• International Journal of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering
• /
• v.12 no.1
• /
• pp.988-995
• /
• 2020

Air gun shock systems are commonly used as alternative explosion energy sources for underwater explosion (UNDEX) shock tests owing to their low cost and environmental impact. The airbag inflator of automotive airbag systems is also very useful to generate extremely rapid underwater gas release in labscale tests. To overcome the restrictions on the very small computational time step owing to the very fine fluid mesh around the nozzle hole in the explicit integration algorithm, and also the absence of a commercial solver and software for gas UNDEX of airbag inflator, an idealized airbag inflator and fluid mesh modeling technique was developed using nozzle holes of relatively large size and several small TNT charges instead of gas inside the airbag inflator. The objective of this study is to validate the results of an UNDEX response analysis of one and two idealized airbag inflators by comparison with the results of shock tests in a small water tank. This comparison was performed using the multi-material Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian formulation and fluid-structure interaction algorithm. The number, size, vertical distance from the nozzle outlet, detonation velocity, and lighting times of small TNT charges were determined. Through mesh size convergence tests, the UNDEX response analysis and idealized airbag inflator modeling were validated.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.76 no.6
• /
• pp.751-763
• /
• 2020

Available records of recent earthquakes show that near-field earthquakes have different characteristics than far-field earthquakes. In general, most of these unique characteristics of near-fault records can be attributed to their forward directivity. This phenomenon causes the records of ground motion normal to the fault to entail pulses with long periods in the velocity time history. The energy of the earthquake is almost accumulated in these pulses causing large displacements and, accordingly, severe damages in the building. Damage to structures caused by past earthquakes raises the need to assess the chance of future earthquake damage. There are a variety of methods to evaluate building seismic vulnerabilities with different computational cost and accuracy. In the meantime, fragility curves, which defines the possibility of structural damage as a function of ground motion characteristics and design parameters, are more common. These curves express the percentage of probability that the structural response will exceed the allowable performance limit at different seismic intensities. This study aims to obtain the fragility curve for low- and mid-rise structures of reinforced concrete moment frames by incremental dynamic analysis (IDA). These frames were exposed to an ensemble of 18 ground motions (nine records near-faults and nine records far-faults). Finally, after the analysis, their fragility curves are obtained using the limit states provided by HAZUS-MH 2.1. The result shows the near-fault earthquakes can drastically influence the fragility curves of the 6-story building while it has a minimal impact on those of the 3-story building.

• Journal of Medicine and Life Science
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.115-125
• /
• 2023

Arteriovenous fistula flow dysfunction is the leading cause of vascular access thrombosis and loss in patients undergoing hemodialysis. However, data regarding the influence of access flow rate measurements on the long-term outcomes of access are limited. This study aims to identify accesses at a high risk of thrombosis and loss among patients undergoing hemodialysis by measuring the access flow rate and exploring an optimal threshold value for predicting future access thrombosis. We enrolled 220 patients with arteriovenous fistula undergoing hemodialysis. The primary outcome was the occurrence of access thrombosis. Access flow rates were measured monthly using the ultrasound dilution method and were averaged using all measurements from patients with patent access. In patients experienced access thrombosis, those immediately before the thrombosis were selected. Using these data, we calculated the access flow rate threshold for thrombosis occurrence by analyzing the receiver operating characteristic curve, and the patients were divided into two groups according to whether access flow rates were higher or lower than 400 mL/min. During a median follow-up period of 3.1 years, 4,510 access flows were measured (median measurements per patient, 33 times; interquartile range, 11-54). A total of 65 access thromboses and 19 abandonments were observed. Access thrombosis and loss were higher in the lowflow group than in the high-flow group. This study revealed that low access flow rates are strongly associated with access thrombosis occurrence and subsequent loss of arteriovenous fistulas in patients undergoing hemodialysis.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
• /
• v.58 no.4
• /
• pp.651-657
• /
• 2020

Fluidization processes in which solid particles vividly move like gas or liquid have been widely used in various industrial sectors, such as thermochemical energy conversion and polymerization processes for general purpose polymer resins. One of the general purpose polymer resins, LLDPE(Linear low-density polyethylene) resins have been produced in bubbling fluidized bed processes in the world. In a bubbling fluidization polymerization reactors, LLDPE particles with relatively larger particle size and low density are fluidized by hydrogen gas for polymerization reaction. Though LLDPE polymerization reactors are one of bubbling fluidization processes, slugs that have negative impact for reaction exist or occur in these processes. Therefore, the fluidization state of LLDPE particles was investigated in a simulation model similar to a pilot-scale polymerization reactor (0.38 m l.D., 4.4 m High). In particular, the effect of gas velocity (0.45-1.2 m/s), solid density (900-199 kg/㎥), solid sphericity (0.5-1.0), and average particle size (120-1230 ㎛), on bed height and fluidization state were measured by using a CPFD(Computational particle-fluid dynamics) method. With CPFD analysis, the occurrence of a flat slug was visualized. Also, the change in particle properties, such as particle density, sphericity, and size, could reduce the occurrence of slug and bed expansion.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
• /
• v.2 no.1
• /
• pp.1-7
• /
• 1997

We have monitored nutrients, chlorophyll, suspended solids, and salinity in the Keum Estuary to understand the temporal fluctuation of oceanographic parameters and to illustrate any variation due to the gate operation of the Keum River Dike from June, 1995 to September, 1996, approximately for 500 days. Tidal range is used as the key factor to explain the fluctuations and atmospheric parameters such as air temperature, wind velocity and rainfall are also used supplementally. The fresh water discharge was selected as another major impact on the estuarine environment due to the gate operation of the Keum Dike. In addition, daily variation by tidal cycle was investigated twice in April and July, 1996. In diurnal variation, salinity was positively correlated with tidal elevation, whereas negatively correlated with nutrients. Relatively high suspended solid and chlorophyll contents were found in the period between high and low tide. In 500 days continuous observations, salinity was negatively correlated with the volume of fresh-water discharge, but positively correlated with nutrients. A major chlorophyll bloom occurred in spring. A similar pattern of variation was observed between suspended solid and the neap-spring tidal cycle. In comparison with the data of the Keurn Estuary before the gate operation of the Keum River dike, fresh-water discharge predominated other environmental factors during the rainy season. In addition, the velocity of tidal current and the concentration of suspended solid were decreased, while nutrients and chlorophyll contents were increased.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
• /
• v.24 no.6
• /
• pp.651-658
• /
• 2012

This paper concentrates on the evaluation of microcracks in thermal damaged concrete on the basis of the nonlinear ultrasonic modulation technique. Since concrete structure exposed to high temperature accompanies the development of microcracks due to the physical and chemical changes from temperature and exposed time, the adoption of nonlinear approach is required. Instead of using the conventional ultrasonic nondestructive methods which have the limitation in evaluating excessive microcracks, accordingly, a nonlinear ultrasonic modulation method which shows better sensitivity in quantifying microcracks is introduced. Upon the analysis for the modulation of ultrasonic wave and low frequency impact to measure the nonlinearity parameter, which can be used as an indicator of thermal damage, the verification processes for the introduced technique are followed: SEM investigation and permeable pore space test are performed to characterize thermally induced microcracks in concrete, and ultrasonic pulse velocity tests are performed to confirm the outstanding sensitivity of nonlinear ultrasonic modulation technique. In advance, compressive strength of thermal damaged concrete is measured to represent the effect of microcracks on performance degradation. Correlation studies between experimental data and measured data show that nonlinear ultrasonic modulation technique can effectively be used to quantify thermally induced microcracks, and to estimate the compressive strength of thermally damaged concrete.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
• /
• v.21 no.6
• /
• pp.879-891
• /
• 2012

The objective of this study was to evaluate seasonal patterns and diel variations of fish movements in the Juksan Weir which was constructed in 2010 at the down-stream of Yeongsan-River watershed. For this study, we monitored day-and-night movement(24 Hr cycle) and seasonal fish migration(June ~ August) patterns in 2011 along with species compositions and abundances depending on the locations of the traps within the fishway. Total number of species sampled was 14 and the total number of individuals was 1,263 with only the size-fractions(as total length) of the fish < 20 cm during the study. Seasonal analysis of fish movement in the fish way showed that highest frequency in the movement occurred in June - July, which is closely associated with a spawning peak season. The most dominant species using the fishway was Squalidus chankaensis tsuchigae, and this species turned out to be 26.9% of the total in the use rate of fishway. Daily monitoring of fish movements showed that most frequent movements occurred between 18:00 PM and 21:00 PM when the fish have a feeding time generally. The migratory fish were not found in the fishway during the study. Mean current velocity during the study $0.42{\pm}0.02ms^{-1}$(n = 42), and there were no significant statistical differences(p > 0.05) among the daily and monthly velocities in the fishway. The use rate of fish passage, in terms of fish species, was 48%, compared with total sampling of fish species(29 species) at the down-river regions during the same period, indicating a low use rate. Further continuous long-term monitoring should be conducted to evaluate the impacts of the weir construction in the river.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
• /
• v.23 no.4
• /
• pp.271-284
• /
• 2014

The objectives of this research were to analyse the microhabitat of Cobitis choii which is designated as an endangered fish species (I) and national monument species in Korea (No. 454), and provide valuable information of suitable replacement habitat in the future for a conservation of the population with rapid decreases by environmental pollution. Sampling and microhabitat analysis in three streams such as Baekgok, Yugu and Gap Stream, known as one of the least habitats in Korea showed that the mean number of Cobitis choii observed was 2.6. This result indicated that the richness was too low, so the species conservation was very urgent. Optimal physical microhabitat of the population was determined as environmental conditions with > 60% sand with 1 mm particle size, optimal water depth of 20 - 60 cm in the habitats, and the optimal current velocity of < 0.4 m/s. Under the circumstances of the microhabitat, optimal water volume (discharge) was 0 - 2 m3/s in the each sectional analysis and this reach was mainly composed of the stream section with intermittant slow runs and pools. These microhabitats were largely disturbed by physical modifications of habitat and chemical pollutions due to direct influences of nutrient-rich water inputs from the urban area and intensive agricultural pollutants. For these reasons, optimal habitat replacement are required in the future for the conservation of the species.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.43 no.2
• /
• pp.190-198
• /
• 2010

This study was conducted to examine the effects of dams on benthic macroinvertebrate communities in Korean streams and rivers. Four low-head dams and three large dams were studied throughout South Korea. Sampling was taken at immediately upper (impoundment), lower (riffle area), and control (riffle area) sites from the dams during 2004-2007. The upper sites, of which substrate heterogeneity and velocity were relatively low, showed a lower degree of species richness, density, and diversity indices, which is very different from the lower and control sites. Heavily polluted streams showed a lesser degree of community differences between the upper and lower sites. In the large dams, the upper and lower sites showed very low values of species diversity indices and very high values of dominance indices compared to the control sites. In the low-head dams, however, the difference of degree of the values was relatively smaller. Compositions of the functional feeding groups and the habitat orientation groups were relatively simpler at the upper sites than at the lower sites and the degree of difference was greater in the large dams. Species richness and community indices of benthic macroinvertebrates were more significantly affected by habitat characteristics than water quality at the upper sites; however, those were more significantly related with water quality at the lower sites. In conclusion, large and low-head dams could simplify stream habitats particularly at the upper sites (impoundment), and they negatively affected on the benthic macroinvertebrate communities inhabited the habitats. The impact was larger in the large dams than in the low-head dams.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
• /
• v.37 no.6
• /
• pp.675-679
• /
• 2024

Wide bandgap (WBG) devices, especially SiC, are gaining traction as materials for high-power EV conversion devices due to their superior efficiency and switching capabilities compared to Si-based power devices. SiC allows for high power, high temperature, and high frequency applications because of its outstanding thermal conductivity, saturation velocity, and dielectric breakdown field. SiC-based MPS diodes combine the advantages of SiC-based SBDs and PiN diodes, allowing high-frequency switching operation with low leakage currents under high voltage conditions. However, MPS diodes exhibit snapback phenomena influenced by the P⁺ region's size, necessitating optimization. A TCAD simulation studied the impact of the P⁺ region's depth and width on MPS diode performance. Increasing the P⁺ width raised the On-specific resistance (R_on,sp) and lowered the maximum voltage during snapback (V_snap). Increasing the depth decreased both Breakdown voltage (BV) and V_snap. A trade-off between the semiconductor performance index BFOM and V_snap was identified, leading to optimized dimensions. The optimized MPS diode shows a low V_snap of about 3.89 V and a high BFOM of 1.72 GW·cm², highlighting its potential as a next-generation high-performance power conversion device.