• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.89-98
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• 2009

In this research, settling tests with marine clays in Korea and extensive literature review were performed to investigate the characteristics of sedimentation and consolidation so that their behaviors during dredging and reclamating could be evaluated. Design parameters related to Yano's method (1985), one of experimental approaches having been used widely in Korea to estimate sedimentation and consolidation, were analyzed and their proprieties were reassessed. For samples from four different sites of south and west coasts in Korea respectively, settling tests with 1m height of columns were carried out, changing initial water content and height of sample in order to evaluate settling and consolidation characteristics of them from analyzing test results. More reliable regression curves than values from literature review were obtained as analyzing test results of estimating coefficient of sedimentation/ consolidation and initial setting velocity with changing initial water content. Relation between height of soil solid and surface height of slurry at the stages of initiation and termination of consolidation was also assessed. Finally, for marine clays of south and west coasts of Korea, ranges and average values of these design parameters were evaluated and typical empirical equations between these design parameters were also proposed. On the other hand, comparisons of characteristics of sedimentation and consolidation between marine clays from south coast and them from west coast were also performed.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.43-51
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• 2011

Marine clays are widely distributed in Korean eastern, western and southern coastal areas. Understanding engineering characteristics of the soft ground is very important, whenever civil structures are constructed in those coastal areas. It is because the ground is composed of highly compressible marine clay. In this paper, the physical and compression characteristics of Incheon, Mokpo, Gwangyang and Busan marine clay were analyzed and the characteristics between western and southern coastal marine clays were compared. For this, test results of 1,471 samples from 114 sites were used. As a result, Incheon clay showed the lowest plasticity and the highest unit weight due to influx of silt from the Yellow River and the turn of the tide of Incheon area. However, Gwangyang clay showed highly compressible characteristic due to extensive reclamation. On the other hand, Mokpo and Busan clay showed partially similar levels of characteristics. The compression index of Mokpo and Busan clay was high more than twice in comparison with Incheon clay and that of Gwangyang clay was higher than seventy percents in comparison with Mokpo and Busan clay.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.93-101
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• 2017

In this study, a subjective weighting factors were awarded based on some indication of the difficulty of assessing the preconsolidation stress using traditional methods (Casagrande, Onitsuka et al., Silva, Becker et al., Janbu and Karlsrud methods) such as those proposed by Casagrande and Janbu using undisturbed sample obtained from Gwangyang dredged clay with high plasticity located in the southern area of Korean peninsular. These numbers only assess the relative ease of finding preconsolidation stress and say nothing regarding the accuracy of the value. The data were compared with measurements of undrained shear strength using strength incremental ratio, checking where or not the values are in the range of 0.25 to 0.35 (typical values of Korean marine clay) and analyzing standard deviation(degree of variability). The measurements of undrained shear strength were obtained from unconfined compression tests (UCT). When determining preconsolidation stress of Korean marine clay, at first, the work method proposed by Becker et al. and the bilogarithmic method proposed by Onitsuka et al. should be used. In addition, preconsolidation pressure should be estimated using the traditional Casagrande method as a basic of comparison.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.33-43
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• 2002

Recently, as large constructions on the coast increase, an application of a surface layer stabilization method which is one of the improvement methods for dredged soft clay has increased. However, there are few studies about this. The purpose of this study is clarifying characteristics of ultra-soft marine clay and hardening agent. Also, it is verifying an optimal mixture ratio of hardening agent through the laboratory tests according to designed experiments and proving by statistical analysis and pilot tests. Laboratory tests were performed with proper hardening agent and test soil in accordance with the design of experiments. Regression equations between hardening agents materials and unconfined compressive strength were derived from the tests. The applicability of regression equations were also verified by pilot tests. From the test results, it was found that hardening agent materials(cement, slag, fly-ash, inorganic salts, arwin, gypsum etc.) have some effect upon compressive strength. The optimal mixture ratio which satisfies the required compressive strength was derived from the statistical analysis. The effect of ground improvement by cements and hardening agents was confirmed through the pilot tests. This study will suggest data for design or construction criteria of stabilization of surface layer on ultra-soft marine clay.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.31-39
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• 2017

Applicability of Skempton's and Hansbo's equation for estimating strength incremental ratio of Korean marine clayey soil was analyzed. These empirical equations have been commonly applied to design soft ground improvement by, especially, staged loading method. Strength incremental ratios proposed by Skempton (1954, 1957) and Hansbo (1957) using field vane tests(FVTs), measured in Scandinavia depends on plasticity index and liquid limit. Although lean clay in Scandinavia can be classified as clay based on USCS, this soil contains no clay mineral because it was produced by the glacial grinding of rock, sometimes, called rock flour. On the contrary, plasticity indices of Korean marine clayey soils increase linearly with the percentage of clay fraction (% finer than $2{\mu}m$ by weight). Except for strength incremental ratios using $q_u/2$ values in the case of soils having a low plasticity, such as Incheon, Hwaseong and Gunsan soils, these values are in the range of 0.25 to 0.35, independently of the plasticity index, $I_p$.

• Journal of Industrial Technology
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• v.28 no.B
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• pp.71-79
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• 2008

Reports about coefficients of consolidation in horizontal direction of marine clays located at seven different sites on western and southern coast area in Korea were reviewed and characteristics of them were investigated. As results of analyses, for relation between the depth of ground and coefficients, any trend and correlation between them can not be found since they are more influenced by the nature of geological formation rather than the depth of ground. Dissipation time t50, one of important factors in estimating value of coefficient of consolidation in horizontal direction, was found to be quite related to them. For the correlation between the maximum pore pressure developed and coefficients, coefficient of consolidation in the horizontal direction tend to decrease with increase of the maximum pore pressure whereas the ground water level or static pore pressure do not have any specific correlation with those coefficients. Values of coefficient tends to increase with values of liquid limit, plastic limit and plastic index and thus they are found to be directly influenced by the contents of fines. Values of coefficient of consolidation in horizontal direction are also increased with increases of permeability in horizontal direction and coefficient of consolidation in vertical direction. They were highly correlated between coefficient of consolidation and permeability in horizontal direction while values of coefficient of consolidation in horizontal direction have a relatively low correlation with values of coefficient of consolidation in horizontal direction. Sometimes, coefficient of consolidation in horizontal direction obtained from field tests were estimated 2-3 times greater than those from laboratory tests.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.15-25
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• 2002

The permeability coefficient is one of the fundamental engineering properties of soft clays. Consolidation process as well as migration of pollutants in soil are affected the permeability coefficient, which generally decreases with the reduction in void ratio during consolidation. After Kozeny(1927) and Carman(1956), many researchers have proposed the relationships between void ratio and permeability in such forms as; (1) log e - log k(1+e), (2) e - log k, or (3) log e - log k. Constant rate of strain (CRS) tests was performed with undisturbed samples obtained at Kunsan and Kimhae deposits, which are representative Korean marine clay. From the results of the tests, the relationships were found valid for Kunsan and Kimhae clays. The experimental correlation $C_k=0.5e_o$ was satisfied with Kimhae clay but not with Kunsan clay.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.87-98
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• 1999

Consolidation settlements on soft clay are often greatly and potentially damaging to structures. Currently, large-scale projects are in planning or progressing in Korea. These structures will be constructed on both thick and soft clay layers, and so the accurate evaluation of magnitude of settlement is required at every step in design and construction. Especially, secondary compression may play an important role in consolidation settlements of soft clay. Generally, the magnitudes of secondary compression are evaluated by laboratory and in-situ consolidation tests. The empirical $C_a/C_c$ may be economical, fast and powerful tool in estimating secondary consolidation settlement. However, the databases of the $C_a/C_c$ at construction site in Korea are insufficient. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship of $C_a/C_c$ on marine clay near the southern sea in Korea. A series of incremental loading consolidation tests (measuring base pore water pressure) is peformed. It was found that the $C_a/C_c$ on undisturbed marine clay is 0.0397.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.37-49
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• 2008

A geothermal heat pump system is a preferable alternative energy system in Korea because it uses the heat energy of the earth, which is environmentally friendly and inexhaustible. In order to characterize the thermal conductivity and viscosity of grout materials used for backfilling ground heat exchangers, nine bentonite grouts, one marine clay from Boryung, and cement grouts adapted in the United State have been considered in this study. The bentonite grouts indicate that the thermal conductivity and viscosity increase with the content of bentonite or filler (silica sand). In addition, material segregation can be observed when the viscosity of grout is relatively low. The marine clay turns out to be unsuitable for backfilling the ground heat exchanger due to its insufficient swelling potential. The saturated cement grouts appear to possess much higher thermal conductivity than the saturated bentonite grouts, and the reduction of thermal conductivity in the cement grouts after drying specimens is less than that in the case of the bentonite grouts. Maintaining the moisture content of grouts is a crucial factor in enhancing the efficiency of ground heat exchangers.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.311-320
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• 2003

The coefficient of consolidation of clay deposit is one of the most important properties in the design of ground improvement. The in-situ value of $c_h$ is generally estimated by pore pressure dissipation using piezocone. Many researchers have suggested theoretical formula for its estimation. This study attempts to find out the validity of the existing theoretical formula in Korea and to find out the characteristics of $c_h$ related to the mechanical properties of clay. Piezocone tests and laboratory tests were performed at the site of pilot project of ground improvement at Yangsan-Mulgeum, Gyeongnam. Comparison of the estimated values of $c_h$using piezocone tests results and those from laboratory consolidation tests are carried out. Results show that Torstensson(cylindrical cavity theory) and Teh & Houlsby solutions derive similar values of $c_h$. And $c_h$ from oedometer test shows values similar to the above two methods. The value from either of the above two methods[Torstensson(cylindrical) or Teh & Houlsby] is recommended to be used as $c_h$.