• Journal of the Society of Disaster Information
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.188-196
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• 2012

Dynamic parameters such as natural frequencies can provide global stiffness information of a structure, and thus be utilized in monitoring structural integrity of large structures such as a containment. To identify the dynamic parameters without interrupting normal operation, a modal analysis method based on ambient vibration measurements should be applied. In this study, dynamic parameters of the containment of Wolsong Unit 2 are identified using ambient vibration measurement data. The feasibility of the study is verified using a numerical model for the containment. From the modal analysis, dynamic parameters of the containment with acceptable correlation to analytical modes can be estimated.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.694-700
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• 2018

Korea has disposed of medium and low level radioactive waste generated by operating nuclear power plants permanently through the radioactive waste repository located in Gyeongju. However, the maritime transport of radioactive waste is exposed to the risk of marine accidents, and it will be necessary to introduce a system to secure safety from the viewpoint of the function and role of the Korea Coast Guard. Especially, Korea is affected by large-scale marine accidents, such as the Hebei Spirit or Sewol accidents. From this point of view, we analyzed the current status of Korea radioactive waste shipping and examined the response systems of major foreign countries. As a result of examining major cases of accidents, we have operated an Emergency Towing Vessel (ETV) fleet centering on European countries in order to respond urgently to marine casualties that may have social, regional and international effects, such as accidents of similar nuclear material carriers and dangerous cargo ships. It proves a partial effect. Based on this, we propose the introduction of the Korean ETV System. In other words, it is necessary to respond to large-scale marine accidents that could lead to enormous environmental, property, and personal damage, such as marine accidents involving nuclear material ships, large oil tankers, and large passenger ships. For this, it seems necessary to introduce Korea ETV, which can carry out emergency towing, oil pollution control function, large - scale rescue equipment and manpower. This will lead to the enhancement of the Korea Coast Guard response to marine accidents, and will not miss the golden time of the initial response to the national disaster, which will help protect precious people, property and the environment.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.9
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• pp.3068-3084
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• 2021

Investigations of large commercial aircraft impact effect on nuclear power plant (NPP) buildings have been drawing extensive attentions, particularly after the 9/11 event, and this paper aims to experimentally assess the damage and vibrations of NPP buildings subjected to aircraft crash. In present Part I, two shots of reduce-scaled model test of aircraft impacting on NPP building were carried out. Firstly, the 1:15 aircraft model (weighs 135 kg) and RC NPP model (weighs about 70 t) are designed and prepared. Then, based on the large rocket sled loading test platform, the aircraft models were accelerated to impact perpendicularly on the two sides of NPP model, i.e., containment and auxiliary buildings, with a velocity of about 170 m/s. The strain-time histories of rebars within the impact area and acceleration-time histories of each floor of NPP model are derived from the pre-arranged twenty-one strain gauges and twenty tri-axial accelerometers, and the whole impact processes were recorded by three high-speed cameras. The local penetration and perforation failure modes occurred respectively in the collision scenarios of containment and auxiliary buildings, and some suggestions for the NPP design are given. The maximum acceleration in the 1:15 scaled tests is 1785.73 g, and thus the corresponding maximum resultant acceleration in a prototype impact might be about 119 g, which poses a potential threat to the nuclear equipment. Furthermore, it was found that the nonlinear decrease of vibrations along the height was well reflected by the variations of both the maximum resultant vibrations and Cumulative Absolute Velocity (CAV). The present experimental work on the damage and dynamic responses of NPP structure under aircraft impact is firstly presented, which could provide a benchmark basis for further safety assessments of prototype NPP structure as well as inner systems and components against aircraft crash.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.38-44
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• 2012

The purpose of fire protection for the nuclear power plants (NPPs) is to ensure safe shutdown state of the reactor, to minimize the release of radioactive materials to the environment, to provide physical safety of the on-site personnel, and to limit the property damage. Fire protection and extinguishing equipments are one of the important protection measures based on the defense-in-depth concept, which can promptly detect and control and extinguish those fires that do occur, thereby limiting fire damage. However, a separate evaluation process might be additionally necessary for the construction permit and operating license because the fire protection laws of the NEMA for installation standards of the fire protection systems is not fully characterized for the NPPs. It is also not easy to implement the regulations such as the performance based design concept for fire protection system of the NPPs which are characterized for a relatively low density of employee. This study suggests a guideline for the improvement of the technical standards for fire protection systems of the NPPs by evaluating the fundamental problems drawn by reviewing laws and regulatory guides relevant to fire protection and by evaluating the applicability of the KEPIC FPN in domestic nuclear power plants.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.22-29
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• 2020

In this study, combustion and smoke release characteristics of a non-class 1E cable for nuclear power plants were investigated according to aging period. The aging was reproduced through an accelerated aging method for interval of 10 years :10, 20, 30 and 40 year, which was applied the Arrhenius equation. The cable was subjected to accelerated aging. In order to understand combustion and smoke release characteristics, the cone calorimeter test was performed according to the standard code of KS F ISO 5660-1. Heat release rate, mass loss rate, average rate of heat emission and smoke production rate were examined through cone calorimeter test. Fire performance index, fire growth index and smoke factor were derived from test results for the comparison of quantitative fire risk. When comparing the fire performance index and the fire growth index, the early fire risk tends to decrease as aging progresses, which might be attributed from the fact that the volatile substances of cables were evaporated. However, when comparing the heat release rate, average rate of heat emission and mass loss rate, which represent the mid and late periods of the fire risk, the values of accelerated aging cables were much higher than those of non-aged cable, which signifies the unstable formation of the char layer resulted in the change in the performance of flame retardants. In addition, the results from the smoke characteristics show that the accelerated aging cables were lager than the non-aged cables in terms of overall fire risk. These results can be used as baseline data when assessing fire risk of cables and establishing fire safety code for nuclear power plants.

• Maritime Security
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.125-149
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• 2021

Even 10 years after the Fukushima nuclear disaster, Japan has yet to solve the problems emerging from generating contaminated water every day. Japan has unilaterally decided to release nuclear wastewater in the sea despite Korea's concerns about safety as their radioactive water storage tanks reach the limits. Despite Korea's response, Japan is still preparing to discharge nuclear wastewater without fulfilling its obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. There are concerns about marine pollution caused by the radioactive materials from nuclear wastewater and invading Korea's maritime sovereignty. In particular, it is impossible to reverse the effects of environmental pollution, so plans to discharge radioactive water must be prevented unless immediate safety is guaranteed. This study proposes Korea's response strategy to resolve the conflict between the two countries due to plans to release contaminated water. Korea should respond to Japan's release of nuclear wastewater in the sea in various ways through cooperation with Japan, provisional measures, and cooperation with neighboring countries.

• Strategy21
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• s.37
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• pp.193-241
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• 2015

China, Japan and Korea are the world's top 10 energy consumers, and so very interested in the development of seabed hydrocarbon resources in order to meet their energy demands. The East China Sea is the tri-junction area where three countries' entitlements on the maritime boundaries are overlapped. There are abundant oil reserves in the East China Sea, and therefore competitions among countries are growing to get control of them. Although these countries have concluded the bilateral agreements to jointly develop resources in the East China Sea, they do not function as well. Because joint development and management of seabed petroleum resources can lead to stable development system, and to lower possibility of legal and political disputes, the needs for joint development agreement among three countries are urgent. Meanwhile, Northeast Asian seas are semi-closed seas, which are geographically closed and vulnerable to marine pollution. Moreover there are a lot of nuclear power plants in coastal area, and seabed petroleum resources are being developed. So it is likely to occur nuclear and oil spill accidents. Fukushima nuclear disaster and Bohai Bay oil spill accident in 2011 are the cases to exhibit the potential of major marine pollution accidents in this area. It is anticipated that the risks become higher because power plants and offshore oil platforms are extending gradually. Therefore, the ways to seek the joint marine environmental protection agreement focused on regulation of nuclear power plant and offshore oil platform have to be considered. In this paper, we try to find the way to make joint development and joint environmental protection agreement in Northeast Asian seas. We concentrate on the measure to drive joint development of seabed petroleum deposits in East China Sea's overlap area, despite of maritime delimitation and territorial disputes, and we try to drive joint marine environmental protection system to respond to marine pollution and accidents due to offshore oil platform and nuclear power plants. Through these consideration, we seek solutions to deal with lack of energy, disputes of maritime territorial and boundary delimitation, and marine pollution in Northeast Asia.

• Korean Journal of Hazardous Materials
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.28-36
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• 2015

In early 2011, the Fukushima nuclear power plant had greater damage due to earthquake in Japan, and the awareness of safety has increased. In particular, special response systems should be required to handle disaster situations in plant sites which are likely to occur for large disasters. In this study, a program is designed to set up optimum escape routes, by a smart phone application, when a disaster situation occurs. This program could get information of the cumulative damage from sensors and display the escape route of the smallest damage in real-time on the screen. Utilizing our application in real-time evacuation has advantage in reducing cumulative damage. The optimal evacuation route, focusing on horizontal path, is calculated based on getting the data of fire, detected radioactivity and hazardous gas. Thus, using our application provides information of optimal evacuation to people who even can not hear sensor alarms or do not know geography, without requiring additional costs except fixed sensors or server network deployment cost. As a result, being informed of real-time escape route, the user could behave rapidly with suitable response to individual situation resulting in improved evacuation than simply reacting to existing warning alarms.

• Composites Research
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.40-44
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• 2016

Nuclear fuel cladding used in a nuclear power plant must possess superior oxidation resistance in the coolant atmosphere of high temperature/high pressure. However, as was the case for the critical LOCA (loss-of-coolant accident) accident that took place in the Fukushima disaster, there is a risk of hydrogen explosion when the nuclear fuel cladding and steam reacts dramatically to cause a rapid high-temperature oxidation accompanied by generation of a huge amount of hydrogen. Hence, an active search is ongoing for an alternative material to be used for manufacturing of nuclear fuel cladding. Studies are currently aimed at improving the safety of this cladding. In particular, ceramic-based nuclear fuel cladding, such as SiC, is receiving much attention due to the excellent radiation resistance, high strength, chemical durability against oxidation and corrosion, and excellent thermal conduction of ceramics. In the present study, cladding with $SiC_f/SiC$ protective films was fabricated using a process that forms a matrix phase by polymer impregnation of polycarbosilane (PCS) after filament-winding the SiC fiber onto an existing Zry-4 cladding tube. It is analyzed the oxidation and microstructure of the metal cladding with $SiC_f/SiC$ composite protective films using a drop tube furnace for thermal shock test.

• Journal of the Society of Disaster Information
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2016

Local wall thinning elbow due to the water flow is one of the main degradation phenomenon in carbon steel pipe of plant system. The API579 code of FFS (fitness for service) used in the chemical plant gives a guideline to protect local wall thin problem in a straight pipe, but it does not include an elbow. In this study, the locally wall thinned elbow, which is considered an extrados or intrados wall thinned elbow, was carried out considering in-plane or out-plane bending using FEM (finite element method) analysis, and some of results were also compared with the experimental data. The results could give the structure integrity assessment to protect the local wall thinned elbow.