• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.401-414
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• 2023

Organic clays are ideal habitat for flora and fauna. From a geotechnical perspective, organic clays are soft, weak, variable, heterogeneous and flocculated. Portland cement is a universally common stabiliser. However, some organic acids in soil inhibit full hydration and expose cementation products to rapid dissolution. This paper investigates scopes for use of C₃S cement to enable durable cementation. Prospects of using PP fibre alongside with C₃S cement, scopes for partial replacement of C₃S cement with a plant-based nanosilica and evolution of binders are then investigated. Binding mixtures here mimic the natural functions of rhizoliths, amorphous phases, and calcites. Testing sample population include natural and fibre-reinforced clays, compact mixes of clay - C₃S cement, clay - nanobiosilica, and clay, C₃S cement and nanobiosilica. Benefits and constraints of C₃S cement and fibres for retaining the naturally flocculated structure of organic clays are discussed. Nanobiosilica provides an opportunity to cut the C₃S content, and to transition of highly compressive organic clays into an engineered, open-structured medium with >0.5 MPa compressive strength across the strains spanning from peak to 1.5-times peak.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.157-165
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• 2011

This study was conducted to determine the characteristics of gaps and natural regeneration of trees on Mt. Makiling, the Philippines. Canopy gaps in or around two 1-ha permanent plots and on 3-km line transects were investigated. Most of the gaps studied were formed or affected by Typhoon Milenyo, which hit the study site in September 2006. The most frequent mode of gap maker death was snap-off, whereas uprooting was relatively less important. The most frequent gap maker was balobo (Diplodiscus paniculatus) followed by magabuyo (Celtis luzonica) and katmon (Dillenia philippinensis). In contrast, the most frequent gap filler was magabuyo (C. luzonica). At the sapling layer, the most important species was magabuyo (C. luzonica), but there was a high proportion of lianas and palms. Most of the gaps had leaf area index (LAI) values between 3 and 5. A clear trend of a decrease in gap size and an increase in LAI was observed for 2 years from 2007 to 2009. New seedlings emerged very abundantly during the same time period. The rapid changes in the gaps were partially due to the excellent capability of tropical trees to resprout after the crown or stem was damaged by the typhoon. This study on gap dynamics may contribute to a better understanding of the natural regeneration process of trees in tropical rainforests.

• Journal of Electrical Engineering and Technology
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.902-910
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• 2018

In recent times, development of nanofluid insulation for power transformers is a hot research topic. Many researchers reported the enhancement in dielectric characteristics of nano modified mineral oils. Considering the drawbacks of petroleum based mineral oil, it is necessary to understand the dielectric characteristics of nanofluids developed with natural ester based oils. Palm oil has better insulation characteristics comparable to mineral oil. However very few research reports is available in the area of nanofluids based on palm oil. Partial discharge (PD) is one of the major sources of insulation performance degradation of transformer oil. It is essential to understand the partial discharge(PD) characteristics by collecting huge data base of PD performance of nano modified palm oil which will increase its confidence level for power transformer application. Knowing these facts, in the present work, certain laboratory experiments have been performed on PD characteristics of nano $SiO_2$ modified palm oil at different electrode configurations. Influence of concentration of nano filler material on the PD characteristics is also studied. Partial discharge inception voltage, Phase resolved partial discharge (PRPD) pattern, PD signal time-frequency domain characteristics, PD signal equivalent timelength-bandwidth mapping, Weibull distribution statistical parameters of PRPD pattern, skewness, repetition rate and phase angle variations are evaluated at different test conditions. From the results of the experiments conducted, we came to understand that PD performance of palm oil is considerably enhanced with the addition of $nano-SiO_2$ filler at 0.01%wt and 0.05%wt concentration. Significant reduction in PD inception voltage, repetition rate, Weibull shape parameter and PD magnitude are noticed with addition of $SiO_2$ nanofillers in palm oil. These results will be useful for recommending nano modified palm oil for power transformer applications.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.675-686
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• 2015

The use of ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) from steel industries waste is showing perspective application in civil engineering as partial substitute to cement. Use of such waste conserves natural resources and minimizes the space required for landfill. The GGBFS used in the present work is of ultra fine size and hence serves as micro filler. In this paper strength and durability characteristics of ultra fine slag based high strength concrete (HSC) (with a characteristic compressive strength of 50 MPa) were studied. Cement was replaced with ultra fine slag in different percentages of 5, 10, and 15% to study the compressive strength, porosity, resistances against sulfate attack, sorptivity and chloride ion penetration. The experiments to study compressive strength were conducted for different ages of concrete such as 7, 28, 56, and 90 days. From the detailed investigations with 16 mix combinations, 10% ultra fine slag give better results in terms of strength and durability characteristics.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.92-99
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• 2001

Silica-filled rubber compounds have slower cure characteristics than carbon black-filled ones due to the adsorption of curatives on the silica surface. Fatty acid was used as a cure activator along with zinc oxide in a sulfur cure system. Poly(ethylene glycol), PEG, was used in silica-filled rubber compounds to prevent adsorption of the curatives on the silica surface. In this study, influence of the size of fatty acid and PEG on properties of silica-filled NR compounds was investigated. It was found that the size of fatty acid and PEG affected the curt: characteristics and physical properties. The cure rate becomes faster as the PEG size increases. By increasing the size of fatty acid or PEG, the delta torque of the compound decreases while the Mooney viscosity increases. The modulus of the vulcanizate decreases with increasing the molecular weight of fatty acid or PEG. The experimental results were explained by the filler dispersion and by the prevention of the curative-adsorption on the silica surface.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 1998.07d
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• pp.1404-1406
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• 1998

The outdoor polymeric insulating materials such as silicone rubber, ethylene propylene diene monomer(EPDM), ethylene vinyl acetate(EVA) and epoxy are aged by various natural environment with the long-term performance in outdoor. In this paper, the effects of UV-ray on surface of silicone rubber were investigated by using the weather-Ometer. The accelerated aging stresses were simulated by UV radiation. high temperature and humidity as well as water spray. These the aging characteristics were examined through contact angle measurements, tracking resistance test, FT-IR and SEM/EDS analysis. the experimental results showed that tracking resistance decreases with increase in the UV-ray irradiation period. But the surface of silicone rubber kept hydrophobicity. It is found that the inorganic filler such as $Al(OH)_3$ improves tracking resistance and the $TiO_2$ is very effective in preventing degradation of silicone rubber surface from UV-ray.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.155-163
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• 2009

This study examined the thermal stability of PLA-WF bio-composites. Wood flour (WF)-filled PLA bio-composites were reinforced with the flame retardants, Melamine pyrophosphate (MPP), resorcinol bis (diphenyl phosphate) (RDP) and zinc borate (ZB). The flame retardant was compounded with PLA and natural biodegradable filler. The thermal properties of the biodegradable polymer and bio-composites reinforced with the flame retardant were measured and analyzed by DSC, DMA and TGA. The results showed that the flame retardant-reinforced biodegradable bio-composite exhibited improved thermal properties.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Building Construction
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.571-578
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• 2016

Recently, review on viability of various industrial by product and natural materials as raw material for concrete has been actively done in aspect of environment-friendly issue and depletion of natural resource. This study conducted fundamental study on the possibility of utilizing mud flat as admixture and filling material for concrete. First, chemical analysis on the viability of mud flat as admixture was done and the researchers compared it with the substance of fly ash and blast furnace slag. According to the result, substance content was proven to be inadequate. In addition, as the replacement rate of mud flat increased, compressive strength and tensile strength decreased. According to the estimated result of chemical substance analysis, possibility of utilizing mud flat as admixture was low. According to the result of experiment done as filling material, 10% ~ 30% replacement rate of mud flat manifested more than 8 Mpa of compressive strength of block which may be utilized for secondary product. However, additional experiment such as making block is required afterward. According to the result of flow experiment, as the replacement rate of mud flat increased, flow value decreased, and through chloride content analysis test, it was proven that mud flat is inappropriate to be applied as steel beam using structure since it has high content of sodium. It may be utilized as products that does not use steel beam such as internal brick.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.23-29
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• 2012

The silica-silica interaction parameter (${\alpha}_F$) of the silane treated silica filled natural rubber (NR) compound was investigated. As silane (TESPT) concentration increased from 2 to 12% (2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12%), the ${\alpha}_F$ value increased at the same silica concentration (10, 20, 30, and 40 phr). It seemed the sulfur atoms in TESPT acted as a crosslinking agent in the compound. As silica concentration increased from 10 to 40 phr, the ${\alpha}_F$ value increased at the same silane concentration due to increased silica-silica interaction.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.18-22
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• 2012

The silica-silica interaction parameter (${\alpha}_F$) of the silane treated silica filled natural rubber (NR) compound was investigated. The measured ${\alpha}_F$ values using mass fraction method following Wolff's theory were compared with volume fraction method. As silica concentration increased, the ${\alpha}_F$ value increased for both methods. The value of ${\alpha}_F$ expressed as volume fraction was higher than that of mass fraction, which resulted in large gaps between ${\alpha}_F$ values. The effect of accelerator (MBT) concentration on ${\alpha}_F$ values was compared.