• Geomechanics and Engineering
• /
• v.37 no.2
• /
• pp.109-122
• /
• 2024

Standard triaxial cells are commonly used to measure the mechanical behavior of saturated soils. However, this type of standard system is difficult to use for unsaturated soil specimens since it cannot measure the changes in the pore-air volume and pressure. This paper proposes to extend the measurement possibilities of the standard triaxial testing device in a simple way and to adapt it to partially saturated soils. The system is supplied by two hygrometers installed at each end of the cylindrical unsaturated specimen to measure local relative humidity, which allows the derivation of suction. The volumetric strain of the specimen is calculated by analyzing digital photos captured from the outside of the transparent cell wall. Specimens made of kaolin clay, having different hydraulic properties, were tested to verify the reliability of the measurements, and thus, the relevance of the proposed techniques to study the mechanical behavior of unsaturated soils.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
• /
• v.38 no.4
• /
• pp.397-408
• /
• 2024

Buried box culverts are crucial elements of transportation infrastructure. However, their behavior under foundation loads is not well understood, indicating a significant gap in existing research. This study aims to bridge this gap by conducting a detailed numerical analysis using the Finite Element Method and Abaqus software. The research evaluates the behavior of buried box culverts by examining their interaction with surrounding soil and the pressures from surface foundation loads. Key variables such as embedment depth, culvert wall thickness, concrete material properties, foundation pressure, foundation width, soil elastic modulus, and friction angle are altered to understand their combined effects on structural response. The methodology employs a validated 2D numerical model under plane strain conditions. Parametric studies highlight the critical role of culvert depth (H) in influencing earth pressure and bending moments. Foundation pressure and width demonstrate complex interdependencies affecting culvert behavior. Variations in culvert materials' elastic modulus show minimal impact. It was found that the lower wall of the buried culvert experiences higher average pressure compared to the other two walls, due to the combined effects of the culvert's weight and down drag forces on the side walls. Furthermore, while the pressure distribution on the top and bottom walls is parabolic, the pressure on the side walls follows a different pattern, differing from that of the other two walls.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.34 no.9
• /
• pp.1867-1875
• /
• 2024

Identification of the biochemical metabolic pathway for lignin decomposition and the responsible degradative enzymes is needed for the effective biotechnological valorization of lignin to renewable chemical products. In this study, we investigated the decomposition of kraft lignin by the soil bacterium Pseudomonas kribbensis CHA-19, a strain that can utilize kraft lignin and its main degradation metabolite, vanillic acid, as growth substrates. Gel permeation chromatography revealed that CHA-19 decomposed polymeric lignin and degraded dehydrodivanillin (a representative lignin model compound); however, the degradative enzyme(s) and mechanism were not identified. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction with mRNAs from CHA-19 cells induced in the presence of lignin showed that the putative genes coding for two laccase-like multicopper oxidases (LMCOs) and three dye-decolorizing peroxidases (DyPs) were upregulated by 2.0- to 7.9-fold compared with glucose-induced cells, which indicates possible cooperation with multiple enzymes for lignin decomposition. Computational homology analysis of the protein sequences of LMCOs and DyPs also predicted their roles in lignin decomposition. Based on the above data, CHA-19 appears to initiate oxidative lignin decomposition using multifunctional LMCOs and DyPs, producing smaller metabolites such as vanillic acid, which is further degraded via ortho- and meta-ring cleavage pathways. This study not only helps to better understand the role of bacteria in lignin decomposition and thus in terrestrial ecosystems, but also expands the biocatalytic toolbox with new bacterial cells and their degradative enzymes for lignin valorization.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
• /
• v.13 no.1
• /
• pp.21-29
• /
• 2012

Ground failure by liquefaction can occur not only during shaking but also as the result of the post-liquefaction process after an earthquake. During the process of ground deformation and failure, excess pore water pressure in soil is redistributed, which can then lead to changes in the effective stress of soils. Therefore, in order to provide a further understanding of the phenomenon, we have to estimate the properties of effective stress during the recompression process in post-liquefaction as well, not only the total amount of pore water drained. The primary objectives of this study are to determine and compare the recompression properties in the post-liquefaction process in terms of the relationship between volumetric strains and mean effective stresses under the various conditions of relative density and shear stress history. In all experimental cases, the volumetric strains increase greatly in the low effective stress level, almost to the zero zone, and granite soil, which has fine grains, undergoes gradual changes in the relationship between volumetric strains and mean effective stresses compared with fine sand. And, we can also find that recompression properties in the post-liquefaction process by cyclic loading depend highly on the dissipation energy and maximum shear strain, and this fact can be obtained in all cases regardless of the existence of fine content, relative density, and loading history. Especially, granite soil having fine grains can be defined uniformly in the relationship between dissipation energy and maximum volumetric strain, while fine sand cannot be so uniformly defined.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.37 no.1
• /
• pp.55-61
• /
• 2009

Ginseng saponins (a secondary metabolite, termed ginsenosides) are the principal bioactive ingredients of ginseng, and modification of the sugar chains may markedly change the its biological activity. One of soil bacteria having $\beta$-glucosidase (to transform ginsenoside $Rb_1$) activity was isolated from soil of a ginseng field in Daejeon. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that the isolate belonged to the genus Cellulosimicrobium, with highest sequence similarity (99.7%) to Cellulosimicrobium funkei ATCC BAA-$886^T$. The strain, Gsoil 235, could transform ginsenoside $Rb_1$ into Rd, $Rg_3$ and 3 of un-known ginsenosides by the analyses of TLC, HPLC. By investigating its deglycosylation progress, the optimal broth for, $\beta$-glucosidase was nutrient broth (In 48 hours, almost ginsenoside $Rb_1$ could be transformed into minor ginsenosides). On the contrary, the optimal broth for growth was determined as trypic soy broth (TSB).

• Korean journal of applied entomology
• /
• v.45 no.3 s.144
• /
• pp.357-362
• /
• 2006

Bacillus thuringiensis strains were isolated from the domestic soil and a strain was selected that had a new host range and high toxicity against agriculture insect pest. The 142 samples of soil were sampled from the mountains, paddy fields and patches, in Daejon, Chungnam, Chungbuk and Jeonbuk and used for the investigation. Sixteen B. t strains were isolated from 12 samples among collected samples. There were 11 strains that showed toxical activity on Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Yponomeutidae), 7 steins on Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), 5 strains on Arete coerulea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), 5 strains on Culex pipiens pallens (Diptera: Culicidae) among the 16 isolated B. t strains. But there were not any strains that showed activity against Hyphanria cunea (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae) and Sitophilus oryzae (Coleoptera: Rhynchophoridae). And also some of B. thuringiensis strains showed insecticidal activity with 2, 3 or 4 kinds of insects. But there were also 3 strains that did not show any activities to the 6 insects which were used in the experiment. When examined with a phase-contrast microscope, the insecticidal crystal protein produced from 16 selected strains had 13 bipyramidal and 3 spherical shapes. The insecticidal bioactivity of the S. litura showed 100% mortality when there were $1.3{\times}10^{7}\;(cfu/ml)$ of CAB109 isolates.

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
• /
• v.16 no.6
• /
• pp.105-113
• /
• 2014

PURPOSES: The objective of this paper is to select the confidential intervals by utilizing the second moment reliability index(Hasofer and Lind; 1974) related to the number of load applications to failure which explains the fatigue failure and rut depth that it indicates the permanent deformation. By using Finite Element Method (FEM) Program, we can easily confirm the rut depth and number of load repetitions without Pavement Design Procedures for generally designing pavement depths. METHODS : In this study, the predictive models for the rut depth and the number of load repetitions to fatigue failure were used for determining the second moment reliability index (${\beta}$). From the case study results using KICTPAVE, the results of the rut depth and the number of load repetitions to fatigue failure were deducted by calculating the empirical predictive equations. Also, the confidential intervals for rut depth and number of load repetitions were selected from the results of the predictive models. To determine the second moment reliability index, the spreadsheet method using Excel's Solver was used. RESULTS : From the case studies about pavement conditions, the results of stress, displacement and strain were different with depth conditions of layers and layer properties. In the clay soil conditions, the values of strain and stresses in the directly loaded sections are relatively greater than other conditions. It indicates that the second moment reliability index is small and confidential intervals for rut depth and the number of load applications are narrow when we apply the clay soil conditions comparing to the applications of other soil conditions. CONCLUSIONS : According to the results of the second moment reliability index and the confidential intervals, the minimum and maximum values of reliability index indicate approximately 1.79 at Case 9 and 2.19 at Case 22. The broadest widths of confidential intervals for rut depth and the number of load repetitions are respectively occurred in Case 9 and Case 7.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
• /
• v.33 no.4
• /
• pp.261-265
• /
• 2000

To develope the enhanced bacterial strains capable of biodegradation for various chlorinated aromatic compounds, 100 bacterial strains were isolated from soil samples of suburbs of Taejon, Cheongju, and Jeonju by the enrichment culture. These strains can degrade pentachlorophenol (PCP) which is a kind of wood preservatives. Nineteen strains of the isolates were selected by fast colony-forming rate on solid minimal media containing PCP as an only source of carbon and energy. These strains were identified to genus level. Fifteen strains were identified as Pseudomonas, 1 strain as Acinetobacter and 3 strains were not. Genus Alcaligenes strains were not found among them. Pseudomonas sp. MU135. MU139, MU163 and MU 184 were able to degrade for 4 kinds of chlorinated compounds, PCP, 2,4-D, MCPA and 3CB. Pseudomonas sp. If was observed that MU139 exhibits the highest degradability in liquid minimal media at 72 hours after inoculation. Pseudomoans sp. MU147, MU177, MU184 and MU192 also degraded the compounds at higher rates. As the results, Pseudomonas sp. MU139 and unidentified strain MU184 had biodegrability for broad range of chlorinated compounds and higher rates of degradation for PCP.

• Mycobiology
• /
• v.37 no.1
• /
• pp.53-61
• /
• 2009

The process of biodegradation in lingo-cellulosic materials is critically relevant to biospheric carbon. The study of this natural process has largely involved laboratory investigations, focused primarily on the biodegradation and recycling of agricultural by-products, generally using basidiomycetes species. In order to collect super white rot fungi and evaluate its ability to degrade lingo-cellulosic material, 35 fungal strains, collected from forests, humus soil, livestock manure, and dead trees, were screened for enzyme activities and their potential to decolorize the commercially used Poly-R 478 dye. In the laccase enzymatic analysis chemical test, 33 white rot fungi and 2 brown rot fungi were identified. The degradation ability of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) according to the utilized environmental conditions was higher in the mushrooms grown in dead trees and fallen leaves than in the mushrooms grown in humus soil and livestock manure. Using Poly-R 478 dye to assess the PAH-degradation activity of the identified strains, four strains, including Agrocybe pediades, were selected. The activities of laccase, MnP, and Lip of the four strains with PAH-degrading ability were highest in Pleurotus incarnates. 87 fungal strains, collected from forests, humus soil, livestock manure, and dead trees, were screened for enzyme activities and their potential to decolorize the commercially used Poly-R 478 dye on solid media. Using Poly-R 478 dye to assess the PAHdegrading activity of the identified strains, it was determined that MKACC 51632 and 52492 strains evidenced superior activity in static and shaken liquid cultures. Subsequent screening on plates containing the polymeric dye poly R-478, the decolorization of which is correlated with lignin degradation, resulted in the selection of a strain of Coriolus versicolor, MKACC52492, for further study, primarily due to its rapid growth rate and profound ability to decolorize poly R-478 on solid media. Considering our findings using Poly-R 478 dye to evaluate the PAH-degrading activity of the identified strains, Coriolus versicolor, MKACC 52492 was selected as a favorable strain. Coriolus versicolor, which was collected from Mt. Yeogi in Suwon, was studied for the production of the lignin-modifying enzymes laccase, manganese-dependent peroxidase (MnP), and lignin peroxidase (LiP).

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
• /
• v.27 no.5
• /
• pp.507-512
• /
• 2005

This research focuses on the development and application of a method for the detection of m-toluate in soils using a genetically engineered bioluminescent bacteria, Pseudomonas putida mt-2 KG1206. KG1206 produces light by direct (m-toluate and benzoate) and indirect (toluene analogs) inducers. For detection of m-toluate in soil system, 9.9 mL strain was amended with 0.1 mL soil ethanol extractant. A high correlation ($r^2>0.97$) was observed between bioluminescence and m-toluate concentration. The unknown concentrations of m-toluate in soil samples were pre-determined using a method developed based on bioluminescence activity of strain with extracted inducers. Values between by LC analysis and bioluminescence activity show moderate statistical results. These results demonstrate the feasibility of recombinant bioluminescent microorganism, engineered to generate a quantifiable bioluminescence signal in response to specific pollutants, may serve as combined sensing and reporting tools in environmental monitoring.