• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.183-194
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• 2004

It's essential process to study non-linear material function related to characteristics of compressibility and permeability when we predict the consolidation behavior of soft clay ground. In this study, laboratory tests were conducted to find out the material function using marine clay. Standard oedometer test and Rowe cell test were performed with conditions, which were classified into vertical drainage only, radial drainage only and vertical-radial drainage case. Modified oedometer test equipment was developed to find out the material function and special extrusion device was originated to minimize the sample disturbance effect. Reliability of the results in modified oedometer test could be confirmed by comparing with the Rowe cell's one. Effective stress - void ratio - permeability relations were analyzed using all testing results. As a result, void ratio with effective stress level could be expressed by the power function and permeability with void ratio could be expressed by exponential function. In soft clay with high initial water content and low shear strength, non-linear characteristics related to compressibility and permeability varied with wide range by the effective stress levels. It's important to note that non-linearity of the material function should be considered at prediction of the consolidation behavior.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.72-78
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• 1994

Two kinds of $U_3Si$ powders and $U_3Si$ dispersed nuclear fuel meats have been prepared by conventional comminution process and a newly developed rotating disk atomization process. In contrast to angular shape and broad size distribution of the conventionally processed powder, the atomized powder was spherical and showed narrow size distribution. For the atomized powder, the heat treatment time for the formation of $U_3Si$ by a peritectoid reaction was reduced to about one tenth, thanks to microstructure refinement by rapid cooling of about 5$\times$104 K/s. The extruding pressure of atomized $U_3Si$ powder and Al powder mixture was lower than that of comminuted $U_3Si$ and Al powder mixture. The elongation of the atomization processed fuel meats was much higher than that of the comminution processed fuel meats and remained over 10% up to 80wt.% of $U_3Si$ powder fraction in the fuel meats. It appears therefore that the loading density of $U_3Si$ in fuel meat can be increased by using atomized $U_3Si$ powder. The atomized spherical particles were randomly distributed, while the comminuted particles with angular and longish shape were considerably aligned along the extrusion direction. Along the transverse direction of the extraction the electrical conductivity of the atomization processed fuel meats was appreciably higher than that of comminution processed fuel meats. This tendency became pronounced as $U_3Si$ content increased. Because the thermal conduction which is believed to be proportioned to the electrical conduction in the nuclear fuel meats occurs in radial direction, the atomization processed fuel can be better used in research reactors where high thermal conductivity is required.