• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.81 no.3
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• pp.305-316
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• 2022

Externally bonded ultrahigh performance fiber-reinforced concrete (UHPFRC) is commonly used as a strengthening material for reinforced concrete (RC) structures. This study reports the results of an experimental program investigating the bonding behavior between concrete and prefabricated UHPFRC plates. The overall experimental program is consisting of five RC specimens, which are strengthened using the different lengths and widths of prefabricated UHPFRC plates. These specimens were analyzed using the pull-pull double-shear test. The performance of each strengthened specimen is presented, discussed and compared in terms of failure mode, maximum load, load-slip relationship, fracture energy and strain distribution. Specimen C-25-160-300 which bonded along the whole width of 160 mm recorded the highest maximum load (109.2 kN) among all the analysed specimens. Moreover, a 3D numerical finite element model (FEM) is proposed to simulate the bond behavior between concrete and UHPFRC plates. Moreover, this study reviews the analytical models that can predict the relationship between the maximum bond stress and slip for strengthened concrete elements. The proposed FEM is verified against the experimental program and then used to test 36 RC specimens strengthened with prefabricated UHPFRC plates with different concrete grades and UHPFRC plate widths. The obtained results together with the review of analytical models helped in the formation of a design equation for estimating the bond stress between concrete and prefabricated UHPFRC plates.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.65-88
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• 2021

Purpose - This paper aims to examine the determinants of SWFs' investment in Asian countries and to identify consistent investment patterns of SWFs in specific target firms from Asia, particularly China and South Korea. Design/methodology - This study extends the Tobin's Q model to examine the relationship between SWF investments in target firms and their returns with other firm-level control variables. We collect consistent data on SWF investments and the matched firm-level data on target firms, which of observation is 1,512 firms (333 in South Korea and 1,179 in China) targeted by 20 SWF sources during 1997-2017. The panel random effect model is used to estimate the extended Tobin's Q model. The robustness of the estimations is tested by the simultaneous equation models and the panel GEE model. Findings - The evidence shows that sovereign wealth funds are more inclined to invest in the financial sector with a monopoly position and in large firms with higher growth opportunity and superior cash asset ratios in China. In contrast to their investments in China, sovereign wealth funds in South Korea prefer to invest in strategic sectors, such as energy and information technology, and in large firms with high performance and low leverage. Sovereign wealth funds' investments tend to significantly improve the target firm's performance measured by sales growth and returns in both Korea and China. Originality/value - The existing literature focuses on examining the determination of SWFs investment in the developed countries, such as Europe and the United States. Our paper contributes to the literature in three ways; first, we analyzes case studies of SWF investments in Asian markets, which are less developed and riskier. Second, we examine whether the determination of SWF investment in Asian target firms depends on the different time periods, on types of sources of SWFs, and on acquiring countries. Third, our research uses vast sample data on target firms in longer time periods (1997-2017) than other previous studies on the SWFs for Asian markets.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.33-40
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• 2022

In this study, we present rotor dynamic analysis and operation test of a turbo expander for a hydrogen liquefaction plant. The turbo expander consists of a turbine and compressor wheel connected to a shaft supported by two hydrostatic radial and thrust bearings. In rotor dynamic analysis, the shaft is modeled as a rigid body, and the equations of motion for the shaft are solved using the unsteady Reynolds equation. Additionally, the operating test of the turbo expander has been performed in the test rig. Pressurized helium is supplied to the bearings at 8.5 bar. Furthermore, we monitor the shaft vibration and flow rate of the helium supplied to the bearings. The rotor dynamic analysis result shows that there are two critical speeds related with the rigid body mode under 40,000 rpm. At the first critical speed of 36,000 rpm, the vibration at the compressor side is maximum, whereas that of the turbine is maximum at the second critical speed of 40,000 rpm. The predicted maximum shaft vibration is 3 ㎛, whereas sub-synchronous vibration is not presented. The operation test results show that there are two critical speeds under the rated speed, and the measured vibration value agrees well with predicted value. The measured flow rate of the helium supplied to the bearing is 2.0 g/s, which also agrees well with the predicted data.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.9-14
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• 2023

Background: The detectors of both computed radiography (CR) and direct digital radiography (DR) have a wide dynamic range that could tolerate high values of exposure factors without an adverse effect on image quality. Therefore, this study aims to assess patient radiation dose and proposes institutional diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) for two teaching hospitals in Ghana. Materials and Methods: CR and DR systems were utilized in this study from two teaching hospitals. The CR system was manufactured by Philips Medical Systems DMC GmbH, while the DR system was manufactured by General Electric. The entrance skin doses (ESDs) were calculated using the standard equation and the tube output measurements. Free-in-air kerma (µGy) was measured using a calibrated radiation dosimeter. The proposed institutional DRLs were estimated using 75^th percentiles values of the estimated ESDs for nine radiographic projections. Results and Discussion: The calculated DRLs were 0.4, 1.6, 3.4, 0.5, 0.4, 1.1, 1.0, 1.2, and 1.7 mGy for chest posteroanterior (PA), lumbar spine anteroposterior (AP), lumbar spine lateral (LAT), cervical spine AP, cervical spine LAT, skull PA, pelvis AP, and abdomen AP, respectively in CR system. In the DR system, the values were 0.3, 1.6, 3.1, 0.4, 0.3, 0.7, 0.6, 0.9, and 1.3 for chest PA, lumbar spine AP, lumbar spine LAT, cervical spine AP, cervical spine LAT, skull PA, pelvis AP, and abdomen AP, respectively. Conclusion: Institutional DRLs in nine radiographic projections have been proposed for two teaching hospitals in Ghana for the first time. The proposed DRLs will serve as baseline data for establishing local DRLs in the hospitals and will be a valuable tool in optimizing patient doses.

• Journal of the Korean Recycled Construction Resources Institute
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.105-111
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• 2023

In this study, the mechanical properties of high-strength concrete according to the substitution rate of NSH(Non-sintered Hwangto) as an alternative material for cement were measured and evaluated. Through UPV(Ultrasonic pulse velocity) analysis, the compressive strength prediction equation was proposed, and the substitution rate of NSH was set at 15 % and 30 %. The evaluation items were compressive strength and UPV, and the curing period was set to 24 hours. In compressive strength and UPV, as the NSH substitution rate increased, lower strength and lower UPV were shown. In addition, the correlation number(R² ) between compressive strength and UPV was 0.99 for NC(Normal Concrete), 0.97 for NSHC(Non-sintered Hwangto Concrete)33-15, and 0.94 for NSHC33-30.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2020.06a
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• pp.172-172
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• 2020

In recent years, soil erosion has come to be regarded as an essential environmental problem in human life. Soil erosion causes various on- and off-site problems such as ecosystem destruction, decreased agricultural productivity, increased riverbed deposition, and deterioration of water quality in streams. To solve these problems caused by soil erosion, it is necessary to quantify where, when, how much soil erosion occurs. Empirical erosion models such as the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) family models have been widely used to make spatially distributed soil erosion vulnerability maps. Even if the models detect vulnerable sites relatively well by utilizing big data related to climate, geography, geology, land use, etc. within study domains, they do not adequately describe the physical process of soil erosion on the ground surface caused by rainfall or overland flow. In other words, such models remain powerful tools to distinguish erosion-prone areas at the macro scale but physics-based models are necessary to better analyze soil erosion and deposition and eroded particle transport. In this study, the physics-based Surface Soil Erosion Model (SSEM) was upgraded based on field survey information to produce sediment yield at the watershed scale. The modified model (hereafter MoSE) adopted new algorithms on rainfall kinematic energy and surface flow transport capacity to simulate soil erosion more reliably. For model validation, we applied the model to the Doam dam watershed in Gangwon-do and compared the simulation results with the USLE outputs. The results showed that the revised physics-based soil erosion model provided more improved and reliable simulation results than the USLE in terms of the spatial distribution of soil erosion and deposition.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.61-74
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• 2023

This article investigates the wave propagation analysis of the imperfect functionally graded (FG) sandwich plates based on a novel simple four-variable integral quasi-3D higher-order shear deformation theory (HSDT). The thickness stretching effect is considered in the transverse displacement component. The presented formulation ensures a parabolic variation of the transverse shear stresses with zero-stresses at the top and the bottom surfaces without requiring any shear correction factors. The studied sandwich plates can be used in several sectors as areas of aircraft, construction, naval/marine, aerospace and wind energy systems, the sandwich structure is composed from three layers (two FG face sheets and isotropic core). The material properties in the FG faces sheet are computed according to a modified power law function with considering the porosity which may appear during the manufacturing process in the form of micro-voids in the layer body. The Hamilton principle is utilized to determine the four governing differential equations for wave propagation in FG plates which is reduced in terms of computation time and cost compared to the other conventional quasi-3D models. An eigenvalue equation is formulated for the analytical solution using a generalized displacements' solution form for wave propagation. The effects of porosity, temperature, moisture concentration, core thickness, and the material exponent on the plates' dispersion relations are examined by considering the thickness stretching influence.

• Asia Marketing Journal
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.77-100
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• 2014

Many researchers have analyzed the relationship between the financial success patterns of a motion picture and many other factors, such as the production cost, marketing, stars, awards, reviews, genre, and rating. Through these studies, many researchers and investors concluded that big budgets to make a blockbuster movie can serve as an insurance policy to meet their ROI; thus the box office is dominated by blockbuster movies. High-budget blockbuster movies are more likely to receive attention because these movies are more recognizable given their high expenses for production and casting. Therefore, audiences choose blockbusters in an effort to reduce the searching cost and to mitigate the possibility of a regrettable choice. This behavior of consumers, in turn, causes distributors to allocate screens for blockbusters, resulting in "concentration of blockbuster consumption." As such, low-budget films cannot easily become popular due to the lack of distribution. Indeed, low-budget films released on a small number of screens often end up becoming dismal failures. However, there are exceptional examples which are contrary to the general idea in the movie industry that a big budget and showings on a large number of screens can guarantee the success of a movie. Although researchers have attempted to analyze the performances of movies with small budgets, such movies are likely to be regarded as outliers and then be entirely discarded, as they are far from the 'three-sigma' range, especially given that previous research methodologies could not explain the financial success of such unique examples. This study attempts to explain the financial success at the box office of low-budget movies by applying the concept of the tunnel effect in quantum mechanics, as the phenomenon found in the movie industry is similar to a particle's movement in quantum physics. The tunneling effect is a phenomenon by which a particle without enough energy to pass over a potential barrier tunnels through it. Adopting the analogy, this study draws a tunneling probability function and cultural constant to forecast other outliers using the Schrödinger equation. Moreover, the study finds that word-of-mouth creates in the movie industry this phenomenon of finding outliers.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.221-227
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• 2023

A rotordynamic system consists of components that undergo rotational motion. These components include shafts, impellers, thrust collars, and components that support rotation, such as bearings and seals. The motion of this type of rotating system can be modeled as two-dimensional motion and, accordingly, the equation of motion for the rotordynamic system can be represented using complex coordinates. The directional frequency response function (dFRF) can be derived from this complex coordinate system and used as an effective analytical tool for rotating machinery. However, the dFRF is not widely used in the field because most previous studies and commercial software are based on real coordinate systems. The objective of the current study is to introduce the dFRF and show that it can be an effective tool in rotordynamic analysis. In this study, the normal frequency response function (nFRF) and dFRF are compared under rotordynamic analysis for isotropic and unisotropic rotors. Results show that in the nFRF, the magnitude of the response is the same for both positive and negative frequencies, and the response is similar under all modes. Consequently, the severity of the mode cannot be identified. However, in the dFRF, the forward and backward modes are clearly distinguishable in the frequency domain of the isotropic rotor, and the severity of the mode can be identified for the unisotropic rotor.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.165-175
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• 2024

Rotating beams play a crucial role in representing complex mechanical components that are prevalent in vital sectors like energy and transportation industries. These components are susceptible to the initiation and propagation of cracks, posing a substantial risk to their structural integrity. This study presents a two-stage methodology for detecting the location and estimating the size of an open-edge transverse crack in a rotating Euler-Bernoulli beam with a uniform cross-section. Understanding the dynamic behavior of beams is vital for the effective design and evaluation of their operational performance. In this regard, modal parameters such as natural frequencies and eigenmodes are frequently employed to detect and identify damages in mechanical components. In this instance, the Frobenius method has been employed to determine the first two natural frequencies and corresponding eigenmodes associated with flapwise bending vibration. These calculations have been performed by solving the governing differential equation that describes the motion of the beam. Various parameters have been considered, such as rotational speed, beam slenderness, hub radius, and crack size and location. The effect of the crack has been replaced by a rotational spring whose stiffness represents the increase in local flexibility as a result of the damage presence. In the initial phase of the proposed methodology, a damage index utilizing the slope of the beam's eigenmode has been employed to estimate the location of the crack. After detecting the presence of damage, the size of the crack is determined using a Genetic Algorithm optimization technique. The ultimate goal of the proposed methodology is to enable the development of more suitable and reliable maintenance plans.