• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.433-446
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• 2022

Despite efforts to reduce unexpected accidents at confined construction sites, choking accidents continue to occur. Because of the poorly ventilated atmosphere, particularly in long, confined underground spaces, workers are subject to dangerous working conditions despite the use of artificial ventilation. Moreover, the traditional monitoring methods of using portable gas detectors place safety inspectors in direct contact with hazardous conditions. In this study, a long-range (LoRa)-based wireless safety monitoring system that features the network organization, fault-tolerant, power management, and a graphical user interface (GUI) was developed for underground construction sites. The LoRa wireless data communication system was adopted to detect hazardous gases and oxygen deficiency within a confined underground space with adjustable communication range and low power consumption. Fault tolerance based on the mapping information of the entire wireless sensor network was particularly implemented to ensure the reliable operation of the monitoring system. Moreover, a sleep mode was implemented for the efficient power management. The GUI was also developed to control the entire safety-monitoring system and to manage the measured data. The developed safety-monitoring system was validated in an indoor testing and at two full-scale water pipeline construction sites.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.69-74
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• 1996

High temperature confined compressive tests for thermomechanical failure criteria were carried out for Iksan and Whandeung granites. Authors suggested new polynomial type failure coefficient functions by which conventional Hoek-Brown failure criteria was extended to thermomechanical one. Obtained results are as follow; 1) Failure coefficients, m and s of Hoek and Brown's empirical failure criteria were decreased as temperature increased. 2) Theoretically calculated values by suggested equations and experimented ones by confined compressive test were well coincided.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.192-200
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• 1994

Underground offers many advantages for storing agricultural and marine products. Since it is confined by thick walls of rock it is easy to control temperature and humidity and to achieve air and water tightness. Also, damages by rodents and insects could be avoided. Flexibility in choosing the location is another advantage that underground could offer. Consequently the goods could be stored near the big city to meet the demand change. Because of these advantages, many underground food storage facilities were built and operated successfully in U.S. and many Euroupean countries. On the other hand, there is no underground food storage facilities in Korea despite the need is growing rapidly. This paper describes the case studies of foreigh food storage and technologies related to food storage were analyzed and evaluated. Also performed is analysis of domestic technologies for construction and operation of underground food storage facilities to deduce the fields of studies that have to be conducted.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.179-191
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• 2023

To study the influences of tunneling on the earth pressure and ground settlement when the tunnel passes through the adjacent underground retaining structure, 30 two-dimensional model tests were carried out taking into account the ratios of tunnel excavation depth (H) to lateral width (w), excavation width (B), and excavation distance using a custom-made test device and an analogical soil. Tunnel crossing adjacent existing retaining structure (TCE) and tunnel crossing adjacent newly-built retaining structure (TCN) were simulated and the earth pressure variations and ground settlement distribution during excavation were analyzed. For TCE condition, the earth pressure increments, maximum ground settlement and the curvature of the ground settlement curve are negatively related to H/B, but positively related to H/s and H/w. For TCN condition, most trends are consistent with TCE except that the earth pressure increments and the curvature of ground settlement curve are negatively related to H/w. The maximum ground settlement is larger than that observed in tunnel crossing the existing underground structure. This study provides an assessment basis for the design and construction under confined space conditions.

• Proceedings of the KAIS Fall Conference
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• 2010.05b
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• pp.949-952
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• 2010

The utilization of LPG(Liquefied Petroleum Gas) is increasing as an environmental-friendly fuel in all countries making green growth new paradigm, and use of gas is spread fast as motor fuels to decrease air pollution. Loss of lives by explosion and fire is happening every year as gas use increases, and gas accident in large scale storage property is causing serious problems socially. To minimize this problem, underground containment type storage tank is being presented as an alternative recently. In this study, to minimize explosion occurrence in underground containment type storage tank, the suitable storage tank is designed to consider explosion prevention that makes exposure surface area minimize in confined contents volume and flame to construct storage tank by the most suitable condition in the underground containment room. As a result of the design of storage tank having the most suitable condition by this research, underground containment space was minimized on diameter 3m, length 4.83m in 20 tons storage tank and its safety was improved as exposure surface area in flame decreased by 89.4%, compared with the existent storage tank.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.421-433
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• 2003

Demand for limestone production from both the underground and opencast mines in Korea is gradually increasing. Increase in productivity with safe mining operations is the emphasis laid on the mining industry. KIGAM has undertaken a detailed investigation to apply RMR and Q classification system for the design of underground limestone mining operations. The field investigations were confined to the underground mines of Daesung Mining Development Co. Ltd. and Pyunghae Mines of Korean Airport Service. Modification to the standard RMR and Q for limestone mines in Korea along with the correlation between these two systems are discussed while attempts were also made to calculate the width of a safe unsupported span.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.594-600
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• 2016

The present study numerically investigated the gas leakage characteristics in a simplified underground combined cycle power plant. The effect of obstacles near a crack location on the gas concentration in the confined space was analyzed by using the lower flammable limit (LFL) of methane gas. When the jet flow was close to the vertical walls, the longitudinal leakage distance increased by about 60% (when an obstacles was present) compared to the case without any obstacle, because these obstacles prevented transverse flows. In addition, when an air filter was installed near to the trajectory of the gas flow, the longitudinal leakage distance was similar to the distance between the crack and obstacle, whereas the transverse leakage distance increased up to 8 times compared to the case without any obstacle. As the jet flow impacts on the obstacle and changes its direction, the gas flows recirculate. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the effect of the structure and facility locations on the trajectory of the jet flow to propose an accident prevention system in confined spaces.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Building Construction
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.383-389
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• 2020

Accidents on construction sites involving fires do not occur as often as accidents involving falls from height or collapses. However, once a fire accident occurs, there is a high risk of a large number of casualties. Fire on construction sites is affected by working conditions and the types of activities the construction workers are engaged in at the sites. This study aims to identify activities and working conditions at construction sites that are vulnerable to fire, and analyse how they correlate with each other and how they affect the causes and consequences of fire accidents at construction sties. I analysed 40 fire accident reports and listed the situations vulnerable to fire at construction sites considering direct causes, activities, and working conditions. The most dangerous combination of fire hazards can be the heating devices used during rest/sleep in the office/cabin/storage during cold weather. The next most hazardous combination can be sparks arising from painting, waterproofing, insulation, plumbing, or welding/melting work in an underground or confined space.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.679-697
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• 2022

Having an awareness of the ongoing conception of Honam-Jeju, Korea-Japan, and Korea-China subsea tunnels for accommodating the railway, this paper investigates immersion tube tunnel technology, one of the underwater tunnel construction methods. This paper analyses the current status of immersed tube tunnels according to their location and function. This paper summarises the dredging methods and briefly introduces the muck disposal facility. Also introduced are the case studies where measures were taken to mitigate the impact of dredging on the surrounding marine environment. This paper also explains how the tunnel elements are connected underwater using an immersion joint. This paper classifies the foundation methods into bedding and ground improvement methods and provides summaries, including their environmental impact associated with drill cuttings and cementitious binders.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.118-124
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• 2017

In this study, a numerical simulation was performed using commercial code Fluent(v.17.1). The underground Combined Cycle Power Plant (CCPP) was simplified to analyze the methane gas leakage with the crack size and position. In addition, extensive numerical simulations were carried out for different crack sizes from 10 mm to 20 mm. The crack position is the gas leakage, which is assumed to be near the pipe elbow and the gas turbine. A total of 4 cases were compared and analyzed. To analyze the gas leakage, the concept of the Lower Flammable Limit (LFL) was applied. The leakage distance was defined in the longitudinal direction, and the transverse direction was estimated and quantitatively analyzed. As a result, the leakage distance in the longitudinal direction varies by 52.3 % depending on the crack size at the same crack position. Moreover, the maximum difference was 34.8 % according to the crack position when the crack sizes are identical. As jet flow impacts on the obstacle and changes its direction, the recirculation flows are formed. These results are expected to provide useful data to optimize the location and number of gas detections in confined spaces, such as underground CCPP.