• Clean Technology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.71-93
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• 2024

Recently, the establishment of a hydrogen-based economy and the utilization of low-carbon energy sources, particularly for shipping and power generation, have been in high demand in order to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. In particular, ammonia is gaining renewed attention because it is capable of serving as a key facilitator for high-efficiency green hydrogen storage and transportation and it is also capable of serving as a low-carbon energy source. Although ammonia can be synthesized through the Haber-Bosch process, the high energy consumption and carbon emissions associated with this process result in minimal carbon reduction. To address the critical drawbacks of the traditional Haber-Bosch process, various thermochemical synthesis methods have been developed recently, allowing for the synthesis of ammonia with lower carbon emissions and a higher energy efficiency. Research is also progressing in the development of high-performance catalyst materials that are capable of demonstrating sufficient ammonia synthesis performance under milder process conditions compared to conventional methods. Additionally, a variety of different processes such as chemical-looping ammonia synthesis, plasma synthesis, and mechanochemical synthesis are being applied diversely. This review aims to provide a detailed overview of the emerging ammonia synthesis technologies that have been developed to effectively store green hydrogen for future applications.

• Clean Technology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.105-112
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• 2024

Globally, the demand for electric vehicles has surged due to greenhouse gas regulations related to climate change, leading to an increase in the production of used batteries as a consequence of the battery life issue. This study aims to selectively leach and recover valuable metal lithium from the cathode material of spent LFP (LiFePO₄) batteries among lithium-ion batteries. Generally, the use of inorganic acids results in the emission of toxic gases or the generation of large quantities of wastewater, causing environmental issues. To address this, research is being conducted to leach lithium using organic acids and other leaching agents. In this study, selective leaching was performed using the organic acid methane sulfonic acid (MSA, CH₃SO₃H). Experiments were conducted to determine the optimal conditions for selectively leaching lithium by varying the MSA concentration, pulp density, and hydrogen peroxide dosage. The results of this study showed that lithium was leached at approximately 100%, while iron and phosphorus components were leached at about 1%, verifying the leaching efficiency and the leaching rates of the main components under different variables.

• The Korean Journal of Archival Studies
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• no.80
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• pp.197-232
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• 2024

This study aims to understand archival art, which is spreading in the art world, and to look at records in a new way. Archival art refers to the act of creating and exhibiting art using records as a medium of expression. Archival art is attracting attention as a method of exhibition and creation of works, forming a trend in contemporary art. Archival art was born amid changes in art creation methods resulting from the rise of conceptual art, the development of media including photography and advancements in digital technology, and the influence of Foucault and Derrida's discourse on archives. The encounter between archives and art, which originated from photographic aesthetics in the 1920s, led to archival turn in contemporary art in the 1990s, thanks to the spread of conceptual art, digital technology, and postmodernism. Archival art not only subverts traditional art creation methods, but also includes criticism and deconstruction of social systems, including modern archives. Archival art rearranges and reorganizes records according to the artist's intention, and even accepts fiction rather than fact. The essence of records in archival art is not the reproduction of the past, but the expression of present needs. The way records are utilized in archival art shakes up the concept of records in archival science, calling for a new look at records as objects with not only legal and administrative value but also aesthetic value.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.1-16
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• 2024

To achieve carbon neutrality and restore the national environment, there is growing interest in policies to transform national land areas into green space, such as expanding nature-based solutions, increasing biodiversity, and improving ecosystem service functions. In addition to complying with international agreements such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Convention on Biological Diversity, it is necessary to expand green spaces to achieve the 2050 Carbon Neutrality goal, which can be achieved by restoring the damaged land in an ecological way. However, it is challenging to implement green restoration in a systematic and active way due to conflicts of interest among landowners and lack of institutional support and advanced technology. Therefore, this study aims to develop a strategy to expand green restoration and implement it smoothly and systematically. This study examined the current status of green restoration in South Korea by investigating green restoration laws and systems and overseas trends, and by surveying the perceptions of 1,000 people selected from a pool of the public. The results of this study show that it is difficult to implement the green restoration efficiently because the laws related to restoration are scattered. According to the relevant legal plans, the perception and direction of restoration is to pursue a sustainable national land environment, allow people to benefit from nature, improve the quality of life, and nurture related industries and human resources. In the international community, it is mentioned that green restoration contributes to achieving the 2050 Carbon Neutrality goal, revitalizing green industries, developing and applying advanced technologies, maintaining consistency in restoration-related policies, expanding citizens' access to green spaces, and adopting nature-based solutions. Both experts and the public are aware of the seriousness of the damage to the natural environment and prefer restoration with human use rather than focusing on natural recovery. It is expected that this study will contribute to the future direction of green restoration and the implementation of tasks for the sustainable restoration of the national land environment and the zero-carbon era.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.605-619
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• 2024

The increase of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) content in recycled asphalt concrete (RAC) is accompanied by the degradation of low-temperature cracking resistance, which has become an obstacle to the development of RAC. This paper aims to reveal the meso-scale mechanisms of the low-temperature fracture behavior of RAC and provide a theoretical basis for the economical recycling of RAP. For this purpose, micromechanical heterogeneous peridynamic model of RAC was established and validated by comparing three-point bending (TPB) test results against corresponding numerical simulation results of RAC with 50% RAP content. Furthermore, the models with different aggregate shapes (i.e., average aggregates circularity (${\bar{C_r}}=1.00$, 0.75, and 0.50) and RAP content (i.e., 0%, 15%, 30%, 50%, 75%, and 100%) were constructed to investigate the effect of aggregate shape and RAP content on the low-temperature cracking resistance. The results show that peridynamic models can accurately simulate the low-temperature fracture behavior of RAC, with only 2.9% and 13.9% differences from the TPB test in flexural strength and failure strain, respectively. On the meso-scale, the damage in the RAC is mainly controlled by horizontal tensile stress and the stress concentration appears in the interface transition zone (ITZ). Aggregate shape has a significant effect on the low-temperature fracture resistance, i.e., higher aggregate circularity leads to better low-temperature performance. The large number of microcracks generated during the damage evolution process for the peridynamic model with circular aggregates contributes to slowing down the fracture, whereas the severe stress concentration at the corners leads to the fracture of the aggregates with low circularity under lower stress levels. The effect of RAP content below 30% or above 50% is not significant, but a substantial reduction (16.9% in flexural strength and 16.4% in failure strain) is observed between the RAP content of 30% and 50%. This reduction is mainly attributed to the fact that the damage in the ITZ region transfers significantly to the aggregates, especially the RAP aggregates, when the RAP content ranges from 30% to 50%.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.77-84
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• 2024

In the fourth industrial-revolution era, the construction industry is transitioning from traditional methods to digital processes. This shift has been challenging owing to the industry's employment of diverse processes and extensive human resources, leading to a gradual adoption of digital technologies through trial and error. One critical area of focus is the safety management at construction sites, which is undergoing significant research and efforts towards digitization and automation. Despite these initiatives, recent statistics indicate a persistent occurrence of accidents and fatalities in construction sites. To address this issue, this study utilizes large-scale language-model artificial intelligence to analyze big data from a construction safety-management information network. The findings are integrated into on-site models, which incorporate real-time updates from detailed design models and are enriched with location information and spatial characteristics, for enhanced safety management. This research aims to develop a big-data-driven safety-management platform to bolster facility and worker safety by digitizing construction-site safety data. This platform can help prevent construction accidents and provide effective education for safety practices.

• The Journal of The Korea Institute of Intelligent Transport Systems
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.106-118
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• 2024

Interest in personal mobility has increased with the growing significance of first-mile and last-mile connectivity in smart mobility services. This study aims to propose a methodology for setting the service area of free-floating personal mobility sharing services and determining the optimal fleet size for the selected shared service area to address first-mile and last-mile challenges. We utilize population data, smart card data, and building data. Additionally, we estimate latent demand by incorporating age-specific and distance-specific utilization rates based on personal mobility device data. Along with the latent demand, we determine the service area based on locations of transit stops and buildings. We apply the proposed methodology to Yeongjong Island, Incheon. As a result, dense residential areas and popular beachside locations are designated as personal mobility sharing service areas. The fleet size for personal mobility in the dense residential service area is determined to be 1,022 units, while the fleet size for the beachside service area is set at 269 units.

• The Journal of The Korea Institute of Intelligent Transport Systems
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.173-188
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• 2024

With the advancement of autonomous vehicle (AV) technology, autonomous driving on real roads has become feasible. However, there are challenges in achieving complete autonomy due to perceptual blind areas, which occur when the AV's sensory range or capabilities are limited or impaired by surrounding objects or environmental factors. This study aims to analyze AV accident patterns and safety issues of perceptual blind area that may occur in urban areas, with the goal of developing test scenarios for Level 4+ autonomous driving. It utilized AV accident data from the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to compare accident patterns and characteristics between AVs and conventional vehicles based on activation status of autonomous mode. It also categorized AV disengagement data to identify types and real-world cases of disengagements caused by perceptual blind areas. The analysis revealed that AVs exhibit different accident types due to their safe driving maneuvers, and three types of perceptual blind area scenarios were identified. The findings of this study serve as crucial foundational data for developing Level 4+ autonomous driving test scenarios, enabling the design of efficient strategies to mitigate perceptual blind areas in various scenarios. This, in turn, is expected to contribute to the effective evaluation and enhancement of AV driving safety on real roads.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.271-280
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• 2024

This study examines the European Union (EU)'s policies on managing nitrate contamination in groundwater and provides implications for the future groundwater management in South Korea. Initiated by the 1991 Nitrate Directive, the EU has pursued a multifaceted approach to reduce agricultural nitrate pollution through sustainable ('good') farming practices, regular nitrate level monitoring, and designating Nitrate Vulnerable Zones. Further policy integrations, like the Water Framework Directive and Groundwater Directive, have established comprehensive protection strategies, including the use of pollutant threshold values. Recently, the 2019 Green Deal escalated efforts against nitrates, aligning with broader environmental and climate objectives. This review aims to explore these developments, highlighting key mitigation strategies against nitrate pollution, and providing valuable insights for the future sustainable groundwater nitrate management in South Korea, emphasizing the importance of preventive measures and collaborative efforts to restore and improve groundwater quality.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.21-38
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• 2024

This study aims to establish an efficient street green area to improve the urban thermal environment and enhance pedestrian thermal comfort. Specifically, This study identified parameters applicable to green space planning and design, analyzed thermal environment mitigation mechanisms for each parameter, and, based on these findings, proposed methods for tree species selection and planting in green space planning and design. To achieve this, 61 papers were selected through a four-stage process from both domestic and foreign sources. The selected papers were analyzed, and the following main results were derived: In open street canyons with high stress levels due to low aspect ratios and high sky view factors(SVF), broadleaf trees with wide crown widths, low trunk heights, high leaf area index(LAI), and high crown heights were found effective in reducing heat, thereby increasing the amount and quality of shade. In contrast, in deep and narrow street canyons with relatively low heat stress due to high aspect ratios and low SVF, broad-leaved trees with narrow crown widths, high trunks, low crown heights, and low LAI were effective in reducing heat by enhancing ventilation. This study can serve as fundamental data for establishing standards for street green spaces to improve the thermal environment of street canyons and enhance thermal comfort of pedestrians. Additionally, it can be valuable when selecting the location and prioritizing street green spaces. Moreover, it is anticipated to be a foundational resource for creating guidelines for green space planning and design in response to climate change.