• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.195-211
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• 2020

Among anti-seismic technologies, base isolation is a very effective means of mitigating damage to structural and nonstructural components, such as equipment. However, most seismic isolation systems are designed for mitigating only horizontal seismic responses because the realization of a vertical isolation system (VIS) is difficult. The difficulty is primarily due to conflicting isolation stiffness demands in the static and dynamic states for a VIS, which requires sufficient rigidity to support the self-weight of the isolated object in the static state, but sufficient flexibility to lengthen the isolation period and uncouple the ground motion in the dynamic state. To overcome this problem, a semi-active VIS, called the piezoelectric inertia-type vertical isolation system (PIVIS), is proposed in this study. PIVIS is composed of a piezoelectric friction damper (PFD) and a leverage mechanism with a counterweight. The counterweight provides an uplifting force in the static state and an extra inertial force in the dynamic state; therefore, the effective vertical stiffness of PIVIS is higher in the static state and lower in the dynamic state. The PFD provides a controllable friction force for PIVIS to further prevent its excessive displacement. For experimental verification, a shaking table test was conducted on a prototype PIVIS controlled by a simple controller. The experimental results well agree with the theoretical results. To further investigate the isolation performance of PIVIS, the seismic responses of PIVIS were simulated numerically by considering 14 vertical ground motions with different characteristics. The responses of PIVIS were compared with those of a traditional VIS and a passive system (PIVIS without control). The numerical results demonstrate that compared with the traditional and passive systems, PIVIS can effectively suppress isolation displacement in all kinds of earthquake with various peak ground accelerations and frequency content while maintaining its isolation efficiency. The proposed system is particularly effective for near-fault earthquakes with long-period components, for which it prevents resonant-like motion.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.47-55
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• 2013

To analyze lateral displacement of excavation walls exposed during the construction of Subway Line 1 in the Daegu region, inclinometer measurement data for sites D4, D5, and Y6 are investigated from the perspective of engineering geology. The study area, in the Banyawol Formation, Hayang Group, Gyeongsang Supergroup, is in the lower part of bedrock of andesitic volcanics, calcareous shale, sandstone, hornfels, and felsite dykes that are unconformably overlain by soil. The rock mass around the D4 site is classified as RMR-V grade and the maximum lateral displacement of 101.39 mm, toward N34W, was measured at a bedding-parallel fault, at a depth of 12 m. The rock mass around the D5 site is classified as RMR-IV grade and the maximum lateral displacement of 55.17 mm, toward the south, was measured at a lithologic contact between shale and felsite, at a depth of 14 m. The rock mass around the Y6 site is classified as RMR-III grade and the maximum lateral displacement of 12.65 mm, toward S52W, was measured at an unconformity between the soil and underlying bedrocks, at a depth of 7 m. The directions of lateral displacement in the excavation walls are vector sums of the directions perpendicular to the excavation wall and horizontally parallel to the excavation wall. Lateral displacement graphs according to depth in the soil profile show curvilinear trajectories, whereas those in bedrock show straight and rapid-displacement trajectories.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.400-425
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• 2018

This study presents the research results and current status of the DECOVALEX-2019 project Task B. Task B named 'Fault slip modelling' is aiming at developing a numerical method to simulate the coupled hydro-mechanical behavior of fault, including slip or reactivation, induced by water injection. The first research step of Task B is a benchmark simulation which is designed for the modelling teams to familiarize themselves with the problem and to set up their own codes to reproduce the hydro-mechanical coupling between the fault hydraulic transmissivity and the mechanically-induced displacement. We reproduced the coupled hydro-mechanical process of fault slip using TOUGH-FLAC simulator. The fluid flow along a fault was modelled with solid elements and governed by Darcy's law with the cubic law in TOUGH2, whereas the mechanical behavior of a single fault was represented by creating interface elements between two separating rock blocks in FLAC3D. A methodology to formulate the hydro-mechanical coupling relations of two different hydraulic aperture models and link the solid element of TOUGH2 and the interface element of FLAC3D was suggested. In addition, we developed a coupling module to update the changes in geometric features (mesh) and hydrological properties of fault caused by water injection at every calculation step for TOUGH-FLAC simulator. Then, the transient responses of the fault, including elastic deformation, reactivation, progressive evolutions of pathway, pressure distribution and water injection rate, to stepwise pressurization were examined during the simulations. The results of the simulations suggest that the developed model can provide a reasonable prediction of the hydro-mechanical behavior related to fault reactivation. The numerical model will be enhanced by continuing collaboration and interaction with other research teams of DECOLVAEX-2019 Task B and validated using the field data from fault activation experiments in a further study.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.670-691
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• 2018

This study presents the research results of the BMT(Benchmark Model Test) simulations of the DECOVALEX-2019 project Task B. Task B named 'Fault slip modelling' is aiming at developing a numerical method to predict fault reactivation and the coupled hydro-mechanical behavior of fault. BMT scenario simulations of Task B were conducted to improve each numerical model of participating group by demonstrating the feasibility of reproducing the fault behavior induced by water injection. The BMT simulations consist of seven different conditions depending on injection pressure, fault properties and the hydro-mechanical coupling relations. TOUGH-FLAC simulator was used to reproduce the coupled hydro-mechanical process of fault slip. A coupling module to update the changes in hydrological properties and geometric features of the numerical mesh in the present study. We made modifications to the numerical model developed in Task B Step 1 to consider the changes in compressibility, Permeability and geometric features with hydraulic aperture of fault due to mechanical deformation. The effects of the storativity and transmissivity of the fault on the hydro-mechanical behavior such as the pressure distribution, injection rate, displacement and stress of the fault were examined, and the results of the previous step 1 simulation were updated using the modified numerical model. The simulation results indicate that the developed model can provide a reasonable prediction of the hydro-mechanical behavior related to fault reactivation. The numerical model will be enhanced by continuing interaction and collaboration with other research teams of DECOVALEX-2019 Task B and validated using the field experiment data in a further study.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.701-721
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• 2016

Base isolation is a well-established passive strategy for seismic response control of buildings. In this paper, an efficient framework is proposed for reliability-based design optimization (RBDO) of isolated buildings subjected to uncertain earthquakes. The framework uses reduced function evaluations method, as an efficient tool for structural reliability analysis, and an efficient optimization algorithm for optimal structural design. The probability of failure is calculated considering excessive base displacement, superstructure inter-storey drifts, member stress ratios and absolute accelerations of floors of the isolated building as failure events. The behavior of rubber bearing isolators is modeled using nonlinear hysteretic model and the variability of future earthquakes is modeled by applying a probabilistic approach. The effects of pulse component of stochastic near-fault ground motions, fixity-factor of semi-rigid beam-to-column connections, values of isolator parameters, earthquake magnitude and epicentral distance on the performance and safety of semi-rigidly connected base-isolated steel framed buildings are studied. Suitable RBDO examples are solved to illustrate the results of investigations.

• Progress in Superconductivity and Cryogenics
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.28-31
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• 2012

The study on the dielectric characteristics of gaseous insulation medium is important for designing current leads of superconducting machines using a sub-cooled liquid nitrogen ($LN_2$) cooling method. In a sub-cooled $LN_2$ cooling system, the temperature of gaseous insulation medium surrounding current leads varies from the temperature of coolant to 300 K according to the displacement between the electrode system and the surface of sub-cooled $LN_2$. In this paper, AC withstand voltage experiments on gaseous nitrogen according to temperature are conducted. Also, AC withstand voltage experiments on gaseous nitrogen according to pressure, size of electrode, and gap length between two electrodes are performed. It is found that there is a functional relation between the electrical breakdown voltage and the field utilization factor (${\xi}$). As a result, the empirical formula for estimating an electrical breakdown voltage is deduced by adopting the concept of field utilization factors. It is expected that the experimental results presented in this paper are helpful to design current leads for a high voltage superconducting apparatus such as a superconducting fault current limiter (SFCL) using a sub-cooled $LN_2$ cooling system.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.561-573
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• 2012

Recently, tunnel constructions have been increased in Korea. According to the increment of tunnel constructions, cases of tunnel collapses also have been increased under tunnel construction. Among these tunnel collapses, after a certain amount of time has elapsed due to excessive displacements on slope of tunnel exit or entrance, cases of tunnel collapse have been increased rapidly. Therefore, the case study was conducted in this study to figure out factors effect on the tunnel collapses due to excessive displacements on tunnel exit or entrance slopes. Base on the case study, the fragmental zone of fault and the rainfall were most important factors on the collapse.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.10 no.1 s.47
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• pp.63-74
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• 2006

The seismic fragility analysis method has been used as a quantitative seismic safety evaluation method for the NPP(Nuclear Power Plant) structures and equipments. The seismic fragility analysis gives a realistic seismic capacity excluding the convertism included in the design stage. The conservatism is considered as the probabilistic parameters related to the response and capacity in the seismic fragility analysis. In this study, the displacement based seismic fragility analysis method was proposed based on the nonlinear dynamic analysis results. In this study, the seismic safety of the prestressed concrete containment building of KSNP(Korean Standard Nuclear Power Plant) was evaluated for the scenario earthquakes, neat-fault, far-fault, design earthquake and probability based scenario earthquake, which can be occurred in the NPP sites.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.301-310
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• 2016

There are differences in seismic behavior between non-skewed bridges and skewed bridges due to in-plane rotations caused by pounding between the skewed deck and its abutments during strong earthquake. Many advances have been made in developing design codes and guidelines for dynamic analyses of non-skewed bridges. However, there remain significant uncertainties with regard to the structural response of skewed bridges caused by unusual seismic response characteristics. The purpose of this study is performing non-linear time history analysis of the bridges using abutment-soil interaction model considering pounding between the skewed deck and its abutments, and analyzing global seismic behavior characteristics of the skewed bridges to assess the possibility of unseating. Refined bridge model with abutment back fill, shear key and elastomeric bearing was developed using non-linear spring element. In order to evaluate the amplification of longitudinal and transverse displacement response, non-linear time history analysis was performed for single span bridges. Far-fault and near-fault ground motions were used as input ground motions. According to each parameter, seismic behavior of skewed bridges was evaluated.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2000

Heaving of road and subsidence of slope took place at the Wiri region of the local highway 999 in Gyeongsangbukdo, Korea after heavy rain in the next year of construction. Although the state government had performed remedial treatments by reducing the angle and the height of the slope, deformation had never stopped. Therefore, we have preformed the analysis of deformation and stabilityof the slope. Study area consists of the Cretaceous shale, siltstone and sandstone and two faults are found. The major deformation occurred by sliding of rock mass along faults after heavy rain because not only thepore pressure at the fault plane and the unit weight of sliding mass increased, but did the shearstrength of saturated fault clay become very low. The decrease in shear strength of saturated fault clayis the major factor among the reasons for deformation. Numerical simulations using limit equilibriummodel, finite difference model and finite element model were performed for eight cross sections.Although safety factors are above 1.7 during the dry season, they become below 1.0 when groundwaterlevel raises to surface. The maximum displacement is about 15-3Ocm. However, safety factors increasedto above 2.4 and the maximum displacement is below 2.08cm after remedial treatment, Indicating thatthe slope becomes stable.