• Smart Structures and Systems
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.201-207
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• 2018

This paper proposes a line laser thermography scanning (LLTS) system for multiple crack evaluation on a concrete structure, as the core technology for unmanned aerial vehicle-mounted crack inspection. The LLTS system consists of a line shape continuous-wave laser source, an infrared (IR) camera, a control computer and a scanning jig. The line laser generates thermal waves on a target concrete structure, and the IR camera simultaneously measures the corresponding thermal responses. By spatially scanning the LLTS system along a target concrete structure, multiple cracks even in a large scale concrete structure can be effectively visualized and evaluated. Since raw IR data obtained by scanning the LLTS system, however, includes timely- and spatially-varying IR images due to the limited field of view (FOV) of the LLTS system, a novel time-spatial-integrated (TSI) coordinate transform algorithm is developed for precise crack evaluation in a static condition. The proposed system has the following technical advantages: (1) the thermal wave propagation is effectively induced on a concrete structure with low thermal conductivity of approximately 0.8 W/m K; (2) the limited FOV issues can be solved by the TSI coordinate transform; and (3) multiple cracks are able to be visualized and evaluated by normalizing the responses based on phase mapping and spatial derivative processes. The proposed LLTS system is experimentally validated using a concrete specimen with various cracks. The experimental results reveal that the LLTS system successfully visualizes and evaluates multiple cracks without false alarms.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제29권4호
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• pp.336-347
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• 1997

During postulated severe accidents in Light water Reactors, molten corium which was ejected from the reactor vessel bottom, may erode the concrete basemat of the containment and there by threaten the containment integrity. This study experimentally examines the molten core-concrete interaction (MCC) using 20kg of thermite melt (Fe + $Al_2$O$_3$) and the concrete, used in Yonggwang Nuclear Power Plant Units 3 and 4 (YGN 3 & 4) in Korea. The measured data are the downward heat fluxes, concrete erosion rate, gases and particle generation rates during MCCI. Transient results ore compared with those of TURCIT experiment conducted by SNL in USA. The peak downward heat flux to the concrete was measured to be about 2.1㎿/$m^2$. The initial concrete erosion rate was 175cm per hour, decreasing to 30cm per hour. It was shown from the post-test that the erosion was progressed downward up to 18mm in the concrete slug.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• 제22권4호
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• pp.821-835
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• 2016

The paper presents an experimental study of the structural behavior of circular flyash-concrete-filled steel tubular stub columns under axial compressive loads. In this study, 90% and 100% by weight of the cement in the concrete core was replaced with flyash. Twenty-seven specimens were tested to study the influence of flyash content, wall thickness of the steel tube, and curing age on the ultimate capacity and confinement effect. The experimental results were compared with the design values calculated using AISC-LRFD (1999), ACI (1999), AIJ (1997) and Eurocode 4 (1994). From the experimental study, it was determined that the confinement effect of circular steel tubes filled with high content flyash concrete was better than that of specimens filled with ordinary Portland cement concrete. The 5.88-mm-thick steel tube filled with 100% flyash concrete was equivalent in strength to a steel tube filled with C30 concrete at 28 days.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• 제39권2호
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• pp.159-170
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• 2021

Concrete filled steel tubes (CFSTs) are extensively used in a variety of structures due to their structural and economic advantages over other types of structures. Considerable research has been conducted with regards to their short-term behaviour, and very limited studies have focused on their long-term behaviour. In this study, a series of tests were carried out on high strength squat (short) CFSTs and concrete cylinders under controlled conditions of temperature and humidity to better understand their time dependent behaviour. A number of parameters were investigated including the influence of steel and concrete bond, confinement, level of sustained load and sizes of specimens. The results revealed that creep strains increased by more than 40% if there was no bonding between steel tube and concrete core. As expected, creep and shrinkage of concrete inside a steel tube were significantly less than those developed in exposed concrete. At the end of a creep period of six months, all the specimens were tested to failure to observe the influence of sustained loads on the ultimate strength. It was found that creep does not have a major effect on the strength of short CFSTs in the specific experimental study conducted here, which was less than 2.5%.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• 제32권6호
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• pp.717-729
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• 2019

A horizontal cyclic test was carried out to study the seismic performance of lightweight aggregate concrete filled steel tube (LACFST). The constitutive and hysteretic model of core lightweight aggregate concrete (LAC) was proposed for finite element simulation. The stress and strain changes of the steel tube and concrete filled inside were measured in the experiment, and the failure mode, hysteresis curve, skeleton curve, and strain curve of the test specimens were obtained. The influence of axial compression ratio, diameter-thickness ratio and material strength were analysed based on finite element model. The results show that the hysteresis curve of LACFST indicated favourable ductility, energy dissipation, and seismic performance. The LACFST failed when the concrete in the bottom first crushed and the steel tube then bulged, thus axial force imposed by prestressing was proved to be feasible. The proposed constitutive model and hysteretic model of LAC under the constraint of its steel tube was reliable. The bearing capacity and ductility of the specimen increase significantly with increasing thickness of the steel tube. The bearing capacity of the member improves while the ductility and energy dissipation performance slightly decreased with the increasing strength of the steel and concrete.

• Computers and Concrete
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• 제23권5호
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• pp.335-349
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• 2019

A low-cycle loading experiment of 16 transfer column specimens was conducted to study the influence of parameters, likes the extension length of shape steel, the ratio of shape steel, the axial compression ratio and the volumetric ratio of stirrups, on the shear distribution between steel and concrete, the concrete damage state and the degradation of lateral stiffness. Shear force of shape steel reacted at the core area of concrete section and led to tension effect which accelerated the damage of concrete. At the same time, the damage of concrete diminished its shear capacity and resulted in the shear enlargement of shape steel. The interplay between concrete damage and shear force of shape steel ultimately made for the failures of transfer columns. With the increase of extension length, the lateral stiffness first increases and then decreases, but the stiffness degradation gets faster; With the increase of steel ratio, the lateral stiffness remains the same, but the degradation gets faster; With the increase of the axial compression ratio, the lateral stiffness increases, and the degradation is more significant. Using more stirrups can effectively restrain the development of cracks and increase the lateral stiffness at the yielding point. Also, a formula for calculating the yielding lateral stiffness is obtained by a regression analysis of the test data.

• Computers and Concrete
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• 제31권6호
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• pp.527-536
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• 2023

Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) bar has emerged as a viable and sustainable replacement to steel in reinforced concrete (RC) under severe corrosive environment. The behavior of concrete columns reinforced with FRP bars, spirals, and hoops is an ongoing area of research. In this study, 3D nonlinear numerical modelling of circular concrete columns reinforced with Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) bars and transversely confined with GFRP spirals were conducted using fracture-plastic model. The numerical models and experimental results are found to be in good agreement. The effectiveness of confinement was accessed through von-mises stresses, and it was found that the stresses in the concrete's core are higher with a 30 mm pitch (46 MPa) compared to a 60 mm pitch (36 MPa). The validated models are used to conduct parametric studies. In terms of axial load carrying capacity and member ductility, the effect of concrete strength, spiral pitch, and longitudinal reinforcement ratio are thoroughly investigated. The confinement effect and member ductility of a GFRP RC column increases as the spiral pitch decreases. It is also found that the confinement effect and member ductility decreased with increase in strength of concrete.

• Computers and Concrete
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• 제31권2호
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• pp.123-137
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• 2023

To fully understand shear mechanisms and composite effects of circular concrete-filled steel tube (CFST) columns, systematic numerical investigations were conducted in this paper by improved finite element models. The triaxial plastic-damage constitutive model of the concrete and the interactions between the concrete and steel tube were considered. Afterwards, the critical and upper bound shear span ratios of the circular CFST column under lateral shear loading were determined. The composite effects between the two materials were analyzed by comparing the shear resistance with plain concrete column and hollow steel tube. In addition, a method that predicts the shear bearing capacity of a circular CFST column was proposed. The confining effects on the concrete core and the restraining effects on the steel tube were considered in this method. The proposed formula can predict more accurate results than the methods in different codes and references.

• 한국컴퓨터정보학회논문지
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• 제21권11호
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• pp.141-149
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• 2016

In a rapidly changing global environment and the massive development in IT technology, Manufacturing SMEs have difficulties in lack of resources and competencies continued to have strong growth potential "Korean Hidden Champion(K Champ)". In order to overcome the difficulties of Manufacturing SMEs, we examined the core competencies using the AHP and proposed the K Champ development strategy. The implications in the academic is as follows: First, the suggestions for development strategy plan was drawn for the K Champ's core competencies with the recognized importance by the CEO or business executives. Secondly, the manufacturing SMEs were broken down by industry structural characteristics variables(sales amounts, industry sectors, business types and delivery methods) and the importance was investigated, analyzed and clarified. This study is intended to develop strategies of Gyeongsangnam-do manufacturing SMEs for K Champ such as German 'Hidden Champion'. We identified the importance of the level of core competencies and the coherent alternative policy direction and practical alternative were proposed. These mean the concrete relationship of core competencies for the K Champ transition and suggest a realistic directional needed for the local manufacturing SMEs in the proposed 'Government's Development Policy for Korean Hidden Champion'.

• Advances in Computational Design
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• 제5권1호
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• pp.35-54
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• 2020

One of the prevailing structural systems in high-rise buildings is the core-wall system. On the other hand, the existence of one or more underground stories causes the perimeter below-grade walls with the diaphragm of grade level to constitute of a very stiff box. In this case or a similar situation, during the lateral response of a tall building, underground perimeter walls and diaphragms that provide an increased lateral resistance relative to the core wall may introduce a prying action in the core that is called backstay effect. In this case, a rather great force is generated at the diaphragm of the grade-level, acting in a reverse direction to the lateral force on the core-wall system, and thus typically causes a reverse internal shear. In this research, in addition to review of the results of the preceding studies, an improved relationship is proposed for prediction of backstay force. The new proposed relationship takes into account the effect of foundation flexibility and is presented in a non-dimensional form. Furthermore, a specific range of the backstay force to lateral load ratio has been determined. And finally, it is shown that although all suggested formulas are valid in the elastic domain, yet with some changes in the initial considerations, they can be applied to some certain non-linear problems as well.