefore, this study aims to verify the effect of flame retardant on Dancheong by producing Pseudo-samples and setting spatial and temporal environment conditions. Pseudo-samples of Dancheong were produced using three methods; the method specified in the Standard Specification of Properties; the method, which is generally used in the site and the traditional method. For different environment conditions of pseudo-samples, the areas were classified into a coastal area and an inland area and the places were classified into a sunny place and a wetland. After applying a flame retardant, annual variations were inspected for 12 months and change aspects were observed through scan and regular observation. In annual variation inspection, various variations like whitening, decolorization, dissolution and exfoliation were found and especially, whitening was most dominant. When the effect of flame retardant depending on the production methods was analyzed, whitening occurred in all the three production methods. It is supposed that this is because calcium(Ca) was contained in the coloring material of each production method and it reacted with phosphorous(P) of flame retardant. When the effect of flame retardant depending on the environment conditions was analyzed, whitening occurred more in the coastal area than in the inland area and it reduced in the building in a sunny place, which was constructed using the traditional method. It is supposed that this results from the humidity change and the difference of glue used in each production method. In conclusion, for using a flame retardant containing phosphorous(P), there is a need to check if calcium components including Oyster Shell White were used in Dancheong in advance and to conduct various preliminary studies on place conditions and Dancheong construction conditions.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.430-452
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• 2021

The recent social atmosphere has been a preference for wood utilization and woodworks. The general public does not have many opportunities to enjoy wood culture, so there is a lack of awareness and foundation of wood culture. In this study, classification and case analysis of wood culture were conducted as basic research for establishing a promotion strategy for the general public to enjoy wood culture. The specificity of wood culture and cultural resources was analyzed to establish the concept of wood cultural resources. Through the analysis, wood cultural resources were defined as products created as a result of human activities that implied the cultural value of wood and wood use in terms of conservation, discovery, and utilization. The types of wood cultural resources were classified into seven categories using the classification examples performed on cultural resources: cultural heritage, cultural facilities, cultural festival, wood architecture, culture contents, culture education, and wood products. In addition, cases were searched and proposed for each type of wood cultural resources.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.643-657
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• 2021

In order to establish a strategy for revitalizing wood culture, a survey was conducted on the level of public awareness of wood culture and the experience of wood cultural resources by type. According to the survey, 31.4% of respondents had the images of cultural heritage such as palaces, temples, Hanoks, and cultural assets for wood cultural resources. The main reasons for having no image of wood cultural resources were the ambiguous concept and lack of interest in wood cultural resources. The importance of wood cultural resources classified into seven categories was in the order of cultural heritage, architecture of wood, cultural facilities, cultural festivals, wood products, cultural education, cultural contents. In the survey on the necessity and sufficiency of information on wood cultural resources, 46.7% of respondents needed more information to experience of wood cultural resources, while 64.8% of them had lacked information about wood cultural resources. More than half of the respondents wanted to experience of wood culture within next year, but about 20% of respondents participated in seven kinds of wood cultural resources, except wood products used in daily life. Based on these results, a systematic strategy should be developed to expand the opportunity for the public to experience of wood cultural resources and to promote them to public.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.138-153
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• 2015

For preventing the biological damage domestically, insect damage control method using chemical medicine has been applied. However, it is trend to avoid existing chemical medicine such as Methyl bromide because of the problem of being harmful to human body and environment. Therefore, the research for new medicine to replace this has been done and the interest to the physical treatment such as temperature(high & low) treatment, hypoxic treatment, carbon dioxide treatment, and radiation treatment has increased. However the systematic application standard and way has not been established. Therefore, in this research, we are going to organize present condition of domestic cultural asset preventing biological damage after the 1980's. It will also consider the direction through the characteristic of technology, limit, and replacement medicine by examining the past research.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.110-125
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• 2015

This study is objected to investigate the repairing method and the modification period of rafters via the transformation traces left in the superciliums, where repair process takes places frequently. This is the basic research of analyzing the architectural features of Deokkeori, one of the additional-rafter methods. Deokkeori method can be described as using Deokdori in the top section of Hayeon, and placement of Sangyeon above it. This method was started to be used since middle of the Joseon dynasty period(middle 18th Century) and mainly used at 19th Century to resist the transformation caused by repairing. It had been gradually developed from non-application stage to application stage including additional usage of complement. The architectural features of Deokkeori can be categorized into four. First, the usage of Deokdori to connect Sangyeon to the top section of Hayeon. It reduct the direct connection between Sangyoen and Hayeon, therefore give constructive benefits and prevent the downfall of the eaves by increasing the power which pressing the top section of Hayeon. Second, it gives the autonomy to the inside structure of ceiling by comprising it. By using Deokdori, the limit of top section's longitude was eliminated while also simplify the upper section by blocking the inside structures with ceiling. In addition, the complements occasionally seen in several buildings increase the power which pressing Hayeon. Third, the ceiling's slope has been changed to be concerned with Sangyeon, instead of Hayeon which was highly related with it before. The last factor is the thickness of rafters which used in Deokkeori. The diameter is thiner in Sangyeon than Hayeon.