• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.583-607
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• 2016

One of the main applications of seismic risk assessment is that an specific design could be selected for a bridge from different alternatives by considering damage losses alongside primary construction costs. Therefore, in this paper, the focus is on selecting the shape of pylon, which is a changeable component in the design of a cable-stayed bridge, as a double criterion decision-making problem. Different shapes of pylons include H, A, Y, and diamond shape, and the two criterion are construction costs and probable earthquake losses. In this research, decision-making is performed by using developed seismic risk assessment process as a powerful method. Considering the existing uncertainties in seismic risk assessment process, the combined incremental dynamic analysis (IDA) and uniform design (UD) based fragility assessment method is proposed, in which the UD method is utilized to provide the logical capacity models of the structure, and the IDA method is employed to give the probabilistic seismic demand model of structure. Using the aforementioned models and by defining damage states, the fragility curves of the bridge system are obtained for the different pylon shapes usage. Finally, by combining the fragility curves with damage losses and implementing the proposed cost-loss-benefit (CLB) method, the seismic risk assessment process is developed with financial-comparative approach. Thus, the optimal shape of the pylon can be determined using double criterion decision-making. The final results of decision-making study indicate that the optimal pylon shapes for the studied span of cable-stayed bridge are, respectively, H shape, diamond shape, Y shape, and A shape.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.83 no.3
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• pp.401-413
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• 2022

The collapse of civil infrastructure due to natural disasters results in financial losses and many casualties. In particular, the recent increase in earthquake activities has highlighted on the importance of assessing the seismic performance and predicting the seismic risk of a structure. However, the nonlinear behavior of a structure and the uncertainty in ground motion complicate the accurate seismic response prediction of a structure. Artificial intelligence can overcome these limitations to reasonably predict the nonlinear behavior of structures. In this study, a deep learning-based algorithm was developed to estimate the time-history seismic response of bridge structures. The proposed deep neural network was trained using structural and ground motion parameters. The performance of the seismic response prediction algorithm showed the similar phase and magnitude to those of the time-history analysis in a single-degree-of-freedom system that exhibits nonlinear behavior as a main structural element. Then, the proposed algorithm was expanded to predict the seismic response and fragility prediction of a bridge system. The proposed deep neural network reasonably predicted the nonlinear seismic behavior of piers and bearings for approximately 93% and 87% of the test dataset, respectively. The results of the study also demonstrated that the proposed algorithm can be utilized to assess the seismic fragility of bridge components and system.

• East Asian Economic Review
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.167-197
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• 2017

I build a small open economy (SOE) dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE) model to investigate the effect of a heterogeneous wage contract between regular and temporary workers on a macroeconomic volatility in a financially fragile economy. The imperfect financial market condition is captured by a quadratic financial adjustment cost for borrowing foreign assets, and the labor market friction is captured by a Nash bargaining process which is only available to the regular workers when they negotiate their wages with the firms while the temporary workers are given their wage which simply equals the marginal cost. As a result of impulse responsesto a domestic productivity shock, the higher elasticity of substitution between two types of workers and the lower weight on the regular workers in the firm's production process induce the higher volatilities in most variables. This is reasoned that the higher substitutability creates more volatile wage determination process while the lower share of the regular workers weakens their Nash bargaining power in the contract process.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.5-18
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• 2017

Total debt in the People's Republic of China surged to nearly 290% as a ratio to GDP by the second quarter of 2016, mostly on account of non-financial corporate debt. The outpouring of credit to stem the impact of the global financial crisis accentuated industrial overcapacity in traditional sectors, such as steel, cement, and energy, while feeding asset bubbles in the property, equity and bond markets. At the Chinese corporate level, this has translated into weakened fundamentals and a fall in industrial profits, particularly of SOEs. As debtors struggle to service interest payments, non-performing loans (NPLs) have been on the rise. This paper assesses the financial fragility of the Chinese economy by looking at risk factors in the non-financial sector. We apply quantile regressions to a dataset containing all Chinese listed companies in Standard & Poor's IQ Capital database. We find higher sensitivity over time of corporate leverage to some of its key determinants, particularly for firms at the upper margin of the distribution. In particular, profitability increasingly acts as a curb on corporate leverage. At a time of falling profitability across the Chinese non-financial corporate sector, this eases the brake on leverage and may contribute to its continuing increase.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.60-67
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• 2013

As chemotherapy and other sophisticated treatment strategies evolve and the number of survivors of long-term childhood cancer grows, the long-term complications of treatment and the cancer itself are becoming ever more important. One of the most important but often neglected complications is osteoporosis and increased risk of fracture during and after cancer treatment. Acquisition of optimal peak bone mass and strength during childhood and adolescence is critical to preventing osteoporosis later in life. However, most childhood cancer patients have multiple risk factors for bone mineral loss. Cancer itself, malnutrition, decreased physical activity during treatment, chemotherapeutic agents such as steroids, and radiotherapy cause bone mineral deficit. Furthermore, complications such as growth hormone deficiency and musculoskeletal deformity have negative effects on bone metabolism. Low bone mineral density is associated with fractures, skeletal deformity, pain, and substantial financial burden not only for childhood cancer survivors but also for public health care systems. Thus, it is important to monitor bone health in these patients and minimize their risk of developing osteoporosis and fragility fractures later in life.

• International Commerce and Information Review
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.339-361
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• 2009

This paper attempts to provide a way to improvement in trade & commerce between Korea and Russia, analyzing the influence of the circumstances of the Russian economy on economic relations between the two countries. The study briefly reviews the current situation of the Russian economy, and tries to examine the strong points to be considered as leverage for cooperation and the weak points to be overcome. Previous studies have determined that the Russian economy has unlimited potential for growth, because it is endowed with abundant resources, and has a government willing to reform for the opening of the economy, as well as high-quality labor. However, the economic structure is vulnerable to impact of the worldwide financial crisis. It is not possible to overlook its institutional fragility and vulnerability such as a corrupt bureaucracy or a relatively large black market. These undesirable factors may not only undermine the basis of Russia economy but also a hindrance to economic cooperation by increasing economic uncertainty. This paper attempts to analyze comprehensively the socio-economic factors that influence the open-economy of Russia, and to illustrate strategies for improvement in trade and commerce through the viewpoint of Korean firms that are already in business or are trying to enter in the near future. Some measures to improve their economic cooperation are suggested at the end.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.1025-1034
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• 2004

Purpose: This study defines a vulnerable group in a community that has become the main target of a national health project also, it is descriptive research to suggest an evidence-based direction to meet their deficit health-related needs, Method: This research examined 833 families and 1,835 family members of the financially vulnerable class that was registered in a home visiting program of a public health center. Among them, 892 persons who had health problems, and their family members were examined in detail to find out their characteristics of vulnerability and health needs by assessment during a nurses home visit. Frequency distribution, stepwise-regression and factor analysis were used to analyze the data. Result: The vulnerable group that was defined with social indexes set as standards, involved substantial characteristics of vulnerability. The characteristics of demand showed tendencies of being clustered in 5 factors needs of intensive nursing care, chronic nursing care problems and helplessness, maintenance of family functioning with a disability, deficient problem solving ability, and simple financial fragility. Conclusion: Categorization of needs is an evidence-based estimator of workload in nurse home visiting services, and can be used as a basic resource for direction to meet the deficit needs of a vulnerable group.

• International Commerce and Information Review
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.83-103
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• 2009

This paper attempts to provide a way to improvement in trade & commerce between Korea and Russia, analyzing the influence of the circumstances of the Russian economy on economic relations between the two countries. The study briefly reviews the current situation of the Russian economy, and tries to examine the strong points to be considered as leverage for cooperation and the weak points to be overcome. Previous studies have determined that the Russian economy has unlimited potential for growth, because it is endowed with abundant resources, and has a government willing to reform for the opening of the economy, as well as high-quality labor. However, the economic structure is vulnerable to impact of the worldwide financial crisis. It is not possible to overlook its institutional fragility and vulnerability such as a corrupt bureaucracy or a relatively large black market. These undesirable factors may not only undermine the basis of Russia economy but also a hindrance to economic cooperation by increasing economic uncertainty. This paper attempts to analyze comprehensively the socio-economic factors that influence the open-economy of Russia, and to illustrate strategies for improvement in trade and commerce through the viewpoint of Korean firms that are already in business or are trying to enter in the near future. Some measures to improve their economic cooperation are suggested at the end.

• International journal of steel structures
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.1200-1209
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• 2018

In this study, a probabilistic framework of the damage assessment of pipelines subjected to extreme hazard scenario was developed to mitigate the risk and enhance design reliability. Nonlinear 3D finite element models of T-joint systems were developed based on experimental tests with respect to leakage detection of black iron piping systems, and a damage assessment analysis of the vulnerability of their components according to nominal pipe size, coupling type, and wall thickness under seismic wave propagations was performed. The analysis results showed the 2-inch schedule 40 threaded T-joint system to be more fragile than the others with respect to the nominal pipe sizes. As for the coupling types, the data indicated that the probability of failure of the threaded T-joint coupling was significantly higher than that of the grooved type. Finally, the seismic capacity of the schedule 40 wall thickness was weaker than that of schedule 10 in the 4-inch grooved coupling, due to the difference in the prohibition of energy dissipation. Therefore, this assessment can contribute to the damage detection and financial losses due to failure of the joint piping system in a liquid pipeline, prior to the decision-making.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.69-79
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• 2022

The purpose of the study is to look into the likelihood of private sector enterprises going bankrupt due to COVID-19 pandemic-related issues. The data for this study was taken from the World Bank's Enterprise Survey, which was intended to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the business sector. This study uses the Ordinal Logit Method to analyze the model with dependent variables having ordinal values. The determinants reflect business performance, innovation, business relationships, and government support. According to the estimation results, a lower probability of business closures, illiquidity, and payment delays are found in businesses that maintain sales growth, operating hours, temporary workers, product portfolio, consumer demand, and input supply. Meanwhile, the increase in online business activities and receiving support from financial institutions and the government do not help businesses reduce the risk. Moreover, higher survival is found in manufacturing and developing countries. This implies the fragility of businesses in the retail and service sectors, especially for mega-enterprises in developed countries. In addition, the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on businesses in Europe and West Asia is less severe than in other regions. The results imply policies to support the private sector during the pandemic, such as increasing labor market flexibility or rapidly implementing supportive policies.