• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.501-518
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• 2019

The rock properties measured under in-situ geological condition can be used to increase the reliability in numerical simulations with regard to the long-term performance of a high-level waste repository. In this study, the change in mechanical properties of KURT (Korea atomic energy research institute Underground Research Tunnel) granite was evaluated under the simulated THM (Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical) coupled condition due to a deep geological formation in the disposal repository. The rock properties such as uniaxial compression strength, indirect tensile strength, elastic modulus and Poisson's ratio were measured under the coupled test conditions (M, HM, TM, THM). It was found that the mechanical properties of KURT granite is more susceptible to the change in saturation rather than temperature within the test condition of this study. The changes in uniaxial compression strength and indirect tensile strength from the rock samples of dried or saturated conditions showed the maximum relative error of about 20% and 13% respectively under the constant temperature condition. Therefore, it is necessary to use the material properties of rock measured under the coupled THM condition as input parameters for the numerical simulation of long-term performance assessment of a disposal repository

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.763-771
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• 2000

Objectives : Thoracolumbar burst fractures(TBLF) result in not only compressive deformity of vertebral body but also spinal cord compression by bony fragments. Many thoracolumbar burst fractures demand both anterior decompression and intervertebral fusion. Most of spinal surgeons use anterior instrumentation for anteior intervertebral bony fusion. The use of Z-plate has been increased recently, however there has been only a few reports regarding its clinical long-term strength. We studied nineteen patients with TBLF to find out the long-term stability of Z-plate. Methods : We have operated 19 patients from March 1996 to August 1998. They were treated with anterior decompression through either a transthoracic, retroperitoneal extrapleural or retroperitoneal approach. Retropulsed bony fragments were removed completely by corpectomy. Iliac bone graft was used for interbody fusion in all of the cases. They were evaluated by plain X-ray films including flexion and extention lateral films. Cobbs angle was used to evaluate kyphotic and lateral wedging deformity. Results : Burst fractured sites were T11 in two, three T12, nine L1, and five L2. Mean follow-up duration was fifteen months. Preoperative average kyphotic angle was 23.7 degree. Immediate postoperative kyphotic angle was 10.2 degree. Follow-up resluts of average kyphotic angles revealed 14 degrees. Four patients(21%), including two spinal 3-column injury, showed increasement of kyphotic angle more than 5 degree or breakage of intrumentation. Two patients showed the difference of kyphotic angle more than 3 degree. Five patients(26%) revealed lateral wedging deformity more than 3 degrees. Postoperative complications were two meralgia parestheticas, one pulmonary atelectasis and two donor site infections. Four of the eight patients, who initially showed incomplete spinal cord deficits, were nerologically improved by Frankel's grade. Conclusion : Z-plate fixation and iliac bone graft after anterior decompression in thoracolumbar burst fractures is a safe and easy method. Immediate postoperative results revealed excellent correction of posttraumatic kyphosis, but long-term follow-up evalution showed insufficient strength. Therefore we believe that use of Z-plate should be carefully decided, especially in the case of large lumbar fracture or 3-column injury.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.137-144
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• 2013

The use of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) reinforcing bars in concrete structures has been increased as an alternative of steel reinforcement which has shown greater vulnerability to corrosion problem. However, the long-term performance of concrete members with FRP reinforcement is still questioned in comparison to the used of steel reinforcement. This study presents the results of an experimental study on the long-term behaviors of GFRP (glass fiber reinforced polymer) bar reinforced concrete beams after exposed to accelerated aging in an environmental chamber with temperature of $46^{\circ}C$ ($115^{\circ}F$) and 80% of relative humidity up to 300 days. The objectives of this research was to compare strength degradation and change of ductility between GFRP reinforced concrete beams and steel reinforcement beams after accelerated aging. Two types (wrapped and sand-coated surface) of GFRP bars and steel were reinforced. in concrete beams. Test results show that the failure modes of GFRP bar reinforced concrete beams are very similar with traditional RC beams, and the change of load-carrying capacity of steel reinforcing concrete beam is greater than that of GFRP bar reinforcing concrete beam under the accelerated aging. Test result also shows that the use of GFRP reinforcing in concrete could be introduced more brittle failure than that of steel reinforcing for practical application. The deformability factor up to compression failures indicates no significant variation before and after exposure of accelerated aging.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.13-25
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• 2012

Ground anchor method is one of the most popular reinforcing technology for slope in Korea. For the health monitoring of slope which is reinforced by permanent anchor for a long period, monitoring of the tension force of ground anchor is very important. However, since electromechanical sensors such as strain gauge and V/W type load cell are also subject to long-term risk as well as suffering from noise during long distance transmission and immunity to electromagnetic interference (EMI), optical FBG sensors embedded tendon was developed to measure strain of 7-wire strand by embedding FBG sensor into the center king cable of 7-wire strand. This FBG sensors embedded tendon has been successfully applied to measuring the short-term anchor force. But to adopt this tendon to long-term monitoring, temperature compensation of the FBG sensors embedded tendon should be done. In this paper, we described how to compensate the effect in compliance with the change of underground temperature during long-term tension force monitoring of ground anchors by using optical fiber sensors (FBG: Fiber Bragg Grating). The model test was carried out to determine the temperature sensitivity coefficient (${\beta}^{\prime}$) of FBG sensors embedded tendon. The determined temperature sensitivity coefficient ${\beta}^{\prime}=2.0{\times}10^{-5}/^{\circ}C$ was verified by comparing the ground temperatures predicted from the proposed sensor using ${\beta}^{\prime}$ with ground temperatures measured from ground thermometer. Finally, temperature compensations were carried out based on ${\beta}^{\prime}$ value and ground temperature measurement from KMA for the tension force monitoring results of tension type and compression type anchors, which had been installed more than 1 year before at the test site. Temperature compensated tension forces are compared with those measured from conventional load cell during the same measuring time. Test results show that determined temperature sensitivity coefficient (${\beta}^{\prime}$) of FBG sensors embedded tendon is valid and proposed temperature compensation method is also appropriate from the fact that the temperature compensated tension forces are not dependent on the change of ground temperature and are consistent with the tension forces measured from the conventional load cell.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.127-135
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• 2002

The accurate evaluation of settlement is important to every steps in the constructions involving soft soils. Relating with those constructions, especially, it has been emphasized recently that the influnce of secondary settlement is important. The ratio of $C_a/C_c$ and the surcharging tests can be applied collaboratively to predicting and reducing secondary consolidation. A series of incremental loading consolidation test and surcharging tests for undisturbed samples of Kunsan clay were performed in this study. As a result of the tests, the ratio of $C_a/C_c$ for the clay was found to be 0.0329. Also, the relationship between void ratio and $t/t_p$ was shown to be linear. Accordingly, the secondary compression index, $C_a for a long term loading had a constant value regardless of time. When the total surcharge ratio was 0.4 and the dissipation ratio of excessive porewater pressure was in the range from 80% to 100%, secondary settlement was effectively reduced for Kunsan clay.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.114-120
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• 2014

Objective : At present, gold-standard technique of cervical cord decompression is surgical decompression and fusion. But, many complications related cervical fusion have been reported. We adopted an extended anterior cervical foraminotomy (EACF) technique to decompress the anterolateral portion of cervical cord and report clinical results and effectiveness of this procedure. Methods : Fifty-three patients were operated consecutively using EACF from 2008 to 2013. All of them were operated by a single surgeon via the unilateral approach. Twenty-two patients who exhibited radicular and/or myelopathic symptoms were enrolled in this study. All of them showed cervical cord compression in their preoperative magnetic resonance scan images. Results : In surgical outcomes, 14 patients (64%) were classified as excellent and six (27%), as good. The mean difference of cervical cord anterior-posterior diameter after surgery was 0.92 mm (p<0.01) and transverse area was $9.77mm^2$ (p<0.01). The dynamic radiological study showed that the average post-operative translation (retrolisthesis) was 0.36 mm and the disc height loss at the operated level was 0.81 mm. The change in the Cobb angle decreased to 3.46, and showed slight kyphosis. The average vertebral body resection rate was 11.47%. No procedure-related complications occurred. Only one patient who had two-level decompression needed anterior fusion at one level as a secondary surgery due to postoperative instability. Conclusions : Cervical cord decompression was successfully performed using EACF technique. This procedure will be an alternative surgical option for treating cord compressing lesions. Long-term follow-up and a further study in larger series will be needed.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.430-433
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• 2010

The gasket materials of for the lithium ion battery requires chemical resistance to electrolyte, electrical insulating, compression set, anti-contamination and low temperature property. To check the special characteristics of fillers which are applied to rubber for gasket, compound of EPDM, NBR and FKM (fluoro elastomer) were made by adjusting weights of carbon black and silica additive. Using these compounds, we had done tests of long-term stability against electrolyte, compression set and low-temperature property with considering operating condition of the lithium ion battery. From this test, we investigated the physical and chemical characteristics of rubber with using of carbon black and silica additive in each.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.1243-1251
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• 2013

The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of initial clamping force of tension clamp on the performance of an elastic rail fastening system used in sharp curve track. In this study, the initial clamping force and the increasing lateral wheel loads were conducted in the analytical and experimental study, i.e., finite element analysis, laboratory and field test. Using the analytical and experimental results, the performance of the tension clamp was investigated. It was found that the stress of tension clamp depends on the initial clamping force. Therefore the initial clamping force appeared to directly affect the compression stress of the tension clamp. It was found that the compression stress of tension clamp was transferred to the tensile stress by applied the lateral wheel load in service sharp curve track. Further, it was concluded that the initial clamping force was applied on the strengthening force for the tension clamp and then the appropriate initial clamping force was important to ensure a stable performance and long term endurance of tension clamp.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.116-123
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• 2005

Objective: Percutaneous kyphoplasty using a balloon-catheter is an widely accepted method which achieves the restoration of vertebral height and the correction of kyphotic deformity with little complication in osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures. The authors assess the results of 59 patients who underwent kyphoplasty, and analyze the factors that could affect the prognosis. Methods: From December 2001 to May 2003, fifty-nine patients underwent kyphoplasty. The patients included 49 women and 10 men aged 52-85 years. Average t-score on bone marrow density was -3.58. About 7cc of polymethylmethacrylate(PMMA) was injected into the fractured vertebral body using $Kyphon^{(R)}$ under local anesthesia. The vertical height of all fractured vertebrae was measured both before and after surgery. Outcome data were obtained by comparing pre- and post-operative VAS score and by assessing postoperative satisfaction, drug dependency and activity. Various clinical factors were analyzed to assess the relationship with the outcome. Results: The VAS score improved significantly, and the mean percentage of restored vertebral height was 53%. The mean improvement in kyphosis was $3.6^{\circ}$. Eighty-nine percent of the patients gained excellent or good results. Any of the clinical factors including the interval between fracture and operation, the degree of height loss, the degree of the vertebral height restoration or the correction rate of kyphosis did not affect the clinical results. Conclusion: Kyphoplasty is associated with a statistically significant improvement in pain and function with little complication. The clinical results are not affected by any clinical parameters. Further follow-up study is needed to determine whether the restoration affects the long-term clinical results.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.115-124
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• 2004

PTT(polytrimethylene terephthalate) is a thermoplastic that can be melt-spun into fibers and has extensive applications in carpets, textiles and apparel, engineering thermoplastics, nonwovens, and films or sheets. This polymer combines the good properties of nylon and polyester. Compared with other synthetic fibers such as nylon and acrylic, the PTT fibers feel softer, dye easier with vibrant colors, stretch and recover better. Moreover, the PTT fibers for carpets resist most stainings, clean better, and dry faster. The PTT was first patented in 1941, but it was not until the 1990's, when Shell Chemicals developed the practical method of producing PDO, the raw material for PTT. Many studies have been done including the retention of carpet texture using an image analysis technique, or compressional resilience of the carpet for long term use. In this study, PTT and nylon BCF carpets were compared in terms of the compressional properties including the resilience, using one of the KES system for repetitive measurements. The compression resilience(RC) values of the PTT BCF carpets far exceed those of nylon 6 BCF carpets. The RC values of the PTT BCF carpet(cut) specimens are $42{\sim}45%$ for 5 successive compression deformations, while those of the nylon BCF carpet specimens(cut) are $26{\sim}28%$. There is also a similar trend in the RC values for the other type of carpet which is the loop type. This resilience is one of the important factors of carpet usage evaluation.