• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.51-68
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• 2007

High-strength concrete (HSC) is becoming increasingly attractive for various construction projects since it offers a multitude of benefits over normal-strength concrete (NSC). Unfortunately, current design provisions for shear capacity of RC slender beams are generally based on data developed for NSC members having a compressive strength of up to 50 MPa, with limited recommendations on the use of HSC. The failure of HSC beams is noticeably different than that of NSC beams since the transition zone between the cement paste and aggregates is much denser in HSC. Thus, unlike NSC beams in which micro-cracks propagate around aggregates, providing significant aggregate interlock, micro-cracks in HSC are trans-granular, resulting in relatively smoother fracture surfaces, thereby inhibiting aggregate interlock as a shear transfer mechanism and reducing the influence of compressive strength on the ultimate shear strength of HSC beams. In this study, a new approach based on genetic algorithms (GAs) was used to predict the shear capacity of both NSC and HSC slender beams without shear reinforcement. Shear capacity predictions of the GA model were compared to calculations of four other commonly used methods: the ACI method, CSA method, Eurocode-2, and Zsutty's equation. A parametric study was conducted to evaluate the ability of the GA model to capture the effect of basic shear design parameters on the behaviour of reinforced concrete (RC) beams under shear loading. The parameters investigated include compressivestrength, amount of longitudinal reinforcement, and beam's depth. It was found that the GA model provided more accurate evaluation of shear capacity compared to that of the other common methods and better captured the influence of the significant shear design parameters. Therefore, the GA model offers an attractive user-friendly alternative to conventional shear design methods.

• Advances in biomechanics and applications
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• v.1 no.3
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• pp.187-210
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• 2014

With the goal of increasing the survivorship of the prosthesis and anticipating primary stability problems of new prosthetic implants, finite element evaluation of the micromotion, at an early stage of the development, is mandatory. This allows assessing and optimizing different designs without manufacturing prostheses. This study aimed at investigating, using finite element analysis (FEA), the difference in the prediction of the primary stability of cementless hip prostheses implanted into a $Sawbones^{(R)}$ 4th generation, using the manufacturer's mechanical properties and using mechanical properties close to that of human bone provided by the literature (39 papers). FEA was carried out on the composite $Sawbones^{(R)}$ implanted with a straight taper femoral stem subjected to a loading condition simulating normal walking. Our results show that micromotion increases with a reduction of the bone material properties and decreases with the augmentation of the bone material properties at the stem-bone interface. Indeed, a decrease of the cancellous Young modulus from 155MPa to 50MPa increased the average micromotion from $29{\mu}m$ up to $41{\mu}m$ (+42%), whereas an increase of the cancellous Young modulus from 155MPa to 1000MPa decreased the average micromotion from $29{\mu}m$ to $5{\mu}m$ (-83%). A decrease of cortical Young modulus from 16.7GPa to 9GPa increase the average global micromotion from $29{\mu}m$ to $35{\mu}m$ (+33%), whereas an increase of the cortical Young modulus from 16.7GPa to 21GPa decreased the average global micromotion from $29{\mu}m$ to $27{\mu}m$ (-7%). It can also be seen that the material properties of the cancellous structure had a greater influence on the micromotion than the material properties of the cortical structure. The present study shows that micromotion predicted at the stem-bone interface with material properties of the $Sawbones^{(R)}$ 4th generation is close to that predicted with mechanical properties of human femur.

• Ocean Systems Engineering
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.179-193
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• 2017

Dynamic response analysis of offshore triceratops with stiffened buoyant legs under impact and non-impact waves is presented. Triceratops is relatively new-generation complaint platform being explored in the recent past for its suitability in ultra-deep waters. Buoyant legs support the deck through ball joints, which partially isolate the deck by not transferring rotation from legs to the deck. Buoyant legs are interconnected using equally spaced stiffeners, inducing more integral action in dispersing the encountered wave loads. Two typical nonlinear waves under very high sea state are used to simulate impact and non-impact waves. Parameters of JONSWAP spectrum are chosen to produce waves with high vertical and horizontal asymmetries. Impact waves are simulated by steep, front asymmetric waves while non-impact waves are simulated using Stokes nonlinear irregular waves. Based on the numerical analyses presented, it is seen that the platform experiences both steady state (springing) and transient response (ringing) of high amplitudes. Response of the deck shows significant reduction in rotational degrees-of-freedom due to isolation offered by ball joints. Weak-asymmetric waves, resulting in non-impact waves cause steady state response. Beat phenomenon is noticed in almost all degrees-of-freedom but values in sway, roll and yaw are considerably low as angle of incidence is zero degrees. Impact waves cause response in higher frequencies; bursting nature of pitch response is a clear manifestation of the effect of impact waves on buoyant legs. Non-impact waves cause response similar to that of a beating phenomenon in all active degrees-of-freedom, which otherwise would not be present under normal loading. Power spectral density plots show energy content of response for a wide bandwidth of frequencies, indicating an alarming behaviour apart from being highly nonlinear. Heave, being one of the stiff degrees-of-freedom is triggered under non-impact waves, which resulted in tether tension variation under non-impact waves as well. Reduced deck response aids functional requirements of triceratops even under impact and non-impact waves. Stiffened group of buoyant legs enable a monolithic behaviour, enhancing stiffness in vertical plane.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.68 no.1
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• pp.67-80
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• 2018

Recently, U-section decks have been more and more used in metro and light rail bridges as an innovative concept in bridge deck design and a successful alternative to conventional box girders because of their potential advantages. U-section may be viewed as a single vent box girder eliminating the top slab connecting the webs, with the moving vehicles travelling on the lower deck. U-section bridges thus solve many problems like limited vertical clearance underneath the bridge lowest point, besides providing built-in noise barriers. Beam theory in mechanics assumes that plane section remains plane after bending, but it was found that shearing forces produce shear deformations and the plane section does not remain plane. This phenomenon leads to distortion of the cross section. For a box or a U section, this distortion makes the central part of the slab lagging behind those parts closer to the webs and this is known as shear lag effect. A sample real-world double-track U-section metro bridge is modelled in this paper using a commercial finite element analysis program and is analysed under various loading conditions and for different geometric variations. The three-dimensional finite element analysis is used to demonstrate variations in the transverse bending moments in the deck as well as variations in the longitudinal normal stresses induced in the cross section along the U-girder's span thus capturing warping and shear lag effects which are then compared to the stresses calculated using conventional beam theory. This comparison is performed not only to locate the distortion, warping and shear lag effects typically induced in U-section bridges but also to assess the main parameters influencing them the most.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.291-298
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• 2005

Gardenia Jasminoides(GJ) is traditionally used for treatment of hepatic disease, insomnia, anxiety, and inflammatory disease. The aim of this study is to examine effects of GJ extract in response to stress. Animals of the normal group were not exposed to any stress and the control group were exposed to stress. The rats of the Ginseng and GJ supplementary group were orally administered once a day with 100mg of red ginseng extract, 100mg of GJ extract/kg body weight. The mice were given water containing 200mg of red ginseng extract, 200mg of GJ extract/100ml potable water. Animals were given supplements for 7 days without stress, and then were given supplements for 5 days with restraint and electroshock stress. After loading final stress, we examined stress related behavioral changes of experimental animals and measured the levels of blood corticosterone. GJ-supplementation partially blocked the stress effect on locomotion and elevated plus maze test in rats, and also partially blocked stress-induced behavioral changes such as freezing, burrowing, face-washing, smelling and rearing behavior in rats. The effect was almost equipotent to Ginseng's effect. GJ-supplementation didn't influence on fatigue related behavior or physical stress resistance. GJ-supplementation decreased the levels of blood corticosterone which is increased by stress in rats. These results suggest that GJ protects partially the living organism from stress attack and it has the potential to be used as a functional material to alleviate stress response.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.297-305
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• 1997

A new serum-free defined medium was developed that supports the growth of normal rat mammary epithelial cells. Mammary organoids from the glands of female F344 rats were cultured in a serum-free medium. Monolayer culture colonies developed within a week and remained viable for months in culture. Upon subculture of one-week-old primary colonies, almost the same morphology of colonies was developed. The scrape loading/dye transfer technique showed that most of colonies that developed in a serum-free medium containing EGF, human transferrin, insulin, and hydrocortisone (basal serum-free medium, BSFM) failed to show cell-cell communication. However, colonies cultured in BSFM supplemented with prolactin, $E_2$, and progesterone (complete hormone serum-free medium, CHSFM) showed cell-cell communication at 14 days of primary culture or of subculture. By flow cytometry with FITCPNA and PE-anti-Thy-1.1 monoclonal antibody, we distinguished four RMEC subpopulations in cultures in both media: Thy-1.1+ cells, PNA+ cells, cells negative to both reagents and cells positive to both reagents. It is likely that combined prolactin, cortisol, and insulin in CHSFM stimulate terminal differentiation of clonogenic cells.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.316-322
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• 2004

A low molecular weight component named bone morphogenetic protein(BMP) chemically isolated from the organic matrix of bone, induce postfetal connective tissue cells surrounding small blood vessels to differentiate into cartilage and bone. The end product of BMP is a spherical ossicle of lamella bone filled with red bone marrow for the functional loading. This is a important point that the graft material is embedded the defect site during the implant surgery. Because present knowledge of the relationship between BMP and bone regeneration arises mainly from studies of induced bone formation in heterotopic sites, it would be helpful to determine whether BMP plays any part in the process of bone healing. The BMPs have been shown to play crucial roles in normal skeletal development as well as bone healing and are able to activate transcription of genes involved in cellular migration, proliferation, and differentiation. The delivery of BMP on matrices has been efficacious in the treatment of defect bone in implant surgery. The purpose of the histologic study was to evaluate the effect of DLB(demineralized lyophilized bone) coated with purified human BMP(hBMP-I) in immediate implant surgery with bony defect to obtain the functional structure of implant asap. The ability of a graft of hBMP-I to accelerate bony defect repair provides a rationale for its use in immediate implant surgery that have large bone defect in edentulous area.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.191-198
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• 2013

In this paper, the effects of uncertain material constant on the nonlinear behavior of steel frames with semi-rigid joints are examined. As to the probabilistic model, a normal distribution is assumed to simulate the uncertain elastic modulus of steel material. A nonlinear structural analysis program, which can consider both semi-rigidity in joints of the steel frames and uncertainty in the material constant, is developed. Including the geometric, material and connection nonlinearites which are the parameters of nonlinear behavior of steel frames, probabilistic analysis is conducted based on the Monte-Carlo simulation. In the probabilistic analyses, we consider the three different cases for random variables. The deterministic analysis results are shown to be in good agreement with those of the previous research results in the literature. As to the probabilistic analyses, it is observed that the coefficient of variation(COV) of displacements increases as the loading increases, and that the values of COV are dependent on the structural features of the frames.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.471-489
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• 2016

Modal identification based on ambient vibration data has attracted extensive attention in the past few decades. Since the excitation for ambient vibration tests is mainly from the environmental effects such as wind and traffic loading and no artificial excitation is applied, the signal to noise (s/n) ratio of the data acquired plays an important role in mode identifiability. Under ambient vibration conditions, certain modes may not be identifiable due to a low s/n ratio. This paper presents a study on the mode identifiability of an instrumented cable-stayed bridge with the use of acceleration response data measured by a long-term structural health monitoring system. A recently developed fast Bayesian FFT method is utilized to perform output-only modal identification. In addition to identifying the most probable values (MPVs) of modal parameters, the associated posterior uncertainties can be obtained by this method. Likewise, the power spectral density of modal force can be identified, and thus it is possible to obtain the modal s/n ratio. This provides an efficient way to investigate the mode identifiability. Three groups of data are utilized in this study: the first one is 10 data sets including six collected under normal wind conditions and four collected during typhoons; the second one is three data sets with wind speeds of about 7.5 m/s; and the third one is some blind data. The first two groups of data are used to perform ambient modal identification and help to estimate a critical value of the s/n ratio above which the deficient mode is identifiable, while the third group of data is used to perform verification. A couple of fundamental modes are identified, including the ones in the vertical and transverse directions respectively and coupled in both directions. The uncertainty and s/n ratio of the deficient mode are investigated and discussed. A critical value of the modal s/n ratio is suggested to evaluate the mode identifiability of the deficient mode. The work presented in this paper could provide a base for the vibration-based condition assessment in future.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.62-69
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• 1998

It has been studied that the measurement of odor component emission at confectionery manufacture. The objects of this study were to investigate reduction of offensive odor. The survey effects of odorous materials are presented as follows. The countermeasure of operating process is to minimize sludge sediment in each unit facility. Especially, in summer, we have to clean the sludge frequently, because anaerobic decomposing is likely to occur easily. The sludge or scum from sedimentation tank pond, and floating tank should be treated quickly. We should avoid overloading operation. In the case of overloading, dissolved oxygen should be increased, the quality of wastewater input should be decreased. When dried cakes from condense tank or floating tank are left in treatment plant, we should cover, to prevent diffusion of smell with masking materials. The seasonal condition of operating should be fixed and the kind of coagulants should be changed because the wastewater in each season have different loading rates and organic materials. Odorous materials are very sensitive to the seasonal temperature variation. Especially, when the amount of rainfall is small and the high temperature of maintenance in long periods, air diffusion rate is large, so odorous materials can make great effect on surroundings comparision with other periods. To reduce odorous gas, as short term method, we had better take ceramic addition method. Especially, in summer we should take ceramic addition method. Also, as long term method, the size of wastewater treatment facility is the most important in the normal operating of wastewater treatment facility. But wastewater treatment facilities in this factory are too old, treatment process is old fashion, and the size is too small. So, large wastewater quantity to treat in summer. As results, the expansion of wastewater treatment facility and the process of improvement are required. Restriction level of odor was exceed. As it is overloaded in summer, the basis cause of odor is that the size of wastewater treatment facility is small. The prediction of air quality equilibrium density variation show that the odorous materials from working place are Amine materials whose smell strength is about 2.5(a little strong degree). We can suppose that in summer is sensitive to temperature variation, smell strength is larger as to reduce the origin of odor. We must expand wastewater treatment facility and improve the process A.S.A.P.