• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers
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• v.20 no.9
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• pp.42-47
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• 2021

A one-touch descending lifeline that can easily be installed and rapidly evacuated in the event of a fire accident in high-rise buildings was proposed to overcome difficulties of conventional descending lifeline such as complex installation methods and procedures. However, this lifeline exhibits limitations such as restrictions in installation location and large apparatus size. Therefore, this paper proposes a sliding-type descending lifeline, which has a similar operation to that of current one-touch descending lifeline and solves the aforementioned limitations. A double square link mechanism including a sliding four-bar linkage is proposed and the descending lifeline support is redesigned to unfold in two different planes, allowing 3D movement. Additionally, the shape of the support frame is designed to obtain two attachment surfaces that can be attached to a wall, irrespective of the angle between the window and the inner wall. FEA analysis using ABAQUS is performed to ensure that the robustness of the presented support complies with the Fire Control Act Enforcement Decree. Finally, the feasibility of the proposed sliding one-touch descending lifeline is verified through fabrication.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.873-889
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• 2015

In civil engineering, probabilistic seismic risk assessment is used to predict the economic damage to a lifeline system of possible future earthquakes. The results are used to plan mitigation measures and to strengthen the structures where necessary. Instead, after an earthquake public authorities need mathematical models that compute: the damage caused by the earthquake to the individual vulnerable components and links, and the global behavior of the lifeline system. In this study, a framework that was developed and used for prediction purpose is modified to assess the consequences of an earthquake in quasi real-time after such earthquake happened. This is possible because nowadays entire seismic regions are instrumented with tight networks of strong motion stations, which provide and broadcast accurate intensity measure maps of the event to the public within minutes. The framework uses the broadcasted map and calculates the damage to the lifeline system and its component in quasi real-time. The results give the authorities the most likely status of the system. This helps emergency personnel to deal with the damage and to prioritize visual inspections and repairs. A highway transportation network is used as a test bed but any lifeline system can be analyzed.

• Korean Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.139-149
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• 2014

Lifeline service disruptions can have significant impacts on local community in the aftermath natural disaster. Although effective restoration strategies with accurate damage assessment are required, the internal complexity of lifeline networks and their interdependency makes the understanding restoration process of lifeline systems a difficult issue. Additionally, the limitations of previous research relating the influence assessment of lifeline to community disaster resilience, highlight the need for understanding of lifeline networks. Therefore, this paper presents an agent-based model to discover emergent behavior and evaluate the interdependency and resiliency in lifeline networks. This research will provide basic guideline of resource allocation in order to mitigate cascading failures of the post disaster restoration processes.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.108-113
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• 2021

Recently, a new concept of a one-touch descending lifeline has been proposed to address the drawbacks of the conventional descending lifeline, which can be easily installed and quickly evacuated in the case of a fire emergency. All separate parts for escape are initially mounted in a box, and the link-type support is spread out of the window by pushing the handle attached to the box. In this study, the proposed double square linkage mechanism was redesigned, and its safety is verified by determining an appropriate moment of inertia of the link through finite element analysis using Abaqus. The shape and assembling method of the reel and speed controller were also modified such that the safety belt was simultaneously unfolded with link-type support. Finally, the feasibility of the proposed one-touch all-in-one descending lifeline was confirmed through fabrication.

• Electronics and Telecommunications Trends
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.19-27
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• 2022

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has significantly changed the Lifeline Program, a telecommunications rate discount program for low-income Americans. As the reliance on online activities such as remote work, distance education, and online shopping grows because of the spread of COVID-19, there is a concern that the digital divide will widen among low-income households that struggle to access internet infrastructure due to the burden of access rates. Accordingly, the US Congress passed a bill to help lower the internet bill for low-income households using the government budget to close the digital divide. The Lifeline Program, which is a part of the universal service obligation, has been in charge of the telecommunications rate discount for low-income households. However, according to the new law, the internet rate discount program based on the government budget was implemented beginning in 2021. As the internet rate discount based on the government budget begins, the US telecommunication rate discount system is transitioning from a system in which telecommunication industry support was borne by operators to one in which public support from the government budget will play a significant role. In this paper, we will look at recent changes in the US telecommunications rate discount program and their implications.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.87-96
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• 2024

This paper proposes a logistic multinomial regression approach to model the spatial cross-correlation of damage probabilities among different damage states in an expanded transportation network. Utilizing Bayesian theory and the multinomial logistic model, we analyze the damage states and probabilities of bridges while incorporating damage correlation. This correlation is considered both between bridges in a network and within each bridge's damage states. The correlation model of damage probabilities is applied to the seismic assessment of a portion of Tehran's transportation network, encompassing 26 bridges. Additionally, we introduce extra daily traffic time (EDTT) as an operational parameter of the transportation network and employ the shortest path algorithm to determine the path between two nodes. Our results demonstrate that incorporating the correlation of damage probabilities reduces the travel time of the selected network. The average decrease in travel time for the correlated case compared to the uncorrelated case, using two selected EDTT models, is 53% and 71%, respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.21-26
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• 2020

A descending lifeline is the only self-escape fire apparatus for fire in high-rise buildings and is installed in most buildings according to fire-fighting law. However, it is difficult to properly use and quickly evacuate during an emergency due to its complex installation methods and procedures, even if users are pre-educated. In this paper, a new one-touch descending lifeline, which simplifies usage procedures and can be used regardless of whether users are educated, is proposed to solve the drawbacks of the conventional descending lifeline. All separate parts that require additional installation are initially assembled in a box, and the concept of a double square linkage is proposed to enable escape in a single motion of pushing the handle attached to the box. Three steps of kinematic design are explored to determine an appropriate configuration of double square linkage, and its dimensions are determined using Matlab and NX CAD software. The proposed all-in-one descending lifeline also follows the enforcement decree of the Fire Control Act, and its feasibility is verified through fabrication.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.147-165
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• 2009

This study proposes a certain measure or investment strategy for decision making associated with seismic retrofitting. This strategy reduces the risk of a large-scale malfunction such as water supply loss under seismic risks. The authors developed a stochastic value index that will be used in the overall evaluation of social benefit, income gain, life cycle costs and failure compensation associated with existing lifeline systems damaged by an earthquake during the remaining service period. Optimal seismic disaster prevention investment of deteriorated lifeline systems is discussed. Finally, the present study provides a performance-based design method for seismic retrofitting strategies of existing lifelines which are carried out using the target probabilities of value loss and structural failure.

• Korean Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.33-42
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• 2018

In the aftermath of an earthquake, seismic-damaged infrastructure systems loss estimation is the first step for the disaster response. However, lifeline systems' ability to supply service can be volatile by external factors such as disturbances of nearby facilities, and not by own physical issue. Thus, this research develops the bayesian model for probabilistic inference on common-cause and cascading failure of seismic-damaged lifeline systems. In addition, the authors present network robustness estimation metrics in the context of failure propagation. In order to quantify the functional loss and observe the effect of the mitigation plan, power and water supply system in Daegu-Gyeongbuk in South Korea is selected as case network. The simulation results show that reduction of cascading failure probability allows withstanding the external disruptions from a perspective of the robustness improvement. This research enhances the comprehensive understanding of how a single failure propagates to whole lifeline system performance and affected region after an earthquake.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.1-8
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• 2022

Workplace accidents are common while working at elevations. Thus, various safety measures such as safety handrails and horizontal safety nets are implemented to prevent falls. The minimum safety measure is the lifeline installation. However, because its standards have not been clearly established, it is often misused, resulting in inappropriate knot methods that increase the chance of accidents while working at elevations. Therefore, clarifying the appropriate usage methods or criteria for the various lifelines is required in the field. This study proposed an appropriate installation method by experimentally and numerically evaluating the change in strength according to the fixed knot lifeline method. In addition, three knot methods were specified for each material. The results obtained are expected to contribute to lessening falls through the establishment of lifeline installation standards and the development of appropriate parts.