최근 국내 콘크리트포장의 동결융해 파손에 대한 사례들이 주기적으로 보고가 되고 있으며, 이에 공기량 기준과 더불어 간격계수에 대한 기준마련 필요성이 대두되고 있다. 간격계수를 산정하기 위한 실험방법은 국내에 규정되어 있지 않아 ASTM C 457기준을 따라야 하며, 특히 이 실험결과 분석 시 연구자의 주관적 판단에 기인하는 경우가 많아 이에 대한 철저한 보정작업이 수반되어야 한다. 콘크리트의 공극구조 특성을 분석하기 위해 사용되고 있는 화상분석프로그램은 색상의 구분을 통해 공극을 인식하는데, 분석 시 사용되어지는 pixel intensity values에 따라 분석결과는 크게 변할 수 있다. 이에 본 연구에서는 pixel intensity values의 적정범위를 산정하기 위해서, pixel intensity values 변화에 따라 측정된 공극수와 연구자들이 측정한 공극수를 비교하였으며, 이를 통해 pixel intensity values의 적정 범위를 결정하였다. 또한 결정된 pixel intensity values를 이용하여, 8가지 콘크리트 혼합물에 대한 콘크리트 공극구조 특성을 분석하였다. 연구자들이 공극수를 직접 측정한 round robin test 결과, 사람에 따른 공극 인식정도가 약 10% 정도로 변동될 수 있음을 확인할 수 있었으며, 이를 통해 pixel intensity values의 적정 범위가 약 80~90 정도로 나타났다. 8가지 콘크리트 혼합물에 대한 화상분석결과, 전반적으로 AE제 첨가량이 증가함에 따라 전체 공기량은 증가하고 간격계수는 감소하는 경향을 나타내었으나, 일부 혼합물에서 공기량은 크게 변동하지 않은 가운데 간격계수가 AE제 증가에 따라 감소하는 추이를 나타내었다. 이는 추가된 AE제에 의해 발생된 미세한 크기의 연행공극이 전체 공기량에 미치는 영향보다 간격계수에 미치는 영향이 더 크기 때문이다. 또한 동일한 시편에서 절단면 위치에 따른 간격계수의 편차는 약 30~100μm 정도를 나타내었다. 이는 2차원 분석의 한계로 인해 발생된 편차인 것으로 사료되며, 시편절단면 위치에 따른 변동성 분석을 위한 추가적인 연구가 수행되어야 할 것으로 판단된다.

The spot weldability of dissimilar metal joints between stainless steels (AISI316) and interstitial free (IF) steels were investigated. This study was aimed to determine the spot welding parameters for a dissimilar metal joint and to evaluate the dissimilar metal joint's weldability, including its welding nugget shape, tensileshear strength, hardness, and microstructure. The fracture surface was investigated by using a Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The experimental results showed that the shape of nugget was asymmetric, in which the fusion zone of the STS316 sheet was larger due to the higher bulk-resistance. The microstructure of the fusion zone was fully martensite. In order to evaluate the microstructure further, dilution of stainless steels were calculated and imposed onto the Schaeffler diagram. The predicted microstructure from the Schaeffler diagram was martensite. In order to confirm the predicted microstructure, XRD measurements were carried out. The results showed that that initial weld nugget was composed of austenite and martensite.

The inhibitory effects of mercury ions on the growth of barley seedlings were studied and the distribution of metal elements in the organs of treated plants was investigated by using synchrotron radiation induced X-ray emission (SRIXE). Although the treatment of mercury ions caused growth inhibition, the mercury-specific increase in variable fluorescence and the abolishment of energy-dependent quenching in broken barley chloroplasts as shown by Moon et al. (1992) were not observed in the leaves of growth-inhibited seedlings. Instead the treatment of mercury decreased Fmax and Fo values. However, Fmax/Fo ratio and photochemical and nonphotochemical quenching coefficients were not affected significantly. By SRIXE analysis of 10μM mercury chloride treated seedlings, accumulation of mercury in roots was observed after 1 hour of treatment and similar concentration was sustained for 48 hours. Relative contents of mercury was high in roots and underground nodes where seeds were attached, but was very low in leaves. Iron and zinc were also distributed mainly in the lower parts of the seedlings. However after 72 hours of treatment the contents of these metals in roots decreased and their distribution became more uniform, which may lead to death of the plants. These results suggest that the observed inhibitory effects on barley seedlings upto 48 hours after the treatment is not due to direct damages in the photosynthetic apparatus, but due to its accumulation in roots and the consequent retardation of the growth of barley seedlings. The decrease in Fmax and Fo is probably due to the decrease in chlorophyll and protein contents caused by the retardation of growth. The observed slow expansion of primary leaves could be also explained by the retardation of growth, but the fluorescence induction pattern from the leaves did not show characteristic symptoms of leaves under water stress.

To find heavy metal-specific effects on the photosynthetic apparatus of higher plants, we investigated effects of CuCl_2, HgCl_2 and ZnCl_2 on electron transport activity and chlorophyll fluorescence induction kinetics of chloroplasts isolated from barley seedlings. Effects on some related processes such as germination, growth and photosynthetic pigments of the test plants were also studied. Germination and growth rate were inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner by these metals. Mercury was shown to be the most potent inhibitor of germination, growth and biosynthesis of photosynthetic pigments of barley plants. In the inhibition of electron transport activity, quantum yield of PSⅡ, and chlorophyll fluorescence induction kinetics of chloroplasts isolated from barley seedlings, mercury chloride showed more pronounced effects than other two metals. Contrary to the effects of other two metals, mercury chloride increased variable fluorescence significantly and abolished qE in the fluorescence induction kinetics from broken chloroplasts of barley seedlings. This increase in variable fluorescence is due to the inhibition of the electron transport chain after PSⅡ and the following dark reactions. The inhibition of qE could be attributed to the interruption of pH formation and de-epoxidation o1 violaxathin to zeaxanthin to thylakoids by mercury. This unique effect of mercury on chlorophyll fluorescence induction pattern could be used as a good indicator for testing the presence and/or the concentration of mercury in the samples contaminated with heavy metals