• 방사성폐기물학회지
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• 제19권3호
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• pp.367-386
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• 2021

The overestimation and underestimation of the radioactivity concentration of difficult-to-measure radionuclides can occur during the implementation of the scaling factor (SF) method because of the uncertainties associated with sampling, radiochemical analysis, and application of SFs. Strict regulations ensure that the SF method as an indirect method does not underestimate the radioactivity of nuclear wastes; however, there are no clear regulatory guidelines regarding the overestimation. This has been leading to the misuse of the SF methodology by stakeholders such as waste disposal licensees and regulatory bodies. Previous studies have reported instances of overestimation in statistical implementation of the SF methodology. The analysis of the two most popular linear models of the SF methodology showed that severe overestimation may occur and radioactivity concentration data must be dealt with care. Since one major source of overestimation is the use of minimum detectable activity (MDA) values as true activity values, a comparative study of instrumental techniques that could reduce the MDAs was also conducted. Thermal ionization mass spectrometry was recommended as a suitable candidate for the trace level analysis of long-lived beta-emitters such as iodine-129. Additionally, the current status of the United States and Korea was reviewed from the perspective of overestimation.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• 제24권2호
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• pp.167-178
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• 2021

Spatial variability is an inherent uncertainty of soil properties. Current reliability analyses generally incorporate random field theory and Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) when dealing with spatial variability, in which the computational efficiency is a significant challenge. This paper proposes a KL-FORM algorithm to improve the computational efficiency. In the proposed KL-FORM, Karhunen-Loeve (KL) expansion is used for discretizing random fields, and first-order reliability method (FORM) is employed for reliability analysis. The KL expansion and FORM can be used in conjunction, through adopting independent standard normal variables in the discretization of KL expansion as the basic variables in the FORM. To illustrate the effectiveness of this KL-FORM, it is applied to a case study of a strip footing in spatially variable unsaturated soil under rainfall, in which the bearing capacity of the footing is computed by numerical simulation. This case study shows that the KL-FORM is accurate and efficient. The parametric analyses suggest that ignoring the spatial variability of the soil may lead to an underestimation of the reliability index of the footing.

• Computers and Concrete
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• 제26권6호
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• pp.533-546
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• 2020

The prediction of spall response of reinforced concrete members like columns and slabs have been attempted by earlier researchers with analytical solutions, as well as with empirical models developed from data generated from physical or numerical experiments, with different degrees of success. In this article, compared to the empirical models, more versatile and accurate models are developed based on model-free approach of artificial neural network (ANN). Synthetic data extracted from the results of numerical experiments from literature have been utilized for the purpose of training and testing of the ANN models. For two concrete members, namely, slabs and columns, different sets of ANN models were developed, each of which proved to have definite advantages over the corresponding empirical model reported in literature. In case of slabs, for all three categories of spall, the ANN model results were superior to the empirical models as evaluated by the various performance metrics, such as correlation, root mean square error, mean absolute error, maximum overestimation and maximum underestimation. The ANN models for each category of column spall could handle three variables together: namely, depth, spacing of longitudinal and transverse reinforcement, as contrasted to the empirical models that handled one variable at a time, and at the same time yielded comparable performance. The application of the ANN models for spall prediction of concrete slabs and columns developed in this study has been discussed along with their limitations.

• Wind and Structures
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• 제32권3호
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• pp.193-204
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• 2021

The estimation of the extreme wind load (effect) under a mean recurrence interval (MRI) is an important task in the wind-resistant design for the structure. It can be predicted by either first-order method or full-order method, depending on the accuracy and complexity requirement. Although the first-order method with the consideration of wind directionality has been proposed, less work has been done on the full-order method, especially with the wind directionality. In this study, the full-order method considering the wind directionality is proposed based on multivariate joint probability distribution. Meanwhile, considering two wind directions, the difference of the corresponding results based on the first-order method and full-order method is analyzed. Finally, based on the measured wind speed data, the discrepancy between these two methods is investigated. Results show that the difference between two approaches is not obvious under larger MRIs while the underestimation caused by the first-order method can be larger than 15% under smaller MRIs. Overall, the first-order method is sufficient to estimate the extreme wind load (effect).

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• 제42권4호
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• pp.553-568
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• 2022

This paper explored the viability of utilising titanium alloy bolts in the construction industry through an experimental programme, where a total of sixty-six titanium alloy (Ti/6Al/4V) bolts were tested under axial tension, pure shear and combined tension and shear. In addition, a series of Charpy V-notch specimens machined from titanium alloy bolts, conventional high-strength steel bolts, austenitic and duplex stainless steel bolts were tested for impact toughness comparisons. The obtained experimental results demonstrated that the axial tensile and pure shear capacities of titanium alloy bolts can be reasonably estimated by the current design standards for steel structures (Eurocode 3, AS 4100 and AISC 360). However, under the combined tension and shear loading conditions, significant underestimation by Eurocode 3 and unsafe predictions through AS 4100 and AISC 360 indicate that proper modifications are necessary to facilitate the safe and economic use of titanium alloy bolts. In addition, numerical models were developed to calibrate the fracture parameters of the tested titanium alloy bolts. Furthermore, a design-based selection process of titanium alloy bolts in the structural applications was proposed, in which the ultimate strength, ductility performance and corrosion resistance (including galvanic corrosion) of titanium alloy bolts was mainly considered.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제55권4호
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• pp.1400-1409
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• 2023

In this study, three condensation models of the CUPID code, i.e., the resolved boundary layer approach (RBLA), heat and mass transfer analogy (HMTA) model, and an empirical correlation, were tested and validated against the COPAIN and CAU tests. An improvement on HMTA model was also made to use well-known heat transfer correlations and to take geometrical effect into consideration. The RBLA was a best option for simulating the COPAIN test, having mean relative error (MRE) about 0.072, followed by the modified HMTA model (MRE about 0.18). On the other hand, benchmark against CAU test (under natural convection and occurred on a slender tube) indicated that the modified HMTA model had better accuracy (MRE about 0.149) than the RBLA (MRE about 0.314). The HMTA model with wall function and the empirical correlation underestimated significantly, having MRE about 0.787 and 0.55 respectively. When using the HMTA model, consideration of geometrical effect such as tube curvature was essential; ignoring such effect leads to significant underestimation. The HMTA and the empirical correlation required significantly less computational resources than the RBLA model. Considering that the HMTA model was reasonable accurate, it may be preferable for large-scale simulations of containment.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제55권3호
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• pp.876-883
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• 2023

Radioactive waste should be solidified before being disposed of in the repository to eliminate liquidity or dispersibility. Cement is a widely used solidifying media for radioactive waste, and cement solidified waste should satisfy the minimum compressive strength of the waste acceptance criteria of a radioactive repository. Although the compressive strength of waste should be measured by the test method provided by the waste acceptance criteria, the method differs depending on the operating repository of different countries. Considering the measured compressive strength changes depending on test conditions, the effect of test conditions should be analyzed to avoid overestimation or underestimation of the compressive strength during disposal. We selected test conditions such as the height-to-diameter ratio, loading rate, and porosity as the main factors affecting the compressive strength of cement solidified radioactive waste. Owing to the large variance in measured compressive strength, the effects of the test conditions were analyzed via statistical analyses using parametric and nonparametric methods. The results showed that the test condition of the lower loading rate, with a height-to-diameter ratio of two, reflected the actual cement content well, while the porosity showed no correlation. The compressive strength assessment method that reflects the large variance of strengths was suggested.

• 한국건축시공학회지
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• 제23권4호
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• pp.497-508
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• 2023

Manual estimation of rebar quantities by contractors often yields discrepancies between projected and actual amounts used in the construction phase, leading to cost inaccuracies and potential logistical challenges. To address these issues, there is a clear need for a method that allows precise estimation of rebar quantities during the design phase. Such a method would enhance contractor competitiveness during project bids, promote accurate cost calculations, and avert superfluous rebar purchases on-site. Given that columns are the primary structural components in reinforced concrete(RC) buildings and necessitate considerable amounts of rebar, this study focuses on creating an automated algorithm for estimating column rebar quantities. An analysis of the accurate quantities obtained via the study and those derived from manual estimation reveals a discrepancy of 0.346 tons or 2.056%. This comparison affirms the proposed algorithm's efficacy in eliminating errors from overestimation or underestimation of rebar quantities. The practical implications of this study are significant for construction companies as it fosters efficient and precise estimation of rebar quantities, ensuring compliance with related specifications and governing regulations.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• 제17권6호
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• pp.1143-1154
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• 2023

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Body shape misperception (BSM) is the disagreement between the subjectively perceived body size and body mass index. This study investigated the association between BSM and unhealthy eating behaviors (UEB) among Korean adolescents. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This cross-sectional study used data from the 2019 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey with 55,748 participants. UEB were measured according to the weekly consumption frequency of caffeinated energy drinks, fast food, carbonated beverages, and sugar-sweetened beverages. The covariates included demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and health-related factors. Multiple logistic regression analysis determined the association between BSM and UEB. RESULTS: Among the participants, 37,607 (67.5%) reported UEB. The gap between UEB among those with BSM was the largest between the underestimated and accurately estimated groups. Participants who underestimated their body shape were likelier to engage in UEB (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.18; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11-1.25). Both sexes with underestimation of body size showed an association with UEB compared to those with accurate estimations (girls: AOR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.09-1.30; boys: AOR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.08-1.26). CONCLUSIONS: Underestimating body shape can provoke UEB among Korean adolescents. The need for appropriate school health interventional programs to prevent underestimating body shape is emphasized to avoid UEB.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제56권1호
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• pp.335-339
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• 2024

Employees of nuclear medicine facilities performing medical procedures with the use of open radioactive sources require continuous detailed control of exposure to ionizing radiation. Thermoluminescent (TL) detectors placed in dosimeters: for the whole body, for lenses, ring and wrist dosimeters were used to assess exposure. The highest whole-body exposure of (1.70 ± 1.09) µSv/GBq was recorded in nurses administering radiopharmaceutical to patients. The highest exposure to lenses and fingers was recorded for employees of the quality control zone and it was (8.08 ± 2.84) µSv/GBq and a maximum of (1261.46 ± 338.93) µSv/GBq, respectively. Workers in the production zone received the highest doses on their hands, i.e. (175.67 ± 13.25) µSv/GBq. The measurements performed showed that the analyzed workers may be classified as exposure category A. Wrist dosimeters are not recommended for use in isotope laboratories due to underestimation of ionizing radiation doses. Appropriately selected shields, which significantly reduce the dose received by employees, must be used in isotope laboratories. Periodic measurements confirmed that the appropriate optimization of exposure reduces the radiation doses received by employees.