• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.687-693
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• 2011

Spring-mass models have been widely accepted to explain the basic dynamics of human gait. Researchers found that the leg stiffness increased with gait speed to increase energy efficiency. However, the difference of leg stiffness change with gait speed between the young and the elderly has not been verified yet. In this study, we calculated the lower limb stiffness of the elderly using walking model with an axial spring. Vertical stiffness was defined as the ratio of the vertical force change to the vertical displacement change. Seven young and eight elderly subjects participated to the test. The subjects walked on a 12 meter long, 1 meter wide walkway at four different gait speeds, ranging from their self-selected speed to maximum speed randomly. Kinetic and kinematic data were collected using three force plates and motion capture cameras, respectively. The vertical stiffness of the two groups increased as a function of walking speed. Maximum walking speed of the elderly was slower than that of the young, yet the walking speed correlated well with the optimal stiffness that maximizes propulsion energy in both groups. The results may imply that human may use apparent limb stiffness to optimize energy based on spring-like leg mechanics.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.487-495
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• 2003

Bearings at the obtuse corner are subjected to much larger vertical reactions than other bearings because of the geometric shape of skew bridges. The current relevant specifications require that additional bars should be disposed at the bottom of concrete deck slabs to deal with the large vertical reaction on bearings at the obtuse corner. In this study, new methods of reducing the magnitude of the vertical reaction on bearings at the obtuse corner by the stiffness adjustment of bearings were proposed. The basic concept of proposed methods was to redistribute support reactions by reducing the vertical stiffness of bearings at the obtuse corner showing a relatively large vertical reaction. For 45 simply supported skew bridges designed according to the current relevant specifications, the redistribution effect of vertical reactions by the stiffness adjustment of bearings was investigated. Parameters such as skew angle, girder spacing, and deck aspect ratio that affect the distribution of support reactions were considered. The results of the analyses show that the magnitude of the vertical reaction on bearings at the obtuse corner can be reduced to the levels of straight bridges by replacing the existing bearings at the obtuse corner with new ones having the value of 1/10 or 1/20 of the vertical stiffness of the existing bearings. The reduction effect of the vertical reaction on bearings at the obtuse corner increases as the girder spacing decreases and it is more pronounced when the deck aspect ratio is 2.0.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Railway
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.33-42
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• 2015

The vertical static stiffness of rail pads or baseplate pads, which are important components in rail fastening systems for track safety, is a key factor to determine the total track stiffness and a guideline of quality control in the manufacturing process. The vertical static stiffness can be checked by laboratory testing: test methods are EN 13146-9 and KRS TR 0014, which are widely used in the railway field. In this paper, to correct some problems, namely the preloading step, the unloading level, and the holding time in the loading program in the vertical static stiffness test of EN 13146-9 and KRS TR 0014, domestic and foreign test standards of pads were analyzed and then certain schemes for a vertical static stiffness test were proposed. To assess the reliability of the proposed schemes, the vertical static stiffness tests were performed with 4 pads and the validity of the test results was estimated.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.135-141
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• 2018

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of functional ankle instability (FAI) and surgical treatment (ST) on postural stability and leg stiffness during vertical-drop landing. Method: A total of 21 men participated in this study (normal [NOR]: 7, FAI: 7, ST: 7). We estimated dimensionless leg stiffness as the ratio of the peak vertical ground reaction force and the change in stance-phase leg length. Leg length was calculated as the distance from the center of the pelvis to the center of pressure under the foot. Furthermore, the analyzed variables included the loading rate and the dynamic postural stability index (DPSI; medial-lateral [ML], anterior-posterior [AP], and vertical [V]) in the initial contact phase. Results: The dimensionless leg stiffness in the FAI group was higher than that of the NOR group and the ST group (p = .018). This result may be due to a smaller change in stance-phase leg length (p = .001). DPSI (ML, AP, and V) and loading rate did not show differences according to the types of ankle instability during drop landing (p > .05). Conclusion: This study suggested that the dimensionless leg stiffness was within the normal range in the ST group, whereas it was increased by the stiffness of the legs rather than the peak vertical force during vertical-drop landing in the FAI group. Identifying these potential differences may enable clinicians to assess ankle instability and design rehabilitation protocols specific for the impairment.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.60-65
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• 2017

This study examined the effect of rotational stiffness of joints between vertical and horizontal members in system supports. In order to prevent repeated disasters of system supports, it is important to examine the accurate behavior of system supports. Among various factors affecting the complex behavior of system supports, this study focused on the stiffness of joints between vertical and horizontal members. The considered joint was modelled by a rotational spring, but the translational displacements were fixed. The stiffness of rotational spring was calculated by utilizing the usable experimental data. In addition, the hinge connection condition, which is generally considered in design and only restrict the translational displacements, was modelled to compare the results. The case with the rotational stiffness in joints showed 3.5 times buckling loads compared to the case without the rotational stiffness. Thus, the structural behavior of the vertical member in system supports was similar to the vertical member with the fixed condition. For the combined stresses of vertical members, the combined stress ratios were reduced 5~6% by considering the rotational stiffness of connecting parts. However, for the horizontal member where showed relatively small stress range, the stresses were increased 2.3~7.6 times by considering the rotational stiffness in connecting parts.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2005.03a
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• pp.346-353
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• 2005

Track substructure(ballast, subgrade) should have sufficient strength and adequate stiffness to fully support track superstructure(rail, fastener, sleeper). Vertical support stiffness of track comes from the sufficient thickness, adequate strength and stiffness of material of substructure layers. Since the vertical support stiffness of track substructure is closely related with the track geometry, the evaluation of the stiffness is very important to understand the track states. This paper introduces the system, which are composed of Ground Penetrating Radar(GPR), Portable Ballast Sampler(PBS), and Light Falling Weight Deflectometer(LFWD), to evaluate substructure condition and summarizes the field test results performed with the reliable system.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.46-53
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• 2018

This study examined the maximum resistant moment and nonlinear rotational stiffness of wedge joint between the vertical and horizontal members of system supports. To examine the maximum resistant moment and propose the nonlinear rotation stiffness of wedge joint, 6 specimens were tested and additional 3 specimens, where the horizontal member was welded to the vertical member, were tested to compare the moment capacity of wedge joints. The average maximum moment in the tested wedge joint was 1.183 kNm which represented about 70 % of the maximum moment developed in the welded specimens. And, as simulating nonlinear rotational stiffness of the wedge joint, a tri-linear model was suggested. The rotational stiffness was estimated as 23.095 kNm/rad in first stage, 7.945 kNm/rad in second stage, and 3.073 kNm/rad in third stage. For the failure mode, the specimen with the wedge joint showed the failure of joint between vertical and horizontal members. However, the specimen with welded joint represented the yielding of horizontal members.

• Journal of Industrial Technology
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• v.3
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• pp.103-116
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• 1983

Recent developments in multi-storey buildings for residential purpose have led to the extensive use of shear walls for the basic structural system. When the coupled shear wall system is used, joined together with cast-in-place concrete or mortar (or grout), the function of the continuous joints is a crucial factor in determining the safety of L.P. Precast concrete shear wall structures, because the function of the continuous joints(Vertical wall to wall joints) is to transfer froces from one element(shear wall panel) to another, and if sufficient strength and ductility is not developed in the continuous joints, the available strength in the adjoining elements may not be fully utilized. In this paper, the influence of the stiffness of vertical joints(wet vertical keyed shear joints) on the behaviour of precast shear walls is theoretically investigated. To define how the stiffness of the vertical joints affect the load carrying capacity of L.P.Precast concrete shear wall structure, the L.P.Precast concrete shear wall structure is analyzed, with the stiffness of the vertical joints varying from $K=0.07kg/mm^3$(50MN/m/m) to $K=1.43kg/mm^3$(1000MN/m/m), by using the continuous connection method. The results of the analysis shows that at the low values of the vertical stiffness, i.e. from $K=0.07kg/mm^3$(50MN/m/m) to $K=0.57kg/mm^3$(400MN/m/m), the resisting bending moment and shearing force of precast shear walls, the resisting shearing force of vertical joints and connecting beams are significantly affected. The detailed results of analysis are represented in the following figures and Tables.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.137-143
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• 2019

Objective: Ligament laxity and hypotonia are characteristics of Down syndrome patients. The aim of this study was to compare the landing pattern between Down syndrome patients and typically developing subjects. To compare the landing pattern, variables related to ligament laxity and hypotonia i.e. vertical stiffness and lower extremities kinematics were investigated. Method: Five subjects with Down syndrome (age: $14.6{\pm}1.8years$, mass: $47.6{\pm}6.94kg$, height: $147.9{\pm}6.0cm$) and six able-bodied subjects (age: $13.2{\pm}0.4years$, mass: $54.7{\pm}6.7kg$, height: $160.1{\pm}9.8cm$) participated in this study. Results: The vertical displacement of the center of mass, vertical reaction force, leg stiffness and range of ankle angle range among Down syndrome patients were significantly different than typically developing group. The youth with Down's syndrome appeared to receive greater vertical impact force at landing than normal youth. Conclusion: The differences in the biomechanical characteristics suggest the delay in motor development among Down syndrome patients and an increased risk of injury to the lower extremity during movement execution such as drop landing.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2011.06a
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• pp.1391-1392
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• 2011