• Computers and Concrete
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.1-18
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• 2013

This paper presents an actual microstructure-based numerical method to investigate the mechanical properties of concrete at mesoscopic level. Digital image processing technique is used to capture the concrete surface image and generate the actual 3-phase microstructure of the concrete, which consists of aggregate, matrix and interfacial transition zones. The microstructure so generated is then transformed into a mesh or grid for numerical analysis. A finite difference code FLAC2D is used for the numerical analysis to simulate the mechanical responses and failure patterns of the concrete. Several cases of concrete with different degrees of material heterogeneity and under different compression loading conditions have been analysed. From the numerical results, the effects of the internal material heterogeneities as well as the external confining stresses are studied. It is shown that the material heterogeneities arising from the presence of different phases and the existence of interfacial transition zones have great influence on the overall mechanical behaviour of concrete and that the numerically simulated behaviour of concrete with or without confining stresses applied agrees quite well with the general observations reported in the literature.

• Journal of the Korean Geophysical Society
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.337-344
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• 2002

The alluvial deposits along meandering rivers can be used as an artificial aquifer for infiltration of river waters. Internal heterogeneity of the alluvial deposits is a prerequisite information for the development of alluvial groundwater because vortical and lateral movement of alluvial ground water depends on the internal heterogeneity The internal heterogeneity due to variations in channel behavior can be delineated using GPR survey, GPR profiles for the point bar deposits near Buyeo county reveals two different stratigraphic units: the lower inclined heterogeneous strata and the upper horizontally stratified strata. The upper unit is largely indicative of vertical accumulation by overbank floods within a floodplain, whereas the lower one represents typical point bar deposits formed by lateral accretion. The stratigraphic variation in the heterogeneity shows that GPR survey is a useful and necessary investigation method for the development of alluvial ground water.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.218-223
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• 2014

The domain structures, dielectric properties, and phase transformation of (001)-oriented $Pb(Mg_{1/3}Nb_{2/3})O_3-x%PbTiO_3$ (PMN-x%PT) crystals for x=20, 30, 35, and 40 mole% have been investigated. PMN-20%PT consists of polar nano-domains (PND) which do not self-assemble into macro-domain plates. PMN-30%PT consists of PNDs which begin to self-assemble into colonies along preferred {110} planes. PMN-35PT consists of miniature polar domains on the nm scale. PMN-40%PT consists of {001} oriented lamella domains on the mm scale that have internal nano-scale heterogeneities. The dielectric properties of poled (001) PMN-x%PT single crystals have been measured for orientations both parallel and perpendicular to the [001] poling direction. The results of the temperature dependence of the dielectric constant and mesh scans for the 30%PT sample demonstrate that the initial monoclinic phase changes to single domain tetragonal phase and to cubic phase with increasing temperature.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.300-304
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• 2009

The domain structures of annealed (001)-oriented $Pb(Mg_{1/3}Nb_{2/3})O_3-x%PbTiO_3$ (PMN-x%PT) crystals for x = 10, 20, 30, 35, and 40 at% were investigated by Polarized Optical Microscopy (POM) and Scanning Force Microscopy (SFM) in the piezoresponse mode. Both Polar Nano-Domains (PND) and long strip-like domains were clearly observed. The results also showed how the domain structure changed between phases with an increasing x in the PMN-x%PT crystals and the domain hierarchy on various length scales ranging from 40 nm to 0.1 mm. Distorted pseudo-cubic phase (x < 20%) consisted of PNDs that did not self-assemble into macro-domain plates. The rhombohedral phase (x = 30%) consisted of PNDs that began to self-assemble into colonies along preferred {110} planes. The monoclinic phase (x = 35%) consisted of miniature polar domains on the nm scale, whereas, the tetragonal phase (x = 40%) consisted of {001} oriented lamella domains on the mm scale that had internal nano-scale heterogeneities, which self-assembled into macro-domain plates oriented along {001} the mm scale.

• Coupled systems mechanics
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.167-198
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• 2022

In this paper we deal with classical instability problems of heterogeneous Euler beam under conservative loading. It is chosen as the model problem to systematically present several possible solution methods from simplest deterministic to more complex stochastic approach, both of which that can handle more complex engineering problems. We first present classical analytic solution along with rigorous definition of the classical Euler buckling problem starting from homogeneous beam with either simplified linearized theory or the most general geometrically exact beam theory. We then present the numerical solution to this problem by using reduced model constructed by discrete approximation based upon the weak form of the instability problem featuring von Karman (virtual) strain combined with the finite element method. We explain how such numerical approach can easily be adapted to solving instability problems much more complex than classical Euler's beam and in particular for heterogeneous beam, where analytic solution is not readily available. We finally present the stochastic approach making use of the Duffing oscillator, as the corresponding reduced model for heterogeneous Euler's beam within the dynamics framework. We show that such an approach allows computing probability density function quantifying all possible solutions to this instability problem. We conclude that increased computational cost of the stochastic framework is more than compensated by its ability to take into account beam material heterogeneities described in terms of fast oscillating stochastic process, which is typical of time evolution of internal variables describing plasticity and damage.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.86 no.2
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• pp.120-132
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• 2023

Background: To systematically review studies on inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) and lung cancer incidence in chronic airway disease patients. Methods: We conducted electronic bibliographic searches on OVID-MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Database before May 2020 to identify relevant studies. Detailed data on the study population, exposure, and outcome domains were reviewed. Results: Of 4,058 screened publications, 13 eligible studies in adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or asthma evaluated lung cancer incidence after ICS exposure. Pooled hazard ratio and odds ratio for developing lung cancer in ICS exposure were 0.81 (95% confidence interval, 0.64 to 1.02; I²=95.7%) from 10 studies and 1.02 (95% confidence interval 0.50 to 2.07; I²=94.7%) from three studies. Meta-regression failed to explain the substantial heterogeneity of pooled estimates. COPD and asthma were variously defined without spirometry in 11 studies. Regarding exposure assessment, three and 10 studies regarded ICS exposure as a time-dependent and fixed variable, respectively. Some studies assessed ICS use for the entire study period, whereas others assessed ICS use for 6 months to 2 years within or before study entry. Smoking was adjusted in four studies, and only four studies introduced 1 to 2 latency years in their main or subgroup analysis. Conclusion: Studies published to date on ICS and lung cancer incidence had heterogeneous study populations, exposures, and outcome assessments, limiting the generation of a pooled conclusion. The beneficial effect of ICS on lung cancer incidence has not yet been established, and understanding the heterogeneities will help future researchers to establish robust evidence on ICS and lung cancer incidence.