• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.53 no.5
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• pp.653-662
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• 2015

In general, the coal gasification has to be operated under high temperature ($1300{\sim}1400^{\circ}C$) and pressure (30~40 bar). However, to keep this conditions, it needs unnecessary and excessive energy. In this work, to reduce the temperature of process, alkali catalysts such as $K_2CO_3$ and $Na_2CO_3$ were added into Cyprus coal. We investigated the kinetic of Cyprus char-$CO_2$ gasification. To determine the gasification conditions, the coal (with and without catalysts) gasified with fixed variables (catalyst loading, catalytic effects of $Na_2CO_3$ and $K_2CO_3$, temperatures) by using TGA. When catalysts are added by physical mixing method into Cyprus coal the reaction rate of coal added 7 wt% $Na_2CO_3$ is faster than raw coal for Cyprus char-$CO_2$ gasification. The activation energy of coal added 7 wt% $Na_2CO_3$ was calculated as 63 kJ/mol which was lower than raw char. It indicates that $Na_2CO_3$ can improve the reactivity of char-$CO_2$ gasification.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.553-559
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• 1999

This study has been implemented to investigate various characteristics of coals which are imported from abroad. KIER has developed 1 T/D bench-scale unit, entrained-flow coal-slurry gasification technology to investigate the followings: 1) to assess the appropriate foreign coals for gasification. 2) to establish the data base for gasification phenomena, 3) to minimize the technical risks prior to introduction of commercial scaled IGCC power plant, 4) to develop essential key technologies and to establish operational experiences for coal gasification. The foreign coals used in the gasification are Cyprus and Alaska coals from U. S. A. Cyprus coal(bituminous) and Alaska coal (lignite) were shown about 1.29$0^{\circ}C$. The concentrations of coal-slurry for Cyprus were maintained up to 58%, 62% and 65% in order to enable to feed satisfactorily it into the gasifier without any other problems at feeding systems. However, the Alaska coal was unable to maintain slurry concentration over the 60% due to its high viscosity. During the experiments, $O_2/coal$ ratios in both coals ere maintained from 0.6~1.2, but especially Alaska coal was required excessive oxygen feed due to its high ingerent moisture contents. During the experiments with two different coals, the concentrations of syngas $(H_2+CO)$ were shown as 40~62%, and the heating value of syngas were detected as 1,400~2,050 kcal/N㎥

• Advances in Computational Design
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.189-210
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• 2022

Deployable structures have the ability to shift from a compact state to an expanded functional configuration. By extension, reconfigurability is another function that relies on embedded computation and actuators. Linkage-based mechanisms constitute promising systems in the development of deployable and reconfigurable structures with high flexibility and controllability. The present paper investigates the deployment and reconfigurability of modular linkage structures with a pin and a sliding support, the latter connected to a linear motion actuator. An appropriate control sequence consists of stepwise reconfigurations that involve the selective releasing of one intermediate joint in each closed-loop linkage, effectively reducing it to a 1-DOF "effective crank-slider" mechanism. This approach enables low self-weight and reduced energy consumption. A kinematics and finite-element analysis of different linkage systems, in all intermediate reconfiguration steps of a sequence, have been conducted for different lengths and geometrical characteristics of the members, as well as different actuation methods, i.e., direct and cable-driven actuation. The study provides insight into the impact of various structural typological and geometrical factors on the systems' behavior.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.261-278
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• 2008

The results of the application of shape memory alloy (SMA) prestressing devices on an aqueduct are presented in this paper. The aqueduct was built in 1747 to provide water to the city of Larnaca and to its port. Because of its importance to the cultural heritage of Cyprus, the aqueduct has been selected as one of the case-study monuments in the project Wide-Range Non-Intrusive devices toward Conservation of Historical Monuments in the Mediterranean Area (WIND-CHIME). The Department of Antiquities of Cyprus, acting in a pioneering way, have given their permission to apply the devices in order to investigate their effectiveness in providing protection to the monument against probable catastrophic effects of earthquake excitation. The dynamic characteristics of the structure were determined in two separate occasions and computational models were developed that matched very closely the dynamic characteristics of the structure. In this paper the experimental setup and the measured changes in the dynamic characteristics of the monument after the application of the SMA devices are described.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.1-24
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• 2011

During very strong earthquakes, seismically isolated buildings may experience large horizontal relative displacements, which may lead to poundings if an insufficiently wide clearance is provided around the building. This paper investigates, through numerical simulations, the effectiveness of using rubber bumpers, which could be attached at locations where it is likely to have impacts, in order to act as shock-absorbers. For the simulation of the dynamic behavior of such rubber bumpers during impacts, a nonlinear force-based impact model, which takes into account the finite thickness of the rubber bumpers, has been developed. Subsequently, a series of parametric analyses are performed to assess the effect of the gap size, the earthquake characteristics and the thickness, compressive capacity and damping of the bumpers. The stiffness of the moat wall is also parametrically considered during poundings of a seismically isolated building, as another potential mitigation measure for poundings of seismically isolated buildings.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.577-585
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• 2020

By the increasing amount of waste materials, it eventually dumped into the environment and covering a larger area of the landfill which cause several environmental pollution problems. The utilization of Palm Kernal Shell Ash (PKSA) in concrete might bring a great benefit in addressing both environmental and economic issues. This article investigates the effect of PKSA as a partial cement replacement of High Strength Concrete (HSC). Several concrete mixtures were prepared with different PKSA of 0%, 10%, 20%, and 30% replaced by the cement mass. This procedure was replicated twice for the two different target mean strengths of 40 MPa and 50 MPa. The mixtures were prepared to test different fresh and hardened properties of HSC including slump test, the compressive strength of 3, 7, 14, 28, and 90 days, flexural strength of 28-days, drying shrinkage, density measurement, and sorptivity. It was observed 10% PKSA replacement as optimum percentage which reduced the drying shrinkage, sorptivity, and density and improved the late-age compressive strength of concrete.

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2007.05a
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• pp.107-108
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• 2007

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.39-54
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• 2014

Node layout optimization of structural wireless systems is investigated as a means to prolong the network lifetime without, if possible, compromising information quality of the measurement data. The trade-off between these antagonistic objectives is studied within a multi-objective layout optimization framework. A Genetic Algorithm is adopted to obtain a set of Pareto-optimal solutions from which the end user can select the final layout. The information quality of the measurement data collected from a heterogeneous WSN is quantified from the placement quality indicators of strain and acceleration sensors. The network lifetime or equivalently the network energy consumption is estimated through WSN simulation that provides realistic results by capturing the dynamics of the wireless communication protocols. A layout optimization study of a monitoring system on the Great Belt Bridge is conducted to evaluate the proposed approach. The placement quality of strain gauges and accelerometers is obtained as a ratio of the Modal Clarity Index and Mode Shape Expansion values that are computed from a Finite Element model of the monitored bridge. To estimate the energy consumption of the WSN platform in a realistic scenario, we use a discrete-event simulator with stochastic communication models. Finally, we compare the optimization results with those obtained in a previous work where the network energy consumption is obtained via deterministic communication models.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.319-328
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• 2020

This paper investigates the effect of the width of failure and tension crack (TC) on the stability of cohesive-frictional soil slopes in three dimensions. Working analytically, the slip surface and the tension crack are considered to have spheroid and cylindrical shape respectively, although the case of tension crack having planar, vertical surface is also discussed; the latter was found to return higher safety factor values. Because at the initiation of a purely rotational slide along a spheroid surface no shear forces develop inside the failure mass, the rigid body concept is conveniently used; in this respect, the validity of the rigid body concept is discussed, whilst it is supported by comparison examples. Stability tables are given for fully drained and fully saturated slopes without TC, with non-filled TC as well as with fully-filled TC. Among the main findings is that, the width of failure corresponding to the minimum safety factor value is not always infinite, but it is affected by the triggering factor for failure (e.g., water acting as pore pressures and/or as hydrostatic force in the TC). More specifically, it was found that, when a slope is near its limit equilibrium and under the influence of a triggering factor, the minimum safety factor value corresponds to a near spherical failure mechanism, even if the triggering factor (e.g., pore-water pressures) acts uniformly along the third dimension. Moreover, it was found that, the effect of tension crack is much greater when the stability of slopes is studied in three dimensions; indeed, safety factor values comparable to the 2D case are obtained.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.339-346
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• 2018

Background: Workplace bulling is a pervasive phenomenon with negative consequences for the health of victims and the productivity of organizations. The aim of this study was to measure the prevalence and forms of workplace bullying among employees working at the public health-care sector of Cyprus using the Greek version of Leymann Inventory of Psychological Terror (LIPT) instrument. Methods: A translation process was followed from the French to the Greek version of LIPT questionnaire. Test-retest reliability expressed by Pearson's correlation coefficient was 0.98 indicating excellent reproducibility. Internal consistency reliability assessed by Cronbach ${\alpha}$ coefficient was 0.87 suggesting high reliability. LIPT instrument was distributed among 403 employees working at the primary health-care setting and at the largest public hospital of Cyprus with response rate of 73.4%. Results: Women comprised the majority of participants (71.4%). Mean age was 43.3 years. Prevalence of workplace bulling according to Leymann's definition was 5.9%. Most common forms of bullying were "Being continuously interrupted" (17.2%) and "continuously being given new work assignments" (13.5%). Women were significantly more often exposed to at least one mobbing behavior than men within the previous year (49% vs. 35.7%, p = 0.038), whereas nurses were significantly exposed to at least one mobbing behavior as compared to physicians (53.3% vs. 31.4%, p = 0.004). Conclusion: This was the first study that examined the prevalence of workplace bullying in the public health-care sector by elaborating the Greek version of LIPT instrument. Results showed that workplace bullying is a common and complex phenomenon among health-care organizations.