• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제55권4호
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• pp.1485-1494
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• 2023

The bow of the nuclear fuel assembly is a well-known phenomenon. One of the vital criteria during the history of nuclear fuel development has been fuel assembly's mechanical stability. Once present, the fuel assembly bow can lead to safety issues like excessive water gap and power redistribution or even incomplete rod insertion (IRI). The extensive bow can result in assembly handling and loading problems. This is why the fuel assembly's bow is one of the most often controlled geometrical factors during periodic fuel inspections for VVER when compared e.g. to on-site fuel rod gap measurements or other instrumental measurements performed on-site. Our proposed screening method uses existing video records for fuel inspection. We establish video frames normalization and aggregation for the purposes of bow measurement. The whole process is done by digital image processing algorithms which analyze rotations of video frames, extract angles whose source is the fuel set torsion, and reconstruct torsion schema. This approach provides results comparable to the commonly utilized method. We tested this new approach in real operation on 19 fuel assemblies with different campaign numbers and designs, where the average deviation from other methods was less than 2 % on average. Due to the fact, that the method has not yet been validated during full scale measurements of the fuel inspection, the preliminary results stand for that we recommend this method as a complementary part of standard bow measurement procedures to increase measurement robustness, lower time consumption and preserve or increase accuracy. After completed validation it is expected that the proposed method allows standalone fuel assembly bow measurements.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• 제33권2호
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• pp.119-131
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• 2024

Drift angle is a significant index for diagnosing post-event structures. A common way to estimate this drift response is by using modal parameters identified under natural excitations. Although the modal parameters of shear structures cannot be identified accurately in the real environment, the identification error has little impact on the estimation when measurements from several floors are used. However, the estimation accuracy falls dramatically when there is only one accelerometer. This paper describes the susceptibility of single sensor identification to modelling error and simulations that preliminarily verified this characteristic. To make a robust evaluation from measurements of one floor of shear structures based on imprecisely identified parameters, a novel scheme is devised to approximately correct the mode shapes with respect to fictitious frequencies generated with a genetic algorithm; in particular, the scheme uses constrained minimization to take both the mathematical aspect and the realistic aspect of the mode shapes into account. The algorithm was validated by using a full-scale shear building. The differences between single-sensor and multiple-sensor estimations were analyzed. It was found that, as the number of accelerometers decreases, the error rises due to insufficient data and becomes very high when there is only one sensor. Moreover, when measurements for only one floor are available, the proposed method yields more precise and appropriate mode shapes, leading to a better estimation on the drift angle of the lower floors compared with a method designed for multiple sensors. As well, it is shown that the reduction in space complexity is offset by increasing the computation complexity.

• Wind and Structures
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• 제14권4호
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• pp.285-300
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• 2011

Researchers at the International Hurricane Research Center (IHRC), Florida International University (FIU), are working in stages on the construction of a large state-of-the-art Wall of Wind (WoW) facility to support research in the area of Wind Engineering. In this paper, the challenges of simulating hurricane winds for the WoW are presented and investigated based on a scale model study. Three wind profiles were simulated using airfoils, and/or adjustable planks mechanism with and without grids. Evaluations of flow characteristics were performed in order to enhance the WoW's flow simulation capabilities. Characteristics of the simulated wind fields are compared to the results obtained from a study using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and also validated via pressure measurements on small-scale models of the Silsoe cube building. Optimal scale of the test model and its optimal distance from the WoW contraction exit are determined - which are two important aspects for testing using an open jet facility such as the WoW. The main objective of this study is to further the understanding of the WoW capabilities and the characteristics of its test section by means of intensive tests and validations at small scale in order to apply this knowledge to the design of the full-scale WoW and for future wind engineering testing.

• Wind and Structures
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• 제20권3호
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• pp.469-488
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• 2015

A full-scale instrumented low-rise building with gable roof was built at a coastal site with a high incidence of tropical cyclones for monitoring of wind effects on the building during windstorms. This paper presents the field measurements of the wind velocity field around and the wind-induced pressures on the low-rise building during the passage of severe tropical storm Soudelor. Near-ground wind characteristics such as wind speed, wind direction, turbulence intensity, gust factor, turbulence integral length scale and wind velocity spectra were investigated. The wind-induced pressures on the roof of the building were analyzed and discussed. The results revealed that the eave and ridge edges on the roof were subjected to the most severe suction pressures under quartering winds. These suction pressures showed obvious non-Gaussian behavior. The measured results were compared with the provisions of ASCE 7-10 to assess the suitability of the code of practice for the wind-resistant design of low-rise buildings under tropical cyclones. The field study aims to provide useful information that can enhance our understanding of the extreme wind effects on low-rise buildings in an effort to reduce tropical cyclone wind damages to residential buildings.

• Wind and Structures
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• 제14권3호
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• pp.253-283
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• 2011

This paper presents the field measurement results of wind effects on a super-tall building (CITIC Plaza, 391 m high) located in Guangzhou. The field data such as wind speed, wind direction and acceleration responses were simultaneously and continuously recorded from the tall building by a wind and vibration monitoring system during two typhoons. The typhoon-generated wind characteristics including turbulence intensity, gust factor, peak factor, turbulence integral length scale and power spectral density of fluctuating wind speed were presented and discussed. The dynamic characteristics of the tall building were determined based on the field measurements and compared with those calculated from a 3D finite element model of the building. The measured natural frequencies of the two fundamental sway modes of the building were found to be larger than those calculated. The damping ratios of the building were evaluated by the random decrement technique, which demonstrated amplitude-dependent characteristics. The field measured acceleration responses were compared with wind tunnel test results, which were found to be consistent with the model test data. Finally, the serviceability performance of the super-tall building was assessed based on the field measurement results.

• 전산구조공학
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• 제2권3호
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• pp.77-84
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• 1989

본 논문의 내용은 철근콘크리트 보-기둥 접합부가 지진 하중을 받을 때의 거동에 대하여 관찰한 것이다. 똑같이 제작된 두개의 시험체에 정적 반복하중과 동적 반복하중을 가하여 하중-처짐 곡선이나 파괴 성상 등에 관하여 차이점을 기록하였다. 동적하중을 받는 시험체의 거동은 내진설계 규준에서 일반적으로 쓰여지는 정적하중 하에서의 시험체의 거동과는 판이한 양상을 보여주었다. 시험체가 동적하중을 받을 때에는 정적하중을 받을 때 보다 1. 극한하중이 20-25% 증가하고 2. 높은 취성을 보이며 3. 균열이 집중되고 4. 휨파괴 보다는 전단파괴현상을 나타내었다.

• Wind and Structures
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• 제13권5호
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• pp.451-469
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• 2010

The majority of weather-related failures of transmission line structures that have occurred in the past have been attributed to high intensity localized wind events, in the form of tornadoes and downbursts. A numerical scheme is developed in the current study to assess the performance of transmission lines under tornado wind load events. The tornado wind field is based on a model scale Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) analysis that was conducted and validated in a previous study. Using field measurements and code specifications, the CFD model data is used to estimate the wind fields for F4 and F2 full scale tornadoes. The wind forces associated with these tornado fields are evaluated and later incorporated into a nonlinear finite element three-dimensional model for the transmission line system, which includes a simulation for the towers and the conductors. A comparison is carried between the forces in the members resulting from the tornadoes, and those obtained using the conventional design wind loads. The study reveals the importance of considering tornadoes when designing transmission line structures.

• 한국강구조학회 논문집
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• 제24권4호
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• pp.479-490
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• 2012

본 연구에서는 고강도 강재의 플랜지 폭두께비가 강도 및 회전능력에 미치는 영향을 분석하고자 인장강도 800MPa급 고강도 강재인 HSB800, HSA800의 조립 H형강 보에 대해 실물대실험 연구를 수행하였다. 일반강재의 실험결과를 바탕으로 정립된 현행 기준의 폭두께비 규정을 고강도 강재에 그대로 확대 적용할 수 있는지의 여부를 평가하는 것을 연구의 주 목표로 하였다. 실험결과 고강도 휨부재는 강도측면에서 매우 만족스러운 성능을 발현하였으나, 회전능력측면에서는 일반강재 대비 부족한 성능을 발휘하였다. 이러한 고강도 강재의 부족한 회전능력은 항복참(yield plateau)의 부재와 높은 항복비를 갖는 고강도강의 재료적 특성과 관련됨을 입증하였다. 잔류응력 측정결과 잔류응력의 크기는 소재의 항복강도와 무관함을 재확인 할 수 있었다.

• Wind and Structures
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• 제21권2호
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• pp.159-182
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• 2015

This study focuses on the amplitude dependency of damping of tall structures by the random decrement technique (RDT). Many researchers have adopted RDT to establish the amplitude dependency of damping ratios in super-tall buildings under strong wind loads. In this study, a series of simulated examples were analyzed to examine the reliability of this method. Results show that damping ratios increase as vibration amplitudes increase in several cases; however, the damping ratios in the simulated signals were preset as constants. This finding reveals that this method and the derived amplitude-dependent damping ratio characteristics are unreliable. Moreover, this method would obviously yield misleading results if the simulated signals contain Gaussian white noise. Full-scale measurements on a super-tall building were conducted during four typhoons, and the recorded data were analyzed to observe the amplitude dependency of damping ratio. Relatively wide scatter is observed in the resulting damping ratios, and the damping ratios do not appear to have an obvious nonlinear relationship with vibration amplitude. Numerical simulation and field measurement results indicate that the widely-used method for establishing the amplitude-dependent damping characteristics of super-tall buildings and the conclusions derived from it might be questionable at the least. More field-measured data must be collected under strong wind loads, and the damping characteristics of super-tall buildings should be investigated further.

• 한국터널지하공간학회 논문집
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• 제21권5호
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• pp.611-620
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• 2019

쉴드터널은 직경 3~4 m 규모의 전력구 등에 주로 적용되었으나, 최근 직경 7~8 m 규모의 쉴드터널이 인천국제공항 활주로 하부에 시공되었으며, 한강 하저구간 도로 및 철도터널 시공완료 및 계획중에 있다. 쉴드터널 단면이 증가함에 따라 세그먼트 또한 대형화되고 있으며, 이로 인하여 세그먼트의 설계, 시공 및 성능평가 시 여러 문제점이 야기되고 있다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 직경 약 8 m 규모의 쉴드터널에 대한 현장계측 및 실대형 하중재하 시험을 통하여 쉴드터널 세그먼트 라이닝 구조적 안정성 분석, 축력을 고려한 세그먼트 사용성 검토방안의 적합성 및 품질관리 방안에 대하여 검토하였다.