Background: With the increase of seated work, interest in forward head posture (FHP) has grown. Prolonged computer tasks with FHP have been considered a factor that increases the stiffness and tone of the upper trapezius (UT) muscle. Traditionally, many studies have measured the craniovertebral angle (CVA) in standing positions to assess FHP, making it difficult to determine whether the CVA measured in a habitual working posture correlates with the stiffness and tone of the UT muscle in office workers. Objects: This study aimed to investigate the relationship among CVA, UT muscle stiffness, and tone in both habitual working and standing postures among asymptomatic office workers. Methods: Forty asymptomatic office workers participated in the study. CVA was measured in both habitual working and standing postures. Stiffness and tone of the UT muscle were assessed after a 10-minute computer task. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to investigate the relationship between CVA and stiffness and tone of the UT muscle. Results: No significant correlations were found between CVA in standing posture and the stiffness and tone of the UT muscle. However, moderate negative correlations were observed between CVA measured in the habitual working posture and both the stiffness (dominant: r = –0.490, non-dominant r = –0.465) and tone (dominant: r = –0.501, non-dominant r = –0.446) of the UT muscle. Conclusion: This study highlights that decreased CVA in habitual working posture is associated with increased stiffness and tone of the UT muscle in asymptomatic office workers. Therefore, measuring CVA in the habitual working posture should be considered when evaluating stiffness and tone of the UT muscle.

Background: With the increasing demand for healthcare devices, the home healthcare market has been continuously expanding. Objectives: This study examined how a home calf massager affects muscle tone and stiffness in the calf region and the active range of motion (AROM) of the ankle in healthy adults to determine whether the massager is suitable for healthcare use in healthy individuals. Design: A quasi-experimental clinical trial. Methods: The study included 20 healthy men in their 20s, analyzing changes in muscle tone and stiffness in the calf region, AROM of the ankle joint, and differences between the two legs before and after applying the home calf massager. Results: After using the home calf massager, significant reductions in muscle tone and stiffness were observed in the lateral gastrocnemius muscles on both sides, as well as in the stiffness of the medial gastrocnemius muscles on both sides (P<.05). The AROM of the ankle joint significantly increased in all cases of dorsiflexion, plantar flexion, inversion, and eversion (P<.05). Conclusion: The use of a home calf massager in healthy adult males did not impose a physiological burden on muscle tone and stiffness in the calf region and was effective in immediately improving ankle joint mobility.

Lightweighting is crucial in various industries, especially for bicycles where weight and stiffness are key. Traditional materials like steel, aluminum, and carbon each have pros and cons. This study compares hybrid tubes made of aluminum and carbon composites with conventional aluminum tubes. Using structural analysis and experimental testing, the hybrid tubes showed a weight reduction of up to 17.25% and maintained acceptable deformation levels. Finite element analysis confirmed these findings, demonstrating the hybrid tubes' potential as superior bicycle frame materials. Future research should focus on long-term durability and fatigue characteristics.

KCEV(Korean Combat Engineer Vehicle) perform the mission of removing mines and various military obstacles buried in the battlefield and opening passageways. It is characterized by modifying the chassis of the K1 series tank and equipping it with an excavator, track-width mine plough, and magnetic signature duplicator. KCEV has a steering wheel, and steering force is transmitted to the transmission steering lever through the steering linkage and acceleration linkage. KCEV can be steered in up to 3 gears, and it was confirmed that there was a risk of interference with the acceleration linkage as a bending occurred in the steering linkage when steering to the right in 3 gears. In this study, we examined the bending of the acceleration linkage and proposed a method to increase the stiffness of the acceleration linkage tube to improve it. Structural analysis was conducted to confirm the effect of increasing rigidity, and the improvement was confirmed by applying it to an actual vehicle. As a result, it was confirmed that not only the bending displacement of the steering linkage was reduced, but also the stress in the bent area was reduced.

V-type coupling, which is often applied to wastegate-turbochargers(WGT), is a mechanical fastener. Its radial forces generated from the bolt pretension load colse contact with each other to the axial direction for turbine housing and center housing rotating assembly(CHRA). In addition, the torsional stiffness between two bodies should be sufficiently secured to minimize the linkage angle change from the EWGA to the valve spindle. Therefore, in this study, the torsional stiffnesses according to the effects of positioning pins and friction coefficient, and the bolt pretension loads were calculated for V-coupling turbocharger. As a result, it can be seen that the torsional stiffness of the coupling according to the number of position pins is very small. And, when the friction coefficient and the axial force of the bolt are large, the torsional stiffness is greatly increased, and gradually decreasing when the bolt load of the coupling is about 6,000 N or more.

The cultural heritage of fortresses is often exposed to external elements, leading to significant damage from stone weathering and natural disasters. However, due to the nature of cultural heritage, dismantling and restoration are often impractical. Therefore, the stability of fortress cultural heritage was evaluated through non-destructive testing. The durability of masonry cultural heritages is greatly influenced by the physical characteristics of the back-fille material. Dynamic characteristics were assessed, and endoscopy was used to inspect internal fillings. Additionally, a finite element analysis model was developed considering the surrounding ground through elastic wave exploration. The analysis showed that the loss of internal fillings in the target cultural heritage site could lead to further deformation in the future, emphasizing the need for careful observation.

Background: Self-myofascial release using a foam roller has short-term effects for improving muscle function and joint range of motion (ROM) and reducing delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) after exercise. Objectives: The purpose of our study was to examine the muscle physiological changes for each set in self-myofascial release of the hamstring muscles using a foam roller in order to provide basic data for the most effective program composition for improving muscle tension, stiffness, and flexibility of the hamstring muscles. Design: A quasi-experimental clinical trial. Methods: To confirm the effect of self-myofascial release of the hamstring muscles using a foam roller, muscle tone and stiffness of the hamstring muscles were measured. As an intervention method, the study subject performed four sessions of self-myofascial release by moving a foam roller back and forth on the posterior thigh muscle of the right leg. Results: There were statistically significant changes in the stiffness of the biceps femoris and the flexibility of the hamstring muscles. Conclusion: Self-myofascial release with foam rolling is an effective intervention method for increasing hamstring flexibility and ROM, and it is recommended as effective to perform self-myofascial release for three to four sessions to maintain normal muscle tone and stiffness of the hamstring muscles.

In this study, theoretical analyses are performed to investigate the characteristics of the static and dynamic stiffness of a nonlinear vibration isolator system. The vibration isolator system is modeled as an equivalent nonlinear oscillator. Based on the model, the static equilibrium and frequency response solutions are obtained with the variations of external static load and/or system parameters. It is shown that the static stiffness of the nonlinear vibration isolator tends to be hardened with the increase of external static load, which prevents the occurrence of excessively large deflection. This static stiffness-hardening effect is more remarkable with a larger spring constant ratio. The dynamic stiffness is also strengthened when the spring constant ratio increases, which enlarges the force transmissibility and reduces the isolation frequency bandwidth. Thus, the static stiffness- hardening improves the robustness of the nonlinear vibration isolator, whereas the dynamic stiffness-hardening rather degrades its performance. Thus, the opposite tendency of the static and dynamic stiffness-hardening effects should be considered in the design process of the nonlinear vibration isolator.

Background: In community-dwelling elderly individuals, slower gait speed is closely related to the ground reaction force. In the elderly with fall experience, stride length and gait speed, and other gait parameters are closely related to gastrocnemius activation. Objectives: To investigate whether medial gastrocnemius stiffness influences gait parameters in community-dwelling elderly people who experienced falls. Design: Cross sectional study. Methods: A total of 149 community-dwelling older adults were assigned to the faller and non-faller groups. Gait parameters (step length, stride length, step width, cadence, heel and toe ground reaction force, heel and toe contact time), and stiffness of the medial and lateral gastrocnemius and tibialis anterior were measured using shear wave elastography. Results: Elderly fallers had shorter step and stride length, lower cadence and toe ground reaction force and heel contact time, and lower medial gastrocnemius stiffness than non-fallers. In elderly fallers, medial gastrocnemius stiffness was significantly correlated with step and stride length, step width, toe ground reaction force, and heel contact time. Conclusions: Lower medial gastrocnemius stiffness in the elderly fallers decreases gait parameters, which can be a risk factor for falls. Therefore, medial gastrocnemius stiffness is a major factor that may associated gait parameters that can determine the risk of fall in community-dwelling elderly individuals.

PURPOSES : Previously, the expansion state of the concrete pavement in which AAR occurred could not be determined. Because the current situation has not been evaluated, it has been difficult to prepare an appropriate response. In this study, a method for calculating the expansion amount of concrete pavement using the stiffness damage test (SDT) is proposed. METHODS : The SDT method was examined through a literature review. For the laboratory tests, specimens that generated AAR were produced based on the mix design (2018) of the Korea Expressway Corporation. SDT was used to calculate various mechanical properties, and their correlation with the expansion amount was reviewed. RESULTS : Using the SDT, various mechanical properties(elastic modulus, hysteresis area, plastic deformation, plastic deformation index, stiffness damage index, and nonlinear index) were calculated based on the expansion rate of the AAR. The elastic modulus was evaluated as the best predictor of the expansion rate. Thus, if the elastic modulus is calculated using SDT, a prediction equation can be used to calculate the amount of AAR expansion. This equation will need to be supplemented by further research. CONCLUSIONS : SDT was used to confirm that the expansion state due to the AAR of the concrete pavement could be indirectly evaluated. Among the mechanical properties related to SDT, the elastic modulus was found to be the most suitable for predicting the amount of expansion.

An elastic bearing must be strong against vertical loads and flexible against horizontal loads. However, due to the material characteristics of rubber, it may show variability due to the manufacturing process and environmental factors. If the value applied in the bridge design stage and the actual measured value have different values or if the performance during operation changes, the performance required in the design stage may not be achieved. In this paper, the seismic response of bridges was compared and analyzed by assuming a case where quality deviation occurs during construction compared to the design value for elastic bearings, which have not only always served as traditional bearings but also have had many applications in recent seismic reinforcement. The bearing's vertical stiffness and shear stiffness deviation were considered separately for the quality deviation. In order to investigate the seismic response, a time history analysis was performed using artificial seismic waves. The results confirmed that the change in the bearing's shear stiffness affects the natural period and response of the structure.

A timber lattice roof, which has around 30m span, was constructed. In order to figure out the realistic buckling load level, the structural analysis of this roof structure was performed especially by stiffness of connection with various asymmetric snow load. Due to the characteristics of application of snow load, the load combinations of snow should be considered not only global area but also local part so that the critical buckling load could be observed as easy as possible. Geometrical imperfection was simulated to consider inaccurate shape of structure. And then nonlinear analysis were performed. Finally, this paper could investigate that the asymmetric snow load with the lower level stiffness of connection decreased the level of buckling load significantly.

Background: Height is an important factor in determining a person’s appearance, so people often wear height increase elevator shoes insoles (HIESI) or high heels to make themselves look taller. However, high heels often act as a risk factor for musculoskeletal diseases. Objectives: To investigated how muscle tone and muscle stiffness in the lumbar region of young adult men varied according to the height of the HIESI, and analyzed the correlation. Design: Non-randomised trial. Methods: Muscle tone and muscle stiffness in the upper and lower lumbar regions of 20 healthy young adult men in an upright standing position were measured as the subjects wore no insoles and 2 cm, 3 cm, and 4 cm insoles. Results: Muscle tone and muscle stiffness in the lumbar region did not show a significant change according to the increased height of the HIESI. However, a positive correlation was observed when the subjects wore 4 cm HIESI, as there was a significant increase (P<.05) in muscle tone and stiffness in the left side of the upper lumbar region and in the right side of the lower lumbar region. Conclusion: Wearing HIESI for short periods of time in the static standing position did not cause a change in muscle tone and muscle stiffness in the lumbar region. However, wearing 4 cm HIESI demonstrated a correlation of increased muscle tone and stiffness in the upper and lower lumbar regions in an asymmetric manner.

Background: For the rehabilitation of stroke patients, it is necessary to confirm the differences in the mechanical properties of the paretic- and non-pareticside masseter muscles. Objectives: To investigate the muscle tone and stiffness of masseter muscles in patients with chronic stroke. Design: A case study. Methods: This study included 20 stroke patients. Muscle tone and stiffness of the paretic and non-paretic masseter muscles in stroke patients were measured using MyotonPRO. Measurements were performed under relaxation and masseter muscle contraction conditions. Results: There was no significant difference in the muscle tone and stiffness of the paretic and non-paretic side masseter muscles in the relaxation conditions (P>.05). In male, left hemiplegia, right hemiplegia and infatction, the nonparetic side masseter muscles showed significantly increased than musle tone and stiffness of the paretic side masseter muscles in the contraction (P<.05). In female and hemorrhage, the non-paretic side masseter muscles showed significantly increased than musle tone the paretic side masseter muscles in the contraction (P<.05). Conclusion: The muscle tone and stiffness were lower on the paretic side than on the non-paretic side during masseter muscle contraction in stroke patients; thus, muscle strengthening training was required.

PURPOSES : In this study, high-viscosity grout for increasing ground stiffness is developed using industrial byproducts. METHODS : Based on literature review, the viscosity and viscosity expression time of domestic and foreign anti-washout admixture underwater were evaluated. In addition, grout was prepared by mixing 5% to 40% of fly ash (FA) in a standard mixture. Flow, setting time, and compressive strength tests were conducted to evaluate the quality of the grout. RESULTS : Experimental results show that the viscosity required is 35,000 to 40,000 cps, whereas the viscosity expression time required exceeds 300 min. As the amount of FA used for grouting increases, the physical and mechanical performances deteriorate. The strength of a test specimen manufactured underwater is lower than that of a test specimen manufactured under air, and the decrease on day 28 is lower than that on day 3. The FA applied to the grout should be less than 20%. CONCLUSIONS : Although industrial byproducts, which exhibit high viscosity, offer excellent mechanical performance and are thus suitable as a solidifying agent for strengthening grout, their application in the field must be evaluated.

레일장대화는 무도상교량의 소음, 진동, 충격 등의 문제점을 해결할 수 있는 경제적인 방안 중 하나이며, 최근 연동식 침목고정장치 를 이용한 SSF 공법이 개발된 바 있다. 이 연구에서는 연동식 침목고정장치 적용 시 레일 높이 조정 및 열차 통과 시의 충격 흡수를 목 적으로 교량침목 하부에 삽입되는 침목패드의 최적 연직강성을 결정하는 과정을 제시하였다. 침목패드의 최적 연직강성 결정을 위하 여 관련 기존 기준을 검토하였으며, 유연다물체동적해석을 통하여 침목패드의 연직강성 변화에 따른 주행안전성, 승차감 및 궤도의 안전성에 대한 지표들과 교량 응답 변화를 검토하였다. 유연다물체동적해석은 상용프로그램인 ABAQUS와 VI-Rail을 이용하여 수행 하였다. 수치해석은 30m 상로판형교에 대한 교량모델을 이용하여 수행하였으며, 침목패드의 연직강성이 7.5kN/mm ~ 240kN/mm로 변화할 때 ITX 새마을, KTX 및 화차 통과 시의 응답을 산정하였다. 수치해석에 적용된 궤도구성품 조건에서 침목패드의 최적 강성은 100kN/mm로 산정되었다.

Background: Cervical spine mobilization is an effective intervention method to increase cervical range of motion (ROM). However, whether using a sling with cervical spine mobilization can provide a similar positive effect in improving ROM and muscle stiffness as conventional cervical spine mobilization has not yet been proven. Objectives: To investigated the effects of sling with cervical spine lateral mobilization on improving neck ROM and muscle stiffness in healthy subjects. Design: A two-group pre-posttest design. Methods: A total of 20 healthy subjects were allocated to a sling with cervical spine mobilization (SWCM) group (n=10) and a cervical spine mobilization (CM) group (n=10). The mobilization exercise at grade Ⅳ+ amplitude was applied to the left-side and right-side C3-C4 and C4-C5 of each group for three sets. The mobilization exercise was performed for 30 seconds (frequency of two vibrations per second), with a 30-second resting time. The active cervical ROM, muscle tone, and muscle stiffness of the cervical region of each group was measured and compared before and after the intervention. Results: The active cervical ROM of both groups significantly improved after the intervention (p<.05). However, no significant differences in the cervical active ROM, cervical muscle tone, and muscle stiffness were observed between two groups. Conclusion: The application of sling with cervical spine lateral mobilization is an intervention method that can be effectively used to improve the physiological movement of the neck, as well as cervical muscle tone and stiffness.

연층을 가지는 건축물들의 피해사례가 관측됨에 따라 기존 건축물 내진성능평가시 수직비정형의 고려가 중요해졌다. 하지만 기존 방법은 수직비정형을 충분히 반영하기 어렵기 때문에 수직비정형을 가지는 건축물에 대해 내진성능을 과소 혹은 과대평가할 여지가 있다. 본 연구는 강성기반 연층비(Soft Story Ratio, SSR)를 이용해 수직비정형 건축물의 내진성능평가 기법을 개발하는데 목적이 있다. SSR은 변위에 대한 요구량과 능력의 비율을 나타내고, 강성차이에 의한 수직비정형을 고려하여 건축물의 변위집중 비율을 의미하는 파라미터다. 1층 기둥을 변수로 하는 필로티 건축물 네 개를 대상으로 개발한 내진성능평가 기법을 기존의 내진성능평가 기법과 비교하였다. 기존 기법은 수직비정형이 극대화되는 모델에 대해 내진성능을 과대평가하는 경우가 발생하였다. 반면 제안된 기법은 모든 모델에 대해서 상세평가의 결과와 동일했다. 따라서 제안하는 내진성능평가 기법은 수직비정형이 극대화되는 필로티 건축물에서 기존의 방법보다 정밀하게 내진성능평가 결과를 제공할 수 있다고 사료된다.