• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.415-425
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• 2016

Load-bearing steel stud wall system is widely used for the middle-to-high rise modular buildings worldwide. Seismic performance is a key issue to apply load-bearing steel stud wall system to modular buildings in Korea. This study proposes a new strap braced steel stud wall system with enhanced seismic performance and design equations considering the flexural behaviour of the vertical outer studs. For the verification, two specimens with different strap braces and vertical outer stud were designed and tested. The test results showed that the total strengths were evaluated to be 1.11 to 1.18 times higher than the predicted values. Usually strap braced walls are considered to have low energy dissipation capacities. The proposed system showed enhanced seismic performance with equivalent damping of 9.42% due to the reduced pinching effects.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.73-83
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• 2023

Objective: Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients make up 40% of all scoliosis patients, and it is likely to increase even more because of the increase in sitting times due to the pandemic. Method: The subject of this study was a 16-year-old female student. The Cobb's Angle at initial value was 42° at the thoracic and 33° at the lumbar. The subject's height was 161.6 cm, and the type of scoliosis was 3CL. The brace was built with fabric materials with the size information from the X-ray information and actual measurements. The brace was made for the adolescents to wear for a longer time by making them put pressure on the same pressure points of the existing braces. The subjects were required to wear the device for 16 hours every day for three months. Additional features to check the pressure and time were synchronized through an app for easier communication and management with the responsible investigator. Results: After wearing the 3D Fabric brace, Cobb's angle changed from 42° to 33° at the thoracic and 33° to 23° at the lumbar. The ATR changed from 9° to 8° at the thoracic and 11° to 6° at the lumbar. As a result, the changes in the ATR angle do relate to the decrease of Cobb's angle, which made the angle of scoliosis that is bent in a three-dimensional way improve, making the height of the subject increase from 161.6 cm to 163.5 cm. Conclusion: Through this study, developing a brace that is made in the form of the 3CL to align the strap direction and putting pressure on the proper pressure points makes Cobb's angle and the ATR smaller. This means that there is a positive effect on the changes in height. A brace made of light fabric material is a good brace to help treat adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. There was an opinion that it is more comfortable to wear than existing braces, but it seems necessary to conduct a quantitative study about the before and after of wearing the brace and a survey for Korean specific cases.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.221-229
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• 2023

This study aims to develop knee protectors that provide high safety and fitness, while incorporating a motion-adaptable 3D-printed pad. These protectors were evaluated by individuals who experience knee discomfort or pain. The results are as follows. First, the 3Dprinted pad design of a hexagonal mesh structure, which is modeled for excellent appearance and knee movement. Each unit of the mesh has a outer layer of 2mm thick, a spacer layer of 1 mm in diameter, and is connected by a 1.5 mm bridge. The bridge was extended up to 1.2 cm. Second, the knee brace was designed in three types - cylinder, strap, and combination by Universal design. Impact protection measurements of the three knee protectors demonstrated roughly 80% reduction in impact. Third, based on usability evaluation, cylinder type protectors have the highest ratings in most areas, primarily because of their ease of use. The strap type protector received positive reviews in terms of appearance and care, and the combination type provided stable knee protection. This study demonstrated the potential industrial application of 3D printing technology by designing and evaluating protective products for the human body. The results of this study are expected to aid knee protector manufacturers in developing practical products and promoting the development of protective equipment for other body parts or purposes.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.692-704
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• 2023

This study analyzed 214 sports knee braces found on Chinese websites between October 2022 and November 2022 to assess product type (impact protection material, fastening method, and protection method), material composition, size, weight, and main characteristics. The product type was further categorized according to (1) use of hard guard and soft guard protection method; (2) cover type, strap type, and slip-on type fastening method; and (3) pressure type and support type protection method. It also noted the physical shock protection materials used, including foam (EVA or polyurethane) attached to joints as a buffer material and plastic (TPU or PP) that protects the user's knee from external impacts. The study found that the materials that primarily comprise sports knee braces are a combination of nylon, polyester, and neoprene. Additionally, it found that most sports knee braces available on the market are available in three sizes based on knee circumference: M (35-38cm), L (38-41cm), and XL (41-44cm), while some products are available in one size only. Furthermore, the majority of the 214 products studied weighed 200g, followed by 1,000g. Finally, in terms of product characteristics, many sports knee braces utilize ring-shaped silicone pads to distribute the load pressure on the knees or incorporate sturdy adhesive velcro to improve knee stability.