• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.337-348
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• 2020

Tropical organic soils having more than 65% of organic matters are named "peat". This soil type is extremely soft, unconsolidated, and possesses low shear strength and stiffness. Different conventional and industrial binders (e.g., lime or Portland cement) are used widely for stabilisation of organic soils. However, due to many factors affecting the behaviour of these soils (e.g., high moisture content, fewer mineral particles, and acidic media), the efficiency of the conventional binders is low and/or cost-intensive. This research investigates the impact of different constituents of cement-sodium silicate grout system on the compressibility behaviour of organic soil, including settlement and void ratio. A microstructure analysis is also carried out on treated organic soil using Scanning Electron Micrographs (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDX), and X-ray Diffraction (XRD). The results indicate that the settlement and void ratio of treated organic soils decrease gradually with the increase of cement and kaolinite contents, as well as sodium silicate until an optimum value of 2.5% of the wet soil weight. The microstructure analysis also demonstrates that with the increase of cement, kaolinite and sodium silicate, the void ratio and porosity of treated soil particles decrease, leading to an increase in the soil density by the hydration, pozzolanic, and polymerisation processes. This research contributes an extra useful knowledge to the stabilisation of organic soils and upgrading such problematic soils closer to the non-problematic soils for geotechnical applications such as deep mixing.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.503-509
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• 2000

The solvent effects on the relative free energies of solvation and the difference in partition coefficients (log P) for $Rb^+$ to $K^+$ mutation in several solvents have been investigated using Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) of statistical perturbation theory(SPT). In comparing the relative free energies for interconversion of one ion pair, $Rb^+$ to $K^+$, in $H_2O$(TIP4P) in this study with the relative free energies of the computer simulations and the experimental, we found that the figure in this study with the relative free energies of the computert simulations and the experimental, we found that the figure in this study is $-5.00\pm0.11$ kcal/mol and those of the computer simulations are $-5.40\pm1.9$, -5.5, and -5.4 kcal/mol. The experimental is -5.1 kcal/mol. There is good agreement among various studies, taking into account both methods used to obtain the hydration free energies and standard deviations. There is also good agreement between the calculated structural properties of this study and the simulations, ab initio and the experimental results. We have explained the deviation of the relationship between the free energy difference and the Onsager dielectric function of solvents by the electron pair donor properties of the solvents. For the $Rb^+$ and $K^+$ ion pair, the Onsager dielectric function of solvents (or solvent permittivity), donor number of solvent and the differences in solvation dominate the differences in the relative free energies of solvation and partition coefficients.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.5
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• pp.1511-1518
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• 2021

In most countries, the thermal criteria for the engineered barrier system (EBS) is set to below 100 ℃ due to the possible illitization in the buffer, which will likely be detrimental to the performance and safety of the repository. On the other hand, if the thermal criteria for the EBS increases, the disposal density and the cost-effectiveness for the high-level radioactive wastes will dramatically increase. Thus, fundamentals on the thermal behavior of the buffer under the elevated temperatures is of crucial importance. Yet, the behaviors at the elevated temperatures of the bentonite under groundwater-saturated conditions have not been reported to-date. Here, we have developed an in-situ synchrotron-based method for the thermal behavior study of the buffer under the elevated temperatures (25-250 ℃), investigated dspacings of the montmorillonite in the Korean bentonite (i.e., Ca-type) at dry and KURT (KAERI Underground Research Tunnel) groundwater-saturated conditions (KJ-ii-dry and KJ-ii-wet), and compared the behaviors with that of MX-80 (i.e., Na-type, MX-80-wet). The hydration states analyzed show tri-, bi-, and mono-hydrated at 25, 120, and 250 ℃, respectively for KJ-ii-wet, whereas tri-, mono-, and de-hydrated at 25, 150, and 250 ℃, respectively for MX-80-wet. The Korean bentonite starts losing the interlayered water at lower temperatures; however, holds them better at higher temperatures as compared with MX-80.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.163-171
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• 2021

This paper studies the effect of using multi-scale reinforcement additives on mechanical strengths, damage performance, microstructure, and water absorption of cementitious composites. Small dosages of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) or polypropylene (PP) microfibers; 0.05%, 0.1%, and 0.2% by weight of cement; were added either separately or simultaneously into cement mortar. The experimental results show the ability of these additives to enhance the mechanical behavior of the mortar. The best improvement in compressive and flexural strengths of cement mortar reaches 28% in the case of adding a combination of 0.1% CNTs and 0.2% PP fibers for compression, and a combination of 0.2% CNTs and 0.2% PP fibers for flexure. Adding CNTs does not change the brittle mode of failure of plain mortar whereas the presence of PP fibers changes it into ductile failure and clearly enhances the fracture energy of the specimens. Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) images of the fracture surfaces highlights the role of CNTs in improving the adhesion between the PP fibers and the hydration products and thus enhance the ability of the fibers to mitigate cracks propagation and to enhance the mechanical performance of the mortar.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.97-110
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• 2023

This study investigates experimentally the impact of magnetized water (MW) on the fresh and hardened characteristics of concrete. Five types of MW are produced using magnetic fields of 1.4 and 1.6 Tesla for treating water with 100, 150, and 250 cycles. The concrete properties are assessed using the slump test, compressive strength test, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis, energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), and Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometry (FTIR). Furthermore, the chemical-physical characteristics of tap water (TW) and MW are evaluated. The results showed the magnetic field intensity has a significant impact on the magnetization effect; the best magnetizing conditions were found when TW was exposed successively to magnetic fields of 1.6 T and 1.4 T for 150 cycles. In addition, 150 MW cycles can be used to improve the compressive strength and workability of concrete by 40% and 17%, respectively. pH, total dissolved solids, and electrical conductivity improved by 15%, 17%, and 7%, respectively, when using MW. Additionally, MW can be used to enhance cement hydration chemical processes and made concrete's structure denser.

• Carbon letters
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• v.24
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• pp.90-96
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• 2017

We demonstrated the sensitivity of optically active single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) with a diameter below 1 nm that were homogeneously dispersed in cement composites under a mechanical load. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was selected as the dispersing agent to achieve a homogeneous dispersion of SWCNTs in an aqueous solution, and the dispersion state of the SWCNTs were characterized using various optical tools. It was found that the addition of a large amount of DNA prohibited the structural evolution of calcium hydroxide and calcium silicate hydrate. Based on the in-situ Raman and X-ray diffraction studies, it was evident that hydrophilic functional groups within the DNA strongly retarded the hydration reaction. The optimum amount of DNA with respect to the cement was found to be 0.05 wt%. The strong Raman signals coming from the SWCNTs entrapped in the cement composites enabled us to understand their dispersion state within the cement as well as their interfacial interaction. The G and G' bands of the SWCNTs sensitively varied under mechanical compression. Our results indicate that an extremely small amount of SWCNTs can be used as an optical strain sensor if they are homogeneously dispersed within cement composites.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.427-435
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• 2010

One of the most vulnerable properties in concrete is tensile cracking, which usually happens at early ages due to hydration heat and shrinkage. In order to accurately predict the early age cracking, it needs to find out how stress-crack opening relation is varying over time. In this study, inverse analyses were performed with the existing experimental data for wedge-splitting tests, and the parameters of the softening curve for the stress-crack opening relation were determined from the best fits of the measured load-CMOD curves. Based on the optimized softening curve, variation of fracture energy over time was first examined, and a model for the stress-crack opening relation at early ages was suggested considering the found feature of the fracture energy. The model was verified by comparisons of the peak loads, CMODs at peak loads, and fracture energies obtained from the experiments and the inverse analysis.

• Journal of the Korean Solar Energy Society
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.118-123
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• 2012

Water balance has a significant impact on the overall fuel cell performance. Maintenance of proper water management should provide an adequate membrane hydration and avoidance of water flooding in the catalyst layer and gas diffusion layer. Considering the important of advanced water management in PEM fuel cell, this study proposes a simple one dimensional water transportation model of PEM fuel cell for use in a dynamic condition. The model has been created by assumption that the output is the water liquid saturation difference. The liquid saturation change is the total difference between the additional water and the removal water on the system. The water addition is obtained from fuel cell reaction and the electro osmotic drag. The water removal is obtained from capillary transport and evaporation process. The result shows that the capillary water transport of low temperature fuel cell is high because the evaporation rate is low.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.9-13
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• 2016

Anti-oxidation and flame resistant polyurethane nanofibers were prepared by electrospinning and aluminum hydroxide addition. Electrospinning was carried out under the following procedure conditions; applied voltage, 20 kV; polymer solution feeding rate, 1.2 ml/h; collector rolling speed, 120 rpm; and tip to collector distance, 15 cm. Aluminum hydroxide was added to the prepared polymer solution for electrospinning to enhance the oxidation and flame resistant properties. The thermal properties were investigated by thermogravimetric analysis to determine the polymer decomposition temperature, integral procedure decomposition temperature, final decomposition temperature, and remaining amount after thermal decomposition. The activated energy for polymer degradation was also investigated using the Horowitz-Metzger equation. The activation energy increased to more than 50%. The thermal properties of the polyurethane nanofibers were improved by a hydration reaction during the thermal decomposition of aluminum hydroxide around $300{\sim}500^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.6-13
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• 1992

Thermodynamic data of mineral reactions were used to construct a phase diagram for the formation of illite from andalusite at one bar and 325${\circ}C$ in the hydrothermal alteration. Based on chemical compositions, the free energy of formation of illite coexisting with andalusite was calculated by assuming the ideal mixing ina bunary system consisting of muscovite and pyrophyllite components. For illite with structural formula $K_{0.86}Al_{2.93}Si_{3.03}O_{10}(OH)_2$, its free energy of formation is -1147.727 kcal/mole at the condition under consideration. The stability area of illite is more narrow than that of end-member muscovite and prefers lower activity of silica. Illite was formed by hydration of andalusite while pyrophyllite decomposed. Illitization took place preferentially at margin and/or along fractures of andalusite.