• Resources Recycling
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.19-25
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• 2022

In this study, tungsten carbide (WC) powder was prepared using a novel recycling process for hard metal sludge that does not use ammonium paratungstate. Instead of ammonia, acid was used to remove the sodium and crystallized tungstate, resulting in the formation of tungstic acid (H₂WO₄). The WC powder was successfully synthesized by the carbothermal reduction of tungstic acid through H₂O decomposition, reduction of WO₃ to W, and formation of WC. The carbon content and holding time at the carbothermal reduction temperature were optimized to remove free carbon from the WC powder. As a result, most of the free carbon in the WC powder prepared from sludge was removed, and the content of free carbon in the synthesized WC powder was lower than that in commercial WC powder. Moreover, the crystallite size of WC prepared from H₂WO₄ was much smaller than that of commercial micron-sized WC powder produced from APT. The small crystallite size of WC induces grain growth during the sintering of the WC-Co composite; thus, a WC-Co composite with large WC grains was fabricated using the WC powder prepared from H₂WO₄. The large WC grains affected the mechanical properties of the WC-Co composite. Further, due to the large grain size, the WC-Co composite fabricated from H₂WO₄ exhibited a higher toughness than that of the WC-Co composite prepared from commercial WC powder.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.215-226
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• 2022

Significant efforts have been devoted to developing high-performance composite materials by emulating the structure of biological creatures with superior mechanical characteristics. Nacre has been one of the most sought-after natural structures due to its exceptional fracture toughness compared with the constituent materials. However, the effect of manipulating the nacre-like geometry on the impact performance has not been fully investigated thus far. In this study, composites of randomly manipulated nacreous geometry are numerically developed and the impact performance is analyzed. We develop an algorithm by which the planar area of platelets in the nacre-like design is randomly resized. Thereafter, the numerical models of nonuniform nacre-patterned multi-layer structures are developed and the drop-weight impact simulation is performed. The impact behaviors of the model are evaluated by using the ratio of absorbed energy, the von Mises stress distribution, and the impact force-time curve. Therefore, the effect of the geometric irregularity on the nacre-patterned design is elucidated. This insight can be efficiently utilized in establishing the optimum design of the nacre-patterned structure.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.705-720
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• 2024

Analyzing the collapse behavior of thin-walled steel structures holds significant importance in ensuring their safety and longevity. Geometric imperfections present on the surface of metal materials can diminish both the durability and mechanical integrity of steel shells. These imperfections, encompassing local geometric irregularities and deformations such as holes, cavities, notches, and cracks localized in specific regions of the shell surface, play a pivotal role in the assessment. They can induce stress concentration within the structure, thereby influencing its susceptibility to buckling. The intricate relationship between the buckling behavior of these structures and such imperfections is multifaceted, contingent upon a variety of factors. The buckling analysis of thin-walled steel shell structures, similar to other steel structures, commonly involves the determination of crucial material properties, including elastic modulus, shear modulus, tensile strength, and fracture toughness. An established method involves the emulation of distributed geometric imperfections, utilizing real test specimen data as a basis. This approach allows for the accurate representation and assessment of the diversity and distribution of imperfections encountered in real-world scenarios. Utilizing defect data obtained from actual test samples enhances the model's realism and applicability. The sizes and configurations of these defects are employed as inputs in the modeling process, aiding in the prediction of structural behavior. It's worth noting that there is a dearth of experimental studies addressing the influence of geometric defects on the buckling behavior of cylindrical steel shells. In this particular study, samples featuring geometric imperfections were subjected to experimental buckling tests. These same samples were also modeled using Finite Element Analysis (FEM), with results corroborating the experimental findings. Furthermore, the initial geometrical imperfections were measured using digital image correlation (DIC) techniques. In this way, the response of the test specimens can be estimated accurately by applying the initial imperfections to FE models. After validation of the test results with FEA, a numerical parametric study was conducted to develop more generalized design recommendations for the stainless-steel shell structures with the initial geometric imperfection. While the load-carrying capacity of samples with perfect surfaces was up to 140 kN, the load-carrying capacity of samples with 4 mm defects was around 130 kN. Likewise, while the load carrying capacity of samples with 10 mm defects was around 125 kN, the load carrying capacity of samples with 14 mm defects was measured around 120 kN.

• Magazine of the Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.4645-4687
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• 1978

This study was attempted to investigate the mechanical properties of concrete and crack control effects of reinforced concrete with steel and glass fiber. The experimental program includes tests on the properties of fresh concrete containing fibers, compressive strength, tensile strength, flexural strength, Young's modulus, Shrinkage and deformation of steel or glass fiber reinforced concrete. Also this study was carried out to investigate the effect of steel or glass fiber to retard the development in reinforced concrete subject to uniaxial tension and thus facilitate the use of steels of higher strength. The major conclusions that can be drawn from the studies are as follows: 1. The effect of the fibers in various mixes on fresh concrete confirmed that fibers do have a significant effect on the properties of fresh concrete, bringing much more stable and exhibiting a signiflcant reduction in surface bleeding, and that the cohesion is greatly improved and the internal resistance increases with fiber concentration. But the addition of an excess contents and length of fibers brings about the reduction of workability. 2. With the addition of steel fibers(1.5% Vol.) to concrete, the compressive strength as compared with plain concrete showed a very slight increase, but excess addition, over 1.5% Vol. of steel and glass fiber reduced its strength. 3. Splitting tensile strength of fiber reinforced concrete showed a significant increase tendency, as compared with plain concrete. In case of containing steel fiber (2.5%, 30mm), it showed that the maximum increase rate of 1.48 times as much rate, and in case of containing glass fiber (2.5%, 30mm), the increase rate of strength was 1.25 times as much rate. 4. Flexural strength of fiber reinforced concrete showed a significant tendency, as compared with plain concrete. Containing steel fiber (2.5%, 30mm) showed the maximum increase rate of 1.64 times as much rate and containing glass fiber (2.5%, 30mm) showed the increase rate of strength of 1.32 times as much rate, and in general, the 30mm length brougth the best results. 5. The strength ratio ($\sigma$b/$\sigma$c and $\sigma$t/$\sigma$c) increased, when steel fiber's average spacing was up to 3.05mm, but decreased when beyond 3.05mm, and it was confirmed that tensile or flexural strengths of steel fiber reinforced concrete are apparently governed by fiber's average spacing. 6. The compressive strain of fiber reinforced concrete showed a significant increasing tendency as the fiber was added, but Young's modulus. with the addition of steel and glass fibers, showed a slight decrease tendency. And according to the increase of flexural strength, a considerable increase was seen in toughness. 7. With the addition of fiber's the shrinkage of concrete was significantly decreased, in both case of adding steel fibers 12.5%, 30mm, and showed a significant decrease ratio, in average 30.4% and 36.7%, as compared with plain concrete. 8. With the increase of fiber volume fraction and length, the gained stress in reinforcing bar in concrete specimens increased in all crack widths, but at different rates, with the decrease of fiber diameter, the stress showed a considerable increasing tendency. And the duoform steel fibers showed the greatest improvement, as compared with the other types tested. 9. The influence of fiber dimensions in order of significanse on the machanical properties of concrete and the crack control of reinforced concrete was explained as follows: content, length, aspect ratio and dimeter.