• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.10
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• pp.3631-3640
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• 2022

Uranium mill tailing ponds (UMTPs) are risk source of debris flow and a critical source of environmental U and Rn pollution. The technology of microbial induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) has been extensively studied on reinforcement of UMTs, while little attention has been paid to the effects of MICP on U & Rn release, especially when incorporation of metakaolin and bacillus subtilis (MBS). In this study, the reinforcement and U & Rn immobilization role of MBS -MICP solidification in different grouting cycle for uranium mill tailings (UMTs) was comprehensively investigated. The results showed that under the action of about 166.7 g/L metakaolin and ~50% bacillus subtilis, the solidification cycle of MICP was shortened by 50%, the solidified bodies became brittle, and the axial stress increased by up to 7.9%, and U immobilization rates and Rn exhalation rates decrease by 12.6% and 0.8%, respectively. Therefore, the incorporation of MBS can enhance the triaxial compressive strength and improve the immobilization capacity of U and Rn of the UMTs bodies solidified during MICP, due to the reduction of pore volume and surface area, the formation of more crystals general gypsum and gismondine, as well as the enhancing of coprecipitation and encapsulation capacity.

• Journal of the Korean Recycled Construction Resources Institute
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.321-326
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• 2022

In this study, cogeneration power plants that use biomass as a raw material to convert them into energy have recently received a lot of attention worldwide and are gradually increasing in South Korea. Therefore, in order to confirm the possibility of using the generated floor material as a fine aggregate for concrete, properties and stability evaluation experiments were performed. Compared to standard sand, the compressive strength of wood chip aggregate was improved by 11 % to 111 %, the length change rate was 89 %, and the waste processing test results met all criteria for hazardous substances. All of these are satisfied, and it is judged that the floor materials by the cogeneration power plant can be used as a fine aggregate for concrete.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.10
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• pp.3745-3765
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• 2022

The concrete structures related to nuclear safety are threatened by accidental impact loadings, mainly including the low-velocity drop-weight impact (e.g., spent fuel cask and assembly, etc. with the velocity less than 20 m/s) and high-speed projectile impact (e.g., steel pipe, valve, turbine bucket, etc. with the velocity higher than 20 m/s), while the existing studies are still limited in the impact resistant design of nuclear power plant (NPP), especially the primary RC slab. This paper aims to propose the numerical simulation and theoretical approaches to assist the impact-resistant design of RC slab in NPP. Firstly, the continuous surface cap (CSC) model parameters for concrete with the compressive strength of 20-70 MPa are fully calibrated and verified, and the refined numerical simulation approach is proposed. Secondly, the two-degree freedom (TDOF) model with considering the mutual effect of flexural and shear resistance of RC slab are developed. Furthermore, based on the low-velocity drop hammer tests and high-speed soft/hard projectile impact tests on RC slabs, the adopted numerical simulation and TDOF model approaches are fully validated by the flexural and punching shear damage, deflection, and impact force time-histories of RC slabs. Finally, as for the two low-velocity impact scenarios, the design procedure of RC slab based on TDOF model is validated and recommended. Meanwhile, as for the four actual high-speed impact scenarios, the impact-resistant design specification in Chinese code NB/T 20012-2019 is evaluated, the over conservation of which is found, and the proposed numerical approach is recommended. The present work could beneficially guide the impact-resistant design and safety assessment of NPPs against the accidental impact loadings.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.71-81
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• 2022

Aluminosilicate materials as precursors are heterogenous in nature, consisting of inert and partially reactive portion, and have varying proportions depending upon source materials. It is essential to assess the reactivity of precursor prior to synthesize geopolymers. Moreover, reactivity may act as decisive factor for setting molar concentration of NaOH, curing temperature and setting proportion of different precursors. In this experimental work, the reactivities of two precursors, low calcium (fly ash (FA)) and high calcium (ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS)), were assessed through the dissolution of aluminosilicate at (i) three molar concentrations (8, 12, and 16 M) of NaOH solution, (ii) 6 to 24 h dissolution time, and (iii) 20-100℃. Based on paratermeters influencing the reactivity, different proportions of ternary binders (two precursors and ordinary cement) were activated by the combined NaOH and Na2SiO3 solutions with two alkaline activators to precursor ratios, to synthesize the geopolymer. Reactivity results revealed that GGBS was 20-30% more reactive than FA at 20℃, at all three molar concentrations, but its reactivity decreased by 32-46% with increasing temperature due to the high calcium content. Setting time of geopolymer paste was reduced by adding GGBS due to its fast reactivity. Both GGBS and cement promoted the formation of all types of gels (i.e., C-S-H, C-A-S-H, and N-A-S-H). As a result, it was found that a specified mixing proportion could be used to improve the compressive strength over 30 MPa at both the ambient and hot curing conditions.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.7
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• pp.2289-2294
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• 2021

In the present study, an original spark plasma sintering-reactive synthesis (SPS-RS) method for minerallike ceramic materials based on SrAl₂Si₂O₈ feldspar-like skeleton structure was used for the first time, promising solid-state matrices for reliable immobilization of high-energy ⁹⁰Sr. The method is based on the "in-situ" reaction of a mixture of SrO, Al₂O₃ and SiO₂ oxides when heated by a unipolar pulsed current under compacting pressure. The phase and elemental composition structure were studied. The dynamics of the consolidation of the reaction mixture of oxides was studied in the range of 900-1200 ℃. The study found the temperature of the high-speed (minutes) SPS-RS formation of single-phase SrAl₂Si₂O₈ composition ceramic in the absence of intermediate reaction products with a relative density of up to 99.2% and compressive strength up to 145 MPa and a strontium leaching rate of 10^-4g/cm²·day.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.80 no.6
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• pp.645-655
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• 2021

Performance-based reliability analysis is a practical approach to investigate the seismic performance and stochastic nonlinear response of structures considering a random process. This is significant due to the uncertainties involved in every aspect of the analysis. Therefore, the present study aims to evaluate the performance-based reliability within a stochastic finite element (FE) framework for reinforced concrete (RC) shear walls that are considered as one of the most essential elements of structures. To accomplish this purpose, deterministic FE analyses are conducted for both squat and slender shear walls to validate numerical models through experimental results. The presented numerical analysis is performed by using the ABAQUS FE program. Afterwards, a random-effects investigation is carried out to consider the influence of different random variables on the lateral load-top displacement behavior of RC members. Using these results and through utilizing the Monte-Carlo simulation method, stochastic nonlinear analyses are also performed to generate random FE models based on input parameters and their probabilistic distributions. In order to evaluate the reliability of RC walls, failure probabilities and corresponding reliability indices are calculated at life safety and collapse prevention levels of performance as suggested by FEMA 356. Moreover, based on reliability indices, capacity reduction factors are determined subjected to shear for all specimens that are designed according to the ACI 318 Building Code. Obtained results show that the lateral load and the compressive strength of concrete have the highest effects on load-displacement responses compared to those of other random variables. It is also found that the probability of shear failure for the squat wall is slightly lower than that for slender walls. This implies that 𝛽 values are higher in a non-ductile mode of failure. Besides, the reliability of both squat and slender shear walls does not change significantly in the case of varying capacity reduction factors.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.277-287
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• 2022

Due to the scarcity of extortionate experimental data, fatigue failure of the reinforced concrete (RC) element might be achieved economically adopting nonlinear finite element (FE) analysis as an alternative approach. However, conventional implicit dynamic analysis is expensive, quasi-static method overlooks interaction effects and inertia, direct cyclic analysis computes stabilized responses. Apart from this, explicit dynamic analysis may provide a numerical operating system for factual long-term responses. The study explores the fatigue behavior based on a simplified explicit dynamic solution employing nonlinear time domain analysis. Among fourteen RC beams, one beam is selected to validate under static loading, one under fatigue with the experimental study and other twelve to check the detail fatigue behavior. The SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunities, Threats) analysis has been carried out to pinpoint the detail scenario in the adoption of numerical approach as an alternative to the experimental study. Excellent agreement of FE and experimental results is seen. The 3D nonlinear RC beam model at service fatigue limits is truthful to be used as an expedient contrivance to envisage the precise fatigue behavior. The simplified analysis approach for RC beam under fatigue offers savings in computation to predict responses providing acceptable accuracy rather than the complicated laboratory investigation. At higher frequency, the flexural failure occurs a bit earlier gradually compared to the repeated loading case of lower frequency. The deflection increases by 6%-10% at the end of first cycle for beams with increasing frequency of cyclic loading. However, at the end of fatigue loading, greater deflection occur earlier for higher load range because of more rapid stiffness degradation. For higher frequency, a slight boost in concrete compressive strains at an initial stage of loading has been seen indicating somewhat stepper increment. Stiffness degradation in larger loading cycle at same duration escalates the upsurge of the rate of strain in case of higher frequency.

• Journal of the Korean Recycled Construction Resources Institute
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.420-427
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• 2022

The present study evaluated the physical, mechanical and thermal properties of the foam glass aggregate and insulation foundation with this, in order to promote the use of insulated foundations using domestically produced foamed glass aggregates. As a result of the evaluation, the compacted foam glass aggregate showed at the same level as overseas products in terms of unit volume mass, particle size and other characteristics, and a compressive strength of 40.6 N/cm², which was superior to the existing organic insulation materials such as XPS. And the thermal conductivity of the foam glass aggregate was 0.84 W/mK, and the thermal transmittance of the specimen simulating the insulation foundation was 0.37 W/mK, so the thermal conductivity of the foam glass aggregate was estimated to be 0.80 W/mK. With these results, it was found that it is possible to use the insulation foundation with re-producted foam glass aggregate by crushing the waste from the process of producing foam glass products.

• Journal of the Korean Recycled Construction Resources Institute
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.386-394
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• 2022

In this study, the mechanical properties and frost resistance of concrete with steel and nylon fibers were experimentally investigated. Both of OPC concrete with 100 % ordinary portland cement and SGC concrete replaced with 50 % GGBFS were manufactured to evaluate effects of fibers to the performance of concrete. Compressive and split tensile strength, ultrasonic pulse velocity and surface electric resistivity measurements of concrete were carried out at a predetermined interval. In addition, the freezing & thawing resistance of concrete in accordance with ASTM C666 standard was also examined. As a result, it is seemed that the effect of fibers was remarkable to improve the mechanical properties and frost resistance of concrete, especially for the concrete incorporating steel fiber.

• Journal of the Korean Recycled Construction Resources Institute
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.498-505
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• 2022

In this study, as a result of eva lua ting the quality properties of Living Concrete, the flow of the table showed a tendency to decrease as the mixing ratio of ocher increased. Compressive strength was found to decrease with increasing loess mixing ratio. Density properties were evaluated for weight reduction, As a result of comparison with the panel using cement as a comparison group, the density was measured to be a bout 20 % lower than that of the cement panel, and it is judged that it is less affected by the load and can be installed in the structure. As a result of evaluating the panel temperature reduction, there was a difference in the temperature reduction with time. It is judged that the panel planted with moss has a lower temperature than the panel without moss, so it is judged that it can be used in a vertical greening system.