• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.276-282
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• 2021

Objective: To investigate effects of Fibular Repositioning Taping (FRT) on lower extremity joint stiffness and angle during drop-landing. Method: Twenty-eight participants (14 healthy, 14 with chronic ankle instability [CAI]) performed drop-landings from a 60 cm box; three were performed prior to tape application and three were performed post-FRT. Three-dimensional kinematic and kinetic data were collected using an infrared optical camera system (Vicon Motion Systems Ltd. Oxford, UK) and force-plate (AMTI, Watertown, MA). Joint stiffness and sagittal angle of the ankle, knee, and hip were analyzed. Results: The hip [Healthy: p<.05; M ± SD: 29.43 ± 11.27 (pre), 33.04 ± 12.03 (post); CAI: p<.05; M ± SD: 31.45 ± 9.70 (pre), 32.29 ± 9.85 (post)] and knee [Healthy: p<.05; M ± SD: 53.44 ± 8.09 (pre), 55.13 ± 8.36 (post); CAI: p<.05; M ± SD: 53.12 ± 8.35 (pre), 55.55 ± 9.81 (post)] joints demonstrated significant increases in sagittal angle after FRT. A significant decrease in joint angle was found at the ankle [Healthy: p<.05; M ± SD: 56.10 ± 3.71 (pre), 54.09 ± 4.31 (post); CAI: p<.05; M ± SD: 52.80 ± 6.04 (pre), 49.86 ± 10.08 (post)]. A significant decrease in hip [Healthy: p<.05; M ± SD: 1549.16 ± 517.53 (pre), 1272.48 ± 646.73 (post); CAI: p<.05; M ± SD: 1300.42 ± 595.55 (pre), 1158.27 ± 550.58 (post)] and knee [Healthy: p<.05; M ± SD: 270.12 ± 54.07 (pre), 239.13 ± 64.70 (post); CAI: p<.05; M ± SD: 241.58 ± 93.48 (pre), 214.63 ± 101.00 (post)] joint stiffness was found post-FRT application, while no difference was found at the ankle [Healthy: p>.05; M ± SD: 57.29 ± 17.04 (pre), 59.37 ± 18.30 (post); CAI: p>.05; M ± SD: 69.15 ± 17.63 (pre), 77.24 ± 35.05 (post)]. Conclusion FRT application decreased joint angle at the ankle without altering ankle joint stiffness. In contrast, decreased joint stiffness and increased joint angle was found at the hip and knee following FRT. Thus, participants utilize an altered shock absorption mechanism during drop-landings following FRT. When compared to previous research, the joint kinematics and stiffness of the lower extremity appear to be different following FRT versus traditional ankle taping.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.131-140
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• 2022

Installing Continuous Welded Rail (CWR) is one of the economical ways to resolve the challenges of noise, vibration, and the open-deck steel railway bridge impact, and the SSF method using the interlocking sleeper fastener has recently been developed. In this study, the method employed for determining the optimum vertical stiffness of the sleeper pad installed under the bridge sleeper, which is utilized to adjust the rail height and absorb shock when the train passes when the interlocking sleeper fastener is applied, is presented. To determine the optimal vertical stiffness of the sleeper pad, related existing design codes are reviewed, and, running safety, ride comfort, track safety, and bridge vibration according to the change in the vertical stiffness of the sleeper pad are estimated via flexible multi-body dynamic analysis,. The flexible multi-body dynamic analysis is performed using commercial programs ABAQUS and VI-Rail. The numerical analysis is conducted using the bridge model for a 30m-long plate girder bridge, and the response is calculated when passing ITX Saemaeul and KTX vehicles and freight wagon when the vertical stiffness of the sleeper pad is altered from 7.5 kN/mm to 240 kN/mm. The optimum stiffness of the sleeper pad is calculated as 200 kN/mm under the conditions of the track components applied to the numerical analysis.