• Computers and Concrete
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.627-634
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• 2017

Predicting the compressive strength of concrete is important to assess the load-carrying capacity of a structure. However, the use of blended cements to accrue the technical, economic and environmental benefits has increased the complexity of prediction models. Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) have been used for predicting the compressive strength of ordinary Portland cement concrete, i.e., concrete produced without the addition of supplementary cementing materials. In this study, models to predict the compressive strength of blended cement concrete prepared with a natural pozzolan were developed using regression models and single- and 2-phase learning ANNs. Back-propagation (BP), Levenberg-Marquardt (LM) and Conjugate Gradient Descent (CGD) methods were used for training the ANNs. A 2-phase learning algorithm is proposed for the first time in this study for predictive modeling of the compressive strength of blended cement concrete. The output of these predictive models indicates that the use of a 2-phase learning algorithm will provide better results than the linear regression model or the traditional single-phase ANN models.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.375-393
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• 2021

Percutaneous osteoplasty (POP) is defined as the injection of bone cement into various painful bony lesions, refractory to conventional therapy, as an extended technique of percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP). POP can be applied to benign osteochondral lesions and malignant metastatic lesions throughout the whole skeleton, whereas PVP is restricted to the vertebral body. Common spinal metastases occur in the thoracic (70%), lumbosacral (20%), and cervical (10%) vertebrae, in order of frequency. Extraspinal metastases into the ribs, scapulae, sternum, and humeral head commonly originate from lung and breast cancers; extraspinal metastases into the pelvis and femoral head come from prostate, urinary bladder, colon, and uterine cervical cancers. Pain is aggravated in the dependent (or weight bearing) position, or during movement (or respiration). The tenderness and imaging diagnosis should match. The supposed mechanism of pain relief in POP is the augmentation of damaged bones, thermal and chemical ablation of the nociceptive nerves, and local inhibition of tumor invasion. Adjacent (facet) joint injections may be needed prior to POP (PVP). The length and thickness of the applied needle should be chosen according to the targeted bone. Bone cement is also selected by its osteoconduction, osteoinduction, and osteogenesis. Needle route should be chosen as a shortcut to reach the target bony lesions, without damage to the nerves and vessels. POP is a promising minimally invasive procedure for immediate pain relief. This review provides a technical survey for POPs in painful bony lesions.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.246-253
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• 2019

This study was conducted to explore the optimum proportion of zeolite and zeolite-kaolin as additives to cement clinker and gypsum samples, while maintaining the strength properties of produced environmentally sustainable cements. According to the British standard method, zeolite was added to cement clinker in proportions of 5-12% and 10-12% by weight, respectively, in the preparation of samples of zeolite-containing cement and zeolite-kaolin-based cement. Kaolin was used as a second additive as 10-20% of the total weight. The compressive strength tests were performed on base cement samples according to a standard procedure given in ASTM C109 Compressive Strength of Hydraulic Cement. These values were compared with those of the reference sample and the Omani allowable limits. The results indicated that the best compressive strength values were obtained with 88% cement clinker, 5% gypsum, and 7% zeolite for the zeolite-containing cement. Quantities of 70% cement clinker, 5% gypsum, 10% zeolite, and 15% kaolin gave the best results for zeolite-kaolin-based cement, resulting in a substitution of than 25% cement clinker. The study concluded that the partial cement clinker replacement using zeolite/kaolin combination may have a great influence on the reduction of $CO_2$ emission and energy saving in cement manufacturing.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.219-229
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• 2021

In recent years, geopolymer cements, have gained significant attention as an environmental-friendly type of cement. In this experimental research, effects of different alkaline activator solutions and variations of associated parameters, including time of addition, concentration, and weight ratio, on the mechanical strengths of Granulated Ground Blast Furnace Slag (GGBFS)-based Geopolymer Concrete (GPC) were investigated. Investigation of the effects of simultaneous usage of KOH and NaOH solutions on the tensile and flexural strengths of GGBFS-based GPC, and the influence of NaOH solution addition time delay on the mechanical strengths is among the novel aspects investigated in this research. four series of mix designs and corresponding specimen testing is conducted to study different parameters of the active alkali solutions on GPC mechanical strengths. The results showed that addition of NaOH to the mix after 3 min of mixing KOH and Na2SiO3 with dry components (1/3 of the total mixing duration) resulted in the highest compressive, tensile and flexural strengths amongst other cases. Moreover, increasing the KOH concentration up to 12 M resulted in the highest compressive strength, while weight ratio of 1.5 for Na2SiO3/KOH was the optimum value to achieve highest compressive strengths.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.237-246
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• 2022

The concrete quality relies on general factors like preparation technique, uniformity of the compaction, amount and appropriateness of the additives. The current article investigates the impact of a well knows amino acid, L-arginine as an additive on water requirements, setting durations and characterization of various cement samples. Compressive strength tests of reference and L-arginine added cements at age of 2, 7 and 28 days were carried out according to TS-EN 196-1. Samples were blended by incorporating various amounts of L-arginine (25 ppm, 50 ppm and 75 ppm) in the cement water mixture which were tested with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermo-gravimetric analysis (TG), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) on the 28th day. Results revealed that L-arginine does not affect the setting time, volume expansion of cement and water demands negatively; rather it imparts enhanced sustainability to the samples. It was determined that the highest value belonged to the 75L mortar with an increase of 2.6% compared to the reference sample when the compressive strengths of all mortars were compared on the 28th day. Besides, it has been observed that the development of calcium silicate hydrate or C-S-H gel, calcium hydroxide or CH and other hydrated products are associated with each other. L-arginine definitely has a contribution in the consumption of CH formed in the hydration process.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
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• 2020.11a
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• pp.100-101
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• 2020

In this study, the temperature history and compressive strength of the concretes according to the type of cement were measured and analyzed in comparison as part of the experiment on the material mixing side to reduce the hydration heat crack of the mat foundation constructed with mass concrete. As a result, the peak temperature and maximum temperature reach time of concrete using high rapid cement were shown to be similar to that of semi rapid cement. In particular, in compressive strength after three days, semi rapid cement was measured higher than that of concrete using high rapid cement. Therefore, if semi rapid cement is used in accordance with the site conditions, it is deemed possible to shorten the air due to reduction of temperature cracks and improvement of initial strength.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
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• 2023.05a
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• pp.115-116
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• 2023

This study aims to investigate and improve the carbon dioxide sequestration capability and the mechanical properties of non-hydraulic low calcium silicate cement especially designed for CO₂ reaction and ordinary Portland cement subjected to the carbonation curing facilitating pH swing method. Nitric acid (HNO₃) was utilized as an liquid for the mixing of cement paste to enhance the initial dissolution of Ca ions from the cements by promoting low pH environment and prevent the direct precipitation of Ca with the anion, owing to the high solubility of Ca(NO₃)₂ in water. The results presented that the higher the concentration of HNO₃, the higher the compressive strength and CO₂ sequestration (until 0.1 M). Ca dissolution caused by the harsh acid attack onto the anhydrous cement particle lead to the higher carbonation reaction degree, forming abundant CaCO₃ crystals after the reaction. However, cement paste mixed with excessively high concentration of HNO₃ presented deterioration due to the too harsh pH environment and abundant NO₃- ions which are known to retard the reaction of cement.

• Clean Technology
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.87-93
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• 1997

A new process has been developed for nitrate and other salts removals from polluted waters. Alumina cement and calcium oxide served as precipitating agents to remove nitrate with stirring at basic pH. Low content of alumina in the commercialized alumina cements resulted in a increasing in nitrate removal yield. It is found that the compositions of aluminium and calcium are the most important factors in successful nitrate insolubilization. In order to remove high concentration of nitrate in polluted water, multi-stage precipitation was found to be very effective. Sulfate, chloride, and phosphate ions as well as nitrate were also removed by the precipitated reaction. After precipitation, post-treatments including Na2CO3 addition and neutralization with acid alleviated the level of aluminium and calcium in the treated water.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.34 no.10
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• pp.5-16
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• 2018

The ever-increasing amount of waste vinyl is causing big environmental problems. In particular, those from farming industry are sometimes left on site or even illegally reclaimed due to the lack of environmental concerns and capacity for collection, which worsens the situation. It is, therefore, believed that the recycling of waste vinyl is the most ideal solution in the viewpoint of environmental preservation. In this context, the potential of vinyl strip as a ground reinforcing material is investigated to expand the application of waste vinyl recycling. In this study, a series of uniaxial compression tests and resonant column tests were performed for sand specimens reinforced with vinyl strips and cement to investigate their reinforcing effects on static and dynamic behaviors. The changes in the uniaxial compressive strength (UCS), the shear modulus and the damping ratio according to the mixing ratio of vinyl strips and cements were analysed for sand specimens, having 40% and 60% relative densities, under various mixing conditions. As a result, both the static and dynamic reinforcing effects of vinyl strip-cement mixture were confirmed and the optimum mixing ratio was proposed.

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.229-238
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• 2009

This paper describes the methods to propose the optimal material properties and construction steps that prevent cracks due to the thermal stresses induced by the hydration heat under the construction of the concrete underpass structures. To achieve the goal of this study, the heat transfer theories were employed and the three-dimensional finite element model of the underpass structure was developed and used for the structural analyses. If the volume of the concrete member that is placed at one time is significantly large, the member is assumed to be the mass concrete and is easy to induce cracks. In order to minimize the cracks during the construction, two different methods can be utilized: one is to arrange the construction steps optimally and the other is to change the materials to reduce the probability of the crack occurrence. In this study, the analyses were performed by considering the changes in material properties with time, the characteristics of the hydration heat generation for cements and admixtures, the volume of the concrete placement at one time, and the environmental conditions.