• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.22 no.10 s.175
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• pp.137-143
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• 2005

The integrity of steam generator tubes in nuclear power plant should be maintained sufficiently during operation. For sake of this, complicated assessment procedures are required such as fracture mechanics analysis, etc. The integrity assessment of tubes has been performed by using conventional deterministic approaches while there are many uncertainties to carry out a rational evaluation. In this respect, probabilistic integrity assessment is considered as an alternative method for integrity assessment. The objectives of this study are to develop an integrity assessment system based on probabilistic fracture mechanics and to predict the failure probability of steam generator tubes containing an axial through-wall crack. The developed integrity assessment system consists of three evaluation modules, which apply first order reliability method, second order reliability method and Monte Carlo simulation method, respectively. The system has been applied to predict failure probability of steam generator tubes and the estimation results showed a promising applicability of the probabilistic integrity assessment system.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.247-253
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• 2007

Determination of crack depth in filed using the self-calibrating surface wane transmission measurement and the cutting frequency in the transmission function (TRF) is very difficult due to variations of the measurement conditions. In this study, it is proposed to use the measured full TRF as a feature for crack depth assessment. A Principal component analysis (PCA) is employed to generate a basis of the measured TRFs for various crack cases. The measured TRFs are represented by their projections onto the most significant principal components. Then artificial neural networks (NNs) using the PCA-compressed TRFs is applied to assess the crack in concrete. Experimental study is carried out for five different crack cases to investigate the effectiveness of the proposed method. Results reveal that the proposed method can be effectively used for the crack depth assessment of concrete structures.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2006.11a
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• pp.603-606
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• 2006

We present a study on the development of a practical and quantitative technique for the assessment of the structural health condition with using piezoceramic(PZT) sensors. The electro-impedance-based technique with the PZT patches is very sensitive for evaluation of the incipient and small damage in a high frequency range, and however the commonly traditional modal analysis method is effective only for considerably larger damages in low frequency range. The paper presents the technique in detecting and characterizing real-time damage on the specimen that is an aluminum plate fastened with bolts and nuts by different torques and as well a plate with a crack. By using the special arrangement of the PZT sensors, the required longitudinal wave is generated through the specimen. A large number of experiments are conducted and the different conditions of the specimens, i.e. the location and extent of loosening bolts, and the plate with a crack are simulated. respectively. Since fixing and loosening the loosened bolt is controlled by a torque wrench, we can control exactly the experiment of the different torques. Compared with the simulated healthy condition, we can find whether or not there is a damage in the specimen with using an impedance analyzer with the PZT sensors. Several indices are discussed and used for assessing the different simulated damages. As for the location of bolt loosening, the RMSD is found to be the most appropriate index for numerical assessment and as well the RMSD shows strongly linear relationship for assessing the extent of the bolt loosening, and the frequency peak shift ${\Delta}F$ is used to assess the cracked plate. The possibility of repeatability of the pristine condition signatures is also presented and the appropriate frequency range and interval are uniquely selected through large numbers of experiments.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2010.03a
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• pp.907-910
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• 2010

This study has developed a numerical analysis technique newly which can evaluate the damage propagation characteristics of civil infrastructures. To do this, numerical techniques are incorporated for the concrete members up to the compressive damage due to the bending compressive forces after the tensile crack based on the deformation mechanism. Especially, for the compressive damage stage after the tensile crack, the crack propagation process will be analyzed numerically using the concept of an equivalent plastic hinged length. Using this concept, we investigate the reasonability of the developed module by comparing commercial program for the tunnel structure. It can be established from this study that section forces, such as axial forces and the moment cracks takes place, can be related to the width of the crack making it possible to analyze the crack extension.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Technology Engineers
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.68-78
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• 1998

Welding structure contains residual stress due to thermal-plastic strain during welding process, and its magnitude and distribution depend on welding conditions. Cracks initiate from various defects of the weldment, propagate and lead to final fracture, The crack initiation and propagation processes are affected by the magnitude and distribution. Therefore, the magnitude and distribution of weldment residual stress should be considered for safety design and service of welding structures. Also it is very important that more accurate assessment method of fatigue crack growth must take into account the redistributing the residual stress quantitively. because the residual stress in weldment has characteristics of its redistribution with loading magnitude, number of cycles and fatigue crack propagation. In this study fatigue crack behavior of STS-304 weldment was investigated during crack propagation into tensile residual stress region or compressive residual stress region. Crack growth rates were predicted and compared with experimental results.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.283-299
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• 2010

This paper addresses the numerical simulation of fatigue crack growth in arbitrary 2D geometries under constant amplitude loading by the using a new finite element software. The purpose of this software is on the determination of 2D crack paths and surfaces as well as on the evaluation of components Lifetimes as a part of the damage tolerant assessment. Throughout the simulation of fatigue crack propagation an automatic adaptive mesh is carried out in the vicinity of the crack front nodes and in the elements which represent the higher stresses distribution. The fatigue crack direction and the corresponding stress-intensity factors are estimated at each small crack increment by employing the displacement extrapolation technique under facilitation of singular crack tip elements. The propagation is modeled by successive linear extensions, which are determined by the stress intensity factors under linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) assumption. The stress intensity factors range history must be recorded along the small crack increments. Upon completion of the stress intensity factors range history recording, fatigue crack propagation life of the examined specimen is predicted. A consistent transfer algorithm and a crack relaxation method are proposed and implemented for this purpose. Verification of the predicted fatigue life is validated with relevant experimental data and numerical results obtained by other researchers. The comparisons show that the program is capable of demonstrating the fatigue life prediction results as well as the fatigue crack path satisfactorily.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.86-91
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• 2012

Fatigue tests and analyses were carried out to investigate fatigue strength and crack initiation point of load-carrying asymmetric double bevel cruciform welded joints. Mesh-insensitive structural stress approach was adopted to estimate high precise fatigue life and crack initiation point. Two different case material and weld shape were considered in this study. Results of fatigue tests and analyses were compared and discussed in consideration of applicability of structural stress approach as the reliable fatigue assessment method of cruciform welded joints.

• 한국공간정보시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2004.05a
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• pp.279-286
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• 2004

An accumulated crack damage which propagates progressively with time was frequently observed on several engineering structures, This paper numerically demonstrates this damage process on large cooling tower shells under thermal and wind loads. Damage states under varying loads are investigated and the influence of this progressive damage process on the life-cycle of cooling towers discussed. The paper presents briefly some fundamentals of the geometrically and physically non-linear numerical analysis employed for reinforced concrete, especially concerning the models used for concrete, steel reinforcement and the bond between them. As a numerical example an existing cooling tower with noticeable meridian crack damage is analysed. The existing damage state of the cooling tower is determined by quasi-static analyses for temperature, hygric and cyclic wind leading. The change in the dynamical behaviour of the structure as mirrored in its natural frequencies and mode shapes is presented and discussed. Finally, the example shows that such damage processes develop progressively over the life-time of the structures.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2001.06a
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• pp.333-338
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• 2001

The object of this work is to develop an assessment system for pipeline integrity. The system consists of four module applications for internal algorithm; the effect of corrosion in pipeline, crack, stress corrosion crack (SCC) and fatigue modules and the effect of cavity. Presently, the module of the external corrosion has been developed and the internal algorithm for the effect of corrosion in pipeline and the database of the system are described in this paper. The database of the system is separated to mainly four parts; geometry of pipeline, material properties, boundary conditions and general properties. Each components of the system are designed by user-friendly concept. This system may give a guideline for maintenance and modifications for the pipeline at the industrial sight. Furthermore, a procedure to evaluate an inspection interval is also provided.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.264-274
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• 2001

An integrated fatigue strength assessment system was computerized. The system developed consists of 9 modules: user interface, cycle counting, load history construction, data searching, fatigue properties estimation, fatigue data analysis, true stress and strain analysis, expert system for crack initiation life prediction, fatigue crack initiation and propagation life prediction. Fatigue strength database also was included in this system. The fatigue expert system helps a beginner to predict a fatigue crack initiation life in fatigue strength assessment. The expert system module in this system is developed on the personal computer by using C language and UNiK, an expert system developing tool. To evaluate the system, the results of test under variable loading of SAE and failure data from a field were analyzed. The evaluation show that the system provided fatigue life prediction within 3-scatter band and gave reasonable predictions. To get more accurate predictions of fatigue life without fatigue properties, we recommend utilizing the system along with the fatigue strength database.