• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.71-75
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• 2013

Nuclear containment building is used as second blockage to protect us from a radiation leakage caused by the natural disaster or any accidents, so it's safety is important and must be kept with continuous surveillance. In this study, we measured the strain of a nuclear containment building's wall by using FBG sensor and investigated the structural safety of a nuclear containment building. 50 FBG strain sensors and 18 FBG strain sensors were attached on the side wall and upper dome of a nuclear containment building, respectively. We measured the strains of the outside concrete wall during the Structural Integrity Test (SIT) of a nuclear containment building. The strain of an upper dome was larger than that of a side wall, about $200{\mu}{\varepsilon}$. And the very small strain was measured at vertical direction of a side wall. These experimental results were used to evaluate the structural health of nuclear containment building.

• Journal of the Society of Disaster Information
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.582-596
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• 2023

Purpose: This study aims to explore the ways to improve the security of temporary shelters in case of nuclear power plant accidents. Method: In this study, we mainly rely on the case studies on previous nuclear power plant accidents-Chernobyl, Fukushima, and Three Mile Island (TMI) cases. Result: The current radiation emergency response plans for nuclear power plant accidents center around the evacuation procedure. As a result, the concept of "shelter in place" has been understood as a means of assisting resident evacuation. However, based on the case studies, we find that encouraging shelter in place, rather than simply emphasizing evacuation, would help minimize unnecessary casualties, especially in case of the accidents rated greater than or equal to INES 5. To facilitate better shelter in place, we recommend utilize apartments as temporary shelters and suggest some possible improvements to ensure those apartments could be equipped with technologies for high radiation protection. Conclusion: To ensure better shelter in place, we recommend using apartments as temporary shelters, and we seek to supplement the function of apartments by using shielding, positive pressure, and sealing technologies.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.78-91
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• 2024

Double steel plate concrete composite shear wall (SCSW) has been widely utilized in nuclear power plants and high-rise structures, and its shear connectors have a substantial impact on the seismic performance of SCSW. Therefore, in this study, the mechanical properties of SCSW with angle stiffening ribs as shear connections were parametrically examined for the reactor containment structure of nuclear power plants. The axial compression ratio of the SCSW, the spacing of the angle stiffening rib arrangement and the thickness of the angle stiffening rib steel plate were selected as the study parameters. Four finite element models were constructed by using the finite element program named ABAQUS to verify the experimental results of our team, and 13 finite element models were established to investigate the selected three parameters. Thus, the shear capacity, deformation capacity, ductility and energy dissipation capacity of SCSW were determined. The research results show that: compared with studs, using stiffened ribs as shear connectors can significantly enhance the mechanical properties of SCSW; When the axial compression ratio is 0.3-0.4, the seismic performance of SCSW can be maximized; with the lowering of stiffener gap, the shear bearing capacity is greatly enhanced, and when the gap is lowered to a specific distance, the shear bearing capacity has no major affect; in addition, increasing the thickness of stiffeners can significantly increase the shear capacity, ductility and energy dissipation capacity of SCSW. With the rise in the thickness of angle stiffening ribs, the improvement rate of each mechanical property index slows down. Finally, the shear bearing capacity calculation formula of SCSW with angle stiffening ribs as shear connectors is derived. The average error between the theoretical calculation formula and the finite element calculation results is 8% demonstrating that the theoretical formula is reliable. This study can provide reference for the design of SCSW.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.49 no.7
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• pp.1431-1441
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• 2017

The Fukushima accident reveals the vulnerability of existing active nuclear power plant (NPP) design against prolonged loss of external electricity events. The passive safety system is considered an attractive alternative to cope with this kind of disaster. Also, the passive safety system enhances both the safety and the economics of NPPs. The adoption of a passive safety system reduces the number of active components and can minimize the construction cost of NPPs. In this paper, reflecting on the experience during the development of the APR+ design in Korea, we propose the concept of an innovative Power Reactor (iPower), which is a kind of passive NPP, to enhance safety in a revolutionary manner. The ultimate goal of iPower is to confirm the feasibility of practically eliminating radioactive material release to the environment in all accident conditions. The representative safety grade passive system includes a passive emergency core cooling system, a passive containment cooling system, and a passive auxiliary feedwater system. Preliminary analysis results show that these concepts are feasible with respect to preventing and/or mitigating the consequences of design base accidents and severe accidents.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.75-84
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• 2016

Objective: The aim of this study is to suggest some improvement ideas based on the validity and the reliability analyses of the current safety culture measurement method applied to the Korean nuclear power industry. Background: Wrong safety culture is known as one of the major causes of the disasters such as the space shuttle Columbia disaster or the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant accident. Assessment of safety culture of an organization is important to build a safer organizational environment as well as to identify the risks hidden in the organization. Method: A face validity of the current safety culture measurement method was analyzed by comparison of the key factors of safety culture in the Korean nuclear power industry with those factors reviewed in the previous studies. The current interview method was analyzed to identify the problems which degrade the consistency of evaluation. Results: Most safety culture factors reviewed in the literatures are covered in the list of the Korean nuclear power industry safety culture factors. However the unstructured questions used in the interview may result in inconsistency of safety culture evaluation among interviewers. Conclusion: This study suggests some examples which might improve the consistency of interviewers' evaluation on safety culture such as a post interview evaluation form. Application: An extended post interview evaluation form might help to increase the accuracy of the interviewing method for Korean nuclear industry safety culture evaluation.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.668-675
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• 2018

The continuing urbanization and industrialization around the world has required a large amount of power. Therefore, construction of major infrastructure, including nuclear power plants in coastal areas, has accelerated. In addition, the intensity of natural disasters is increasing due to global warming and abnormal climate phenomena. Natural disasters are difficult to predict in terms of occurrence, location, and scale, resulting in human casualties and property damage. For these reasons, the disaster scale and damage estimation in coastal areas have become important issues. The present study examined the predictable weather data and regional ratings and developed estimating functions for wind wave damage based on the disaster statistics in the southern areas. The results of the present study are expected to help disaster management in advance of the wind wave damage. The NRMSE was used for verification. The accuracy of the NRMSE results ranged from 1.61% to 21.73%.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.66-79
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• 2021

Background: The Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) is specified in the Disaster Counter-measures Basic Act as a designated public corporation for dealing with nuclear disasters. Materials and Methods: The Nuclear Emergency Assistance and Training Center (NEAT) was established in 2002 as the activity base providing technical assistance to both national and local governments during nuclear emergencies. The NEAT has a robust structure and utilities and special installations, and it organizes training and exercises. Results and Discussion: Due to an offshore earthquake that caused a devastating tsunami in March 2011, a nuclear accident occurred at the Tokyo Electric Power Company's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. The NEAT responded by conducting off-site environmental radiation monitoring and contamination screening, dispatching special vehicles, offering telephone consultations, and calculating the dispersion of radioactive materials. An examination of the emergency response activities revealed that the organization was prepared for these types of disasters and was able to plan long-term response. Conclusion: As a designated public corporation, the JAEA technically supports the national government, the Fukushima prefectural government, and the Ibaraki prefectural government, all of which responded to the off-site emergencies resulting from the March 2011 Fukushima Daiichi accident

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.52 no.7
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• pp.1471-1480
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• 2020

This research presents a case study on the remediation of a radioactive waste (uranium: U) utilizing a multi-objective fuzzy optimization in an electrocoagulation process for the iron-stainless steel and aluminum-stainless steel anode/cathode systems. The incorporation of the cumulative uncertainty of result, operational cost and energy consumption are essential key elements in determining the feasibility of the developed model equations in satisfying specific maximum contaminant level (MCL) required by stringent environmental regulations worldwide. Pareto-optimal solutions showed that the iron system (0 ㎍/L U: 492 USD/g-U) outperformed the aluminum system (96 ㎍/L U: 747 USD/g-U) in terms of the retained uranium concentration and energy consumption. Thus, the iron system was further carried out in a multi-objective analysis due to its feasibility in satisfying various uranium standard regulatory limits. Based on the 30 ㎍/L MCL, the decision-making process via fuzzy logic showed an overall satisfaction of 6.1% at a treatment time and current density of 101.6 min and 59.9 mA/㎠, respectively. The fuzzy optimal solution reveals the following: uranium concentration - 5 ㎍/L, cumulative uncertainty - 25 ㎍/L, energy consumption - 461.7 kWh/g-U and operational cost based on electricity cost in the United States - 60.0 USD/g-U, South Korea - 55.4 USD/g-U and Finland - 78.5 USD/g-U.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.25-32
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• 2016

A sensitivity analysis of FDS(Fire Dynamics Simulator) results for the input uncertainty of heat release rate (Q) which might be the most influencing parameter to fire behaviors was performed. The calculated results were compared with experimental data obtained by the OECD/NEA PRISME project. The sensitivity of FDS results with the change in Q was also compared with the empirical correlations suggested in previous literature. As a result, the change in the specified Q led to the different dependence of major quantities such as temperature and species concentrations for the over- and under-ventilated fire conditions, respectively. It was also found that the sensitivity of major quantities to uncertain value of Q showed the significant difference in results obtained using the previous empirical correlations.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.331-336
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• 2020

Consequence management (CM) remains a relatively unknown or underdeveloped concept in Republic of Korea. This study was conducted as a literature study, perceiving that good CM is critical when viewed under contemporary disaster types and comprehensive security. From the perspectives of integrated disaster control and comprehensive security, it would be necessary for South Korea to implement the concept of CM widely used in countries with advanced disaster control. In particular, this study verifies the need of the military to respond actively to Chemical, Biological, Radiation, Nuclear, and high yield Explosives (CBRNE) situations. A plan for the development of the CM organization of the ROK Armed Forces is proposed by using the CBRNE-CM response organization of the United States as a model.