• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.417-426
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• 2021

Recently, use of the precast concrete (PC) system, which can increase economy by minimizing field work, has rapidly increased. However, the PC system cannot exhibit structural performance under construction, specifically before integration between members. Furthermore, since it is difficult to secure the structural integrity of beam-column joints even after construction, the PC system is vulnerable to progressive collapse. In the PC system, various types of details for PC beam-column joints have been proposed, while the structural/construction details of PC system generally used in Korea differ from those of overseas PC systems. However, studies on the progressive collapse of the domestic PC system are limited. Thus, in this study, we investigated the structural/construction details of PC beam-column joints mainly used in Korea. Based on the investigation, for the prototype PC system with typical joint details, a nonlinear finite element analysis was carried out to evaluate its structural performance under progressive collapse. Further, a parametric study was performed, and the effect of the design parameters was investigated, to recommend a method to improve the progressive collapse resistance of the PC system.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.104-116
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• 2022

The purpose of this study is to systematically determine an optimal percentile cut-off in histogram analysis for calculating the mean parameters obtained from a non-Gaussian continuous-time random-walk (CTRW) diffusion model for differentiating individual glioma grades. This retrospective study included 90 patients with histopathologically proven gliomas (42 grade II, 19 grade III, and 29 grade IV). We performed diffusion-weighted imaging using 17 b-values (0-4000 s/mm²) at 3T, and analyzed the images with the CTRW model to produce an anomalous diffusion coefficient (D_m) along with temporal (𝛼) and spatial (𝛽) diffusion heterogeneity parameters. Given the tumor ROIs, we created a histogram of each parameter; computed the P-values (using a Student's t-test) for the statistical differences in the mean D_m, 𝛼, or 𝛽 for differentiating grade II vs. grade III gliomas and grade III vs. grade IV gliomas at different percentiles (1% to 100%); and selected the highest percentile with P < 0.05 as the optimal percentile. We used the mean parameter values calculated from the optimal percentile cut-offs to do a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis based on individual parameters or their combinations. We compared the results with those obtained by averaging data over the entire region of interest (i.e., 100th percentile). We found the optimal percentiles for D_m, 𝛼, and 𝛽 to be 68%, 75%, and 100% for differentiating grade II vs. III and 58%, 19%, and 100% for differentiating grade III vs. IV gliomas, respectively. The optimal percentile cut-offs outperformed the entire-ROI-based analysis in sensitivity (0.761 vs. 0.690), specificity (0.578 vs. 0.526), accuracy (0.704 vs. 0.639), and AUC (0.671 vs. 0.599) for grade II vs. III differentiations and in sensitivity (0.789 vs. 0.578) and AUC (0.637 vs. 0.620) for grade III vs. IV differentiations, respectively. Percentile-based histogram analysis, coupled with the multi-parametric approach enabled by the CTRW diffusion model using high b-values, can improve glioma grading.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.23 no.12
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• pp.61-73
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• 2007

As a part of Load and Resistance Factor Design(LRFD) code development in Korea, in this paper an intensive reliability analysis was performed to evaluate reliability levels of the two static bearing capacity methods for driven steel pipe piles adopted in Korean Standards for Structure Foundations by the representative reliability methods of First Order Reliability Method(FORM) and Monte Carlo Simulation(MCS). The resistance bias factors for the two static design methods were evaluated by comparing the representative measured bearing capacities with the design values. In determination of the representative bearing capacities of driven steel pipe piles, the 58 data sets of static load tests and soil property tests were collected and analyzed. The static bearing capacity formula and the Meyerhof method using N values were applied to the calculation of the expected design bearing capacity of the piles. The two representative reliability methods(FORM, MCS) based computer programs were developed to facilitate the reliability analysis in this study. Mean Value First Order Second Moment(MVFOSM) approach that provides a simple closed-form solution and two advanced methods of FORM and MCS were used to conduct the intensive reliability analysis using the resistance bias factor statistics obtained, and the results were then compared. In addition, a parametric study was conducted to identify the sensibility and the influence of the random variables on the reliability analysis under consideration.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.95-104
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• 2022

Micro hydropower is a readily available renewable energy source that can be harvested utilizing hydrokinetic turbines from shallow water canals, irrigation and industrial channel flows, and run-off river stream flows. These sources generally have low head (<1 m) and low velocity which makes it difficult to harvest energy using conventional turbines. A horizontal-axis screw turbine was designed and numerically tested to extract power from such low-head water sources. The 3-bladed screw-type turbine is placed horizontally perpendicular to the incoming flow, partially submerged in a narrow water channel at no-head condition. The turbine hydraulic performances were studied using Computational Fluid Dynamics models. Turbine design parameters such as the shroud diameter, the hub-to-shroud ratios, and the submerged depths were obtained through a steady-state parametric study. The resulting turbine configuration was then tested by solving the unsteady multiphase free-surface equations mimicking an actual open channel flow scenario. The turbine performance in the shallow channel were studied for various Tip Speed Ratios (TSR). The highest power coefficient was obtained at a TSR of 0.3. The turbine was then scaled-up to test its performance on a real site condition at a head of 0.3 m. The highest power coefficient obtained was 0.18. Several losses were observed in the 3-bladed turbine design and to minimize losses, the number of blades were increased to five. The power coefficient improved by 236% for a 5-bladed screw turbine. The fluid losses were minimized by increasing the blade surface area submerged in water. The turbine performance was increased by 74.4% after dipping the turbine to a bottom wall clearance of 30 cm from 60 cm. The final output of the novel horizontal-axis screw turbine showed a 2.83 kW power output at a power coefficient of 0.63. The turbine is expected to produce 18,744 kWh/year of electricity. The design feasibility test of the turbine showed promising results to harvest energy from small hydropower sources.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.30 no.3C
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• pp.149-158
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• 2010

In this study, the behavior of Pile-Bent structure with varying diameters subjected to lateral loads were evaluated by a load transfer approach. An analytical method based on the beam-column model and nonlinear load transfer curve method was proposed to consider material non-linearity (elastic, yielding) and P-${\Delta}$ effect. For an effective analysis of behavior Pile-Bent structure, the bending moment and fracture lateral load of material were evaluated. And special attention was given to lateral behavior of Pile-Bent structures depending on reinforcing effect of materials and ground conditions. Based on the parametric study, it is shown that the maximum bending moment is located within a depth (plastic hinge) approximately 1~3D (D: pile diameter) below ground surface when material non-linearity and P-${\Delta}$ effect are considered. And distribution of the lateral deflections and bending moments on a pile are highly influenced by the effect of yielding. It is also found that this method considering material yielding behavior and P-${\Delta}$ effect can be effectively used to perform the preliminary design of Pile-bent structures.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.30 no.4D
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• pp.323-330
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• 2010

The time in port for vessels is one of the important factors for analyzing the operation status and the capacity of ports. In addition, the time in port for vessels can be directly used for estimating the greenhouse gas emissions resulted from vessels in port. However, it is unclear which variables can affect the time in port for vessels and what the marginal effect of each variable is. With these challenges in mind, the study analyzes the time in port for vessels arriving and departing port of Busan by using a parametric survival model. The results show that the log-logistic accelerated failure time model is appropriate to explain the time in port for 19,167 vessels arriving and departing port of Busan in 2008, in which the time in port is significantly affected by gross tonnage of vessels, service capacity of terminal, and vessel type. This study also shows that the greenhouse gas emission resulted from full-container vessels, which accounted for about 61% of all vessels with loading/unloading purpose arriving and departing port of Busan in 2008, is about "17 ton/vessel" in the boundary of port of Busan. However, the hotelling greenhouse gas emissions resulted from non-container vessels (3,774 vessels; 20%) are greater than those from the full-container vessels. Hence, it is necessary to take into account more efficient port management polices and technologies to reduce the service time of non-container vessels in port of Busan.

• International Area Studies Review
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.341-365
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• 2011

This study used a non-parametric linear program, Data Envelopment Analysis to compare the efficiency of South Korean and Chinese banks from 2000 to 2008, which is said to be the reformation period of their financial structure. The sample banks were 10 commercial banks and 6 regional banks in Korea, and 4 state-owned commercial banks and 11 stock commercial banks in China. The main objective of our research is to compare their efficiency, as well as the changes in efficiency periodically according to the types of the banks. According to the periodical analysis, both of the countries showed steady increase in efficiency. This shows that finance restructure and merging were positive factors for bank's efficiency during the revolution of finance structure. The study showed that between Korea and China, the bank of Korea has higher efficiency than that of China. Although the reconstruction period happened around the same time, due to the earlier acceleration period to opening Korea's financial market, made the difference in efficiency.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.497-507
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• 2024

In squat reinforced concrete walls, the displacement capacity for lateral deformation is low and the ability to resist the axial load can quickly be lost, generating collapse. This work consists of testing two squat reinforced concrete walls. One of the specimens is built with conventional detailing of reinforced concrete walls, while the second specimen is built applying an alternative design, including stirrups along the diagonal of the wall to improve its ductility. This solution differs from the detailing of beams or coupling elements that suggest building elements equivalent to columns located diagonally in the element. The dimensions of both specimens correspond to a wall with a low aspect ratio (1:1), where the height and length of the specimen are 1.4 m, with a thickness of 120 mm. The alternative wall included stirrups placed diagonally covering approximately 25% of the diagonal strut of the wall with alternative detailing. The walls were tested under a constant axial load of 0.1f'cAg and a cyclic lateral displacement was applied in the upper part of the wall. The results indicate that the lateral strength is almost identical between both specimens. On the other hand, the lateral displacement capacity increased by 25% with the alternative detailing, but it was also able to maintain the 3 complete hysteretic cycles up to a drift of 2.5%, reaching longitudinal reinforcement fracture, while the base specimen only reached the first cycle of 2% with rapid degradation due to failure of the diagonal compression strut. The alternative design also allows 46% more energy dissipation than the conventional design. A model was used to capture the global response, correctly representing the observed behavior. A parametric study with the model, varying the reinforcement amount and aspect ratio, was performed, indicating that the effectiveness of the alternative detailing can double de drift capacity for the case with a low aspect ratio (1.1) and a large longitudinal steel amount (1% in the web, 5% in the boundary), which decreases with lower amounts of longitudinal reinforcement and with the increment of aspect ratio, indicating that the alternative detailing approach is reasonable for walls with an aspect ratio up to 2, especially if the amount of longitudinal reinforcement is high.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.705-720
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• 2024

Analyzing the collapse behavior of thin-walled steel structures holds significant importance in ensuring their safety and longevity. Geometric imperfections present on the surface of metal materials can diminish both the durability and mechanical integrity of steel shells. These imperfections, encompassing local geometric irregularities and deformations such as holes, cavities, notches, and cracks localized in specific regions of the shell surface, play a pivotal role in the assessment. They can induce stress concentration within the structure, thereby influencing its susceptibility to buckling. The intricate relationship between the buckling behavior of these structures and such imperfections is multifaceted, contingent upon a variety of factors. The buckling analysis of thin-walled steel shell structures, similar to other steel structures, commonly involves the determination of crucial material properties, including elastic modulus, shear modulus, tensile strength, and fracture toughness. An established method involves the emulation of distributed geometric imperfections, utilizing real test specimen data as a basis. This approach allows for the accurate representation and assessment of the diversity and distribution of imperfections encountered in real-world scenarios. Utilizing defect data obtained from actual test samples enhances the model's realism and applicability. The sizes and configurations of these defects are employed as inputs in the modeling process, aiding in the prediction of structural behavior. It's worth noting that there is a dearth of experimental studies addressing the influence of geometric defects on the buckling behavior of cylindrical steel shells. In this particular study, samples featuring geometric imperfections were subjected to experimental buckling tests. These same samples were also modeled using Finite Element Analysis (FEM), with results corroborating the experimental findings. Furthermore, the initial geometrical imperfections were measured using digital image correlation (DIC) techniques. In this way, the response of the test specimens can be estimated accurately by applying the initial imperfections to FE models. After validation of the test results with FEA, a numerical parametric study was conducted to develop more generalized design recommendations for the stainless-steel shell structures with the initial geometric imperfection. While the load-carrying capacity of samples with perfect surfaces was up to 140 kN, the load-carrying capacity of samples with 4 mm defects was around 130 kN. Likewise, while the load carrying capacity of samples with 10 mm defects was around 125 kN, the load carrying capacity of samples with 14 mm defects was measured around 120 kN.

• Asia pacific journal of information systems
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.21-39
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• 2013

As the utilization of information technology and the turbulence of technological change increase in organizations, the adoption of IT outsourcing also grows to manage IT resource more effectively and efficiently. In this new way of IT management technique, service level management(SLM) process becomes critical to derive success from the outsourcing in the view of end users in organization. Even though much of the research on service level management or agreement have been done during last decades, the performance of the service level management process have not been evaluated in terms of final objectives of the management efforts or success from the view of end-users. This study explores the relationship between SLM maturity and IT outsourcing success from the users' point of view by a analytical case study in four client organizations under an IT outsourcing vendor, which is a member company of a major Korean conglomerate. For setting up a model for the analysis, previous researches on service level management process maturity and information systems success are reviewed. In particular, information systems success from users' point of view are reviewed based the DeLone and McLean's study, which is argued and accepted as a comprehensively tested model of information systems success currently. The model proposed in this study argues that SLM process maturity influences information systems success, which is evaluated in terms of information quality, systems quality, service quality, and net effect proposed by DeLone and McLean. SLM process maturity can be measured in planning process, implementation process and operation and evaluation process. Instruments for measuring the factors in the proposed constructs of information systems success and SL management process maturity were collected from previous researches and evaluated for securing reliability and validity, utilizing appropriate statistical methods and pilot tests before exploring the case study. Four cases from four different companies under one vendor company were utilized for the analysis. All of the cases had been contracted in SLA(Service Level Agreement) and had implemented ITIL(IT Infrastructure Library), Six Sigma and BSC(Balanced Scored Card) methods since last several years, which means that all the client organizations pursued concerted efforts to acquire quality services from IT outsourcing from the organization and users' point of view. For comparing the differences among the four organizations in IT out-sourcing sucess, T-test and non-parametric analysis have been applied on the data set collected from the organization using survey instruments. The process maturities of planning and implementation phases of SLM are found not to influence on any dimensions of information systems success from users' point of view. It was found that the SLM maturity in the phase of operations and evaluation could influence systems quality only from users' view. This result seems to be quite against the arguments in IT outsourcing practices in the fields, which emphasize usually the importance of planning and implementation processes upfront in IT outsourcing projects. According to after-the-fact observation by an expert in an organization participating in the study, their needs and motivations for outsourcing contracts had been quite familiar already to the vendors as long-term partners under a same conglomerate, so that the maturity in the phases of planning and implementation seems not to be differentiating factors for the success of IT outsourcing. This study will be the foundation for the future research in the area of IT outsourcing management and success, in particular in the service level management. And also, it could guide managers in practice in IT outsourcing management to focus on service level management process in operation and evaluation stage especially for long-term outsourcing contracts under very unique context like Korean IT outsourcing projects. This study has some limitations in generalization because the sample size is small and the context itself is confined in an unique environment. For future exploration, survey based research could be designed and implemented.