• Applied Microscopy
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.53-64
• /
• 1995

This study was designed to investigate the morphological alterations of zonula occludens, macula adherences and gap junctions between the hepatocytes in the fasting conditions. Animals (Sprague Dawley, $250{\sim}280g$) were divided into two groups: normal and fasting. The latter were fasted for eight days prior to sampling. Liver tissues were sectioned and replicated after freeze fracturing for the transmission electron microscopy. In the normal rat liver, the interhepatocellular space at the area of some zonula occludens appeared to be widened in thin sections. On the freeze fracture replicas., the zonula occludens appeared as an anastomosing network of $2{\sim}4$ strands or grooves on P or E faces. Free ends and fragments of the strands were observed. In the rat fasted for eight days, the hepatocytes were diminished in size and the organelles were decreased in number and size. The intercellular space was wide at many areas of zonula occludens in thin section. On the freeze fracture replicas, the zonula occludens showed diminution or disappearence of anastomosing network of strands or grooves. Free ends and small fragments of the strands or grooves were frequently encountered. The macula adherens was markedly increased in number in thin sections, although they could not be found on the freeze fracture replicas. The gap junctions were increased in number in thin sections. Small aggregations of the intramembranous particles appeared with larger ones on the freeze fracture replica. The evidences may suggest the followings: (1) The disassembly of zonula occludens in the fasting states is led from the diminished mechanical stress on the luminal surface of bile canaliculus with the impaired secretion of bile components from the hepatocytes. (2) The increase of macula adherens is necessary to maintain the liver parenchyma integrity in the fasting state which leads the hepatocyte to be diminished and finally the intercellular space to be separated. (3) The rise in both number and size of gap junctions is owing to the need of increasing intercellular communication between the hepatocytes during the fasting. (4) The alteration of zonula occludens is easily led by the physiological condition of hepatocytes even in the normal ones.

• Membrane Journal
• /
• v.28 no.3
• /
• pp.214-219
• /
• 2018

In the present study, superflux nickel capillary supports for gas and vapor separation membranes were prepared by a combined process of NIPS and sintering. Nickel capillary precursors were prepared by NIPS process from PSf-Ni-DMAC-PEG400 dope solution and was sintered at various temperatures in $H_2$ atmosphere to reliably produce Ni capillary support. The optimized Ni capillary support has an outer and inner diameters of 722 and $550{\mu}m$, and its thickness was $94{\mu}m$. It has 3-dimensional pore channel network and its porosity and mean pore diameter was 26% and $4{\mu}m$, respectively. Also, its mechanical strength was tested in tensile mode: its fracture load was 2.84 kgf and the fracture elongation was 13%. Finally, its single gas permeance was measured: He, $N_2$, $O_2$, and $CO_2$ permeance was 432,327, 281,119, 264,259, and 193,143 GPU, respectively. The superflux behavior could be explained from viscous flow through the macropores having a diameter of $4{\mu}m$ and narrow thickness. It could be concluded that the superflux behavior of the Ni capillary support was from the 3-D pore channel network and the small thickness.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
• /
• v.30 no.4A
• /
• pp.353-359
• /
• 2010

Cementitious matrix based composites are vulnerable to the drying shrinkage crack during the curing process. In this study, the drying shrinkage induced fracture behavior of the fiber reinforced concrete is simulated and the effects of the fiber reinforcement conditions on the fracture characteristics are analysed. The numerical model is composed of conduit elements and rigid-body-spring elements on the identical irregular lattice topology, where the drying shrinkage is presented by the coupling of nonmechanical-mechanical behaviors handled by those respective element types. Semi-discrete fiber elements are applied within the rigid-body-spring network to model the fiber reinforcement. The shrinkage parameters are calibrated through the KS F 2424 free drying shrinkage test simulation and comparison of the time-shrinkage strain curves. Next, the KS F 2595 restrained drying shrinkage test is simulated for various fiber volume fractions and the numerical model is verified by comparison of the crack initiating time with the previous experimental results. In addition, the drying shrinkage cracking phenomenon is analysed with change in the length and the surface shape of the fibers, the measurement of the maximum crack width in the numerical experiment indicates the judgement of the crack controlling effect.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
• /
• v.36 no.5
• /
• pp.339-346
• /
• 2023

The uncertainties of microstructural features affect the properties of materials. Numerous pores that are randomly distributed in materials make it difficult to predict the properties of the materials. The distribution of pores in cementitious materials has a great influence on their mechanical properties. Existing studies focus on analyzing the statistical relationship between pore distribution and material responses, and the correlation between them is not yet fully determined. In this study, the mechanical response of cementitious materials is predicted through an image-based data approach using a convolutional neural network (CNN), and the correlation between pore distribution and material response is analyzed. The dataset for machine learning consists of high-resolution micro-CT images and the properties (tensile strength) of cementitious materials. The microstructures are characterized, and the mechanical properties are evaluated through 2D direct tension simulations using the phase-field fracture model. The attributes of input images are analyzed to identify the spot with the greatest influence on the prediction of material response through CNN. The correlation between pore distribution characteristics and material response is analyzed by comparing the active regions during the CNN process and the pore distribution.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
• /
• v.22 no.4
• /
• pp.449-458
• /
• 2012

A sound understanding of the structural characteristics of fractured rock masses is important in designing and maintaining earth structures because their strength, deformability, and hydraulic behavior depend mainly on the characteristics of discontinuity network structures. Despite considerable progress in understanding the structural characteristics of rock masses, the complexity of discontinuity patterns has prevented satisfactory analysis based on a 3-D rock mass visualization model. This paper presents the results of studies performed to develop rock mass visualization in 3-D to analysis the mechanical and hydraulic behavior of fractured rock masses. General and particular solutions of non-linear equations of disk-shaped fractures have been derived to calculated lines of intersection and equivalent pipes. Also, program modules have been developed to perform the calculations. The procedures developed for the 3-D fractured rock mass visualization model can be used to characterize rock mass geometry and network systems effectively. The results obtained in this study will be refined and then combined for use as a tool for assessing geomechanical problems related to strength, deformability and hydraulic behaviors of the fractured rock masses.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
• /
• v.11 no.3
• /
• pp.327-337
• /
• 2001

To verify the characteristics of groundwater inflow accompanied by the tunnel excavation, the flow rate was measured before and after primary grouting. The relationship between the flow rate and fracture system was also analyzed. The initial flow rate was estimated as 120,990 m$^3$/day through six zones, which were characterized by a large amount of inflow before the primary grouting. After the primary grouting, although considerable amount of inflow was still recognized at the six zones, the flow rate was greatly reduced as 42,844 m$^3$/day. However, great recovery of water levels was not observed. Groundwater flow into the tunnel by excavation of the tunnel is mainly controlled by the fracture system that include faults and joints developed in the host rocks. Four sets of discontinuities affecting on the network of grondwater inflow in the study area were identified as follows: N60-85$^{\circ}C$ W.25$^{\circ}$SW/80$^{\circ}$SW(TSet 1), N40-50$^{\circ}$E.85$^{\circ}$SE/85$^{\circ}$NE(TSet 2), N10-20$^{\circ}$E.85$^{\circ}$SE(TSet 3), and N70-80$^{\circ}$E.80SE(TSet 4).

• Smart Structures and Systems
• /
• v.16 no.4
• /
• pp.593-606
• /
• 2015

This paper presents a novel concept of healing some of the damages in wind turbine blades (WTBs) such as cracks and delamination. This is achieved through an inherent functioning autonomous repairing system. Such wind turbine blades have the benefit of reduced maintenance cost and increased operational period. Previous techniques of developing autonomous healing systems uses hollow glass fibres (HGFs) to deliver repairing fluids to damaged sites. HGFs have been reported with some limitations like, failure to fracture, which undermines their further usage. The self-healing technique described in this paper represents an advancement in the engineering of the delivery mechanism of a self-healing system. It is analogous to the HGF system but without the HGFs, which are replaced by multiple hollow channels created within the composite, inherently in the FRP matrix at fabrication. An in-house fabricated NACA 4412 WTB incorporating this array of network hollow channels was damaged in flexure and then autonomously repaired using the vascular channels. The blade was re-tested under flexure to ascertain the efficiency of the recovered mechanical properties.

• Smart Structures and Systems
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.337-350
• /
• 2022

This paper focuses on predicting the post-heating mechanical properties of cementitious composites reinforced with multi-scale additives using the Artificial Neural Network (ANN) approach. A total of four different feed-forward ANN models are developed using 261 data sets collected from 18 published sources. The models are optimized using 12 input parameters selected based on a comprehensive literature review to predict the residual compressive strength, the residual flexural strengths, elastic modulus, and fracture energy of heat-damaged cementitious specimens. Furthermore, the ANN is employed to predict the impact of several variables including; the content of polypropylene (PP) microfibers and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) used in the concrete, mortar, or paste mix design, length of PP fibers, the average diameter of CNTs, and the average length of CNTs. The influence of the studied parameters is investigated at different heating levels ranged from 25℃ to 800℃. The results demonstrate that the developed ANN models have a strong potential for predicting the mechanical properties of the heated cementitious composites based on the mixing ingredients in addition to the heating conditions.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.50 no.1
• /
• pp.77-87
• /
• 2024

In this study, the two-dimensional crack problem was investigated by using the finite element method (FEM)-based ANSYS package program and the artificial neural network (ANN)-based multilayer perceptron (MLP) method. For this purpose, a half-infinite functionally graded (FG) layer with a crack pressed through two rigid blocks was analyzed using FEM and ANN. Mass forces and friction were neglected in the solution. To control the validity of the crack problem model exercised, the acquired results were compared with a study in the literature. In addition, FEM and ANN results were checked using Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) and coefficient of determination (R²), and a well agreement was found. Numerical solutions were made considering different geometric parameters and material properties. The stress intensity factor (SIF) was examined for these values, and the results were presented. Consequently, it is concluded that the considered non-dimensional quantities have a noteworthy influence on the SIF. Also FEM and ANN can be logical alternative methods to time-consuming analytical solutions if used correctly.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Technology of Plasticity Conference
• /
• 2003.10a
• /
• pp.101-106
• /
• 2003

Recent electronic equipment becomes smaller, more functional, and more complex. According to these trends, LTCC(low temperature co-fired ceramic) has been emerged as a promising technology in packaging industry. It consists of multi-layer ceramic sheet, and the circuit has 3D structure. In this technology via hole formation plays an important role because it provides an electric path for the packaging interconnection network. Therefore via hole quality is very important for ensuring performance of LTCC product. Via holes are formed on the green sheet that consists of ceramic(before sintering) layer and PET(polyethylene Terephthalate) one. In this paper we found the correlation between hole quality and process condition such as ceramic thickness, and tool size. The shear behavior of double layer sheet by micro hole punching which is different from that of single layer one was also discussed.