• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.107-112
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• 2008

A study on the enhancement of environmental durability of EPDM rubber materials for the aerator membrane was performed using a butyl rubber as a modifier. A conventional EPDM rubber formulation was evaluated as having about 26.0 wt% or more oil content from the chloroform immersion test. These oils would be gradually and continuously deleted from the aerator membrane when directly exposed to a waste-water or chemically corrosive fluids, making the membrane less flexible and the performance worse. To improve this, a butyl rubber (IIR) was utilized as the modifier for a low-ENB type of EPDM rubber formulation with low-oil content. The environmental durability of the IIR-modified EPDM rubber material was expected to be greatly enhanced compared to the conventional one. However, the mechanical and performance properties such as elongation, tensile strength, and air bubble size, etc. were still maintained as good as in the conventional one. Furthermore, TGA analysis of the IIR-modified EPDM material showed that there would be partially compatible between IIR and EPDM. It also showed that the initial degradation temperature of the IIR-modified EPDM could be somewhat increased, exhibiting the enhanced compatibility among the components and, thereby, more enhanced environmental durability.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2010.03a
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• pp.553-561
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• 2010

Like the shotcrete can be deteriorated by chemical compounds as service years increase, the grout which is used to fasten the cablebolt(rockbolt) system in the underground structures also can be deteriorated by chemical compounds such as sulphate and/or chloride contained in groundwater during service years. This can induce issues on the long term durability of cablebolt(rockbolt) system and consequently on the stability of underground structures. In this study, the deteriorations of long term durability of cement mortar grout by each chemical compound of sulphate or chloride are studied experimentally and also complex deterioration by the mix of sulphate and chloride is investigated. Based on the results obtained in this study, the characteristics and prediction of deterioration of long term durability of cement mortar grout for cablebolt(rockbolt) system are suggested.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.97-104
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• 2008

This study was intended to evaluate the permeable performance through a change of reinforcing materials, curing condition, durability evaluation and permeability test, and to select the reinforcing material which could reduce the durability and water tightness from it, as the study for considering how the change of the outside's environment factors that the concrete structure actually contacted with impacted the concrete's durability especially the permeability by referring to such the background of the study. Accordingly, it was judged that evaluating the permeability by considering the severe environment condition where the concrete structure was placed in was more reasonable than measuring the existing permeability coefficient conducted in the sound state for the permeability evaluation of actually-used concrete structure. In this study, it also could be known that the specimen of hybrid fiber reinforced concrete which mixed the long and short steel fiber was the most effective for water tightness enhancement in severe environmental conditions.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.319-327
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• 2022

Ion exchange membranes have been developed from laboratory tools to industrial products with significant technical and trade impacts in the last 70 years. Today, ion exchange membranes are successfully applied for water and energy for different electro-membrane processes. Hydrogen could be produced by electrochemical water splitting using renewable energy, for example, solar, biomass, geothermal and wind energy. This review briefly summarizes the recent studies reporting the state-of-the-art anion-exchange membrane water electrolysis, especially focusing on the enhancement of the durability of anion-exchange membranes. Anion-exchange membrane water electrolysis could be used as inexpensive non-noble metal electrocatalysts that are capable of producing low cost of hydrogen. However, the main challenge of anion-exchange membrane water electrolysis is to increase the performance and durability. In this mini review, the limiting factors of the durability and the technology enhancing the durability will be discussed for anion exchange membrane water electrolysis.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.511-524
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• 2011

Although concrete is believed to be a durable material, concrete structures have been degraded by severe environmental conditions such as the effects of chloride and chemical, abrasion, and other deterioration processes. Therefore, durability evaluation has been required to ensure the long term serviceability of structures located in chloride exposed environments. Recently, probability-based durability analysis and design have proven to be reliable for the service-life predictions of concrete structures. This approach has been successfully applied to durability estimation and design of concrete structures. However, currently it is difficult to find an appropriate method engineers can use to solve these probability-based diffusion problems. In this paper, computer software has been developed to facilitate probability-based durability analysis and design. This software predict the chloride diffusion using the Monte Carlo simulation method based on Fick's second law, and provides durability analysis and design solutions. A graphic user interface (GUI) is adapted for intuitive and easy use. The developed software is very useful not only for prediction of the service life but for the durability design of the concrete structures exposed to chloride environments.

• International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.57-61
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• 2007

This study investigated the mechanical and durability performance of roller-compacted concrete (RCC) with fly ash for dam applications. A test program studied the effects on the properties of fresh and hardened RCC with fly ash replacement ratio, as well as the long-term durability of the resulting mixture. Fly ash replaced 20, 30, 40, and 50% by mass of the cement. Laboratory tests of the compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, shear strength, chloride ion permeability, abrasion, and drying shrinkage were conducted. The test results demonstrated that 30% fly ash replacement is an optimum level, and that this mixture has excellent mechanical and durability properties.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.119-126
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• 2019

This paper reports an experimental investigation conducted to evaluate the durability performance of concrete mixtures prepared utilizing blends of Type I Portland cement (OPC) and natural pozzolans (NPs) obtained from three different sources in Saudi Arabia. The control concrete mixture containing OPC alone as the binder and three concrete mixtures incorporating NPs were prepared keeping water/binder ratio of 0.4 (by weight), binder content of $370kg/m^3$, and fine/total aggregate ratio of 0.38 (by weight) invariant. The compressive strength and durability properties that included depth of water penetration, depth of carbonation, chloride diffusion coefficient, and resistance to reinforcement corrosion and sulfate attack were determined. Results of this study indicate that at all ages, the compressive strength of NP-admixed concrete mixtures was slightly less than that of the concrete containing OPC alone. However, the concrete mixtures containing NP exhibited lower depth of water penetration and chloride diffusion coefficient and more resistance to reinforcement corrosion and sulfate attack as compared to OPC. NP-admixed concrete showed relatively more depth of carbonation than OPC when subjected to accelerated carbonation. The results of this investigation indicates the viability of utilizing of Saudi natural pozzolans for improving the durability characteristics of concrete subjected to chloride and sulfate exposures.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.41-48
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• 2021

In cold regions, the integrity of the infrastructures built on weak soils can be extensively damaged by weathering actions due to the cyclic freezing and thawing. This damage can be mitigated by exploiting soil stabilization techniques. Generally, ordinary Portland cement (OPC) is the most commonly used binding material for investigating the chemo-hydromechanical behavior. However, due to the environmental issue of OPC producing a significant amount of carbon dioxide emission, calcium sulfoaluminate (CSA) cement can be used as one of the eco-sustainable alternatives. Although recently several studies have examined the strength development of CSA treated sand, no research has been concerned about CSA cement-stabilized sand affected by cyclic freeze and thaw. This study aims to conduct a comprehensive laboratory work to assess the effect of the cyclic freeze-thaw action on strength and durability of CSA cement-treated sand. For this purpose, unconfined compressive strength (UCS) and ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) tests were performed on the stabilized soil specimens cured for 7 and 14 days which are subjected to 0, 1, 3, 5, and 7 freeze-thaw cycles. The test results show that the strength and durability index of the samples decrease with the increase of the freeze-thaw cycles. The loss of the strength and durability considerably decreases for all soil samples subjected to the freeze-thaw cycles. Overall, the use of CSA as a stabilizer for sandy soils would be an eco-friendly option to achieve sufficient strength and durability against the freeze-thaw action in cold regions.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.339-346
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• 2017

The main objective of this paper was to illuminate the effect of marine environmental condition on durability of reinforced concrete (RC)-corroded columns strengthened with carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) and glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) layers. Small-scale columns were prepared and corroded by an accelerated corrosion process. After strengthening, compressive strength tests were carried out on control and weathered specimens. In this research, a marine simulator was designed and constructed similar to the tidal zone of marine environment in south of Iran which was selected as a case study in this research. Mechanical properties of wrapped specimens were studied after placing them inside the simulator for 3000 hours. Marine environment decreased ultimate strength by 4.5% and 26.3% in CFRP and GFRP-wrapped columns, respectively. In some corroded-columns, strengthening was carried out after replacing damaged cover by self-compacted mortar. In this method, by confining with one layer of CFRP and GFRP, 4.2% and 22.4% reduction in ultimate strength was observed, respectively, after exposure. Furthermore, the elastic-brittle behavior has been verified in this retrofit method. Also results of tension tests revealed, the ultimate tensile strength was degraded by 2% and 28.8% in CFRP and GFRP sheets, respectively, after applying marine exposure.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 1998.10c
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• pp.161-166
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• 1998

The concrete structures designed and constructed by conventional design concept based on structural performance consideration show sometimes serious durability problem when the structures are exposed to aggressive environment. Because present design system focuses on the structure safety and considers durability indirectly by the concrete mix design and cover depth, the durability of concrete structure cannot be ensured. As the first step to develope the durability design for concrete structure, durability index which represents internal concrete resistance and environment index which represents external environmental exposure are derived quantitatively. In the next step, the durability design system is developed by checking durability limit state with computed two indexes under service life condition by considering of the reliability of structure. Finally, the proposed system is verified with a model problem.