• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.665-679
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• 2015

The strain rate of reinforced concrete (RC) structures stimulated by earthquake action has been generally recognized as in the range from $10^{-4}/s$ to $10^{-1}/s$. Because both concrete and steel reinforcement are rate-sensitive materials, the RC beam-column joints are bound to behave differently under different strain rates. This paper describes an investigation of seismic behavior of RC beam-column joints which are subjected to large cyclic displacements on the beam ends with three loading velocities, i.e., 0.4 mm/s, 4 mm/s and 40 mm/s respectively. The levels of strain rate on the joint core region are correspondingly estimated to be $10^{-5}/s$, $10^{-4}/s$, and $10^{-2}/s$. It is aimed to better understand the effect of strain rates on seismic behavior of beam-column joints, such as the carrying capacity and failure modes as well as the energy dissipation. From the experiments, it is observed that with the increase of loading velocity or strain rate, damage in the joint core region decreases but damage in the plastic hinge regions of adjacent beams increases. The energy absorbed in the hysteresis loops under higher loading velocity is larger than that under quasi-static loading. It is also found that the yielding load of the joint is almost independent of the loading velocity, and there is a marginal increase of the ultimate carrying capacity when the loading velocity is increased for the ranges studied in this work. However, under higher loading velocity the residual carrying capacity after peak load drops more rapidly. Additionally, the axial compression ratio has little effect on the shear carrying capacity of the beam-column joints, but with the increase of loading velocity, the crack width of concrete in the joint zone becomes narrower. The shear carrying capacity of the joint at higher loading velocity is higher than that calculated with the quasi-static method proposed by the design code. When the dynamic strengths of materials, i.e., concrete and reinforcement, are directly substituted into the design model of current code, it tends to be insufficiently safe.

• Journal of Navigation and Port Research
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• v.29 no.5 s.101
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• pp.389-394
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• 2005

The additional moment occurs because the superstructures of VLFS are influenced by wave loads instead of earthquake loads. In order to reduce the additional moment, this study used the semi-rigid connections which lie between fully rigid and pinned. If the semi-rigid connections are used for superstructures of VLFS, the moment of beams can be reduced and more economical construction will be possible. This study aims to show the effect of wave loads on structure and the efficiency of the semi-rigid connections due to wave loads by analyzing the time history responses. The dynamic behaviors of the rigid frame are compared with those of the semi-rigid frame considering of static loads, wave loads and combination loads for a four-bay, three-story frames. The semi-rigid connection type is a steel tubular column with square external-diaphragm connections and the time history analysis is used for the dynamic responses. The additional moment responses due to wave loads increase $33\%$ in the rigid frame, $26\%$ in the semi-rigid frame with the spring model.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.17-27
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• 2019

In this paper, we study the applicability of Tuned Mass Damper(TMD) to improve seismic performance of piping system under earthquake loading. For this purpose, a mode analysis of the target pipeline is performed, and TMD installation locations are selected as important modes with relatively large mass participation ratio in each direction. In order to design the TMD at selected positions, each corresponding mode is replaced with a SDOF damped model, and accordingly the corresponding pipeline is converted into a 2-DOF system by considering the TMD as a SDOF damped model. Then, optimal design values of the TMD, which can minimize the dynamic amplification factor of the transformed 2-DOF system, are derived through GA optimization method. The proposed TMD design values are applied to the pipeline numerical model to analyze seismic performance with and without TMD installation. As a result of numerical analyses, it is confirmed that the directional acceleration responses, the maximum normal stresses and directional reaction forces of the pipeline system are reduced, quite a lot. The results of this study are expected to be used as basic information with respect to the improvement of the seismic performance of the piping system in the future.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.123-136
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• 2019

This study examines the effect of collector well installed to reduce groundwater level in the regions with the occurrence of landcreep, a soil mass movement triggered by instability on slopes. Slopes are prone to failure as a result of instability caused by its internal, topographic and geological properties as well as due to external factors such as rainfall and earthquake. In Korea during the rain season, rainfall infiltration affects the groundwater level in soil, building up porewater pressure and load, and finally drives slopes to collapse. Slope failure caused by rainfall infiltration has been leading to a drastic forest degradation. The studied slope is located adjacent to a valley, its terrain corresponds to piedmont gentle slope, while the upper part of the failure surface is steep. After reinforcing the terrain where landcreep had occurred and installing collector well on the slope, we measured the changes in the groundwater level. In order to analyze the relationship between the well and the slope, we calculated the ratio of groundwater level to rainfall before and after the installation of the collector well. As a result, it is confirmed that the ratio increases after the installation of the well, which in turn reduces the groundwater level. Analysis of the change in groundwater level after 3, 7, 15 days antecedent rainfall showed that the higher the overall groundwater level, the less the value ($r_p$) of groundwater level-rainfall ratio is, while the value becomes relatively greater when the groundwater level is low. In particular, if a slope has a large catchment basin as is in the case of the studied site, antecedent rainfall affects groundwater level in the order of 3 < 7 < 15 days.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.589-602
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• 2020

As can be seen in many earthquakes, liquefaction causes differential settlement, which sometimes produces serious damages such as building destruction and ground subsidence. There are many possible active faults near the Busan city and the Yangsan, Dongrae, and Ilgwang faults among them pass through the city. The Busan city is also located within the influence of recent earthquakes, which occurred in the Gyeongju, Pohang, and Kumamoto (Japan). Along the wide fault valleys in the city, the Quaternary unconsolidated alluvial sediments are thickly accumulated, and the reclaimed lands with beach sediments are widely distributed in the coastal area. A large earthquake near or in the Busan city is thus expected to cause major damage due to liquefaction in urban areas. This study conducted an assessment of the liquefaction hazard according to seismic recurrence intervals across the Busan city. As a result, although there are slight differences in degree depending on seismic recurrence intervals, it is predicted that the liquefaction potential is very high in the areas of the Nakdonggang Estuary, Busan Bay, Suyeong Bay, and Songjeong Station. In addition, it is shown that the shorter the seismic recurrence interval, the greater difference the liquefaction potential depending on site periods.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.643-659
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• 2022

Geologic sequestration technologies such as CCS (carbon capture and storage), EGS (enhanced geothermal systems), and EOR (enhanced oil recovery) have been widely implemented in recent years, prompting evaluation of the mechanical stability of storage sites. As fluid injection can stimulate mechanical instability in storage layers by perturbing the stress state and pore pressure, poroelastic models considering various injection scenarios are required. In this study, we calculate the pore pressure, stress distribution, and vertical displacement along a surface using commercial finite element software (COMSOL); fault slips are subsequently simulated using PyLith, an open-source finite element software. The displacement fields, are obtained from PyLith is transferred back to COMSOL to determine changes in coseismic stresses and surface displacements. Our sequential use of COMSOL-PyLith-COMSOL for poroelastic modeling of fluid-injection and induced-earthquakes reveals large variations of pore pressure, vertical displacement, and Coulomb failure stress change during injection periods. On the other hand, the residual stress diffuses into the remote field after injection stops. This flow pattern suggests the necessity of numerical modeling and long-term monitoring, even after injection has stopped. We found that the time at which the Coulomb failure stress reaches the critical point greatly varies with the hydraulic and poroelastic properties (e.g., permeability and Biot-Willis coefficient) of the fault and injection layer. We suggest that an understanding of the detailed physical properties of the surrounding layer is important in selecting the injection site. Our numerical results showing the surface displacement and deviatoric stress distribution with different amounts of fault slip highlight the need to test more variable fault slip scenarios.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.26 no.8
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• pp.77-88
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• 2010

In this study, 1 g shaking table group pile tests were performed for various conditions of subgrade and pile spacing. The pile spacing was changed from three to seven times of pile diameters. It could be confirmed that the dynamic p-y curves for the group pile observed as the results of a series of shaking table tests show difference according to the pile spacing, the pile location within the pile group, the relative density of subgrade and the excess pore pressure during earthquake. The dynamic p-multipliers were calculated by comparing the dynamic p-y backbone curves of a single pile suggested by Yang (2009) and dynamic p-y curves for the group pile. Dynamic p-multiplier values overall increase as the relative density of subgrade and amplitude of input acceleration increase. The dynamic group pile effect was neglected, if the pile spacing was seven times as large as pile diameters. It was found that the exisiting p-multiplier values suggested by various researchers for the static and dynamic loading, and the values recommended by globally used specifications show difference with the test results by up to 0.7 (approximately 70%). Therefore, the dynamic p-multipliers were newly suggested according to the pile spacing and the relative density of subgrade using the test results.

• Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.80-86
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• 2024

Large-scale earthquakes are occurring globally, especially in the South Asian crust, which is experiencing a state of tension in the aftermath of the 2011 East Japan Earthquake. Uncertainty and fear regarding the possibility of further seismic activity in the near future have been on the rise in the region. The National Disaster Management Research Institute has previously studied and analyzed the overflow characteristics of a tsunami and the rate of flood forecasting through tsunami numerical simulations of the East Sea of South Korea. However, there is currently a significant lack of research on the Southern Coast tsunamis compared to the East Coast. On the Southern Coast, the tidal difference is between 1~4 m, and the impact of the tides is hard to ignore. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze the impact of the tide propagation characteristics on the tsunami. Occurrence regions that may cradle tsunamis that affect the southern coast region are the Ryukyu Island and Nankai Trough, which are active seafloor fault zones. The Southern Coast has not experienced direct damage from tsunamis before, but since the possibility is always present, further research is required to prepare precautionary measures in the face of a potential event. Therefore, this study numerically simulated a hypothetical tsunami scenario that could impact the southern coast of South Korea. In addition, the tidal wave propagation characteristics that emerge at the shore due to tide and tsunami interactions will be analyzed. This study will be used to prepare for tsunamis that might occur on the southern coast through tsunami hazard and risk analysis.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.85-93
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• 2021

The seventy percentage of Korean Peninsular is covered by the mountainous area, and the depth of west sea and south sea is relatively shallow. Therefore, a large scale land reclamation from the sea has been implemented for the construction of industrial complex, residental area, and port and airport facilities. The common problem of reclaimed land is consisted of soft ground, and hence it has low load bearing capacity as well as excessive settlement upon loading on the ground surface. The hollow concrete block has been used to reinforce the loose and soft foundation soil where the medium-high apartment or one-story industrial building is being planned to be built. Recently the earthquakes with the magnitude of 4.0~5.0 have been occurred in the west coastal and southeast coastal areas. Lee (2019) reported the advantages of hollow concrete block reinforced shallow foundation through the static laboratory bearing capacity tests. In this study, the dynamic behavior of hollow concrete block reinforced sandy ground with filling the crushed stone in the hollow space has been investigated by the means of shaking table test with the size of shaking table 1000 mm × 1000 mm. Three types of seismic wave, that is, Ofunato, Hachinohe, Artificial, and two different accelerations (0.154 g, 0.22 g) were applied in the shaking table tests. The horizontal displacement of structure which is situated right above the hollow concrete block reinforced ground was measured by using the LVDT. The relative density of soil ground are varied with 45%, 65%, and 85%, respectively, to investigate the effectiveness of reinforcement by hollow block and measured the magnitude of lateral movement, and compared with the limit value of 0.015h (Building Earthquake Code, 2019). Based on the results of shaking table test for hollow concrete block reinforced sandy ground, honeycell type hollow block gives a large interlocking force due to the filling of crushed stone in the hollow space as well as a great interface friction force by the confining pressure and punching resistance along the inside and outside of hollow concrete block. All these factors are contributed to reduce the great amount of horizontal displacement during the shaking table test. Finally, hollow concrete block reinforced sandy ground for shallow foundation is provided an outstanding reinforced method for medium-high building irrespective of seismic wave and moderate accelerations.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.26-33
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• 2008

The analysis of wide-angle seismic reflection and refraction data plays an important role in lithospheric-scale crustal structure study. However, it is extremely difficult to develop an appropriate velocity structure model directly from the observed data, and we have to improve the structure model step by step, because the crustal structure analysis is an intrinsically non-linear problem. There are several subjective processes in wide-angle crustal structure modelling, such as phase identification and trial-and-error forward modelling. Because these subjective processes in wide-angle data analysis reduce the uniqueness and credibility of the resultant models, it is important to reduce subjectivity in the analysis procedure. From this point of view, we describe two software tools, PASTEUP and MODELING, to be used for developing crustal structure models. PASTEUP is an interactive application that facilitates the plotting of record sections, analysis of wide-angle seismic data, and picking of phases. PASTEUP is equipped with various filters and analysis functions to enhance signal-to-noise ratio and to help phase identification. MODELING is an interactive application for editing velocity models, and ray-tracing. Synthetic traveltimes computed by the MODELING application can be directly compared with the observed waveforms in the PASTEUP application. This reduces subjectivity in crustal structure modelling because traveltime picking, which is one of the most subjective process in the crustal structure analysis, is not required. MODELING can convert an editable layered structure model into two-way traveltimes which can be compared with time-sections of Multi Channel Seismic (MCS) reflection data. Direct comparison between the structure model of wide-angle data with the reflection data will give the model more credibility. In addition, both PASTEUP and MODELING are efficient tools for handling a large dataset. These software tools help us develop more plausible lithospheric-scale structure models using wide-angle seismic data.