• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.225-232
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• 2009

As part of seismic experiments investigating crustal velocity structures of the Korean peninsula, permanent (fixed) seismographs of the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) network recorded seismic signals from four and eight large explosions in Korean Crustal Research Team (KCRT) profiles shot in 2004 and 2008, respectively. Among the seismograms recorded by 43 velocity sensors and 103 accelerometers at KMA stations distributed throughout the southern Korean Peninsula, 156 records with epicentral distances less than 120 km and high signal-to-noise ratios were analyzed to determine velocity anisotropy of the Pg phase. Relative elevation corrections of -101.6 to 105.3 ms were made using velocity information derived from the 2004 KCRT profile data and differences in elevation between the permanent KMA stations and the temporary stations in the KCRT profiles at the same source-receiver offsets. To remove site effects, receiver-station corrections of -89.6 to 192.2 ms were additionally made to the KMA station data by subtracting the average differences in traveltimes between KMA stations and portable stations at the same offsets for all available shots with different azimuths. With the exception of anomalously fast velocities along trends of the Chugaryeong fault zone and the Okchon fold belt and anomalously slow velocities in the regions of high terrestrial heat near Yeongduk and Ulsan, the analysis of crustal velocity anisotropy using the Pg phase indicates overall isotropy in the southern half of the Korean peninsula.

• Journal of the Korea Society for Simulation
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.101-109
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• 2018

Field experiments as well as numerical analyses with finite element analysis codes are two valuable and complemental ways to understand the structural response under explosive blast load. However, there seems to be only limited information available about finite element analysis and experimental validation on the response of structural components under internal explosions. For complementary use of the two ways, the numerical analyses should be validated with field experiments by comparing their results. In this paper, a small-scaled reinforced concrete building with a room is employed for experimental investigations. An amount of TNT is detonated at the center of the room. Pressure at three different sites in the room, displacement of centers of two walls, and damage patterns of four walls are measured and compared to results from numerical analyses. The experimental results are much similar to the numerical analyses results. The finite element analysis code ANSYS AUTODYN is employed to numerically analyze both pressure distribution inside the room and response of walls subjected to blast pressure. The feasibility and validity of the numerical analysis on the reponses of structural components under internal explosions are discussed in terms of structural damage assessment, and evaluated as the same damage in the analysis and the experiments.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.688-699
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• 2021

On September 23, 2020, at 1:39 a.m., a bright fireball above Seocheon was observed across the country. Two fireball explosions were identified in the images of the All-Sky Camera (ASC), and the shock waves were recorded at seismic and infrasound stations in the southwestern Korean Peninsula. The location of the explosion was estimated by a Bayesian-based location method using the arrival times of the fireball-associated seismic and infrasound signals at 17 stations. Realistic azimuth- and rang-dependent propagation speeds of sound waves were incorporated into the location method to increase the reliability of the results. The location of the sound source was found to be 36.050°N, 126.855°E at an altitude of 35 km, which was close to the location of the second fireball explosion. The two explosions were identified as sequential infrasound arrivals at local infrasound stations. Simulations of waveforms for long ranges explain the detection results at distant infrasound stations, up to ~266 km from the sound source. The dominant period of the signals recorded at five infrasound stations is about 0.4 s. A period-energy relation suggests the explosion energy was equivalent to ~0.3 ton of TNT.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.333-342
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• 2022

The blast analysis method entails the use of an empirical equation and application of the pressure-time history curve as an explosive load. Although this method is efficient owing to its simple model and short run time, previous studies indicate that it may not be appropriate for near-field explosions. In this study, we investigated why different results were observed for the analysis method by considering an RC beam under near-field explosion conditions with the scaled distance of 0.4-1.0 as an example. On this basis, we examined the application range of the empirical analysis method by using the finite element analysis program LS-DYNA. The results indicate that the empirical analysis method based on data from far-field explosion tests underestimates the impulse. Thus, the calculated deflection of the RC beam would be smaller than the measured deflection and arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) analysis result. The ALE analysis method is more suitable for near-field explosion conditions wherein the structural responses are large.

• Industry Promotion Research
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.37-46
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• 2023

Due to the aging, advancement, and complexity of chemical facilities, non-routine work such as facility inspection, repair, or maintenance work is increasing. Of the 1,483 accidents that occurred over the past 10 years at chemical product manufacturing sites subject to PSM, accidents that occurred during non-routine work accounted for 56% (932 Cases) of the total. It can be seen that more accidents occur during non-routine work than during routine work. In particular, in order to improve the economy and efficiency of factory operation, there are cases where some facilities are stopped without stopping the entire factory and then inspection, repair, or maintenance work is performed while isolated from the operating facilities. Therefore, first, a safe isolation method must be selected by establishing an isolation standard (Baseline Isolation Standard) based on the chemicals handled, operating conditions, and risk level of the equipment in the chemical plant. Second, since current domestic laws and standards do not suggest the need for specific quarantine standards, it is necessary to institutionalize the preparation of quarantine standards. Technical and institutional improvements are needed to prevent fires, explosions, and poisoning accidents caused by leaks of chemical substances.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.319-327
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• 2023

This study analyzes the risks of explosions of small LPG storage tanks installed at highway rest areas. For this purpose, the ranges of the effect of thermal radiation and overpressure caused by the BLEVE(Boiling Liquid Expansion Vapor Explosion)and VCE(Vapor Cloud Explosion) of a 2900-kg small LPG storage tank installed at highway rest areas were quantitatively evaluated by applying the Areal Location of Hazardous Atmospheres program. The ranges of influence of the derived explosion overpressure and thermal radiation were found to have a maximum radii of 336 m and 423 m, respectively. The study determined that those within 269 m could be severely injured by an explosion overpressure of 3.5 psi, and fatalities from thermal radiation of 10 kw/m² could occur within 192 m of the exploded storage tank. The safety management plan for the LPG storage tank was discussed while considering the auxiliary facilities of highway rest areas and the extent of the damage impact. These research results will help improve safety accident prevention regulations considering the environment and facilities of the rest areas as well as the safety management of small LPG storage tanks installed at highway rest areas.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.419-427
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• 2024

This study assessed the potential impact of gas leakage resulting from accidental damage to buried urban gas pipelines during perforating operation near subway construction sites. The risk of explosions due to ignition sources such as static electricity, arising from gas infiltrating the subway construction site through storm sewers and sewage pipes, was evaluated using the ALOHA program. The results of the threat zone calculation, which input various parameters of urban gas pipelines such as length, diameter, and pressure, indicated that the flammable area within the vapor cloud extended from 1.2 to 1.4 km (red zone), the blast area ranged from 0.8 to 1.0 km (yellow zone), and the jet fire extended from 45 to 61 m (red zone). This study demonstrates that within the flammable area of the vapor cloud, a specific combination of concentration and conditions can increase flammability. The blast area may experience explosions with a pressure of 1.0 psi, sufficient to break glass windows. In the event of a jet fire, high temperatures and intense radiant heat exposure lead to rapid fire propagation in densely populated areas, posing a high risk of casualties. The findings are presented in terms of the sphere of influence and threat zone ranges.

• Proceedings of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea Conference
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• 2000.04a
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• pp.63-69
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• 2000

Korea Institute of Geology Mining and Materials(KIGAM) cooperating with Southern Methodist University(SMU) has been operating seismo-acoustic array in Chul-Won area to discriminate man-made explosions from natural earthquakes since at the end of July 1999. In order to characterize propagation parameters of detected seismo-acoustic signal and to associate these signals as a blast event accompanying seismic and acoustic signals simultaneously it is necessary to understand infrasound wave propagation in the atmosphere. Two comparable Effective Sound Velocity Structures(ESVS) in atmosphere were constructed by using empirical model (MSISE90 and HWM93) and by aerological observation data of Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) at O-San area. Infrasound propagation path computed by empirical model resulted in rare arival of refracted waves on ground less than 200km from source region. On the other hand Propagation paths by KMA more realistic data had various arrivals at near source region and well agreement with analyzed seismo-acoustic signals from Chul-Won data. And infrasound propagation in specific direction was very influenced by horizontal wind component in that direction. Linear travel time curve drawn up by 9 days data of the KMA in autumn season showed 335.6m/s apparent sound velocity in near source region. The propagation characteristics will be used to associate seismo-acoustic signals and to calculate propagation parameters of infrasound wave front.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.58.3-59
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• 2015

Dynamical expansion of H II regions plays a key role in dispersing surrounding gas and therefore in limiting the efficiency of star formation in molecular clouds. We use analytic methods and numerical simulations to explore expansions of spherical dusty H II regions, taking into account the effects of direct radiation pressure, gas pressure, and total gravity of the gas and stars. Simulations show that the structure of the ionized zone closely follows Draine (2011)'s static equilibrium model in which radiation pressure acting on gas and dust grains balances the gas pressure gradient. Strong radiation pressure creates a central cavity and a compressed shell at the ionized boundary. We analytically solve for the temporal evolution of a thin shell, finding a good agreement with the numerical experiments. We estimate the minimum star formation efficiency required for a cloud of given mass and size to be destroyed by an HII region expansion. We find that typical giant molecular clouds in the Milky Way can be destroyed by the gas-pressure driven expansion of an H II region, requiring an efficiency of less than a few percent. On the other hand, more dense cluster-forming clouds in starburst environments can be destroyed by the radiation pressure driven expansion, with an efficiency of more than ~30 percent that increases with the mean surface density, independent of the total (gas+stars) mass. The time scale of the expansion is always smaller than the dynamical time scale of the cloud, suggesting that H II regions are likely to be a dominant feedback process in protoclusters before supernova explosions occurs.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.79.1-79.1
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• 2015

We describe our ongoing project, Intensive Monitoring Survey of Nearby Galaxies. This survey is designed to study transients such as Supernovae (SNe) in nearby galaxies. Our targets are UV-bright (MUV < -18.4) and nearby (d < 50 Mpc) 50 galaxies selected from a GALEX catalog, whose star formation rates are larger than normal galaxies. High star formation in these galaxies ensures that core-collapse supernova explosions occur more frequently in them than normal galaxies. By monitoring them with a short cadence of a few hours, we expect to discover 5 SNe/yr events. Most importantly, we hope to construct very early light curves in rising phase for some of them, which enables us to understand better the physical properties of progenitor star and the explosion mechanism. To enable such a high cadence observation, we constructed a world wide telescope network covering northern, southern hemisphere distributed over a wide range of longitudes (Korea, US, Australia, Uzbekistan and Spain). Data reduction pipe line, detection and classification algorithms are being developed for an efficient processing of the data. Using the network of telescopes, we expect to reach observe not only SNe but also other transients like GRBs, Asteroid, variable AGNs and gravitaional wave optical counter part.