• Explosives and Blasting
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.9-22
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• 2024

As buildings constructed in the 1980s during a period of rapid urbanization and economic growth have aged, the demand for demolition, especially of reinforced concrete structures, has increased. In large-scale structures such as industrial buildings, a mixed approach utilizing both mechanical demolition and explosive demolition methods is being employed. As the demand for demolition rises, so do safety concerns, making structural stability during demolition a crucial issue. In this study, drones and LiDAR were used to collect actual structural data, which was then used to build a simulation model. The analysis method employed was a combination of the Finite Element Method (FEM) and the Discrete Element Method (DEM), known as the Combined Finite-Discrete Element Method (FDEM), which was used to perform dynamic structural analysis during various demolition phases. The results were compared and analyzed with the commercial software ELS to assess its applicability.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.13-24
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• 2020

A systematic approach to assess the safety of corrugated steel plate structures has not been established yet. Therefore, an improved safety assessment procedure was proposed in this study by considering the characteristics of corrugated steel plate structures in which the dead load of backfill soil is dominant and the live load effect is minimized. The proposed procedure can consider the combined effect of axial force and bending moment on the safety, based on the Soil-Culvert Interaction (SCI) method, and can differentiate the maintenance scheme according to the calculated plasticity index. There is also an advantage in enhancing the accuracy of assessment, utilizing the measured displacements. Furthermore, improved methods were proposed by discussing various ways for reasonably improving the proposed assessment procedure. The safety of an actual structure and a full-scale test specimen was assessed by applying the proposed procedure. The conventional assessment procedure significantly overestimated the load-carrying capacity, whereas the proposed procedure resulted in a reasonable level of safety. Therefore, the procedure proposed in this study is expected to contribute to the establishment of proper maintenance plan such as the quantitative condition assessment and strengthening of corrugated steel plate structure.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 1996.05b
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• pp.429-434
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• 1996

K-REM［1］, which is under development as a realistic evaluation model of large break LOCA, is applied to the analysis of cold leg guillotine break of Ulchin 3&4. Fuel parameters on which statistical analysis of their effects on the peak cladding temperature (PCT) are made and system parameters on which the concept of limiting value approach (LVA) are applied, are determined from the single parameter sensitivity study. 3 parameters of fuel gap conductance, fuel thermal conductivity and power peaking factor are selected as fuel related ones and 4 parameters of axial power shape, reactor power, decay heat and the gas pressure of safety injection tank (SIT) are selected as plant system related ones. Response surface of PCT is generated from the plant calculation results and on which Monte Carlo sampling is made to get plant application uncertainty which is statistically combined with code uncertainty to produce the 95th percentile PCT. From the break spectrum analysis, blowdown PCT of 1350.23 K and reflood PCT of 1195.56 K are obtained for break discharge coefficients of 0.8 and 0.5, respectively.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.603-617
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• 2022

Structural design, in general, is developed through trial and error technique which is guided by standards criteria and based on the intuition and experience of the engineer, a context that leads to structural over-dimensioning, with uneconomic solutions. Aiming to find the optimal design, structural optimization methods have been developed to find a balance between cost, structural safety, and material performance. These methods have become a great opportunity in the steel structural engineering domain since they have as their main purpose is weight minimization, a factor directly correlated to the real cost of the structure. Assuming an objective function of minimum weight with stress and displacement constraints provided by Brazilian standards, the present research proposes the sizing optimization and combined approach of sizing and shape optimization, through a software developed to implement the Simulated Annealing metaheuristic algorithm. Therefore, two steel plane frame layouts, each admitting four typical truss geometries, were proposed in order to expose the difference between the optimal solutions. The assessment of the optimal solutions indicates a notable weight reduction, especially in sizing and shape optimization combination, in which the quantity of design variables is increased along with the search space, improving the efficiency of the optimal solutions achieved.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Intelligent Systems
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.494-499
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• 2012

In this paper, a new method for detecting various objects that can be risks to safety navigation in sea environment is proposed. By analysing Infrared(IR) images obtained from various sea environments, we could find out that object regions include both horizontal and vertical direction edges while background regions of sea surface mainly include vertical direction edges. Therefore, we present an approach to detecting object regions considering horizontal and vertical edges. To this end, in the first step, image enhancement is performed by suppressing noises such as sea glint and complex clutters using a statistical filter. In the second step, a horizontal edge map and a vertical edge map are generated by 1-D Discrete Cosine Transform technique. Then, a combined map integrating the horizontal and the vertical edge maps is generated. In the third step, candidate object regions are detected by a adaptive thresholding method. Finally, exact object regions are extracted by eliminating background and clutter regions based on morphological operation.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.271-280
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• 2002

A probabilistic approach to identify the effects of uncertainties of soil strength parameters on searching a critical slip surface with the lowest reliability is introduced. In general construction field, it is impossible for the engineer to always gather a variety of statistical information of soil strength parameters for which lots of laboratory and in-situ soil testing are required and to use it with enough statistical knowledge. Thus, in order that the engineer may easily understand the probabilistic concept for the slope stability analysis, this study proposes a combined procedure to incorporate the engineering probabilistic tools into the existing deterministic slope stability analysis methods. Using UTEXAS 3, a slope stability analysis computer program developed by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (U.S. COE), this study provides the results of this probabilistic slope stability analysis in terms of probability of failure or reliability index. This probabilistic method f3r slope stability analysis appears to yield more comprehensive results of slope reliability than does existing deterministic methods with safety factors alone.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.273-282
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• 2017

This paper is aimed at proposing a new approach to connecting the measurements of customer satisfaction on healthcare services with the prioritized identification of healthcare service processes to be improved. As customers' requirements for healthcare services have become too diverse and healthcare service systems have been increasingly complex, there has been growing interest in the customer-oriented evaluation of healthcare service quality and the systematic improvement of healthcare service processes. Most of the previous studies on service quality evaluation are based on SERVQUAL model. However, because of the unique characteristics and constraints inherent in healthcare service systems, it has been reported that SERVQUAL would be inadequate to be applied to healthcare service systems. As an alternative, SERVPERF has recently been widely used in the evaluation of healthcare service quality. However, there is a lack of studies on how to use the measurements of healthcare service quality systematically to improve service functions and processes. With this issue in mind, we firstly measured the customer-perceived satisfaction on the healthcare service quality from the six dimensions based on SERVPERF. Then we identified the relationships between the subjective measurements and healthcare service processes through brainstorming and expert interview. By using the relationships, we developed a customer journey map in healthcare services that visually describe the interaction between customers and healthcare service systems. The developed customer journey map would help service designers easily identify a healthcare service process that needs to be improved with priority. It is expected that the design improvement process proposed in this study would be a useful method for enhancing the quality of healthcare services.

• Ocean Systems Engineering
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.171-210
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• 2024

This paper focuses on the rigorous and holistic fatigue analysis of mooring chains for a deep draft semi-submersible platform in the challenging environment of the central Gulf of Mexico (GoM). Known for severe hurricanes and strong loop/eddy currents, this region significantly impacts offshore structures and their mooring systems, necessitating robust designs capable of withstanding extreme wind, wave and current conditions. Wave scatter and current bin diagrams are utilized to assess the probabilistic distribution of waves and currents, crucial for calculating mooring chain fatigue. The study evaluates the effects of Vortex Induced Motion (VIM), Out-of-Plane-Bending (OPB), and In-Plane-Bending (IPB) on mooring fatigue, alongside extreme single events such as 100-year hurricanes and loop/eddy currents including ramp-up and ramp-down phases, to ensure resilient mooring design. A detailed case study of a deep draft semi-submersible platform with 16 semi-taut moorings in 2,500 meters of water depth in the central GoM provides insights into the relative contributions of wave scatter diagram, VIMs from current bin diagram, the combined stresses of OPB/IPB/TT and extreme single events. By comparing these factors, the study aims to enhance understanding and optimize mooring system design for safety, reliability, and cost-effectiveness in offshore operations within the central GoM. The paper addresses a research gap by proposing a holistic approach that integrates findings from various contributions to advance current practices in mooring design. It presents a comprehensive framework for fatigue analysis and design optimization of mooring systems in the central GoM, emphasizing the critical importance of considering environmental conditions, OPB/IPB moments, and extreme single events to ensure the safety and reliability of mooring systems for offshore platforms.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.546-554
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• 2021

Background: Diabetes mellitus and hypertension often occur together, amplifying cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and emphasizing the need for a multitargeted treatment approach. American ginseng (AG) and Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) species could improve glycemic control via complementary mechanisms. Additionally, a KRG-inherent component, ginsenoside Rg3, may moderate blood pressure (BP). Our objective was to investigate the therapeutic potential of coadministration of Rg3-enriched Korean Red Ginseng (Rg3-KRG) and AG, added to standard of care therapy, in the management of hypertension and cardiometabolic risk factors in type-2 diabetes. Methods: Within a randomized controlled, parallel design of 80 participants with type-2 diabetes (HbA1c: 6.5-8%) and hypertension (systolic BP: 140-160 mmHg or treated), supplementation with either 2.25 g/day of combined Rg3-KRG + AG or wheat-bran control was assessed over a 12-wk intervention period. The primary endpoint was ambulatory 24-h systolic BP. Additional endpoints included further hemodynamic assessment, glycemic control, plasma lipids and safety monitoring. Results: Combined ginseng intervention generated a mean ± SE decrease in primary endpoint of 24-h systolic BP (-3.98 ± 2.0 mmHg, p = 0.04). Additionally, there was a greater reduction in HbA1c (-0.35 ± 0.1% [-3.8 ± 1.1 mmol/mol], p = 0.02), and change in blood lipids: total cholesterol (-0.50 ± 0.2 mmol/l, p = 0.01), non-HDL-C (-0.54 ± 0.2 mmol/l, p = 0.01), triglycerides (-0.40 ± 0.2 mmol/l, p = 0.02) and LDL-C (-0.35 ± 0.2 mmol/l, p = 0.06) at 12 wks, relative to control. No adverse safety outcomes were observed. Conclusion: Coadministration of Rg3-KRG + AG is an effective addon for improving BP along with attaining favorable cardiometabolic outcomes in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Ginseng derivatives may offer clinical utility when included in the polypharmacy and lifestyle treatment of diabetes. Clinical trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov identifier, NCT01578837;

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.402-411
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• 2017

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The role of a school's nutrition environment in explaining students' eating behaviors and weight status has not been examined in an Asian setting. The purpose of this study was to create a school nutrition environment index and to pilot test the index in elementary and middle schools in urban South Korea. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This study used a mixed-methods approach. Environment assessment tools were developed based on formative research, which comprised literature reviews, in-depth interviews, and focus group discussions. Key elements from the formative research were included in the assessment tool, which consisted of a structured survey questionnaire for school dietitians. Fifteen school dietitians from 7 elementary and 8 middle schools in Seoul completed the questionnaire. RESULTS: The formative research revealed four main sections that guided a summary index to assess a school's nutrition environment: resource availability, education and programs, dietitians' perceptions and characteristics, and school lunch menu. Based on the literature reviews and interviews, an index scoring system was developed. The total possible score from the combined four index sections was 40 points. From the 15 schools participating in the pilot survey, the mean school nutrition-environment index was 22.5 (standard deviation ${\pm}3.2$; range 17-28). The majority of the schools did not offer classroom-based nutrition education or nutrition counseling for students and parents. The popular modes of nutrition education were school websites, posters, and newsletters. CONCLUSIONS: This paper illustrates the process used to develop an instrument to assess a school's nutrition environment. Moreover, it presents the steps used to develop a scoring system for creation of a school nutrition environment index. As pilot testing indicated the total index score has some variation across schools, we suggest applying this instrument in future studies involving a larger number of schools. Future studies with larger samples will allow investigation of the validity and reliability of this newly developed tool.