• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.277-290
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• 2018

In this paper, wavelet finite element model (WFEM) updating technique is employed to detect sub-element damage in thin plate structures progressively. The procedure of WFEM-based detection method, which can detect sub-element damage gradually, is established. This method involves the optimization of an objective function that combines frequencies and modal assurance criteria (MAC). During the damage detection process, the scales of wavelet elements in the concerned regions are adaptively enhanced or reduced to remain compatible with the gradually identified damage scenarios, while the modal properties from the tests remains the same, i.e., no measurement point replacement or addition are needed. Numerical and experimental examples were conducted to examine the effectiveness of the proposed method. A scanning Doppler laser vibrometer system was employed to measure the plate mode shapes in the experimental study. The results indicate that the proposed method can detect structural damage with satisfactory accuracy by using minimal degrees-of-freedoms (DOFs) in the model and minimal updating parameters in optimization.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.2092-2098
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• 2024

Probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) plays a critical role in ensuring the safe operation of nuclear power plants. In PSA, event trees are developed to identify accident sequences that could lead to core damage. These event trees are then transformed into a core-damage fault tree, wherein the accident sequences are represented by usual and complemented logic gates representing failed and successful operations of safety systems, respectively. The core damage frequency (CDF) is estimated by calculating the minimal cut sets (MCSs) of the core-damage fault tree. Delete-term approximation (DTA) is commonly employed to approximately solve MCSs representing accident sequence logics from noncoherent core-damage fault trees. However, DTA can lead to an overestimation of CDF, particularly when fault trees contain many nonrare events. To address this issue, the present study introduces a new zero-suppressed ternary decision diagram (ZTDD) algorithm that averts the CDF overestimation caused by DTA. This ZTDD algorithm can optionally calculate MCSs with DTA or prime implicants (PIs) without any approximation from the core-damage fault tree. By calculating PIs, accurate CDF can be calculated. The present study provides a comprehensive explanation of the ZTDD structure, formula of the ZTDD algorithm, ZTDD minimization, probability calculation from ZTDD, strength of the ZTDD algorithm, and ZTDD application results. Results reveal that the ZTDD algorithm is a powerful tool that can quickly and accurately calculate CDF and drastically improve the safety of nuclear power plants.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.265-268
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• 2023

Ankle fractures with syndesmotic injuries often require fixation, where metal screw fixation is a popular method. However, as the patient begins weight-bearing, most syndesmotic screws tend to loosen or break, and removal of such screws has been challenging for the surgeons, as the available techniques require predrilling or trephination and are associated with risks of bone damage. This study presents a case with technical tip for the removal of broken tricortical-fixed non-cannulated syndesmotic screws. It implements the generation of a small cortical window in the medial distal tibia and the use of pliers to engage the screw tip and remove through the medial side. The technique presented in the current study overcomes these limitations and facilitates minimal bone damage and reduced exposure to radiation.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers Conference
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• 2002.10b
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• pp.309-310
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• 2002

A minimal quantity lubrication (MQL) machining is able to achieve both functions of cooling and lubrication with an extremely low quantity of a cutting fluid and a large amount of air blow. Using a biodegradable ester oil, turning tests were carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of the MQL system. It was found that the performance of MQL cutting was equivalent to, or better than, that of conventional cutting, because the MQL system tends to prevent the heat damage of the tool tip and, if an effective lubricant such as a particular polyol ester is applied to the system, it can avoid the extensive transfer of workpiece materials on to the tool surface.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.285-305
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• 2014

This study employs a novel beam-type wavelet finite element model (WFEM) to fulfill an adaptive-scale damage detection strategy in which structural modeling scales are not only spatially varying but also dynamically changed according to actual needs. Dynamical equations of beam structures are derived in the context of WFEM by using the second-generation cubic Hermite multiwavelets as interpolation functions. Based on the concept of modal strain energy, damage in beam structures can be detected in a progressive manner: the suspected region is first identified using a low-scale structural model and the more accurate location and severity of the damage can be estimated using a multi-scale model with local refinement in the suspected region. Although this strategy can be implemented using traditional finite element methods, the multi-scale and localization properties of the WFEM considerably facilitate the adaptive change of modeling scales in a multi-stage process. The numerical examples in this study clearly demonstrate that the proposed damage detection strategy can progressively and efficiently locate and quantify damage with minimal computation effort and a limited number of sensors.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.71 no.3
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• pp.283-290
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• 2019

In global competition manufacturing companies have to produce modern, new constructions from advanced materials in order to increase competitiveness. The aim of my research was to develop a new composite cellular plate structure, which can be primarily used for structural elements of road, rail, water and air transport vehicles (e.g. vehicle bodies, ship floors). The new structure is novel and innovative, because all materials of the components of the newly developed structure are composites (laminated Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) deck plates with pultruded Glass Fiber Reinforced Plastic (GFRP) stiffeners), furthermore combines the characteristics of sandwich and cellular plate structures. The material of the structure is much more advantageous than traditional steel materials, due mainly to its low density, resulting in weight savings, causing lower fuel consumption and less environmental damage. In the study the optimal construction of a given geometry of a structural element of a road truck trailer body was defined by single- and multi-objective optimization (minimal cost and weight). During the single-objective optimization the Flexible Tolerance Optimization method, while during the multi-objective optimization the Particle Swarm Optimization method were used. Seven design constraints were considered: maximum deflection of the structure, buckling of the composite plates, buckling of the stiffeners, stress in the composite plates, stress in the stiffeners, eigenfrequency of the structure, size constraint for design variables. It was confirmed that the developed structure can be used principally as structural elements of transport vehicles and unit load devices (containers) and can be applied also in building construction.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.609-614
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• 1996

Laser is getting more attention from increasing numbers of dental clinicians by its own several unique characteristics : precision, hemostasis, and bactericidal capacity. It also provides patients with several advantages of minimal tissue damage. faster healing with less postoperative pain and minimal use of local anesthetics. Labial or lingual frenectomies were performed successfully in three pediatric patients using Nd-YAG laser. When compared to the conventional scalpel method, less local anesthetics were needed and the bleeding control was so excellent that any suture was not necessary. The operation sites were completely healed without any infection or complication and discomfort from swelling or pain was not noted in all cases throughout the healing process.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.67-73
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• 2017

An aircraft maintenance hangar is a building that stores, maintains, and inspects expensive aircraft. The frequency of fire occurrence is low, but the resulting human and material damage can be very serious. Therefore, in this study, we conducted a qualitative analysis of the fire safety of the currently operating fire suppression systems for aircraft maintenance hangars using the Fault Tree method, and then performed a quantitative analysis using the failure rate data for the derived basic events and analyzed the importance of the minimal cut sets. As a result of the qualitative analysis by the minimal cut set, it was found that there were 14 accident paths that could be expanded to a large fire, due to the fire control failure of the aircraft hangar fire suppression system. The quantitative analysis revealed that, the probability of the fire expanding into a large one is $2.08{\times}E-05/day$. The analysis of the importance of the minimal cut set shows that four minimal cut sets, namely the fire detector and foam head action according to the zone and blocking of the foam by the aircraft wing and the fire plume, had the same likelihood of causing the fire to develop into a large one, viz. 24.95% each, which together forms the majority of the likelihood. It was confirmed for the first time by fault tree method that the fire suppression system of aircraft maintenance hangars is not suitable for fires under the aircraft wings and needs to be improved.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.86-95
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• 2020

This paper describes the work and the results of the final Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA) for the Jordan Research and Training Reactor (JRTR). This final PSA was undertaken to assess the level of safety for the design of a research reactor and to evaluate whether it is probabilistically safe to operate and reliable to use. The scope of the PSA described here is a Level 1 PSA, which addresses the risks associated with core damage. After reviewing the documents and its conceptual design, nine typical initiating events were selected regarding internal events during the normal operation of the reactor. AIMS-PSA (Version 1.2c) was used for the accident quantification, and FTREX was used as the quantification engine. 1.0E-15/yr of the cutoff value was used to deliminate the non-effective Minimal Cut Sets (MCSs) when quantifying the JRTR PSA model. As a result, the final result indicates a point estimate of 2.02E-07/yr for the overall Core Damage Frequency (CDF) attributable to internal initiating events in the core damage state for the JRTR. A Loss of Primary Cooling System Flow (LOPCS) is the dominant contributor to the total CDF by a single initiating event (9.96E-08/yr), and provides 49.4% of the CDF. General Transients (GTRNs) are the second largest contributor, and provide 32.9% (6.65E-08/yr) of the CDF.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 2008.04a
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• pp.387-390
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• 2008

The importance of the life cycle cost analysis for construction projects of bridge has been recognized over the last decades. Accordingly, theoretical models, guidelines, and supporting softwares have been developed for the life cycle cost analysis of bridges. However, it is difficult to predict life cycle cost considering uncertainties precisely. This paper presents methodology for optimal design of substructure for a steel box bridge. Total life cycle cost for the service life is calculated as sum of initial cost, damage cost considering uncertainty, maintenance cost, repair and rehabilitation cost. The optimization method is applied to design of a bridge substructure with minimal cost, in which the objective function is set to life cycle cost and constraints are formulated on the basis of Korean Bridge Design Specification. Initial cost is calculated based on standard costs of the Korea Construction Price Index and damage cost on the damage probabilities to consider the uncertainty of load and resistance. An advanced first-order second moment method is used as a practical tool for reliability analysis using damage probability. Maintenance cost and cycle is determined by a stochastic method and user cost includes traffic operation costs and time delay costs.