• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.599-614
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• 2022

One of the methods of stabilizing retaining walls, embankments, and deep excavations is the implementation of plate anchors (like the Geolock wall anchor systems). Back-to-back Mechanically Stabilized Earth (BBMSE) walls are common stabilized earth structures that can be used for bridge ramps. But so far, the analysis of the interactive behavior of two back-to-back anchored walls (BBAW) by double-plates anchors (constructed closely from each other and subjected to the limited-breadth vertical loading) including interference of their failure and sliding surfaces has not been the subject of comprehensive studies. Indeed, in this compound system, the interaction of sliding wedges of these two back-to-back walls considering the shear failure wedge of the foundation, significantly impresses on the foundation bearing capacity, adjacent walls displacements and deformations, and their stability. In this study, the effect of horizontal distance between two walls (W), breadth of loading plate (B), and position of vertical loading was investigated experimentally. In addition, the comparison of using single and equivalent double-plate anchors was evaluated. The loading plate bearing capacity and displacements, and deformations of BBAW were measured and the results are presented. To evaluate the shape, form, and how the critical failure surfaces of the soil behind the walls and beneath the foundation intersect with one another, the Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) technique was applied. The experimental tests results showed that in this composite system (two adjacent-loaded BBAW) the effective distance of walls is about W = 2.5*H (H: height of walls) and the foundation effective breadth is about B = H, concerning foundation bearing capacity, walls horizontal displacements and their deformations. For more amounts of W and B, the foundation and walls can be designed and analyzed individually. Besides, in this compound system, the foundation bearing capacity is an exponential function of the System Geometry Variable (SGV) whereas walls displacements are a quadratic function of it. Finally, as an important achievement, doubling the plates of anchors can facilitate using concrete walls, which have limitations in tolerating curvature.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.245-254
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• 2023

Through qualitative analysis and quantitative analysis, the contradictory conclusions about the stability of the settled goaf with two-layer coal seams subject to building load were obtained. Therefore, it is necessary to combine the additional stress method and numerical simulation to further analyze the foundation stability. Through borehole analysis and empirical formula analogy, the height of water-conducting fracture zone in No.4 coal and No.9 coal were obtained, providing the calculation range of water-conducting fracture zone for numerical simulation. To ensure the accuracy of the elastic modulus of broken gangue, the stress-strain curve were obtained by broken gangue compression test in dried state of No.4 coal seam and in soaking state of No.9 coal seam. To ensure the rationality of the numerical simulation results, the actual measured subsidence data were retrieved by numerical simulation. FISH language was used to analyze the maximum building load on the surface and determine the influence depth of building load on the foundation. The critical building load was 0.16 MPa of No.4 settled goaf and was 1.6 MPa of No.9 settled goaf. The additional stress affected the water-conducting fracture zone obviously, resulted in the subsidence of water-conducting fracture zone was greater than that of bending subsidence zone. In this paper, the additional stress method was analyzed by numerical simulation method, which can provide a new analysis method for the treatment and utilization of the settled goaf.

• Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.53-73
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• 2020

Morphology and grain size distribution of coastal dunes should be well documented because they are critical to dune's buffering capacity and resilience against storm surges. The nationwide coastal dune survey produced the dataset, including beach-dune topographic profiles and grain size parameters for frontal beaches, foredunes, and inland dunes. This research investigated the dataset to describe geomorphic and textural properties of coastal dunes: foredune slopes, dune heights above approximately highest high water, mean size, and sorting, together with associated variables of coastal setting that influence coastal dunes. It also explores the possibility of a dune type scheme based on gran size trends. The results are as follows. First, the coast in which dunes are developed is the primary control on foredune morphology and sediment texture. Coastal dunes on the east coast were developed more alongshore rather than inland, with gentler slopes on the higher ground and out of coarser sand. The shore aspect contributes to this pattern because the east coast cannot benefit from prevailing northwesterly. Second, grain size trends from beaches through foredunes to inland dunes were little identified. Third, 12 dune types were identified from 69 dunes, showing the indicative capability for the status of beaches and dunes. We confirmed that the dataset could increase our understanding of the overall characteristics of coastal dune morphology and texture, though there is something to be improved, for example, establishing the refined and comprehensive field survey protocol.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.175-184
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• 2023

Objective: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of human motion and javelin kinematics during the energy transfer in javelin throwing on records, and to provide evidence-based training insights for athletes and coaches to enhance records. Method: Three javelin throw athletes (age: 22.67 ± 0.58 years, height: 178.33 ± 7.37 cm, weight: 83.67 ± 1.15 kg) were recruited for this study. Each athlete attempted ten maximum record trials, and the kinematic data from each performance were analyzed to determine their influence on the records. The Theia3d Markerless system was used for motion analysis. Results: Key factors were modeled and identified at each moment. In E1, main variables were COM Y (𝛽 8.162, p<.05) and COM velocity Z (𝛽 -72.489, p<.05); in E2, COM X (𝛽 -17.604, p<.05); in E3, COM X (𝛽 -18.606, p<.05), COM velocity Y (𝛽 38.694, p<.05), and COM velocity X (𝛽 66.323, p<.05). For the javelin throw dynamics in E3, key determinants were Attitude angle and Javelin velocity in the Y-axis. Conclusion: The study reveals that controlled vertical movement, center of mass management during braking, and enhanced pelvic rotation significantly improve javelin throw performance. These kinematic strategies are critical for record enhancement in javelin throwing.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Building Construction
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.261-271
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• 2024

The widespread adoption of aluminum slab formwork in modern construction, evident in both domestic and international projects, offers numerous advantages. However, a critical challenge persists regarding the dismantling process for these slabs. The current industry standard involves dropping the slabs to the ground floor upon removal. This practice raises several concerns, notably the generation of significant noise pollution that disrupts nearby communities. More importantly, the risk of worker injuries due to falls from height during the dismantling process is a serious safety hazard. Additionally, the impact from dropping the slabs can damage the aluminum itself, leading to increased replacement costs. These drawbacks necessitate the exploration of alternative dismantling techniques that prioritize worker safety, material sustainability, and overall process efficiency. Accordingly, in this study, when the entire first-generation slab formwork of an apartment house is simultaneously lowered to a reachable position for workers, it is then disassembled and lifted for transport to the next floor. This approach has the potential to demonstrate improvements in safety, quality, economy, and process efficiency.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.283-290
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• 2024

The aggressive scaling of dynamic random-access memory capacitors has increased the need to maintain high capacitance despite the limited physical thickness of electrodes and dielectrics. This makes it essential to use high-k dielectric materials. TiO₂ has a large dielectric constant, ranging from 30~75 in the anatase phase to 90~170 in rutile phase. However, it has significant leakage current due to low energy barriers for electron conduction, which is a critical drawback. Suppressing the leakage current while scaling to achieve an equivalent oxide thickness (EOT) below 0.5 nm is necessary to control the influence of interlayers on capacitor performance. For this, Pt and Ru, with their high work function, can be used instead of a conventional TiN substrate to increase the Schottky barrier height. Additionally, forming rutile-TiO₂ on RuO₂ with excellent lattice compatibility by epitaxial growth can minimize leakage current. Furthermore, plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) can be used to deposit a uniform thin film with high density and low defects at low temperatures, to reduce the impact of interfacial reactions on electrical properties at high temperatures. In this study, TiO₂ was deposited using PEALD, using substrates of Pt and Ru treated with rapid thermal annealing at 500 and 600 ℃, to compare structural, chemical, and electrical characteristics with reference to a TiN substrate. As a result, leakage current was suppressed to around 10^-6 A/cm² at 1 V, and an EOT at the 0.5 nm level was achieved.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.50
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• pp.183-189
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• 2023

This study investigated the impact of two distinct MS basal media: one containing FeNaEDTA and the other FeEDDHA, on the growth of five unique gerbera cultivars (Shy Pink, Pink Holic, Breeze, Harmony, Snow Dream). Notably, the response to these media types varied significantly among the cultivars, particularly concerning leaf yellowing and plant growth. 'Shiny Pink' and 'Pink Holic' exhibited leaf yellowing on the FeNaEDTA-containing medium but displayed leaf greening on the FeEDDHA-containing medium. In contrast, 'Snow Dream,' 'Harmony,' and 'Breeze' remained unaffected on both medium types. However, the FeNaEDTA-containing medium promoted higher plant height and petiole length in 'Breeze,' 'Harmony,' and 'Snow Dream' than the FeNaEDTA-containing medium did. A promotive effect of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on plant growth and leaf greening was observed in 'Pink Holic,' particularly on the FeNaEDTA-containing medium, while the addition of AgNPs to the FeEDDHA-containing medium negatively affected plant growth. These results highlight the substantial influence of medium type, specifically the presence of FeNaEDTA or FeEDDHA, on gerbera growth responses, emphasizing the critical role of medium selection in gerbera propagation. Additionally, when contemplating the addition of AgNPs for in vitro gerbera propagation, it is crucial to consider the medium type.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.489-509
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• 2024

Slope stability analysis and prediction are of critical importance to geotechnical engineers, given the severe consequences associated with slope failure. This research endeavors to forecast the factor of safety (FOS) for slopes through the implementation of six distinct ML techniques, including back propagation neural networks (BPNN), feed-forward neural networks (FFNN), Takagi-Sugeno fuzzy system (TSF), gene expression programming (GEP), and least-square support vector machine (Ls-SVM). 344 slope cases were analyzed, incorporating a variety of geometric and shear strength parameters measured through the PLAXIS software alongside several loss functions to assess the models' performance. The findings demonstrated that all models produced satisfactory results, with BPNN and GEP models proving to be the most precise, achieving an R² of 0.86 each and MAE and MAPE rates of 0.00012 and 0.00002 and 0.005 and 0.004, respectively. A Pearson correlation and residuals statistical analysis were carried out to examine the importance of each factor in the prediction, revealing that all considered geomechanical features are significantly relevant to slope stability. However, the parameters of friction angle and slope height were found to be the most and least significant, respectively. In addition, to aid in the FOS computation for engineering challenges, a graphical user interface (GUI) for the ML-based techniques was created.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.417-426
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• 2024

Shield tunneling method is widely used to build tunnels in complex geological environment. Stability control of tunnel face is the key to the safety of projects. To improve the excavation efficiency or perform equipment maintenance, the excavation chamber sometimes is not fully filled with support medium, which can reduce the load and increase tunneling speed while easily lead to ground collapse. Due to the high risk of the face failure under non-fully support mode, the tunnel face stability should be carefully evaluated. Whether compressive air is required for compensation and how much air pressure should be provided need to be determined accurately. Based on the upper bound theorem of limit analysis, a non-fully support rotational failure model is developed in this study. The failure mechanism of the model is verified by numerical simulation. It shows that increasing the density of supporting medium could significantly improve the stability of tunnel face while the increase of tunnel diameter would be unfavorable for the face stability. The critical support ratio is used to evaluate the face failure under the nonfully support mode, which could be an important index to determine whether the specific unsupported height could be allowed during shield tunneling. To avoid of face failure under the non-fully support mode, several charts are provided for the assessment of compressed air pressure, which could help engineers to determine the required air pressure for face stability.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.31-38
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• 2023

Maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) is an autosomal recessive metabolic disorder caused by a deficiency in branched chain α-keto acid dehydrogenase (BCKAD). Between 1997, when Korea's MSUD case was first reported, and 2023, 14 cases were reported in the literature. 29% of the cases experienced developmental delay, and 29% expired. The prevalence of MSUD in Korea was estimated to be 1 in 230,000. Of 21 MSUD patients currently being treated at the Korea Genetics Research Center, 19 were detected through newborn screening program, and 2 were diagnosed by the symptoms. 14 MSUD patients had confirmed genetic mutations; 6 (43%) were BCKDHA and 8 (57%) were BCKDHB. In one case, a large deletion was observed. 4 patients had leucine levels above 2,000 (umo/L), and post-dialysis diet therapy was initiated in the newborn period. No patient required further dialysis as diet therapy and regular monitoring proved highly effective. Most MSUD patients were growing normally; weight and height growth were above the 50th percentile in 76% of the cases while BMI values were higher than normal in 71% of cases. Developmental delays were observed only in 2 cases (10%) and anticonvulsant use in 3 cases (14%). With newborn screening available to all Korean infants, early diagnosis and intervention should allow most patients to remain asymptomatic. However, ongoing surveillance, dietary management and continued patient compliance as well as rapid correction of acute metabolic decompensations remain critical to a favorable long-term prognosis.