• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.377-385
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• 2015

We constructed a model test apparatus to evaluate the dependence of the saturation velocity (V_s) in soils on rainfall intensity (I_R). The apparatus comprises a soil box, a rainfall simulator, and measuring sensors. The model grounds (60 cm × 50 cm × 15 cm) were formed by Joomunjin standard sand with a relative density of 75%. The rainfall simulator can control the rainfall intensity to reenact the actual rainfall in a soil box. Time Domain Reflectometer (TDR) sensors and tensiometers were installed in the soils to measure changes in the volumetric water content and matric suction due to rainfall infiltration. During the tests, the soil saturation was determined by raising the groundwater table, which was formed at the bottom of the soil box. [Please check that the correct meaning has been maintained.] The wetting front did not form at the ground surface during rainfall because the soil particles were uniform and the coefficient of permeability was relatively high. Our results show that the suction stress of the soils decreased with increasing volumetric water content, and this effect was most pronounced for volumetric water contents of 20%-30%. Based on a regression analysis of the relationship between rainfall intensity and the average saturation velocity, we suggest the following equation for estimating the saturation velocity in soils: V_savg (cm/sec) = 0.068I_R (mm/hr).

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.40-47
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• 2018

Porous walkway blocks are constructed for the purpose already, but reserved water is easily consumed due to the bigger permeability than necessary. Furthermore, porous structure reduces the strength of blocks, which resulting cracking and settlements in walkways. In this study, we suggested a solution for given problems by determination for the location of minimum principal stress in walkway blocks against moving foot loads in order to design and verifying the determined location of minimum principal stress. An optimum design with a verification example for determined location of minimum principal stress have been presented in a two dimensional Block member on elastic foundation for pedestrian walkway for reserving water inside. The minimum value for sum of shear forces is found when ${\times}1$ is 58.58 mm(30% of total span, 200mm), while the minimum deformation is located at ${\times}2=80mm$(70% of total span, 200 mm). In a modified model, When moving boundary condition(walkway foot loads) is located at ${\times}1$(=0 mm), the location of minimum principal stresses is found at 168 mm( 84% of span, 200 mm), in which the stress concentration due to the foot load is modeled as two layers of distributed loads(reactions of foundation modeled as springs). Consequently, zero deformed reservoirs for rainwater on the neutral axis (${\times}2=167mm$) has been determined in the modified model with three dimensional FEM analysis verifications.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.35-43
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• 2010

Partially saturated permeability should be defined by the function of suction (or degree of saturation) and porosity. However, commercial software and most researchers' model often describe as the function of suction. The stability of a soil slope can be affected by both hydraulic and shear strength properties of partially saturated soils. For both studies, we generally use an uncoupled seepage analysis program Seep/W(Geo-Slope, 2007) and a series stress-deformation analysis program Sigma/W, or slope stability analysis program Slope/W. Seep/W is performed for simulations of partially saturated flow problems in non-deformable soil media. However, under real situations, the water flow processes in a deformable soil are influenced by soil skeleton movement and the pore water pressure changed due to seepage will lead to changes in stresses and to deformation of a soil. Many researchers are currently developing their models for solving coupled hydro-mechanical problems to simulate slope stability during a rainstorm. For a proper implementation in the field, the developed model should be still needed in order to achieve appropriate accuracy of the solution for coupled hydro-mechanical problems in soil slope stability. Thus, the paper presents the comparison of slope stability between uncoupled and coupled analyses of seepage and stress deformation problems.

• Mycobiology
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.297-311
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• 2017

Saprolegniasis is one of the most devastating oomycete diseases in freshwater fish which is caused by species in the genus Saprolegnia including Saprolegnia parasitica. In this study, we isolated the strain of S. parasitica from diseased rainbow trout in Korea. Morphological and molecular based identification confirmed that isolated oomycete belongs to the member of S. parasitica, supported by its typical features including cotton-like mycelium, zoospores and phylogenetic analysis with internal transcribed spacer region. Pathogenicity of isolated S. parasitica was developed in embryo, juvenile, and adult zebrafish as a disease model. Host-pathogen interaction in adult zebrafish was investigated at transcriptional level. Upon infection with S. parasitica, pathogen/antigen recognition and signaling (TLR2, TLR4b, TLR5b, NOD1, and major histocompatibility complex class I), pro/anti-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin $[IL]-1{\beta}$, tumor necrosis factor ${\alpha}$, IL-6, IL-8, interferon ${\gamma}$, IL-12, and IL-10), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP9 and MMP13), cell surface molecules ($CD8^+$ and $CD4^+$) and antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase) related genes were differentially modulated at 3- and 12-hr post infection. As an anti-Saprolegnia agent, plant based lawsone was applied to investigate on the susceptibility of S. parasitica showing the minimum inhibitory concentration and percentage inhibition of radial growth as $200{\mu}g/mL$ and 31.8%, respectively. Moreover, natural lawsone changed the membrane permeability of S. parasitica mycelium and caused irreversible damage and disintegration to the cellular membranes of S. parasitica. Transcriptional responses of the genes of S. parasitica mycelium exposed to lawsone were altered, indicating that lawsone could be a potential anti-S. parasitica agent for controlling S. parasitica infection.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.11 no.11
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• pp.4635-4642
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• 2010

Latex modification of concrete provides the material with higher flexural strength, as well as high bond strength and reduced water permeability. One of the most advantages of the very early-strength latex-modified concrete (VES-LMC) could be the similar contraction and expansion behaviour to normal concrete substrate, which enable to ensure long-term performance. The purpose of this study was to parametric nonlinear flexural nonlinear analysis of RC beam rehabilitated by VES-LMC. The results were as follows; The flexural nonlinear analysis model of RC beam overlaid by VES-LMC in ABAQUS was proposed to predict the load-deflection response, interfacial stress, and ultimate strength. The proposed FE analysis model was verified by comparison of an experimental data and the FE analysis results. The FE analysis results showed that yield point as well as flexural stiffness increased as the depth increased; the stiffness of beam overall increased as the bond stiffness became larger; the bond strength between two different materials is a key factor in composite beam. A parametric study showed that an overlay thickness was a main influencing factor to the behavior of RC beam overlaid by VES-LMC.

• Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.656-668
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• 2018

Background/Aims MicroRNAs (miRNAs) were reported to be responsible for intestinal permeability in diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) rats in our previous study. However, whether and how miRNAs regulate visceral hypersensitivity in IBS-D remains largely unknown. Methods We established the IBS-D rat model and evaluated it using the nociceptive visceral hypersensitivity test, myeloperoxidase activity assay, restraint stress-induced defecation, and electromyographic (EMG) activity. The distal colon was subjected to miRNA microarray analysis followed by isolation and culture of colonic epithelial cells (CECs). Bioinformatic analysis and further experiments, including dual luciferase assays, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, western blot, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, were used to detect the expression of miRNAs and how it regulates visceral hypersensitivity in IBS-D rats. Results The IBS-D rat model was successfully established. A total of 24 miRNAs were differentially expressed in the distal colon of IBS-D rats; 9 were upregulated and 15 were downregulated. Among them, the most significant upregulation was miR-200a, accompanied by downregulation of cannabinoid receptor 1 (CNR1) and serotonin transporter (SERT). MiR-200a mimic markedly inhibited the expression of CNR1/SERT. Bioinformatic analysis and luciferase assay confirmed that CNR1/SERT are direct targets of miR-200a. Rescue experiments that overexpressed CNR1/SERT significantly abolished the inhibitory effect of miR-200a on the IBS-D rats CECs. Conclusions This study suggests that miR-200a could induce visceral hyperalgesia by targeting the downregulation of CNR1 and SERT, aggravating or leading to the development and progression of IBS-D. MiR-200a may be a regulator of visceral hypersensitivity, which provides potential targets for the treatment of IBS-D.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.197-213
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• 2019

We simulated the fault reactivation experiment conducted at 'Main Fault' intersecting the low permeability clay formations of Mont Terri Underground Research Laboratory in Switzerland using TOUGH-FLAC simulator. The fluid flow along a fault was modelled with solid elements and governed by Darcy's law with the cubic law in TOUGH2, whereas the mechanical behavior of a single fault was represented by creating interface elements between two separating rock blocks in FLAC3D. We formulate the hydro-mechanical coupling relation of hydraulic aperture to consider the elastic fracture opening and failure-induced dilation for reproducing the abrupt changes in injection flow rate and monitoring pressure at fracture opening pressure. A parametric study was conducted to examine the effects of in-situ stress condition and fault deformation and strength parameters and to find the optimal parameter set to reproduce the field observations. In the best matching simulation, the fracture opening pressure and variations of injection flow rate and monitoring pressure showed good agreement with field experiment results, which suggests the capability of the numerical model to reasonably capture the fracture opening and propagation process. The model overestimated the fault displacement in shear direction and the range of reactivated zone, which was attributed to the progressive shear failures along the fault at high injection pressure. In the field experiment results, however, fracture tensile opening seems the dominant mechanism affecting the hydraulic aperture increase.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.33-45
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• 2022

A series of model tests were performed in this study to demonstrate the clogging mechanism created during the installation of a compaction pile to improve soft ground. The application of an air-jet to extrude sand or aggregates from a casing during the installation of a compaction pile imposes a remarkably high-pressure difference between the composite soil layers of clay and sand (or aggregates), resulting in severe clogging. Therefore, a one-dimensional testing system was developed to simulate composite soil layers consisting of clay and sand (or aggregates) and to apply a high-pressure differential at both boundaries, thus replicating the extrusion process used in compaction pile installation. Herein, the performance of two construction materials for compaction piles of crushed stone and grading-controlled aggregates was compared. A series of one-dimensional model tests were performed under multiple pressure settings, with clogging depth and permeability measured in each case. Results indicate that, blinding clogging mechanisms and blocking defined by previous studies were observed for crushed stone, and a new mechanism of "infiltration" was revealed and defined. Whereas, the controlled aggregates performed excellently against clogging because only blinding was observed.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.515-532
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• 2023

Bentonite, predominantly consists of expandable clay minerals, is considered to be the suitable buffering material in high-level radioactive waste disposal repository due to its large swelling property and low permeability. Additionally, the bentonite has large cation exchange capacity and specific surface area, and thus, it effectively retards the transport of leaked radionuclides to surrounding environments. This study aims to review the thermodynamic sorption models for four radionuclides (U, Am, Se, and Eu) and eight bentonites. Then, the thermodynamic sorption models and optimized sorption parameters were precisely analyzed by considering the experimental conditions in previous study. Here, the optimized sorption parameters showed that thermodynamic sorption models were related to experimental conditions such as types and concentrations of radionuclides, ionic strength, major competing cation, temperature, solid-to-liquid ratio, carbonate species, and mineralogical properties of bentonite. These results implied that the thermodynamic sorption models suggested by the optimization at specific experimental conditions had large uncertainty for application to various environmental conditions.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.71-79
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• 2009

Step-drawdown tests were conducted at four pumping Wells, two in porous media and two in fractured rocks, respectively. In general, P = 2.0 suggested by Jacob (1947) is applied to porous media and fractured rocks in terms of drawdowns of step-drawdown test. In an attempt to review problems of linear model (Jacob's graphic method) in interpreting the step-draw down test, the outcomes of well parameters (aquifer loss coefficient (B), well loss coefficient (C) and well loss exponent (P)) calculated from linear and nonlinear model (Labadie and Helweg's least-squares method) were compared and analyzed. The values of C and P calculated from linear and nonlinear models differed according to permeability of aquifer and the conditions of pumping well. The value C obtained from nonlinear models in porous media and fractured rocks is about $10^0{\sim}10^{-2}$ and $10^{-3}{\sim}10^{-6}$ times lower than in their linear models, respectively. The value P of porous media obtained from nonlinear model ranged from 2.123 to 2.775, while it ranged from 3.459 to 5.635 for fractured rocks. In case of nonlinear model, well loss highly depends on the value P. At this time, well efficiencies calculated from linear and nonlinear models were $1.56{\sim}14.89%$ for porous media and $8.73{\sim}24.71%$ for fractured rocks, showing a significant error according to chosen models. In nonlinear model, it was found that the regression analysis using the least squares method was very useful to interpret step-drawdown test in all aquifer.