• Computers and Concrete
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.1-18
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• 2012

This paper presents the details of studies conducted on hollow concrete block masonry (HCBM) units and wall panels. This study includes, compressive strength of unit block, ungrouted and grouted HCB prisms, flexural strength evaluation, testing of HCBM panels with and without opening. Non-linear finite element (FE) analysis of HCBM panels with and without opening has been carried out by simulating the actual test conditions. Constant vertical load is applied on the top of the wall panel and then lateral load is applied in incremental manner. The in-plane deformation is recorded under each incremental lateral load. Displacement ductility factors and response reduction factors have been evaluated based on experimental results. From the study, it is observed that fully grouted and partially reinforced HCBM panel without opening performed well compared to other types of wall panels in lateral load resistance and displacement ductility. In all the wall panels, shear cracks originated at loading point and moved towards the compression toe of the wall. The force reduction factor of a wall panel with opening is much less when compared with fully reinforced wall panel with no opening. The displacement values obtained by non-linear FE analysis are found to be in good agreement with the corresponding experimental values. The influence of mortar joint has been included in the stress-strain behaviour as a monolith with HCBM and not considered separately. The derived response reduction factors will be useful for the design of reinforced HCBM wall panels subjected to lateral forces generated due to earthquakes.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.6 no.6
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• pp.611-625
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• 2014

This paper presents a simple methodology that integrates an improved storey shear modelling, Incremental Dynamic Analysis and Monte Carlo Simulation in order to carryout vulnerability analysis towards development of fragility curves for Unreinforced Brick Masonry buildings. The methodology is demonstrated by developing fragility curves of a single storey Unreinforced Brick Masonry building for which results of experiment under lateral load is available in the literature. In the study presented, both uncertainties in mechanical properties of masonry and uncertainties in the characteristics of earthquake ground motion are included. The research significance of the methodology proposed is that, it accommodates a new method of damage grade classification which is based on 'structural performance characteristics' instead of 'fixed limiting values'. The usefulness of such definition is discussed as against the existing practice.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.381-385
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• 2019

Surface modification is very efficient and scalable approach to achieve improved membrane performance. We treated Reverse Osmosis Thin Film Composite (TFC RO) membrane with various concentrations of Polyethylene Glycol (PEG), a hydrophilic polymer after activation with sodium hypochlorite. This treatment resulted in an increment of the water flux by 43% and the salt rejection by 2.36% for the 3000 mg/l PEG-treated membrane. Further, these PEG-treated membranes were exposed to a mixture of 3000 mg/l PEG and 1000 mg/l sodium hypochlorite for 1 hour. Further modification of this membrane by PEG and sodium hypochlorite mixture increased the water permeance up to 133% when compared with the virgin TFC RO membrane. We characterized the treated membranes to understand the changes in wettability by contact angle analysis, changes in surface morphology and roughness by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and atomic force microscope (AFM) analysis.

• 한국전산유체공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2008.08a
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• pp.77.6-78
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• 2008

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.455-466
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• 2014

This study examines the effectiveness of CSR through the expectancy disconfirmation theory. The change of CSR belief after a corporate social irresponsibility (CSIR) crisis was investigated in terms of activity timing (proactive activities before CSIR crisis/reactive activities after CSIR crisis). Study 1 explores the influence of CSR belief perceptions formed through usual CSR activities on CSR belief decline after a CSIR crisis and the moderating effect of CSR activity types. Higher CSR belief perceptions are formed through usual CSR activities that result in a large CSR belief decline. The moderating effect of CSR activity types on CSR belief decline is found. Volunteer activity has the strongest depending effect on CSIR crisis. Study 2 explores the influence of CSR belief perceptions formed through CSIR crisis on a CSR belief incline after CSR activities and the moderating effect of CSR activity types. The lower CSR belief perception after CSIR crisis results in a high CSR belief incline after CSR activities. The moderating effect of CSR activity types on CSR belief incline is found. Cause-related marketing has the strongest overcoming effect on a CSIR crisis.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.21 no.10
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• pp.1001-1011
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• 2011

To explore bacterial diversity for elucidating genetic variability in acylhomoserine lactone (AHL) lactonase structure, we screened 800 bacterial strains. It revealed the presence of a quorum quenching (QQ) AHL-lactonase gene (aiiA) in 42 strains. These 42 strains were identified using rrs (16S rDNA) sequencing as Bacillus strains, predominantly B. cereus. An in silico restriction endonuclease (RE) digestion of 22 AHL lactonase gene (aiiA) sequences (from NCBI database) belonging to 9 different genera, along with 42 aiiA gene sequences from different Bacillus spp. (isolated here) with 14 type II REs, revealed distinct patterns of fragments (nucleotide length and order) with four REs; AluI, DpnII, RsaI, and Tru9I. Our study reflects on the biodiversity of aiiA among Bacillus species. Bacillus sp. strain MBG11 with polymorphism (115Alanine > Valine) may confer increased stability to AHL lactonase, and can be a potential candidate for heterologous expression and mass production. Microbes with ability to produce AHL-lactonases degrade quorum sensing signals such as AHL by opening of the lactone ring. The naturally occurring diversity of QQ molecules provides opportunities to use them for preventing bacterial infections, spoilage of food, and bioremediation.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.63 no.2
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• pp.207-215
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• 2017

The paper presents the studies carried out on low velocity impact of Ultra high performance concrete (UHPC) panels of size $350{\times}350{\times}10mm^3$ and $350{\times}350{\times}15mm^3$. The panels are cast with 2 and 2.5% micro steel fibre and compared with UHPC without fiber. The panels are subjected to low velocity impact, by a drop-weight hemispherical impactor, at three different energy levels of 10, 15 and 20 J. The impact force obtained from the experiments are compared with numerically obtained results using finite element method, theoretically by energy balance approach and empirically by nonlinear multi-genetic programming. The predictions by these models are found to be in good coherence with the experimental results.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.459-475
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• 2009

This paper presents analytical methodologies for remaining life prediction of plain concrete structural components considering tension softening and size effects. Non-linear fracture mechanics principles (NLFM) have been used for crack growth analysis and remaining life prediction. Various tension softening models such as linear, bi-linear, tri-linear, exponential and power curve have been presented with appropriate expressions. Size effect has been accounted for by modifying the Paris law, leading to a size adjusted Paris law, which gives crack length increment per cycle as a power function of the amplitude of a size adjusted stress intensity factor (SIF). Details of tension softening effects and size effect in the computation of SIF and remaining life prediction have been presented. Numerical studies have been conducted on three point bending concrete beams under constant amplitude loading. The predicted remaining life values with the combination of tension softening & size effects are in close agreement with the corresponding experimental values available in the literature for all the tension softening models.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.8 no.6
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• pp.613-623
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• 2017

We report the novel thin film composite RO membrane modified by graphene oxide. The thin film composite RO membrane was exposed to 2000 mg/l sodium hypochloride; thereafter it was subjected to different graphene oxide concentration ranging from 50 mg/l to 1000 mg/l in water. The resultant membrane was crosslinked with 5000 mg/l N-hydroxysuccinimide. The performance of different membranes were analysed by solute rejection and water-flux measurement. It was found that 100 mg/l graphene oxide exposure followed by 5000 mg/l N-hydroxysuccinimide treatment resulted in the membrane with the highest solute rejection of 97.78% and water-flux of 4.64 Liter per sqm per hour per bar g. The membranes were characterized by contact angle for hydrophilicity, scanning electron micrographs for surface morphology, energy dispersive X-Ray for chemical composition of the surface, Atomic force microscope for surface roughness, ATR-FTIR for chemical structure identification. It was found that the graphene oxide modified membrane increases the salt rejection performance after exposure to high-fouling water containing albumin. Highly hydrophilic, antifouling surface formation with the nanomaterial led to the improved membrane performance. Moreover, the protocol of incorporating nanomaterial by this post-treatment is simple and can be applied to any RO membrane after it is manufactured.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.64 no.3
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• pp.311-321
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• 2017

This paper presents the details of analytical studies carried out towards the prediction of flexural capacity and load-deflection behaviour of Laced Steel-Concrete Composite (LSCC) beams. Analytical expressions for flexural capacity of the beams are derived in accordance with the basic principles of conventional Reinforced Concrete (RC) beams, but incorporated with relevant modifications to account for the composite nature of the cross-section. The ultimate flexural capacity of the two LSCC beams predicted using the derived expressions is found to be approximately 20% lower than those obtained due to measurement from experiments. Further to these, two simple methods are also proposed on the basis of unit load method and equivalent steel beam method to determine the non-linear load-deflection response of the LSCC beams for monotonic loading. Upon validation of the proposed methods by comparing the predicted responses with those of experiments and finite element analysis, it is found that the methods are useful to find nonlinear response of such composite beams.