• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.1-12
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• 2023

This paper assesses the suitability of existing standards for plastic material models and performance level evaluation methods in seismic performance evaluations of concrete dam piers during Maximum Credible Earthquakes (MCE). Dynamic plastic analysis was conducted to examine the applicability of the plastic material model under various conditions. As a result reveal that when the minimum reinforcement ratio is not met, the average stress-average strain method recommended in current dam seismic performance evaluation guidelines tends to underestimate pier responses compared to the predicted outcomes of dynamic elastic analysis. Consequently, the paper proposes an improvement plan that treats dam piers with an insufficient minimum reinforcement ratio as unreinforced and integrates fracture energy into concrete tensile behavior characteristics for performance level evaluation. Implementing these improvements can lead to more conservative evaluation outcomes compared to current seismic performance evaluation methods.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.397-405
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• 2023

Background: A precontoured plate rarely fits properly within the patient's clavicle and must be bent intraoperatively. This study aimed to determine whether anatomical reduction could be achieved using a plate bent before surgery. Methods: This study included 87 consecutive patients with displaced mid-shaft clavicle fractures who underwent plate fixation and were followed-up for a minimum of 1 year. After exclusions, 39 consecutive patients underwent fixation with a precontoured plate bent intraoperatively (intraoperative bending group), and 28 underwent fixation with the plate bent preoperatively (preoperative bending group). Using free software and a three-dimensional (3D) printer, ipsilateral clavicle 3D-printed models were constructed. Using plain radiographs, the distance between the edge of the lateral inferior cortex and the medial inferior cortex was measured. The angle between the line connecting the inferior cortex edge and the line passing through the flat portion of the superior cortex of the distal clavicle was measured. Results: Mean length differences between the ipsilateral and contralateral clavicle were smaller on both anteroposterior (AP; P=0.032) and axial images (P=0.029) in the preoperative bending group. The mean angular differences on both AP (P=0.045) and axial images (P=0.008) were smaller in the preoperative bending group. No significant differences were observed between the two groups in functional scores at the last follow-up. Conclusions: Smaller differences in length and angle between the ipsilateral and contralateral clavicle, indicative of reduction, were observed in the preoperative bending group. Using the precontoured technique with low expense, the operation was performed more effectively as reflected by a shorter operation time. Level of evidence: III.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.237-246
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• 2024

Proximal humeral fractures (PHFs) are a common injury among the older population. An ideal therapeutic protocol has yet to be developed, and numerous clinical trials are being conducted to find the best therapeutic approach. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the current body of knowledge available via interventional clinical trials. In December 2022, interventional clinical trials relating to PHFs on Clinicaltrials.gov were screened. Trial characteristics included duration, status, intervention, phase, outcomes, location, and study design. Publications associated with each trial were searched on PubMed/Medline using the ClinicalTrials.gov registry number. The final dataset comprised 64 trials. The most common trial status was completed (36%). The majority did not have a Food and Drug Administration-defined phase (67%), was randomized (81%), involved a single facility (72%), used a parallel assignment intervention model (80%), and used an open-label approach (45%). Eleven trials were associated with a publication, and the publication rate was 17%. Average enrollment was 86 participants, and mean trial duration was 51.4 months. Europe/UK/Russia/Turkey participated in the most trials (70%). Most of the trials were initiated after 2010 (87.5%). Procedure-related interventions (55%) were most common. Disability/function was the most common primary outcome assessed (61%). The low publication rate and the multitude of trials conducted after 2010 highlight the urgency and need for trial results to be published to establish an ideal therapeutic protocol. Since the majority of the trials involved a single institution and an open-label approach, reinforcing blinding and establishing multi-centered trials can improve the validity of the clinical trial results.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.95-107
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• 2015

Objective : To use and its affecting factors of patients' outpatient treatment that have single and multiple chronic illnesses Method : We used the 2011 study by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, "Report on Usage and Consumption of Korean Medicine." This report was conducted on outpatients and inpatients that visited Korean traditional medicine, from August 25th, 2011, to September 30th, 2011. Our research was based on 1729 patients with chronic diseases aged 30 and over who received outpatient treatment during the last three months. Results : There were 1365 patients with non-complex chronic diseases, while there were 364 patients with complex chronis diseases. Patients had 1 - 8 chronic diseases, and the average number (standard deviation) was 1.26 (0.59). There were statistically significant differences by sex(P<0.0001), age(p=0.0045), marriage (p=0.0060), education level(p<0.0001), income level(P=0.0063), and types of health insurance(p=0.0023). The diseases most common among patients with non-complex chronic diseases were: low back pain, arthritis, gastrointestinal disorder, frozen shoulder, side effects from motor accidents, high blood pressure, fracture, stroke, diabetes, cancer, atopic dermatitis, and asthma. The diseases most common among patients with non-complex chronic diseases were: arthritis+low back pain, low back pain+gastrointestinal disorder, low back pain+side effects from motor accidents, low back pain+frozen shoulder, arthritis+gastrointestinal disease, gastrointestinal disease+frozen shoulder, arthritis+low back pain+gastrointestinal disease, high blood pressure+arthritis, arthritis+low back pain+frozen shoulder, arthritis+fracture, and arthritis+side effects from motor accidents. There were statistically significant differences among the usage of medical clinics by: frequently used clinic (p<0.0001), number of treatment (p<0.0001), the cost of outpatient treatment (p=0.0073), the satisfaction rate (p=0.0171), whether the clinic is the preferred clinic (p=0.0040). In model 1, men than women, people who had local benefits instead of type 1 medical aid, and patients with complex chronic diseases were more likely to use Korean medical clinics. In model 2, men than women, people who had local benefits than people with types 1 and 2 medical aids, people who went to pharmacies and Korean medicine pharmacies than people who went to hospitals, people who went to get treatment 1-10 times than people who visited 11-20 times and more than 41 times, and people who spent less than ten thousand Korean won than people who spent 1 to 2 million Korean won, and people without complex chronic diseases were more likely to use Korean medical treatment. Conclusion : There were differences in sociodemographic characteristics and the usage of medical clinics between patients with non-complex chronic diseases and patients with complex chronic diseases. Among patients with complex chronic diseases, women, patients with types 1 and 2 medical aid, patients who used Korean medical clinics, patients who were treated 11-20 times and more than 41 times, and patients who spent 1 million to 2 million Korean won on outpatient treatment used less treatment than patients with non-complex chronic diseases. However, patients with complex chronic diseases used pharmacies and Korean medicine pharmacies more.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.125-135
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• 2009

Statement of problem: Loosening or fracture of the abutment screw is one of the common problems related to the dental implant. Generally, in order to make the screw joint stable, the preload generated by tightening torque needs to be increased within the elastic limit of the screw. However, additional tensile forces can produce the plastic deformation of abutment screw when functional loads are superimposed on preload stresses, and they can elicit loosening or fracture of the abutment screw. Therefore, it is necessary to find the optimum tightening torque that maximizes a fatigue life and simultaneously offer a reasonable degree of protection against loosening. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to present the influence of tightening torque on the implant-abutment screw joint stability with the 3 dimensional finite element analysis. Material and methods: In this study, the finite element model of the implant system with external butt joint connection was designed and verified by comparison with additional theoretical and experimental results. Four different amount of tightening torques(10, 20, 30 and 40 Ncm) and the external loading(250 N, $30^{\circ}$) were applied to the model, and the equivalent stress distributions and the gap distances were calculated according to each tightening torque and the result was analyzed. Results: Within the limitation of this study, the following results were drawn; 1) There was the proportional relation between the tightening torque and the preload. 2) In case of applying only the tightening torque, the maximum stress was found at the screw neck. 3) The maximum stress was also shown at the screw neck under the external loading condition. However in case of applying 10 Ncm tightening torque, it was found at the undersurface of the screw head. 4) The joint opening was observed under the external loading in case of applying 10 Ncm and 20 Ncm of tightening torque. 5) When the tightening torque was applied at 40 Ncm, under the external loading the maximum stress exceeded the allowable stress value of the titanium alloy. Conclusion: Implant abutment screw must have a proper tightening torque that will be able to maintain joint stability of fixture and abutment.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.10 no.4 s.50
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• pp.67-76
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• 2006

In this paper the moment transfer efficiency of a web and the strain concentration at the RHS (Rectangular Hollow Section) column-to-steel beam connections was evaluated. Initially, non-linear finite element analysis of five bare steel beam models was conducted. The models were designed to have different detail at their beam-to-column connection, so that the flexural moment capacity was different respectively. Analysis results showed that the moment transfer efficiency of the analytical model with RHS-column was poor when comparing to model with WF(Wide Flnage)-column due to out-of-plane deformation of the RHS-column flange. The presence of scallop and thin plate of RHS column was also a reason of the decrease of moment transfer efficiency, which would result in a potential fracture of the steel beam-to-column connections. Analytical results were compared with the previous experimental results. The analytical and the previous experimental results showed that the strain concentration was inversely proportional to the moment transfer efficiency of a beam web and the deformation capacity of connection was poor as their moment transfer efficiency degrades. Further finite element analyses of composite beam with a floor slab revealed that the neutral axis moved toward the top flange and the moment transfer efficiency of a beam web decreased, which led to premature failure of the connection.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.63 no.3
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• pp.361-370
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• 2017

Through the use of finite element analysis and acoustic emission techniques we have evaluated the interfacial failure of a carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) repair patch on a notched aluminum substrate. The repair of cracks is a very common and widely used practice in the aeronautics field to extend the life of cracked sheet metal panels. The process consists of adhesively bonding a patch that encompasses the notched site to provide additional strength, thereby increasing life and avoiding costly replacements. The mechanical strength of the bonded joint relies mainly on the bonding of the adhesive to the plate and patch stiffness. Stress concentrations at crack tips promote disbonding of the composite patch from the substrate, consequently reducing the bonded area, which makes this a critical aspect of repair effectiveness. In this paper we examine patch disbonding by calculating the influence of notch tip stress on disbond area and verify computational results with acoustic emission (AE) measurements obtained from specimens subjected to uniaxial tension. The FE results showed that disbonding first occurs between the patch and the substrate close to free edge of the patch followed by failure around the tip of the notch, both highest stress regions. Experimental results revealed that cement adhesion at the aluminum interface was the limiting factor in patch performance. The patch did not appear to strengthen the aluminum substrate when measured by stress-strain due to early stage disbonding. Analysis of the AE signals provided insight to the disbond locations and progression at the metal-adhesive interface. Crack growth from the notch in the aluminum was not observed until the stress reached a critical level, an instant before final fracture, which was unaffected by the patch due to early stage disbonding. The FE model was further utilized to study the effects of patch fiber orientation and increased adhesive strength. The model revealed that the effectiveness of patch repairs is strongly dependent upon the combined interactions of adhesive bond strength and fiber orientation.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.34 no.10
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• pp.1411-1417
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• 2010

CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic) has received considerable attention in various fields as a structural material, because of its high specific strength, high specific stiffness, excellent design flexibility, favorable chemical properties, etc. Most products consisting of several parts are generally assembled by mechanical joining methods (using rivets, bolts, pins, etc.). Holes must be drilled in the parts to be joined, and the strength of the components subjected to static and fatigue loads caused by stress concentration must be decreased. In this study, we experimentally evaluated the variation in the residual strength of a holenotched CFRP plate subjected to fatigue load. We repeatedly subjected the hole-notched specimen to fatigue load for a certain number of cycles, and then we investigated the residual strength of the hole-notched specimen by performing the fracture test. From the results of the test, we can observe the initiation of a directional crack caused by the applied fatigue load. Further, we observed that the residual strength increases with a decrease in the notch effect due to this crack. It was evaluated that the residual strength increases to a certain level and subsequently decreases. This variation in the residual strength was represented by a simple equation by using a model of the decrease in residual strength for plain plate, which was developed by Reifsnider and a stress redistribution model for hole-notched plate, which was developed by Yip.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.459-465
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• 2011

It has been reported that the femoral morphology has a major correlation to femoral neck fractures(FNF). Previous studies to analyze these correlations have relied on mechanical testing and finite element methods. However, these methods have not been widely applied to various femur samples and models. It is because of the availability of the samples from both patients and cadavers, and also of the geometric limitations in changing the shape of the models. In this study we analyzed femoral neck fractures using a parameterized femoral model that could provide flexibility in changing the geometry of the model for the wide applications of FNF analysis. With the parameterization a variety of models could be generated by changing four major dimensions: femoral head diameter(FHD), femoral neck diameter(FND), femoral neck length(FNL), and neck-shaft angle(NSA). We have performed FEA on the models to compute the stress distributions and reaction forces, and compare them with the data previously generated from mechanical testing. The analysis results indicate that the FND is significantly related with the FNF and the FHD is not significantly related with the FNF.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.183-189
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• 2010

Fault gouge samples were collected from the fault cores of the boundary faults between the Cretaceous Basement and the Tertiary Waeup Basin. Fractal dimensions (D) were obtained by using survivor grains which were analysed from six thin sections of the gouges under the optical microscope. The elliptical survivor grains show a shape preferred orientation almost parallel to clay foliation in matrix, suggesting that it was formed by the rotation of the survivor grains in abundant fine-grained matrix during repeated fault slips. The size distributions of the survivor grains follow power-laws with fractal dimensions in the 2.40-3.02 range. D values of all samples but one are higher than a specific D value equal to 2.58 which predicts the self similarity of fragmentation process in constrained comminution model (Sammis et al., 1987), which indicates large fault slip and multiple faulting. Probably the higher D values than 2.58 mean the non-self-similar evolution of cataclastic rocks where fragmentation mechanism changed from constrained comminution to the grain abrasion accompanying selective fracture of larger grains.