• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.9-15
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• 2023

Compaction is performed in civil engineering sites to secure the stability of the ground and prevent settlement. While the process of compaction is crucial, it is also essential to evaluate the degree of compaction after the completion of the process. In domestic sites, the evaluation of compaction is mainly conducted on a small number of spot using point-based tests such as plate load tests and sand cone tests. The methods presented so far allow assessment of surface compaction, but evaluating compaction in deeper layers poses challenges. Moreover, due to the limited coverage of point-based testing, it is difficult to achieve an overall assessment of compaction. As a solution to these issues, the Spectral-Analysis-of-Surface-Waves (SASW) tests were utilized to evaluate compaction. SASW tests offer a broader measurement range compared to point-based tests, and depending on the test setup, this method can provide the stiffness of the ground at greater depths. In this study, SASW tests were conducted in a compacted soil site under different conditions to assess compaction. Additionally, Nuclear Density Gauge tests were conducted concurrently to compare and verify the results of SASW. The research results confirmed the feasibility of evaluating compaction using SASW at the geotechnical site.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.399-415
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• 2023

In this study, we investigate the use of a negative stiffness tuned inerter damper system to improve the performance of a base-isolated structure. The negative stiffness tuned inerter damper system consists of a tuned inerter damper connected in parallel with a negative stiffness element. To find the optimal parameters for the base-isolated structure with negative stiffness tuned inerter damper system, we develop an optimization method based on performance criteria. The objective of the optimization is to minimize the superstructure acceleration response ratio, while ensuring that the base displacement response ratio remains below a specified target value. We evaluate the proposed method by conducting numerical analyses on an eight-story building. The structure is modeled using both a simplified 3-degree-of-freedom system and a more detailed story-by-story shear-beam model. Lastly, a comparative analysis using time history analysis is performed to compare the performance of the base-isolated structure with negative stiffness tuned inerter damper system with that of the base-isolated structure and base-isolated structure with tuned inerter damper systems. The results obtained from the comparative analysis show that the negative stiffness tuned inerter damper system outperforms the tuned inerter damper system in reducing the dynamic seismic response of the base-isolated structure. Overall, this study demonstrates that the negative stiffness tuned inerter damper system can effectively enhance the performance of base-isolated structures, providing improved seismic response reduction compared to other systems.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.47-57
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• 2024

Recently, in newly constructed apartment buildings, the exterior wall structures have been characterized by thinness, having various openings, and a significantly low reinforcement ratio. In this study, a nonlinear finite element analysis was performed to investigate the crack damage characteristics of the exterior wall structure. The limited analysis models for a 10-story exterior wall were constructed based on the prototype apartment building, and nonlinear static analysis (push-over analysis) was performed. Based on the finite element (FE) analysis model, the parametric study was conducted to investigate the effects of various design parameters on the strength and crack width of the exterior walls. As the parameters, the vertical reinforcement ratio and horizontal reinforcement ratio of the wall, as well as the uniformly distributed longitudinal reinforcement ratio and shear reinforcement ratio of the connection beam, were addressed. The analysis results showed that the strength and deformation capacity of the prototype exterior walls were limited by the failure of the connection beam prior to the flexural yielding of the walls. Thus, the increase of wall reinforcement limitedly affected the failure modes, peak strengths, and crack damages. On the other hand, when the reinforcement ratio of the connection beams was increased, the peak strength was increased due to the increase in the load-carrying capacity of the connection beams. Further, the crack damage index decreased as the reinforcement ratio of the connection beam increased. In particular, it was more effective to increase the uniformly distributed longitudinal reinforcement ratio in the connection beams to decrease the crack damage of the coupling beams, regardless of the type of the prototype exterior walls.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.121-131
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• 2009

In recent years, microtremor array observations have been used for estimation of shear-wave velocity structures. One of the methods is the conventional spatial autocorrelation (SPAC) method, which requires simultaneous recording at least with three or four sensors. Modified SPAC methods such as 2sSPAC, and linear array methods, allow estimating shear-wave structures by using only two sensors, but suffer from instability of the spatial autocorrelation coefficient for frequency ranges higher than 1.0 Hz. Based on microtremor measurements from four different size triangular arrays and four same-size triangular and linear arrays, we have demonstrated the stability of SPAC coefficient for the frequency range from 2 to 4 or 5 Hz. The phase velocities, obtained by fitting the SPAC coefficients to the Bessel function, are also consistent up to the frequency 5 Hz. All data were processed by the SPAC method, with the exception of the spatial averaging for the linear array cases. The arrays were deployed sequentially at different times, near a site having existing Parallel Seismic (PS) borehole logging data. We also used the imaginary part of the SPAC coefficients as a data-quality indicator. Based on perturbations of the autocorrelation spectrum (and in some cases on visual examination of the record waveforms) we divided data into so-called 'reliable' and 'unreliable' categories. We then calculated the imaginary part of the SPAC spectrum for 'reliable', 'unreliable', and complete (i.e. 'reliable' and 'unreliable' datasets combined) datasets for each array, and compared the results. In the case of insufficient azimuthal distribution of the stations (the linear array) the imaginary curve shows some instability and can therefore be regarded as an indicator of insufficient spatial averaging. However, in the case of low coherency of the wavefield the imaginary curve does not show any significant instability.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.1-13
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of soft ground improvement by dynamic replacement with utilizing crushed rock. In order to understand the ground improvement effect when applying dynamic replacement method with crushed rock, the laboratory test and field test were performed. The internal friction angle and apparent cohesion were derived through direct shear test. The dynamic replacement characteristics were identified by analyzing the weight, drop, and number of blows needed for dynamic replacement. Through the field plate bearing test and density test, the bearing capacity and settlement of the improved ground were measured, and the numerical analysis were conducted to analyze the behavior of the improved ground. In this study, it proposes modified soil experimental coefficient(C_DR) to 0.3~0.5 in the dynamic replacement method with crushed rock. Also when applying the dynamic replacement method using crushed rock, the particle size range is less than 100 mm, D₉₀ is less than 80 mm and D₁₅ is more than 30 mm.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.325-333
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• 2010

In this study, new moment-resisting precast concrete beam-column joint made up of hybrid steel concrete was developed and tested. This beam-column joint is proposed for use in moderate seismic regions. It has square hollow tubular section in concrete column and connecting plate in precast U-beam. The steel elements in column and beam members were connected using bolt. Furthermore, in order to prevent the premature failure of concrete in hybrid steel-concrete connection, ECC(engineered cementitious composite) was used. An experimental study was carried out investigating the joint behavior subjected to reversed cyclic loading and constant axial compressive load. Two precast beam-column joint specimens and monolithic reinforced concrete joint specimen were tested. The variables for interior joints were cast-in-situ concrete area and transverse reinforcement within the joint. Tests were carried out under displacement controlled reverse cyclic load with a constant axial load. Joint performance is evaluated on the basis of connection strength, stiffness, energy dissipation, and displacement capacity. The test results showed that significant differences in structural behavior between the two types of connection because of different bonding characteristics between steel and concrete; steel and ECC. The proposed joint detail can induce to move the plastic hinge out of the ECC and steel plate. And proposed precast connection showed better performance than the monolithic connection by providing sufficient moment-resisting behavior suitable for applications in moderate seismic regions.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.143-150
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• 2014

To avoid abrupt torsional failure due to concrete crushing before yielding of torsional reinforcement and control the diagonal crack width, design codes specify the limitations on the yield strength of torsional reinforcement of RC members. In 2012, Korean Concrete Institute design code increased the allowable maximum yield strength of torsional reinforcement from 400 MPa to 500 MPa based on the analytical and experimental research results. Although there are many studies regarding the shear behavior of RC members with high strength stirrups, limited studies of the RC members regarding the yield strength of torsional reinforcement are available. In this study, twelve RC beams having different yield strength of torsional reinforcement and compressive strength of concrete were tested. The experimental test results indicated that the torsional failure modes of RC beams were influenced by the yield strength of torsional reinforcement and the compressive strength of concrete. The test beams with normal strength torsional reinforcement showed torsional tension failure, while the test beams with high strength torsional reinforcement greater than 480 MPa showed torsional compression failure. Therefore, additional analytical and experimental works on the RC members subjected to torsion, especially the beams with high strength torsional reinforcement, are needed to find an allowable maximum yield strength of torsional reinforcement.

• Journal of the Korean Recycled Construction Resources Institute
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.290-297
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• 2017

The flexural behavior tests of UHPC segmental U-girder and composite U-girder which has 160MPa compressive strength and 15.4m length were carried out. The test variables are volume fraction of steel fibers and slab over the U-girder. Each U-girder has longitudinal re-bars in web and lower flange. PS tendons which has 2 of 15.2mm diameter in upper flange and PS tendons which has 7 of 15.2mm diameter in lower flange were arranged and prestressed at onetime in U-girder connection stage. Enough strong prestressing force which applied to U-girder due to ultra high performance concrete strength can withstand the self weight and dead load in U-girder stage. By comparison with the brittle behavior of U-girder, composite U-girder showed the stable and ductile behavior. After the construction of slab over U-girder, flexural load capacity of composite U-girder can bear the design load in final construction stage with only one time prestressing operation which already carried out in U-girder stage. This simple prestressing method due to the ultra high strength concrete have the advantage in construction step and cost. The shear key which has narrow space has the strong composite connection between ultra high strength concrete U-girder and high strength concrete slab didn't show any slip and opening right before failure load.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 2010.05a
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• pp.39-40
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• 2010

The demands for longer span and reduction of story height have greatly increased as building structures become much larger and higher in recent years. Although the development of flexural members for reducing story height or making long span has been studied by many researchers and engineers, there is still a lack of efficient systems that meet these two demands simultaneously. This study aimed at developing a new composite beam system suitable for long span and reduction of story height, and proposed a prestressed composite beam with corrugated web. It has great resistance against non-symmetric construction load due to its strong out-of-plane shear strength with relatively small member height as well as good constructability and economic efficiency by removing/minimizing form work. The corrugated webs also make accordion effect introducing larger effective prestressing force to top and bottom flanges, which causes larger upward camber reducing the member deflection. Five full-scale specimens with key test parameters, which are web sectional shapes and number of drape points, were tested to understand their flexural behavior and to verify the performance of the proposed method. The experimental test results showed that the proposed prestressed composite beam had greater flexural strength and stiffness than the ordinary non-prestressed composite beam.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.29-35
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• 2015

Recent studies to develop Very Large Floating Structure(VLFS) has shown that the construction procedure of the structure needs to acquire precast concrete module connection system using prestressing. However, the loads occurring on water are complex combinations of various condition, so the safe and stable performance of the module joints and bonding materials are key to the success of the construction. Therefore, micro-silica mixed aqua-epoxy development was introduced in Part 1 using a bonding material developed in this study. The performance of the micro-silica mixed aqua-epoxy(MSAE) applied joint of concrete module specimens connected by prestressing tendon was evaluated to verify the usability and safety of the material. RC beam, spliced beam connected by prestressing tendon and MSAE, and continuous prestressed concrete beam were tested for their initial cracking and maximum loads as well as cracking procedure and pattern. The results showed that the MSAE can control the stress concentration effect of the shear key and the crack propagation, and the maximum load capacity of MSAE joint specimens are only 5% less than that of continuous RC specimen. The details of the study are discussed in detail in the paper.