• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.523-538
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• 2016

Besides their spiritual significance, minarets are humanity's cultural heritage to the future generations due to their historical and architectural attraction. Currently, many historical masonry minarets are damaged and destroyed due to several reasons such as earthquakes and wind. Therefore, safety of these religiously significant buildings needs to be thoroughly investigated. The utmost care must be taken into account while investigating these structures. Our study investigated earthquake behavior of historical masonry minaret of Haci Mahmut Mosque. Destructive and non-destructive tests were carried out to determine earthquake safety of this structure. Brick-stone masonry material properties of structure were determined by accomplishing ultrasonic wave velocity, Schmidt Hammer, uniaxial compression (UAC) and indirect tension (Brazilian) tests. Determined material properties were used in the finite element analysis of the structure. To validate the numerical analysis, Operational Modal Analysis was applied to the structure and dynamic characteristics of the structure were determined. To this end, accelerometers were placed on the structure and vibrations due to environmental effects were followed. Finite element model of the minaret was updated using dynamic characteristics of the structure and the realistic numerical model of the structure was obtained. This numerical model was solved by using earthquake records of Turkey with time history analysis (THA) and the realistic earthquake behavior of the structure was introduced.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.337-348
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• 2023

Successive wetting and drying cycles of concrete due to weather changes can endanger the safety of engineering structures over time. Considering wetting and drying cycles in concrete tests can lead to a more correct and reliable design of engineering structures. This study aims to provide a model that can be used to estimate the resistance properties of concrete under different wetting and drying cycles. Complex sample preparation methods, the necessity for highly accurate and sensitive instruments, early sample failure, and brittle samples all contribute to the difficulty of measuring the strength of concrete in the laboratory. To address these problems, in this study, the potential ability of six machine learning techniques, including ANN, SVM, RF, KNN, XGBoost, and NB, to predict the concrete's tensile strength was investigated by applying 240 datasets obtained using the Brazilian test (80% for training and 20% for test). In conducting the test, the effect of additives such as glass and polypropylene, as well as the effect of wetting and drying cycles on the tensile strength of concrete, was investigated. Finally, the statistical analysis results revealed that the XGBoost model was the most robust one with R2 = 0.9155, mean absolute error (MAE) = 0.1080 Mpa, and variance accounted for (VAF) = 91.54% to predict the concrete tensile strength. This work's significance is that it allows civil engineers to accurately estimate the tensile strength of different types of concrete. In this way, the high time and cost required for the laboratory tests can be eliminated.

• Explosives and Blasting
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.10-21
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• 2021

Brittle materials such as rocks and concretes exhibit large strain-rate dependency under dynamic loading conditions. This means that the mechanical properties of such materials can significantly be varied according to load velocity. Thus, the strain-rate dependency is recognized as one of the most important considerations in solving problems of blast engineering or rock dynamics. Unfortunately, however, studies for characterizing the dynamic properties of domestic rocks and other brittle materials are still insufficient in the country. In this study, dynamic tensile tests were conducted using the Hopkinson pressure bar apparatus to characterize the dynamic properties of Geochang granite and high-strength concrete specimens. The dynamic Brazilian disc test, which is suggested by ISRM, and the spalling method were applied. In general, the latter is believed to have some advantages in experiments under high-strain rate deformation. It was found from the tests that there were no significant difference between the dynamic tensile strengths obtained from the two different test methods for the two materials given. However, this was not the expected result before the tests. Actually, authors expected that there be some differences between them. Hence, it is thought that further investigations are needed to clarify this results.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.215-225
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• 2008

In order to investigate the influence factors to compressive and tensile strength of basalt in Cheju Island, rock samples of Pyosenri basalt, trachy-basalt and scoria were taken from Seoguipo-Si Seongsan-Eup area, and a series of uniaxial compressive strength test and Brazilian test were carried out. Especially, these tests were performed in consideration of the loading speed, the moisture content in rock sample, and the anisotropy of rock strength. The uniaxial compressive strength was increased gradually as the loading speed rose. The increasing quantity of uniaxial compressive strength had a difference in each rock types. Also, the strength was decreased with increasing the moisture contents in rock sample by pore water. As the result of test considering the anisotropy of rock strength, the compressive strength in condition of failure occurred parallel to stratified layer is decreased about 12-26% more than that in condition of failure occurred inclined to stratified layer.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.284-295
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• 2012

Abrasiveness of rock plays an important role on the wear of rock cutting tools. In this study, Cerchar abrasiveness tests were carried out to assess the abrasiveness of 19 different Korean rocks. Cerchar abrasiveness test is widely used to assess the abrasiveness of rock because of its simplicity and inexpensive cost. This study examines the relationship between Cerchar Abrasiveness Index (CAI) and mechanical properties (uniaxial compressive strength, Brazilian tensile strength, Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio, porosity, shore hardness of rock), and the effect of quartz content, equivalent quartz content, which was obtained from XRD analysis. As a result of test, CAI was more influenced by petrographical properties than by the bonding strength of the matrix material of rock. CAI prediction model which consisted of UCS and EQC was proposed. CAI decreased linearly with the hardness of the steel pin. Numerical analysis was performed using Autodyn-3D for simulating the Cerchar abrasiveness test. In the simulations, most of pin wear occurred during the initial scratching distance, and CAI increased with the increase of normal loading.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.479-493
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• 2019

In this paper, the interaction between notch and micro pore under uniaxial compression has been performed experimentally and numerically. Firstly calibration of PFC2D was performed using Brazilian tensile strength, uniaxial tensile strength and biaxial tensile strength. Secondly uniaxial compression test consisting internal notch and micro pore was performed experimentally and numerically. 9 models consisting notch and micro pore were built, experimentally and numerically. Dimension of these models are 10 cm*1 cm*5 cm. the length of joint is 2 cm. the angularities of joint are $30^{\circ}$, $45^{\circ}$ and $60^{\circ}$. For each joint angularity, micro pore was situated 2 cm above the lower tip of the joint, 2 cm above the middle of the joint and 2 cm above the upper of the joint, separately. Dimension of numerical models are 5.4 cm*10.8 cm. The size of the cracks was 2 cm and its orientation was $30^{\circ}$, $45^{\circ}$ and $60^{\circ}$. Diameter of pore was 1cm which situated at the upper of the notch i.e., 2 cm above the upper notch tip, 2 cm above the middle of the notch and 2 cm above the lower of the notch tip. The results show that failure pattern was affected by notch orientation and pore position while uniaxial compressive strength is affected by failure pattern.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.24.1-24.13
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• 2024

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical performance of an alkasite restorative material in molars that had undergone root canal treatment. Materials and Methods: The research was registered in Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials. The randomized clinical trial involved 33 patients, each with at least 1 mandibular molar requiring restoration after receiving endodontic treatment. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either bulk-fill resin composite (Tetric N Ceram Bulk Fill, Ivoclar Vivadent) or the alkasite restorative material (Cention N, Ivoclar Vivadent). Upon completion of the restorations, 3 calibrated professionals utilized the United States Public Health Service criteria to assess various factors, including retention, secondary caries, marginal adaptation, restoration color, marginal pigmentation, and anatomical form. Evaluations were conducted at intervals of 7 days, 6 months, and 17 months. Additionally, the assessment encompassed the presence of radiolucent lines adjacent to the restoration, material deficiencies or excess, contact points, and caries recurrence. The data underwent analysis using the Friedman and Mann-Whitney tests (α = 0.05). Results: After 17 months, the results revealed that the alkasite restorative material exhibited greater wear of anatomical shape compared to the bulk-fill resin composite (p = 0.0189). Furthermore, the alkasite restorative material significantly differed from the natural tooth color in most cases (p = 0.0000). However, no other criteria displayed significant differences between the materials or over time (p > 0.05). Conclusions: The alkasite restorative material (Cention N) emerges as a viable option for restoring endodontically treated teeth, displaying clinically acceptable alterations after a 17-month evaluation period.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.419-434
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• 2020

In this study, the damage parameters of Mazars model for KURT (KAERI Underground Research Tunnel) granite are measured form uniaxial compressive and Brazilian tests under the simulated coupled condition of a deep geological disposal. The tests are conducted in three different temperatures (15℃, 45℃, and 75℃) and dry/saturated conditions. Major model parameters such as maximum effective tensile strain (𝜖_d0), A_t, B_t, A_c, and B_c differ from the typical reference values of concrete specimens. This is likely due to the difference in elastic modulus between rock and concrete. It is found that the saturation of specimens causes an increase in value of B_t and B_c while, the rise in temperature increases 𝜖_d0 and B_t and decreases B_c. The damage model obtained from this study will be used as the primary input parameters in the development of coupled Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical Damage numerical model in KAERI.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.109-125
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• 2023

Disposal repository for high-level radioactive waste secures its safety by means of engineered and natural barriers. The performance of these barriers should be tested and verified through various aspects in terms of short and/or long-term. KAERI has been conducting various in-situ demonstrations in KURT (KAERI Underground Research Tunnel). After completing previous experiment, a conceptual design of an improved in-situ experiment, i.e. K-COIN (KURT experiment of THMC COupled and INteraction), was established and detailed planning for the experiment is underway. Preliminary characterizations were conducted in KURT for siting a K-COIN test site. 15 boreholes with a depth of about 20 m were drilled in three research galleries in KURT and intact rock specimens were prepared for laboratory tests. Using the specimens, physical measurements, uniaxial compression, indirect tension, and triaxial compression tests were conducted. As a result, specific gravity, porosity, elastic wave velocities, uniaxial compressive strength, Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio, Brazilian tensile strength, cohesion, and internal friction angle were estimated. Statistical analyses revealed that there did not exist meaningful differences in intact rock properties according to the drilled sites and the depth. Judging from the uniaxial compressive strength, which is one of the most important properties, all the specimens were classified as very strong rock so that mechanical safety was secured in all the regions.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.11-19
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• 2018

In Brazil, visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is expanding and becoming urbanized, especially in non-endemic areas such as the State of Rio Grande do Sul. Considering that infected dogs are the main reservoir for zoonotic VL, this study evaluated the prevalence of canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) in the metropolitan area of Porto Alegre, a new area of expansion of VL in Brazil. Serum and plasma from 405 asymptomatic dogs from the municipalities of Canoas (n=107), $S\tilde{a}o$ Leopoldo (n=216), and Novo Hamburgo (n=82) were tested for CVL using immunochromatographic ($DPP^{(R)}$) and ELISA $EIE^{(R)}$ assays (2 assays officially adopted by the Brazilian government for the diagnosis of CVL) and real-time PCR to confirm the results. There was no agreement among serological and real-time PCR results, indicating that the Leishmania infection in asymptomatic animals with low parasite load, confirmed by negative parasitological tests (smears and parasite culture), need to be evaluated by molecular methods. The prevalence of LVC in the metropolitan region of Porto Alegre, confirmed by real-time PCR was 4% (5.6% in Canoas and 4.6% in $S\tilde{a}o$ Leopoldo). The use of molecular method is essential for accurate diagnosis of CVL, especially in asymptomatic dogs in non-endemic areas.