• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.33 no.9
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• pp.1411-1420
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• 2020

Objective: The aim of study was to investigate the effects of season and single layer centrifugation (SLC) before cryopreservation on post-thaw bull sperm quality in Thailand. Methods: Semen was collected from 6 bulls (Bos indicus) in summer, rainy season and winter 2014 through 2016. Semen characteristics, sperm morphology, sperm kinematics, viability, chromatin structure and mitochondrial membrane were evaluated. Meteorological data were available from the local meteorological station; Results: Season had an effect on semen characteristics in the raw ejaculate, with higher proportions of normal spermatozoa and lower abnormalities in winter than in the other two seasons. Sperm kinematics, viability, DNA fragmentation index, and mitochondrial membrane potential were not different between seasons. Sperm samples selected by SLC had greater normal morphology and a lower proportion with bent tails than controls and higher values of progressive motility (PRO), beat cross frequency, linearity, straightness, wobble (WOB), and lower values of slow motility, velocity average path (VAP), velocity curved line, and amplitude of lateral head displacement than controls. In addition, SLC-selection had a favorable effect on PRO, VAP, and WOB that differed among seasons. Conclusion: Our results suggested that these bulls were well adapted to their location, with season having an effect on sperm morphology. Moreover, SLC could be used prior to cryopreservation, regardless of season, to enhance normal morphology and kinematics of bull sperm samples without adversely affecting other parameters of sperm quality. However, there was considerable variation among bulls in DNA fragmentation index, mitochondrial membrane potential and sperm viability. In addition, SLC had a positive effect on sperm morphology and sperm kinematics, which could be expected to influence fertility.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.1749-1755
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• 2014

Technique for analyzing a pile installed by vibrohammer was developed and parametric studies were executed in order to evaluate reliability of the developed technique. Comparing the accelerations obtained from parametric studies of varying eccentric moment and frequency, it can be seen that magnitude of maximum acceleration was proportional to the eccentric moment and square of frequency. It can also be seen that amplitude of displacement was roughly proportional to the eccentric moment but has nothing to do with the frequency. It can be said that all of the analysis results reflect characteristics of behavior of a pile in case of free vibration. Comparing the dynamic load transfer curves, maximum dynamic unit toe resistance was constant regardless of the eccentric moment and the frequency and it can be seen that dynamic unit skin friction was affected by the eccentric moment not by frequency. Comparing all of the analysis results, it can be said that the developed technique is reliable.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.36 no.7
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• pp.797-803
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• 2012

Proportional solenoid valves are a modulating type that can control the displacement of valves continuously by means of electromagnetic forces proportional to the solenoid coil current. Because the solenoid-type modulating valves have the advantages of fast response and compact design over air-operated or motor-operated valves, they have been gaining acceptance in chemical and power plants to control the flow of fluids such as water, steam, and gas. This paper deals with the auto tuning of the position controller that can provide the proportional and integral gain automatically based on the dynamic system identification. The process characteristics of the solenoid valve are estimated with critical gain and critical period at a stability limit based on implemented relay feedback, and the controller parameters are determined by the classical Ziegler-Nichols design method. The auto-tuning algorithm was verified with experiments, and the effects of the operating point at which the relay control is activated as well as the relay amplitude were investigated.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.7-13
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• 1993

Fracture behavior of pre-cracked compact tension specimens made of AISI 4130 steel was investigated using acoustic emission (AE) and ultrasonic C-scan measurements. While each specimen was loaded up to a certain level, various acoustic emission parameters were recorded together with the crack opening displacement (COD). An elastic-plastic finite element analysis was performed to calculate COD and the damage (plastic) zone size ahead of crack tip. Ultrasonic C-scans, in a pulse-echo, immersion mode, were done for mapping the damage zone size. The agreement between the finite element results and the measured COD was satisfactory. Based on AE results, the test specimens were found to show ductile behavior. The slope of the total ringdown counts vs. COD curve was useful to determine the crack initiation. The preliminary C-scan images showed evidence of changes in the amplitude of ultrasonic signal in the damaged region, and the shape and size of the damage zone matched qualitatively with the finite element results. A further work on the damage zone sizing was also pointed out.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.27 no.12
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• pp.27-37
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• 2011

Uplift phenomenon occurs when the apparent unit weight of buried geo-structures becomes smaller than that of the liquefied backfill due to the increase of an excess pore water pressure during strong earthquakes. In order to explain the relationship between the uplift displacement of the buried geo-structures and the increase of the excess pore water pressure ratio in backfill, dynamic centrifuge model tests are conducted. In the present study, primary and secondary factors against uplift behavior of the buried geo-structures are considered in the dynamic centrifuge model tests. Among these factors, the most important factors affecting the increase in the excess pore water pressure ratio were the ground water depth, the relative density of backfill, and the amplitude of the input acceleration, which were also largely affect the uplift amount of the buried geo-structures.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.34 no.7
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• pp.51-58
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• 2018

In this study a series of centrifuge tests were carried out in dry sand to analyze the comparison of lateral pile behavior for static loading and dynamic loading condition. In case of static loading condition, the lateral displacement was applied up to 50% of pile diameter by deflection control method. And the input sine wave of 0.1 g~0.4 g amplitude and 1 Hz frequency was applied at the base of the soil box using shaking table for dynamic loading condition. From comparison of experimental static p-y curve obtained from static loading tests with API p-y curves, API p-y curves can predict well within 20% error the ultimate subgrade reaction force of static loading condition. The ultimate subgrade reaction force of experimental dynamic p-y curve is 5 times larger than that of API p-y curves and experimental static p-y curves. Therefore, pseudo-static analysis applied to existing p-y curve for seismic design could greatly underestimate the soil resistance at non-linear domain and cause overly conservative design.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.23-31
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• 2002

The purpose of this study is to investigate the size effect on inelastic behavior of reinforced concrete bridge piers. A computer program, named RCAHEST(reinforced concrete analysis in higher evaluation system technology), for the analysis for reinforced concrete structures was used. Material nonlinearity is taken into account by comprising tensile, compressive and shear models of cracked concrete and a model of reinforcing steel. The smeared crack approach is incorporated. In boundary plane at which each member with different thickness is connected, local discontinuous deformation due to the abrupt change in their stiffness can be taken into account by introducing interface element. The effect of number of load reversals with the same displacement amplitude has been also taken into account to model the reinforcing steel. To determine the size effect on bridge pier inelastic behavior, a 1/4-scale replicate model was also loaded for comparison with the full-scale bridge pier behavior.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.67-73
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• 2003

The purpose of this study is to evaluate seismic performance of reinforced concrete bridge columns under varying axial force. A computer program, named RCAHEST(reinforced concrete analysis in higher evaluation system technology), for the analysis for reinforced concrete structures was used. Material nonlinearity is taken into account by comprising tensile, compressive and shear models of cracked concrete and a model of reinforcing steel. The smeared crack approach is incorporated. In boundary plane at which each member with different thickness is connected, local discontinuity in deformation due to the abrupt change in their stiffness can be taken into account by introducing interface element. The effect of number of load reversals with the same displacement amplitude has been also taken into account to model the reinforcing steel and concrete. The proposed numerical method for seismic performance evaluation of reinforced concrete bridge columns under varying axial force is verified by comparison with reliable experimental results.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.467-473
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• 2002

The purpose of this study is to investigate the inelastic behavior and ductility capacity of reinforced concrete frame subjected to cyclic lateral load and to provide result for developing improved seismic design criteria. A computer program named RCAHEST(Reinforced Concrete Analysis in Higher Evaluation System Technology) for the analysis of reinforced concrete structures was used. Material nonlinearity is taken into account by comprising tensile, compressive and shear models of cracked concrete and a model of reinforcing steel. The smeared crack approach is incorporated. The strength increase of concrete due to the lateral confining reinforcement has been taken into account to model the confined concrete. In boundary plane at which each member with different thickness is connected local discontinuous deformation due to the abrupt change in their stiffness can be taken into account by introducing interface element. The effect of number of load reversals with the same displacement amplitude has been also taken into account to model the reinforcing steel. The proposed numerical method for the inelastic behavior and ductility capacity of reinforced concrete frame subjected to cyclic lateral load is verified by comparison with reliable experimental results.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.33 no.7
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• pp.629-636
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• 2009

Mechanical stimulation is known to play a vital role on the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to pre-osteoblasts. In this research, we developed a tensile cell stimulator, composed of a DC motor-driven actuator and LVDT sensor for measuring linear displacement, to study the effects of tensile stress on osteogenic differentiation of MSCs. First, we demonstrated the reliability of this device by showing the uniform strain field in the silicon substrate. Secondly, we investigated the effects of tensile stretching on osteogenic differentiation. We imposed a pre-set cyclic strain at a fixed frequency on cell monolayer cultured on a flexible silicon substrate while varying its amplitude and duration. 60 min of resting period was allowed between 30 min of cyclic stretching and this cycle is repeated up to 7 days. Under the combined stimulation with osteogenic media and mechanical stretching, the osteogenic markers such as alkaline phosphatase (ALP), osterix, and osteopontin began to get expressed as early as 4 days of stimulation, which is much shorter than what is typically required for osteogenic media induced differentiation. Moreover, different markers were induced at different magnitudes of the applied strains. Lastly, for the case of ALP, we observed the antagonistic effects of osteogenic media when combined with mechanical stretching.