• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.123-132
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• 2021

Radiological impact analyses were carried out for a near-surface radioactive waste repository at Gyeongju in South Korea. The RESRAD-ONSITE code was applied for the estimation of maximum exposure doses by considering various exposure pathways based on a land area of 2,500 ㎡ with a 0.15 m thick contamination zone. Typical influencing input parameters such as shield depth, shield materials' density, and shield erosion rate were examined for a sensitivity analysis. Then both residential farmer and industrial worker scenarios were used for the estimation of maximum exposure doses depending on exposure duration. The radiation dose evaluation results showed that 60Co, 137Cs, and 63Ni were major contributors to the total exposure dose compared with other radionuclides. Furthermore, the total exposure dose from ingestion (plant, meat, and milk) of the contaminated plants was more significant than those assessed for inhalation, with maximum values of 5.5×10-4 mSv·yr-1 for the plant ingestion. Thus the results of this study can be applied for determining near-surface radioactive waste repository conditions and providing quantitative analysis methods using RESRAD-ONSITE code for the safety assessment of disposing radioactive materials including decommissioning wastes to protect human health and the environment.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.439-451
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• 2023

The construction of shield tunnelling in urban sites is facing serious risks from complex and changeable underground conditions. Construction problems in the sand-clay mixed ground have been more reported in recent decades for its poor control of soil loss in tunnel face, ground settlement and supporting pressure. Since the limitations of observation methods, the conventional physical modelling experiments normally simplify the tunnelling to a plane strain situation whose results are not reliable in mixed ground cases which exhibit more complicated responses. We propose a new method for the study of the mixed ground tunnel through which mixed lays are simulated with transparent soil surrogates exhibiting different mechanical properties. An experimental framework for the transparent soil modelling of the mixed ground tunnel was established incorporated with the self-developed digital image correlation system (PhotoInfor). To understand better the response of face stability, ground deformation, settlement and supporting phenomenon to tunnelling excavation in the sand-clay mixed ground, a series of case studies were carried out comparing the results from cases subjected to different buried depths and mixed phenomenon. The results indicate that the deformation mode, settlement and supporting phenomenon vary with the mixed phenomenon and buried depth. Moreover, a stratigraphic effect exists that the ground movement around mixed face reveals a notable difference.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.11
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• pp.4181-4190
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• 2023

Nuclear power plants are subjected to various processes during decommissioning, including cutting, decontamination, disposal, and treatment. The cutting of massive bio-shields is a significant step in the decommissioning process. Cutting is performed near the target structure, and during this process, workers are exposed to potential radioactive elements. However, studies considering worker exposure management during such cutting operations are limited. Furthermore, dismantling a nuclear power plant under certain circumstances may result in the unnecessary radiation exposure of workers and an increase in secondary waste generation. In this study, a cutting scenario was formulated considering the bio-shield as a representative structure. The specifications of a standard South Korean radioactive waste disposal drum were used as the basic conditions. Additionally, we explored the hot-to-cold and cold-to-hot methods, with and without the application of polishing during decontamination. For evaluating various scenarios, different cutting time points up to 30 years after permanent shutdown were considered, and cutting speeds of 1-10nullm²/h were applied to account for the variability and uncertainty attributable to the design output and specifications. The obtained results provide fundamental guidelines for establishing cutting methods suitable for large structures.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.623-641
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• 2020

About 5 km length of tunnels were constructed by mechanized tunnelling method using closed type shield TBM. In order to avoid construction delay problems for ensuring timely electricity transmission, it is necessary to increase the prediction accuracy of the excavation process involving machines according to rock mass types. This is important to corroborate the project duration and optimum operation for various considerations involved in the machine. So, full-scale tunnelling tests were performed for developing the advance rate model to be appropriately used for 3.6 m diameter shield TBM. About 100 test cases were established and performed using various operational parameters such as thrust force and rotational speed of cuttterhead in representative uniaxial compressive strengths. Accordingly, relationships between normal force and penetration depth and, between UCS and torque were suggested which consider UCS and thrust force conditions according to weathered, soft, hard rocks. Capacity analysis of cutterhead was performed and optimum operational conditions were also suggested based on the developed model. Based on this study, it can be expected that the project construction duration can be reduced and users can benefit from the provision of earlier service.

• Composites Research
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.83-87
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• 2018

An object in the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) is affected by many environmental conditions unlike earth's surface such as, Atomic oxygen (AO), Ultraviolet Radiation (UV), thermal cycling, High Vacuum and Micrometeoroids and Orbital Debris (MMOD) impacts. The effect of all these parameters have to be carefully considered when designing a space structure, as it could be very critical for a space mission. Polybenzimidazole (PBI) is a high performance thermoplastic polymer that could be a suitable material for space missions because of its excellent resistance to these environmental factors. A thin coating of PBI polymer on the carbon epoxy composite laminate (referred as CFRP) was found to improve the energy absorption capability of the laminate in event of a hypervelocity impact. However, the overall efficiency of the shield also depends on other factors like placement and orientation of the laminates, standoff distances and the number of shielding layers. This paper studies the effectiveness of using a PBI coating on the front bumper in a multi-shock shield design for enhanced hypervelocity impact resistance. A thin PBI coating of 43 micron was observed to improve the shielding efficiency of the CFRP laminate by 22.06% when exposed to LEO environment conditions in a simulation chamber. To study the effectiveness of PBI coating in a hypervelocity impact situation, experiments were conducted on the CFRP and the PBI coated CFRP laminates with projectile velocities between 2.2 to 3.2 km/s. It was observed that the mass loss of the CFRP laminates decreased 7% when coated by a thin layer of PBI. However, the study of mass loss and damage area on a witness plate showed CFRP case to have better shielding efficiency than PBI coated CFRP laminate case. Therefore, it is recommended that PBI coating on the front bumper is not so effective in improving the overall hypervelocity impact resistance of the space structure.

• Geotechnical Engineering
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.107-122
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• 1997

This paper presents a ground surface settlement prediction method for shield tunneling in cohesive soils. In order to develop the method, a parametric study on shield tunneling was performed by using a threetimensional elasto-plastic finite element analysis, which can simulate the construction procedure. By using the results of the finite element analysis, the ground movement mechanism was investigated and a base which relates the ground surface settlement and iuluencing factors was formed. The data base was then used to formulate semi -empirical equations for both surface settlement ratio above tunnel face and imflection point by means of a regression analysis. Furthermore, a prediction method for transverse and longitudinal surface settlement profiles was suggested by using the leveloped equations in conjunction with the normal probability curve. Effectiveness of the developed method was illustrated by comparing settlement profiles obtained by using the developed method with the results of finite element analysis and measured data. Based on the comparison, it was concluded that the developed method can be effectively rosed for practical applications at least within the conditions investigated.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.273-282
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• 2016

This study estimates tunnel face pressure through existing 8 analytical equations and 3D numerical analysis, and compares and examines it. In general, the estimating tunnel face pressure of domestic shield TBM has been examined by a method according to analytical equation and empirical method, but numerical analysis is combined in a section passing complicated stratigraphic condition and special soil condition. Therefore, the researcher is to find a reliable method to examine of tunnel face pressure by confirming a correlation between tunnel face pressure estimated by equation and tunnel face pressure estimated by numerical analysis program. When tunnel face pressure is estimated, both analytical equation and numerical analysis were identically examined in soil conditions such as sandy soil and cohesive soil. In addition, existing analytical equation is used as equation, and 3D analysis copying construction process and shield tunnel as numerical analysis.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.233-242
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• 2011

This study aims to evaluate the applicability of high-strength concrete mixed with blast furnace slag to shield segment lining in order to improve its performance and economic efficiency. Especially, it was also intended to derive the optimum replacing ratio of ground granulated blast furnace slag to ordinary cement as well as the optimum steam curing condition for shield segment concrete with the design strength of 60 MPa. From a series of experiments, the condition of 50% replacement of ordinary cement by ground granulated blast furnace slag and unit water content of 125 kg/$m^3$ was proposed as the optimum mixing condition. Comparing with standard curing conditions, it was also possible to expect approximately 110~442% strength improvement of concrete by steam curing in the same mixing condition.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.163-176
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• 2017

The Discrete Element Method (DEM) has been widely used in civil engineering as well as various industrial fields to simulate granular materials. In this study, DEM was adopted to predict the performance of the face plate-type earth pressure balance (EPB) shield TBM (Tunnel Boring Machine). An analysis of the TBM excavation performance was conducted according to two pre-defined excavation conditions with the different rotation speeds per minute (RPM) of the cutterhead. The TBM model which was used in this study has a 6.64 m of diameter and six spokes. Also, 37 precutters and 98 scrapers at an each spoke were modeled with a real-scale specification. From the analysis, compressive forces at the cutterhead face, shield and cutting tools, resistant torques at the cutterhead face, muck discharge rate and accumulated muck discharge by the screw auger were measured and compared.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.26 no.9
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• pp.72-80
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• 2009

When the magnet wheel rotates over a conducting plate, it generates the traction torque as well as the repulsive force on the conducting plate. Partially-cut traction torque results in the linear force into the tangential direction. To cut the traction torque, the concept of magnetic shield is introduced. The direction change of the linear force is realized varying the shielded area of magnetic field. That is, the tangential direction of non-shielded open area becomes the direction of the linear thrust force. Specially a shape of permanent magnets composing the magnet wheel leads to various pattern of magnetic forces. So, to enlarge the resulting force density and compensate its servo property a few simulations are performed under various conditions such as repeated pattern, pole number, radial width of permanent magnets, including shape of open area. The theoretical model of the magnet wheel is derived using air-gap field analysis of linear induction motor, compared with test result and the sensitivity analysis for its parameter change is performed using common tool; MAXWELL. Using two-axial wheel set-up, the tracking motion is tested for a copper plate with its normal motion constrained and its result is given. In conclusion, it is estimated that the magnet wheel using partial shield can be applied to a noncontact conveyance of the conducting plate.