• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.12
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• pp.1744-1754
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• 2014

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA genome is replicated by an RNA replicase complex (RC) consisting of cellular proteins and viral nonstructural (NS) proteins, including NS5B, an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) and key enzyme for viral RNA genome replication. The HCV RC is known to be associated with an intracellular membrane structure, but the cellular components of the RC and their roles in the formation of the HCV RC have not been well characterized. In this study, we took a proteomic approach to identify stomatin, a member of the integral proteins of lipid rafts, as a cellular protein interacting with HCV NS5B. Co-immunoprecipitation and co-localization studies confirmed the interaction between stomatin and NS5B. We demonstrated that the subcellular fraction containing viral NS proteins and stomatin displays RdRp activity. Membrane flotation assays with the HCV genome replication-competent subcellular fraction revealed that the HCV RdRp and stomatin are associated with the lipid raft-like domain of membranous structures. Stomatin silencing by RNA interference led to the release of NS5B from the detergent-resistant membrane, thereby inhibiting HCV replication in both HCV subgenomic replicon-harboring cells and HCV-infected cells. Our results identify stomatin as a cellular protein that plays a role in the formation of an enzymatically active HCV RC on a detergent-resistant membrane structure.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.755-772
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• 2014

A simplistic approach towards evaluation of complete load deflection response of Reinforced Concrete (RC) flexural members under post fire (residual) scenario is presented in this paper. The cross-section of the RC flexural member is divided into a number of sectors. Thermal analysis is performed to determine the temperature distribution across the section, for given fire duration. Temperature-dependent stress-strain curves for concrete and steel are then utilized to perform a moment-curvature analysis. The moment-curvature relationships are obtained for beams exposed to different fire durations. These are then utilized to obtain the load-deflection plots following pushover analysis. Moreover one of the important issues of modeling the initial stiffness giving due consideration to stiffness degradation due to material degradation and thermal cracking has also been addressed in a rational manner. The approach is straightforward and can be easily programmed in spreadsheets. The presented approach has been validated against the experiments, available in literature, on RC beam subjected to different fire durations viz. 1hr, 1.5hrs and 2hrs. Complete load-deflection curves have been obtained and compared with experimentally reported counterparts. The results also show a good match with the results obtained using more complicated approaches such as those involving Finite element (FE) modeling and conducting a transient thermal stress analysis. Further evaluation of the beams during fire (at elevated temperatures) was performed and a comparison of the mechanical behavior of RC beams under post fire and during fire scenarios is made. Detailed formulations, assumptions and step by step approach are reported in the paper. Due to the simplicity and ease of implementation, this approach can be used for evaluation of global performance of fire affected structures.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 2008.04a
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• pp.85-88
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• 2008

Performance evaluation of RC bridge piers repaired by CFRP has been investigated. For this purpose, simplified CFRP stress-strain relationship has been proposed and use is made of inelastic time-dependent element developed by authors. Static time-history analysis has been carried out for a RC bridge pier repaired with CFRP. Analytical predictions shows a relatively good correlation with experimental results. In addition, in case of dynamic time-history analysis, effect of the CFRP repair intervention on shear has been evaluated. Comparative analysis reveals that a repaired member produces increased characteristics due to the repair intervention and may affect the overall response of a whole structure. Moreover, effect of shear significantly affect strength, stiffness and displacement response of the pier. In all, It is believed that the present analytical model and scheme enable a healthy evaluation of strength, stiffness and displacement capacities of a RC bridge pier being damaged and repaired.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.75-82
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• 2010

The static strengths of the existing RC beams were experimentally investigated in this paper to understand the strength characteristics of existing structural members and to get appropriate data in strengthening RC members in the remodelling construction. Ten RC beams were prepared by cutting and extracting directly from the demolition site of apartment housings and tested in order to evaluate the flexural and shear strengths of existing RC beams by their geometric condition. From the test results, it was found that most of the specimens had a sufficient structural capacity except for some special case, for example, specimens with severe cracks or concrete losses caused by improper casting. Therefore, the severely deteriorated members originated from bad concrete casting or careless construction process should be repaired and strengthened in remodelling construction.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.393-408
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• 2024

In recent decades the strengthening of reinforced concrete (RC) structural elements using Fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) has received much attention. The behavior of RC elements can vary from axial compression to pure bending, depending on their loading. When the compressive behavior is dominant, the FRP jacket application is common, but when the flexural behavior is prevalent, the codes consider the FRP jacket ineffective. Codes suggest applying FRP bars or strips as Near-surface Mounted (NSM) or Externally Bonded (EB) in the tensile face to strengthen the beams under flexure. To strengthen the columns in tension-control mode, some researchers have suggested NSM FRP bars in both tension and compression faces alone or with the FRP jacket (hybrid). However, the number of tests that evaluate the pure bending of the strengthened columns as one of the pivotal points of the axial force-moment interaction curve is limited. In this paper, 11 RC elements strengthened using the NSM (in both tension and compression faces) or hybrid method were subjected to bending to assess the effect of the amount and material type of the FRP bar and jacket and the dimensions of the groove. The test results revealed that the NSM method increased the flexural capacity of the members between 10% to 50%. Furthermore, using the hybrid method increased the capacity between 51% to 91%. Finally, an analytical model was presented considering the effect of the NSM FRP bond in different circumstances, and its results were in good agreement with the experimental results.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 2004.05a
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• pp.392-395
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• 2004

When a concrete member is damaged by fire accident, it can lose its strength. And the degradation rate of losing its strength affected by many environmental conditions. But there is few research for equation for strength evaluation of fire-damaged concrete. Besides, it is impossible to destruct structural member from the building for the evaluation. So, I will suggest a new equation for strength evaluation of fire-damaged RC beam using non-destructive test. For this purpose, the researchers are exploring the performance of non-destructive testing methods using Ultrasonic test, Schmidt Hammer test and Coring test against fire damaged concrete specimen.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.228-236
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• 2001

When RC beams are strengthened for flexure with steel plate, reinforced member has initial strain due to the dead load and is subject to partial damage. Strain of steel strengthening is zero at initial state. The effect of strengthening flexural member might be influenced by the quantity of initial strain. In this study, when He beams are strengthened for flexure with steel plate, its behavior is experimentally compared for the reinforcement efficiency of members due to the existence of different levels of initial strain. It is confirmed that reinforcement efficiency varies depending on the difference of initial strain.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.121-128
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• 2000

When RC beams are strengthening in flexure with steel plate, they have initial strain due to dead load. Strain of steel used in strengthening member is zero. The effect of strengthening in flexure at member changes in accordance with the quantity of initial strain. But in most cases, Quantity of reinforcement is determined without regard to the difference of initial strain when there are calculated the strengthening in flexure at beams. Such method is possible to suggest inadequate quantity of reinforcement. Thus, the object of the study is to suggest practical design equation and reinforcement proposal using comparison and analysis reinforcement efficiency about fexural strength in case with regard and without regard to the initial strain when Re beams are strengthening in flexure with steel plate.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.579-596
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• 2016

This paper describes a method of the refined plastic hinge approach in the framework of the higher-order element formulation that can efficaciously evaluate the limit state capacity of a whole reinforced concrete structural system using least number of element(s), whereas the traditional design of a reinforced concrete structure (i.e. AS3600; Eurocode 2) is member-based approach. Hence, in regard to the material nonlinearities, the efficient and economical cross-section analysis is provided to evaluate the element section capacity of non-uniform and arbitrary concrete section subjected to the interaction effects, which is helpful to formulate the refined plastic hinge method. In regard to the geometric nonlinearities, this paper relies on the higher-order element formulation with element load effect. Eventually, the load redistribution can be considered and make full use of the strength reserved owing to the redundancy of an indeterminate structure. And it is particularly true for the performance-based design of a structure under the extreme loads, while the uncertainty of the extreme load is great that the true behaviour of a whole structural system is important for the economical design approach, which is great superiority over the conservative optimal strength of an individual and isolated member based on traditional design (i.e. AS3600; Eurocode 2).

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.137-147
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• 2012

This paper describes an experimental study on the mechanical characteristic and behavior of a structure that has a joint between the reinforced concrete (RC) member and steel plate concrete (SC) member. An out-of-plane flexural test on an L-type test specimen and in-plane shear test on an I-type test specimen were carried out by means of repeated cyclic loading until their failure. Based on the results, the former showed pull-out failure mode of anchored vertical bars while the latter exhibited flexural failure mode of the basement member. These results reveal that the maximum capacity of the specimens is 96% and 82%, respectively, compared with the theoretical value.