• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.127-133
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• 2021

Background: Phosphogypsum is material produced as a byproduct in fertilizer industry and is generally used for building materials. This material may contain enhanced radium-226 (²²⁶Ra) activity concentration compared to its natural concentration that may lead to indoor radon accumulation. Therefore, an accurate measurement method is proposed in this study to determine ²²⁶Ra activity concentration in phosphogypsum sample, considering the potential radon leakage from the sample container. Materials and Methods: The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) phosphogypsum reference material was used as a sample in this study. High-purity germanium (HPGe) gamma spectrometry was used to measure the activity concentration of the ²²⁶Ra decay products, i.e., ²¹⁴Bi and ²¹⁴Pb. Marinelli beakers sealed with three different sealing methods were used as sample containers. Due to the potential leakage of radon from the Marinelli beaker (MB), correction to the activity concentration resulted in gamma spectrometry is needed. Therefore, the leaked fraction of radon escaped from the sample container was calculated and added to the gamma spectrometry measured values. Results and Discussion: Total activity concentration of ²²⁶Ra was determined by summing up the activity concentration from gamma spectrometry measurement and calculated concentration from radon leakage correction method. The results obtained from ²¹⁴Bi peak were 723.4 ± 4.0 Bq·kg^-1 in MB1 and 719.2 ± 3.5 Bq·kg^-1 in MB2 that showed about 5% discrepancy compared to the certified activity. Besides, results obtained from ²¹⁴Pb peak were 741.9 ± 3.6 Bq·kg^-1 in MB1 and 740.1 ± 3.4 Bq·kg^-1 in MB2 that showed about 2% difference compared to the certified activity measurement of ²²⁶Ra concentration activity. Conclusion: The results show that radon leakage correction was calculated with insignificant discrepancy to the certified values and provided improvement to the gamma spectrometry. Therefore, measuring ²²⁶Ra activity concentration in TENORM (technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive material) sample using radon leakage correction can be concluded as a convenient and accurate method that can be easily conducted with simple calculation.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.89-98
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• 2023

Background: Organophosphorus flame retardants (OPFRs) are a group of chemical substances used in building materials and plastic products to suppress or mitigate the combustion of materials. Although OPFRs are generally used in mixed form, information on their mixture toxicity is quite scarce. Objectives: This study aims to elucidate the toxicity and determine the types of interaction (e.g., synergistic, additive, and antagonistic effect) of OPFRs mixtures. Methods: Nine organophosphorus flame retardants, including TEHP (tris(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate) and TDCPP (tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate), were selected based on indoor dust measurement data in South Korea. Nine OPFRs were exposed to the luminescent bacteria Aliivibrio fischeri for 30 minutes and the human hepatocyte cell line HepG2 for 48 hours. Chemicals with significant toxicity were only used for mixture toxicity tests in HepG2. In addition, the observed EC_x values were compared with the predicted toxicity values in the CA (concentration addition) prediction model, and the MDR (model deviation ratio) was calculated to determine the type of interaction. Results: Only four chemicals showed significant toxicity in the luminescent bacteria assays. However, EC₅₀ values were derived for seven out of nine OPFRs in the HepG2 assays. In the HepG2 assays, the highest to lowest EC₅₀ were in the order of the molecular weight of the target chemicals. In the further mixture tests, most binary mixtures show additive interactions except for the two combinations that have TPhP (triphenyl phosphate), i.e., TPhP and TDCPP, and TPhP and TBOEP (tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate). Conclusions: Our data shows OPFR mixtures usually have additivity; however, more research is needed to find out the reason for the synergistic effect of TPhP. Also, the mixture experimental dataset can be used as a training and validation set for developing the mixture toxicity prediction model as a further step.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Electromagnetic Engineering and Science
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• v.20 no.9
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• pp.868-882
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• 2009

In this paper, channel model and wireless link performance analysis for the short-range wireless communication system applications in the terahertz frequency which is currently interested in many countries will be described. In order to realize high data rates above 10 Gbps, the more wide bandwidths will be required than the currently available bandwidths of millimeter-wave frequencies, therefore, the carrier frequencies will be pushed to THz range to obtain larger bandwidths. From the THz atmospheric propagation characteristics based on ITU-R P.676-7, the available bandwidths were calculated to be 68, 48 and 45 GHz at the center frequencies of 220, 300 and 350 GHz, respectively. With these larger bandwidths, it was shown from the simulation that higher data rate above 10 Gbps can be achieved using lower order modulation schemes which have spectral efficiency of below 1. The indoor propagation delay spread characteristics were analyzed using a simplified PDP model with respect to building materials. The RMS delay spread was calculated to be 9.23 ns in a room size of $6\;m(L){\times}5\;m(W){\times}2.5\;m(H)$ for the concrete plaster with TE polarization, which is a similar result of below 10 ns from the Ray-Tracing simulation in the reference paper. The indoor wireless link performance analysis results showed that receiver sensitivity was $-56{\sim}-46\;dBm$ over bandwidth of $5{\sim}50\;GHz$ and antenna gain was calculated to be $26.6{\sim}31.6\;dBi$ at link distance of 10m under the BPSK modulation scheme. The maximum achievable data rates were estimated to be 30, 16 and 12 Gbps at the carrier frequencies of 220, 300 and 350 GHz, respectively, under the A WGN and LOS conditions, where it was assumed that the output power of the transmitter is -15 dBm and link distance of 1 m with BER of $10^{-12}$. If the output power of transmitter is increased, the more higher data rate can be achieved than the above results.

• Journal of the Korean Recycled Construction Resources Institute
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.297-303
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• 2018

With the changing trend of the building construction to high rising and large scaling, the underground structure has been increased, and its usage also increased and variety. Hence, to protect the underground structure against underground water, various water proofing methods has been developed. Among the many water proofing methods, the combined water proofing method using both asphalt seal and sheet has been widely used to secure the sufficient performance and decrease the construction failure. However, during the summer period of extremely high temperature conditions, the asphalt sealing materials were separated and leaked into the structure. Therefore, the aim of the research is to provide the quality standard of asphalt sealing material based on the various temperature changes depending on seasons. According to the experimental results, the temperature of the sealing materials applied on the slab was increased up to $54^{\circ}C$ which was $3^{\circ}C$ higher than the structure temperature of $51^{\circ}C$. Based on the melting test for asphalt sealing materials applied on the outside wall of the structure, in the case of water-dispersing typed materials showed significant melting down due to its slow evaporation and low viscosity. Furthermore, from the accelerated test conducted indoor conditions, a solvent-type and water-dispersing typed materials showed significant melting down due to their low viscosity and melting point in ambient conditions. Based on these results, viscosity and melting point are found as the important factors on asphalt sealing materials' quality, and it is necessary to designate the quantitative level of the viscosity and melting point for quality control.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.5 no.5
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• pp.231-235
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• 2011

Radium is rock or soil of crust or uranium of building materials and thorium after radioactivity collapse process are created colorless and odorless inert gas that accrue well in sealed space like mine or basement. It inflow to lung circulate respiratory organ and caused lung cancer because of deposition of lung or bronchial tubes. Radium sheath of medical institution treat person's life is possible big danger to professional regarding radioactivity who has much amount exposed radioactivity and weaker immune patient. so we do this test. Using measuring instrument at test is real time radium measuring instrument, Professional Continuous Radon monitor, and measuring places are basement first floor and second floor of two hospitals and measure from 10 a.m to 3 p.m. Measurement result of Professional Continuous Radon monitor is minimum 14.8 Bq/$m^3$ to maximum 70.3 Bq/$m^3$ and show domestic baseline below 148 Bq/$m^3$, effective dose-rate is minimum 0.296 mSv to maximum 1.406 mSv that show 2.4 mSv, 10~58.3% level, exposed radiation amount from nature radiation one year.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.199-205
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• 2010

Medium-density fiberboard (MDF) is widely used as an indoor building materials. However, formaldehyde resins, commonly used to bind MDF together, emit formaldehyde and other volatile organic compounds that cause health risk at sufficient concentration. In this study, condensed tannin having formaldehyde absorption ability was used to solve the problem of formaldehyde emission generated from surface material. The synthesis of melamine-formaldehyde resin and reaction of melamine-formaldehyde and condensed tannin were analyzed by FT-IR spectrum. Also surface properties, such as shear force, impact strength, tape adhesion, pencil hardness and gloss retention were measured. Free formaldehyde analysis was performed to analyze remaining unreacted formaldehyde. According to the results, the optimum shear force and impact strength could be obtained by 10 wt.% usage of condensed tannin. In cases of pencil hardness and gloss retention, the optimum properties could be obtained at 20 wt.% of condensed tannin. The amounts of formaldehyde emission of surface material containing 20 wt.% of condensed tannin was 59 ${\mu}g/m^2{\cdot}h$. The amounts of formaldehyde emission could be reduced 3 times by using 20 wt.% of condensed tannin.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.302-311
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• 2022

Sound barrier walls are one of the most effective alternatives for reducing environmental noise on roads and railways in the city center. The insertion loss of the sound barrier against road traffic noise is the sum of the sound transmission loss, sound absorption loss, and sound energy reduction due to the diffraction attenuation of the sound barrier. The sound transmission loss of the sound barrier is one of the important factors that determine the insertion loss of the sound barrier and is a basic indicator that determines the performance of the sound barrier. Nevertheless, there is not a separate standard in Korea for measuring the acoustic transmission loss of sound barrier panels. There are only a few conditions in KS F 4770 series that stipulates on the general material of sound barrier panels. This thesis examines the necessity of the acoustic transmission loss measurement and evaluation standards of sound barrier walls, and seeks a measurement method in a free sound field (anechoic chamber) sound receiving room considering the characteristics of sound barrier walls installed in external spaces, unlike indoor building materials. In addition, a single number evaluation method using a reference spectrum was proposed so that the sound insulation effect according to various installation places such as roadside or railroad side can be easily displayed.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.13 no.9
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• pp.5-16
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• 2012

In the case of using the soil materials created by cutting in-situ ground directly without adjusting particle size, it is recommendable to seek the compaction property or material constant required for filling design or density control through indoor test, and many studies on this subject have been carried out during that time. The researches conducted during that time, however, were focused on the mixed materials with different diameters that exist in a natural condition. There has been no study conducted using coal fly ash that is by-product of the thermal power plant that is actively considered as the building materials. Therefore, this study was aimed at implementing compaction test and examining the basic engineering property in order to explore the influence of crushing the particles through compacting the admixture of crushed stone and coal fly ash produced from thermal power plant on its engineering property, and then the impact of the admixture volume of each material on compaction property and material property by conducting the One-Dimensional Compression Test. As result of compaction test, the optimum moisture ratio of coal fly ash was shown to be approx. 23%. As result of compaction test in accordance with the mixed ratio of coal fly ash and crushed stone under the same compaction energy and moisture ratio, dry unit weight tended to drop when the mixed ratio of coal fly ash exceeded 30%, while it reached approx. $1.81gf/cm^3$ when the mixed ratio was 30%. As result of One-Dimensional Compression Test in accordance with the mixed ratio of crushed stone and coal fly ash, the change in void ratio by particle crushing was at the highest level in the case of coal fly ash 100%, while the lowest level in the case of crushed stone 100%. In the case of mixed materials of crushed stone and coal fly ash, compression index was at the lowest level in case of coal fly ash 30%, and therefore this ratio of mixed material was judged to be the most stable from an engineering aspect.

• Land and Housing Review
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.67-77
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• 2015

Now that it is the current situation that the smooth supply and demand are necessary for 2nd phase of beginning construction and stable development of Gaesung Industrial Complex, this study was willing to offer the planning criteria and model to establish the lodging for the workers in Gaesung Industrial Complex based on the agreement that both South and North Korea agreed in 2007. Regarding the plan, its standard and the alternative were reviewed considering welfare of workers, economic efficiency, technical validity, possibility of agreement and long-term development. The exclusive area per capita was calculated through Labor Standards Act of Korea and status survey of lodging for the workers provided to border line area between China and North Korea and the economic alternative based on one room for 6 persons with the public restroom was compared with that of development type based on one room for 4 persons with indoor restroom. Especially regarding the proposed site, the area with the optimized position was set by considering gradient, accessibility and convenience of development out of the area of Dongchang-ri where was agreed already and the priority of the proposed site that can keep the existing building site and provide was offered. The necessary period for whole construction was set as approximately 36 months. Regarding construction method, RC Rahmen method was selected as the optimized alternative considering the workmanship of manpower of North Korea and conditions of supply and demand of materials and cluster-type vehicle allocation plan based on 4~6 units considering the efficiency of supplying service facilities and convenient facilities along the simultaneous accommodation of 15,000 people was offered. It was analyzed that total business expenses of approximately 80~100 billion Korean Won would required though there were the difference for each alternative in the charged rental way that the development business owner develops by lending the inter-Korea Cooperation Fund and withdraws the rent by the benefit principle. The possibility of withdrawing the rent was analyzed assuming that the period of withdrawing the investment is 30 years. Especially for the operation management after moving, the establishment of the committee of operating the lodging for the workers of Gaesung Industrial Complex (tentative name) was offered with the dualized governance that the constructor takes charge of operational management, collecting fees and management of infrastructure and human resource management is delegated to North Korea.