• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.735-742
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• 2023

Background: Gintonin is a new material of ginseng that acts through the ginseng-derived lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) receptor ligand. The gintonin-enriched fraction (GEF) inhibits amyloid plaque accumulation in the cortex and hippocampus, improves cognitive dysfunction by increasing acetylcholine levels, and promoted hippocampal neurogenesis in an animal model of Alzheimer's disease. We evaluated the effect of the GEF on the cognitive performance of subjects with subjective memory impairment (SMI). Methods: In this eight-week, randomized, assessor- and participant-blinded, placebo-controlled study, participants with SMI were assigned to three groups receiving placebo, GEF 300 mg/day or GEF 600 mg/day. The Korean versions of the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale (K-ADAS), Mini-Mental State Examination (K-MMSE), and Stroop color-word test (K-SCWT) were also evaluated along with the safety profiles. Results: One hundred thirty-six participants completed the study. After eight weeks, we analyzed intergroup differences in primary or secondary outcome score changes. When we compared the GEF group with the placebo group, we observed significant improvements in the K-ADAS and K-SCWT scores. The GEF group did not show a significant improvement in K-MMSE and BDI scores compared to the placebo group. No adverse events were observed in the gintonin and placebo groups for eight weeks. Conclusion: The GEF is safe and effective in improving subjective cognitive impairment related to both the K-ADAS and K-SCWT in this study. However, further large-scale and randomized controlled studies are warranted to secure other cognitive function tests besides the K-ADAS and K-SCWT, and to confirm the findings of the current study.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.51-69
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• 2024

Currently, composite lining mountain tunnels in China are generally classified based on the [BQ] method for the surrounding rock grade. Increasingly, tunnel field construction is replicated indoors for scale down model tests. However, the development of analogous materials for model tests of composite lining tunnels with different surrounding rock grades is still unclear. In this study, typical Class III and V surrounding rock analogous materials and corresponding composite lining support materials were developed. The whole processes of excavation-support dynamics of the mountain tunnels were simulated. Data on the variation of deformations, contact pressures and strains on the surrounding rock were obtained. Finally, a comparative analysis between model tests and numerical simulations was performed to verify the rationality of analogous material development. The following useful conclusions were obtained by analyzing the data from the tests. The main analogous materials of Class III surrounding rock are barite powder, high-strength gypsum and quartz sand with fly ash, quartz sand, anhydrous ethanol and rosin for Class V surrounding rock. Analogous materials for rockbolts, steel arches are replaced by aluminum bar and iron bar respectively with both shotcrete and secondary lining corresponding to gypsum and water. In addition, load release rate of Class V surrounding rock should be less than Class III surrounding rock. The fenestration level had large influence on the load sharing ratio of the secondary lining, with a difference of more than 30%, while the influence of the support time was smaller. The Sharing ratios of secondary lining in Class III surrounding rock do not exceed 12%, while those of Class V surrounding rock exceed 40%. The overall difference between the results of model tests and numerical simulations is small, which verifies the feasibility of similar material development in this study.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.123-133
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• 2023

This paper proposes a thermography-based coating thickness estimation method for steel structures using model-agnostic meta-learning. In the proposed method, a halogen lamp generates heat energy on the coating surface of a steel structure, and the resulting heat responses are measured using an infrared (IR) camera. The measured heat responses are then analyzed using model-agnostic meta-learning to estimate the coating thickness, which is visualized throughout the inspection surface of the steel structure. Current coating thickness estimation methods rely on point measurement and their inspection area is limited to a single point, whereas the proposed method can inspect a larger area with higher accuracy. In contrast to previous ANN-based methods, which require a large amount of data for training and validation, the proposed method can estimate the coating thickness using only 10- pixel points for each material. In addition, the proposed model has broader applicability than previous methods, allowing it to be applied to various materials after meta-training. The performance of the proposed method was validated using laboratory-scale and field tests with different coating materials; the results demonstrated that the error of the proposed method was less than 5% when estimating coating thicknesses ranging from 40 to 500 ㎛.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.351-362
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• 2000

To set the similarity conditions between a prototype usually in the field and its reduced-scale model is a crucial part in model tests. No technique is available to keep perfect similarity for this procedure so far. The experimental work using a wind tunnel is not exceptional. based on the field measurements, the effect of stack parameters and wind conditions on the dispersion of stack plume has been investigated in the laboratory. in this paper intensive methodology is focused on matching these similarities. Due to the limitations to keep perfect similarity conditions some simplifications are involved in common. In this study geometric conditions and kinematic conditions using Froude number and Reynolds number have been con-sidered to keep the similarity conditions required. From the tests it is found that the critical Reynolds number (Recrit) is 2,700 when the height of stack discharge is 50mm. The dispersion has a similar trend for the higher Reynolds number than the critical Reynolds number. It is also found that different Froude number does not make any significant influence for the normalized tracer gas concentrations at the recipient providing the same ratio of the wind speed to the discharge speed. No significant effect of stack diameter is observed in the normalized tracer gas concentrations with the same Frounde number. The similarity conditions therefore used in this study are reliable to simulate the conditions in prototype into the wind tunnel tests.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.61 no.1
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• pp.77-90
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• 2017

Glazed curtain walls are façade systems frequently chosen in modern architecture for mid and high-rise buildings. From recent earthquakes surveys it is observed the large occurrence of non-structural components failure, such as storefronts and curtain walls, which causes sensitive economic losses and represents an hazard for occupants and pedestrians safety. In the present study, the behavior of curtain wall stick systems under seismic actions has been investigated through experimental in-plane racking tests conducted at the laboratory of the Construction Technologies Institute (ITC) of the Italian National Research Council (CNR) on two full-scale aluminium/glass curtain wall test units. A finite element model has been calibrated according to experimental results in order to simulate the behavior of such components under seismic excitation. The numerical model investigates the influence of the interaction between glass panels and aluminium frame, the gasket friction and the stiffness degradation of aluminium-to-glass connections due to the high deformation level on the curtain walls behavior. This study aims to give a practical support to researchers and/or professionals who intend to numerically predict the lateral behavior of similar façade systems, so as to avoid or reduce the need of performing expensive experimental tests.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.22 no.9
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• pp.61-68
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• 2006

Recently the large scale civil engineering projects are being implemented by reclaiming the sea or utilizing seashore and river embankment areas. The reclaimed land and utilized seashore are mostly soft ground that doesn't have sufficient bearing capacity. This soft ground consists of fine-grained soil such as clayey and silty soils or large void soil like peat or loose sand. It has high ground water table and it may cause the failure and crock of building foundation by uplift pressure and ground water leakage. In this study, the permittivity and the transmissivity were evaluated with the applied normal pressure in the laboratory. The laboratory model tests were conducted by utilizing geocomposite drainage system for draining the water out to release the uplift pressure. The soil used in the laboratory drainage test was dredged soil from the reclaimed land where uplift pressure problems can arise in soil condition. Geocomposite drainage system was installed at the bottom of apparatus and dredged soil was layered with compaction. Subsequently the water pressure was supplied from the top of specimen and the quantities of drainage and the pore water pressure were measured at each step water pressure. The results of laboratory measurements were compared with theoretical values. For the evaluation of propriety of laboratory drainage test, 2-D finite elements analysis that can analyze the distribution and the transferring of pore water pressure was conducted and compared with laboratory test results.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Railway
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.485-497
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• 2012

Recently, with increasing social interests on noise and vibration induced by railway traffic, the application of floating slab track that can efficiently reduce the railway vibration is increasing. In this study, to more accurately understand the dynamic behavior of the floating slab track, a laboratory mock-up test has been performed, and the static and dynamic behaviors at frequency range near the system resonance frequency were explored. Based on the test results, the design of the floating slab track and the structural analysis model used in the design have been verified. The analytic and test results demonstrate that the dominant frequency of the floating slab track occurs at the frequencies between vertical rigid body mode natural frequency and bending mode natural frequency, and the dominant deformation mode is close to the bending mode. This suggests that in the design of the floating slab track, the bending rigidity of the slab and the boundary conditions at slab joints and slab ends should be taken into consideration. Also, the analytic results by the two-dimensional finite element analysis model using Kelvin-Voigt model, such as static and dynamic deflections and force transmissibility, are found in good agreement with the test results, and thus the model used in this study has shown the reliability suitable to be utilized in the design of the floating slab track.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.181-187
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• 2003

This paper describes a study of the influence of shield tunnel construction on the displacements and stresses induced in the linings of existing nearby parallel tunnels. The paper presents a brief review of a set of laboratory scale model research programme investigating the influence of tunnel proximity and alignment, liner stiffness on the nature of the interactions between closely spaced tunnels in clay. A total of two sets of carefully controlled physical model tests were performed. A cylindrical test tank was developed and used to produce clay samples of Speswhite kaolin. In each of the tests, three model tunnels were installed in order to conduct two interaction exts that have been carried out to investigate the interaction problem between parallel tunnels. The results of these tests are compared with the results of finite element analysis to investigate the techniques that must be used to obtain reliable numerical solutions to this type of problem.

• KCI Concrete Journal
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.23-30
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• 2000

This paper presents behavior of concrete pavement at transverse joint subject to static test load. The test was conducted on 1/10 scale model in the laboratory. Load transfer across the crack is developed either by the interlocking action of the aggregate particles at the faces of the joint or by a combination of aggregate interlock and mechanical devices such as dowel bars. In this study, significant three variables considered to the performance of joints were selected. : (a)diameter of dowel bars(2.5mm, 3.0mm, 4.0mm), (b)presence or absence of dowel bars, (c)aggregate types(crushed stone, round stone). Experimental results were analyzed to find relationships among displacement of discontinuous plane at jointed slab, load transfer efficiency and joint opening, etc. Displacement of discontinuous plane at joint was decreased according to the increase of dowel bar diameter. In addition, it is found that model slabs made using crushed stone had better load transfer characteristics by aggregate interlock than model slabs made using similarly graded round stone. Displacement of discontinuous plane was increased according to the increase of loading. In addition, it was decreased as dowel diameter(2.5mm, 3.0mm, 4.0mm) was increased. In the case of slab without dowel bars, displacement of discontinuous plane was greatly increased and load transfer effciency of slab applied crushed stone was shown 30 percent greater than round stone. In addition, load transfer efficiency of slabs, which were made using crushed and round stone without dowel bars, was decreased to 20 percent and 30 percent, respectively as it was compared with slabs made us-ing dowel bars.

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.8 no.1 s.27
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• pp.139-152
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• 2006

Many experimental and numerical approaches have been developed to evaluate paving materials and to predict pavement response and distress. Micromechanical simulation modeling is a technology that can reduce the number of physical tests required in material formulation and design and that can provide more details, e.g., the internal stress and strain state, and energy evolution and dissipation in simulated specimens with realistic microstructural features. A clustered distinct element modeling (DEM) approach was implemented In the two-dimensional particle flow software package (PFC-2D) to study the complex behavior observed in asphalt mixture fracturing. The relationship between continuous and discontinuous material properties was defined based on the potential energy approach. The theoretical relationship was validated with the uniform axial compression and cantilever beam model using two-dimensional plane strain and plane stress models. A bilinear cohesive displacement-softening model was implemented as an intrinsic interface and applied for both homogeneous and heterogeneous fracture modeling in order to simulate behavior in the fracture process zone and to simulate crack propagation. A disk-shaped compact tension test (DC(T)) with heterogeneous microstructure was simulated and compared with the experimental fracture test results to study Mode I fracture. The realistic arbitrary crack propagation including crack deflection, microcracking, crack face sliding, crack branching, and crack tip blunting could be represented in the fracture models. This micromechanical modeling approach represents the early developmental stages towards a 'virtual asphalt laboratory,' where simulations of laboratory tests and eventually field response and distress predictions can be made to enhance our understanding of pavement distress mechanisms, such its thermal fracture, reflective cracking, and fatigue crack growth.