• Journal of the Korean Recycled Construction Resources Institute
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.341-348
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• 2023

In this study, in order to minimize the increase in the amount of various industrial by-products due to the rapid growth of the industry and the intensification of the depletion of natural aggregate resources, the material test using recycled aggregate and steelmaking slag and the proper mixing ratio of recycled concrete were to be derived. In this study, first, the conformity of the quality standards of the materials used in the field was confirmed, and the workability and molding results were shown when used alone or mixed. Therefore, the feasibility of application as aggregate for concrete was evaluated through a total of 4-type mixtures of cement types, admixtures, coarse aggregates, and fine aggregates. As a result of the experiment, it was confirmed that the slump of unhardened concrete, the amount of air, chloride and compressive strength of hardened concrete according to the replacement rate were different from the measured values of general concrete quality characteristics. According to this, it was confirmed that the quality characteristics of the standard design criteria were satisfied.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.495-511
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• 2023

In this research, the impact of micro-silica, nano-silica, and polypropylene fibers on the fracture energy of self-compacting concrete was thoroughly examined. Enhancing the fracture energy is very important to increase the crack propagation resistance. The study focused on evaluating the self-compacting properties of the concrete through various tests, including J-ring, V-funnel, slump flow, and T50 tests. Additionally, the mechanical properties of the concrete, such as compressive and tensile strengths, modulus of elasticity, and fracture parameters were investigated on hardened specimens after 28 days. The results demonstrated that the incorporation of micro-silica and nano-silica not only decreased the rheological aspects of self-compacting concrete but also significantly enhanced its mechanical properties, particularly the compressive strength. On the other hand, the inclusion of polypropylene fibers had a positive impact on fracture parameters, tensile strength, and flexural strength of the specimens. Utilizing the response surface method, the relationship between micro-silica, nano-silica, and fibers was established. The optimal combination for achieving the highest compressive strength was found to be 5% micro-silica, 0.75% nano-silica, and 0.1% fibers. Furthermore, for obtaining the best mixture with superior tensile strength, flexural strength, modulus of elasticity, and fracture energy, the ideal proportion was determined as 5% micro-silica, 0.75% nano-silica, and 0.15% fibers. Compared to the control mixture, the aforementioned parameters showed significant improvements of 26.3%, 30.3%, 34.3%, and 34.3%, respectively. In order to accurately model the tensile cracking of concrete, the authors used softening curves derived from an inverse algorithm proposed by them. This method allowed for a precise and detailed analysis of the concrete under tensile stress. This study explores the effects of micro-silica, nano-silica, and polypropylene fibers on self-compacting concrete and shows their influences on the fracture energy and various mechanical properties of the concrete. The results offer valuable insights for optimizing the concrete mix to achieve desired strength and performance characteristics.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.571-579
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• 2023

In this study, cryopreservation by droplet-vitrification was applied to pear (Pyrus spp.) germplasm. We focused on the development and assessment of various strategies for the selection of suitable tissue, osmoprotection, and dehydration. We also evaluated post-thaw recovery of cryopreserved explants by droplet-vitrification. Preferentially, we tested the effects of preculture and loading treatments to determine which tissues were more suitable, either the apical shoot tips or the axillary buds. Apical shoot tips showed the better regrowth rate than in vitro axillary buds. The most effective techniques for cryopreservation were as follows. Shoots from in vitro seedlings which had been cultured for about 5-6 weeks were cold-hardened at 4℃ for one week, excised shoot tips were precultured on liquid MS medium including 0.3 M sucrose for 31 hours and 0.7 M sucrose for 17 hours, osmoprotected in loading solution (LS) for 40 min, and then cryoprotected in dehydration solution (PVS3) for 90 min. In addition, we found that regrowth rates of explants on regrowth medium after exposure to liquid nitrogen (LN) were higher than those on MS medium. Results indicated that the highest regrowth percentage was 95.6% for 'Bartlett' cultivar and 68.9% for 'BaeYun No.3' cultivar. Consequently, apical shoot tips of two pear cultivars, 'Bartlett' (P. communis) and 'BaeYun No.3' (P. pyrifolia), were successfully cryopreserved by droplet-vitrification. Results of this study show that the enhanced droplet-vitrification method described in the present study could be used as an effective means for long-term storage of pear genetic resources.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Building Construction
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.215-226
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• 2024

This study presents an experimental investigation into the performance of self-sensing grout formulated with a high volume of ultra-fine fly ash(UHFA). To explore the potential benefits of alternative cementitious materials, the research examined the effect of substituting UHFA with equal parts of blast furnace slag(BFS) fine powder. Both UHFA and BFS are byproducts generated in significant quantities by industrial processes. The evaluation focused on the fresh properties of the grout, including its flow characteristics, as well as the hardened properties such as compressive strength, dimensional stability(length change rate), and electrical properties. The experimental results demonstrated that incorporating UHFA resulted in a substantial reduction in the plastic viscosity of the grout, translating to improved flowability. Additionally, the compressive strength of the UHFA-modified grout surpassed that of the reference grout(without UHFA substitution) at all curing ages investigated. Interestingly, the electrical characteristics, as indicated by the relationships between FCR-stress and FCR-strain, exhibited similar trends for both grout mixtures.

• The Journal of the Korea institute of electronic communication sciences
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.619-624
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• 2024

Scaling is one of the most basic dental gum treatments and involves removing tartar that has hardened on teeth. However, inexperienced and unprofessional removal of tartar may damage the gums, resulting in excessive bleeding or damage to the teeth. For this reason, scaling must be done delicately according to the gum structure of various people, and sufficient practice must be provided. Related departments at the university are conducting scaling exercises. However, from the perspective of students who have not had sufficient practice, selecting subjects and conducting practice is not easy, and practice subjects may also avoid participating in practice due to discomfort and anxiety. Accordingly, in this study, we designed and implemented a virtual reality practice system using VR to create a virtual patient rather than an actual subject and implement various gum shapes step by step to enable repetitive practice and various scaling experiences.

• Journal of the Korean Recycled Construction Resources Institute
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.17-24
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• 2024

The characteristics of low-heat concrete, mixed with ground blast furnace slag and ferronickel slag aggregate, were analyzed. Moreover, the applicability of this concrete for mass concrete in LNG storage tanks was examined. Initially, the study investigated the characteristics of fresh and hardened concrete. Subsequently, the temperature rising curve was obtained. Utilizing the obtained parameters from the curves, a series of thermal stress analyses for the LNG storage tank were conducted to assess the risk of cracking. The results confirmed that concrete mixtures incorporating ground blast furnace slag and ferronickel slag aggregate not only exhibited sufficient workability but also achieved a compressive strength of approximately 40 MPa within 28 days. Furthermore, the concrete demonstrated a lower terminal heat rise and a faster heat generation rate compared to low-heat Portland cement concrete. An analysis of thermal stress in various sections of the LNG tank validated a low risk of cracking.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.66 no.1
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• pp.178-203
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• 2024

Constipation, which refers to difficulties in defecation and infrequent bowel movement in emptying the gastrointestinal system that ultimately produces hardened fecal matters, is a health concern in livestock and aging animals. The present study aimed to evaluate the potential effects of dairy-isolated lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains to alleviate constipation as an alternative therapeutic intervention for constipation treatment in the aging model. Rats were aged via daily subcutaneous injection of D-galactose (600 mg/body weight [kg]), prior to induction of constipation via oral administration of loperamide hydrochloride (5 mg/body weight [kg]). LAB strains (L. fermentum USM 4189 or L. plantarum USM 4187) were administered daily via oral gavage (1 × 10 Log CFU/day) while the control group received sterile saline. Aged rats as shown with shorter telomere lengths exhibited increased fecal bulk and soften fecal upon administration of LAB strains amid constipation as observed using the Bristol Stool Chart, accompanied by a higher fecal moisture content as compared to the control (p < 0.05). Fecal water-soluble metabolite profiles showed a reduced concentration of threonine upon administration of LAB strains compared to the control (p < 0.05). Histopathological analysis also showed that the administration of LAB strains contributed to a higher colonic goblet cell count as compared to the control (p < 0.05). The present study illustrates the potential of dairy-sourced LAB strains as probiotics to ameliorate the adverse effect of constipation amid aging, and as a potential dietary intervention strategy for dairy foods including yogurt and cheese.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.213-230
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• 2024

The use of waste tires and industrial wastes such as fly ash (FA) and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) in concrete is an important issue in terms of sustainability. In this study, the effect of parameters affecting the physical, mechanical and microstructural properties of FA/GGBS-based geopolymer concretes with waste rubber fiber was investigated. For this purpose, the effects of rubber fiber percentage (0.6%, 0.9%, 1.2%), binder (75FA25GGBS, 50FA50GGBS, 25FA75GGBS) and curing temperature (75 ℃, 90 ℃ and 105 ℃) were investigated. The Taguchi-Grey Relational Analysis (TGRA) method was used to obtain optimum parameter levels of rubber fiber geopolymer concrete (RFGC). The slump, fresh and hardened density, compressive strength, flexural strength, static and dynamic modulus of elasticity, ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) tests and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis were performed on the produced concretes. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) method was used to statistically determine the effects of the parameters on the experimental results. A confirmation test was performed to test the accuracy of the optimum values found by the TGRA method. With the increase of GGBS percentage, the compressive strength of RFGC increased up to 196%. The increase in rubber fiber percentage and curing temperature adversely affected the mechanical properties of RFGC. As a result of TGRA, the optimum value was found to be A1B3C1. ANOVA results showed that the most effective parameter on the experimental results was the binder with 99% contribution percentage. It is understood from the SEM images that the optimum concrete had a denser microstructure and less capillary cracks and voids. For this study, the use of the TGRA method in multiple optimization has proven to provide very useful and reliable results. In cases where many factors are effective on its strength and durability, such as geopolymer concrete, using the TGRA method allows for finding the optimum value of the parameters by saving both time and cost.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.93-110
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• 2024

The process of concrete production consumes an immense volume of water, with approximately one billion metric tons of freshwater being utilized for tasks such as aggregate washing, fresh concrete production, and concrete curing. The accessibility of clean water for the public is hindered by the limited availability of water resources, primarily due to the rapid expansion of industries such as tanneries, stone quarries, and concrete manufacturing. These industries not only consume substantial amounts of freshwater but also generate significant volumes of various types of waste. Therefore, the use of fresh water in concrete production should be minimized. Few studies have reviewed the production of concrete using wastewater to derive practical and applicable findings for the industry. Thus, this study thoroughly explores the physical and chemical effects of wastewater on concrete, examining aspects like durability, hardened properties, and rheological characteristics. It identifies key factors that can compromise concrete properties when exposed to wastewater. The scarcity of research on integrating wastewater into concrete production underscores the urgent necessity for innovative approaches and methodologies in this field. While the inclusion of wash water typically reduces the workability of fresh concrete, it often enhances its compressive strength. Notably, significant improvements have been observed when using tertiary processed wastewater, wash water, polyvinyl alcohol-based wash water (PVAW), and reclaimed water in the concrete mixing process. The application of tertiary treatment to wastewater resulted in a notable enhancement of compressive strength, showing increases of up to 7%. In contrast, wastewater treated through secondary methods experienced a decline in strength ranging from 9% to 18% over a period of six months. However, the use of reclaimed wastewater demonstrated an improvement in strength by 8% to 17%, depending on the concentration level ranging from 25% to 100%. In contrast, the utilization of secondary processed wastewater and industrial water has a minimal impact on the concrete's strength.

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.157-168
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• 2011

Recently, the cases of freeze-thaw distress on concrete pavement in domestic have been reported periodically. Hereupon, the necessity to establish the standard of spacing factor came to the fore. The test method for analyzing spacing factor is provided in the standard of ASTM C 457. Since researchers tend to judge study results subjectively, the results should be revised throughly. Image analysis program for determining the characteristics of air-void system on hardened concrete identify air void through the difference of a color. The pixel intensity values used in this program have a significant effect on the analysis results. This study compared the automated void count by varying pixel intensity values with the manual void count in order to determine the optimum range of pixel intensity values. Also, this study analyzed the air-void characteristics on eight kinds of concrete mixtures. In this study, it was confirmed that the variation of void counted manually was around 10% from the results of round robin test, and that the optimum range of pixel intensity values is around 80~90. And it was also confirmed that air content (as a whole) was increased generally and spacing factor was decreased by increasing air-entrainer content. But some concrete mixtures showed a tendency that air content was constant and spacing factor was decreased by increasing air-entrainer content. This causes the air entrained by air-entrainer has more influence on spacing factor than air content. Also, the deviation of spacing factor by cutting position of concrete specimen was about 30~100${\mu}m$ because of the limit of 2-D image analysis. The additional study about variation of spacing factor by cutting position of concrete specimen will be performed later.