• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.25 no.8
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• pp.774-783
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• 2004

The S wave velocity and Q$s^{-1}$ structure of the uppermost part of the soil in Nakdong Delta area have been obtained to determine the characteristics of the forementioned soil. The phase and attenuation coefficients of multichannel seismic records were inverted to obtain the S wave velocity and Q$s^{-1}$ structure of the soil. The inversion results have been compared with the borehole measurements of the area. The seismic signal of the nearest geophone from a seismic source was used as the source signal to obtain the attenuation coefficients. Amplitude ratios of the signal at each geophone to the source signal wave plotted as a function of distance for the frequency range between 10 Hz and 45 Hz. The slope of a linear regression line which fits amplitude ratio-distance relationship best for a given frequency was used as the attenuation coefficients for the frequency. The dispersion curve of Rayleigh waves and the attenuation coefficients were inverted to obtain the S-wave velocity and Q$s^{-1}$, respectively, in the uppermost 8 meter of soil layer. The borehole measurements of the area show that are two distinct layers; the upper 4 meter of silty-sand and the lower 4 meter of silty-clay. The inversion results indicate that the shear wave velocity of the upper layer is 80 m/sec and 40m/sec in the lower silty-clay layer. The spacial resolution of the shear wave velocity structure is very good down to a depth of 8 meter. The Q$s^{-1}$ in the upper silty-sand layer is 0.02 and increase to 0.03 in the lower silty-sand layer. The spacial resolution of quality factor is relatively good down to a depth of 5 meter, but very poor below the depth. In this study, the S-wave velocity is higher in the silty-clay and the Q$s^{-1}$ is smaller silty-sand than in the silty-clay. However, much more data should be analyzed and accumulated before making any generalization on the shear wave velocity and Q$s^{-1}$ of the sediments.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.25 no.10
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• pp.111-122
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• 2009

Dissolution of some of geo-materials may yield the loss of the soil strength and the settlement of earth structures. The goal of this study is to monitor the several physical behaviors of soluble mixtures during dissolution. Sand-salt mixtures are used to monitor the meso to macro response including the settlements and shear waves. The mixtures of photoelastic and ice disks are used to monitor micro to meso behavior of soluble mixture including the void ratio, force chain, coordination number and horizontal force changes. In the sand-salt mixtures, shear waves are measured by using bender elements in conventional oedometer cells. In the photoelastic disk - ice disk mixtures, micro to meso response are measured by digital images and load cells. The shear wave velocity decreases at the initial stage of the dissolution, and then increases and approaches to asymptotic value. The larger dissoluble particle and the more random packing produces the severe horizontal fore change. After dissolution, the void increases and the coordination number decreases. This study demonstrates that the particle level behavior such as the changes of the force chain, void ratio, and coordination number affects the global behavior such as the change of the shear wave velocity and horizontal force of the system.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.24 no.12
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• pp.103-111
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• 2008

Soils naturally contain grains of different minerals which may be dissolved under chemical or physical processes. The dissolution leads changes in microstructure of particulate media, such as an increase in local void or permeability, which affects the strength and deformation of soils. This study focuses on the small strain stiffness characteristics of vanishing mixtures, which consist of sand and salt particles at different volume fractions. Experiments are carried out in a conventional oedometer cell (Ko-loading) integrated with bender elements for the measurement of shear waves. Dissolutions of particles are implemented by saturating the mixtures at various confining stresses. Axial deformation and shear waves are recorded after each loading stage and during dissolution process. Experimental results show that after dissolution, the vertical strain and the void ratio increase, while the shear wave velocity and small strain shear modulus decrease. The decrease of the velocity results from the void ratio increase and particle contact decrease. The process monitoring during dissolution of the particles shows that the vertical strain dramatically increases at the beginning of the saturation process and converges after vanishing process finishes, and that the shear wave velocity decreases at the beginning and increases due to the particle reorientation. Specimens prepared by sand and salt particles are proved to be able to provide a valuable insight in macro structural behaviors of the vanishings mixtures.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.38 no.10
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• pp.41-48
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• 2022

The mass density of the medium (ρ) used to calculate the maximum shear modulus (G_max) of the saturated ground based on the shear wave velocity is unclear. Therefore, to determine the mass density, a verification formula and five scenarios were established. Laboratory tests were conducted, and the obtained results were compared. The mass density of the medium was assumed to be saturated (ρ_sat), wet (ρ_t), dry (ρ_dry), and submerged conditions (ρ_sub), and the V_s ratios of saturated to dry condition were obtained from each case. Assuming the saturated density (ρ_sat), the V_s ratio was consistent with the value from the resonant column test (RCT) results, and the value from the bender element test results was consistent with the wet density assumption (ρ_t). Considering the frequency range of earthquakes, it is concluded that applying the saturated density (ρ_sat) is reasonable as in the RCT results.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.32 no.6C
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• pp.285-293
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• 2012

The surface tension, which is generated in the unsaturated soils, increases the stiffness of the soils. The objective of this study is to estimate the effect of the surface tension, which varies according to the temperature, on the shear wave velocity. Nine specimens, which have the different degree of saturation (0%, 2.5%, 5%, 10%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, 100%), are prepared by using sand-silt mixtures. Experiments are carried out in a nylon cell designed for the measurement of shear waves. A pair of bender elements, which are used for the generation and detection of shear waves, is installed as a cross-hole type. The shear waves are continuously monitored and measured as the temperature of specimens decreases from $15^{\circ}C$ to $1^{\circ}C$. The results show that shear wave velocities of the fully saturated and fully dried specimens change a little bit as the temperatures of specimens decrease. However, the shear wave velocities of the specimens with the degree of saturations of 2.5%, 5%, 10%, 20%, 40%, 60% and 80% continuously increase as temperature decreases from $15^{\circ}C$ to $1^{\circ}C$. Furthermore, a fully saturated specimen is dried at the temperature of $70^{\circ}C$ in order to observe the shear waves according to degree of saturation. The shear wave velocities measured at the temperature of $70^{\circ}C$ are generally lower than those measured at temperature of $15^{\circ}C$. This study demonstrates that the dependence of shear wave velocities on the temperature according to the degree of saturation should be taken into account in both laboratory and field tests.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.13-19
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• 2016

The ultrasonic waves for monitoring concrete materials have been used to investigate the setting and hardening process of concrete. This paper presents the application of bender elements for monitoring the hardening properties of Controlled Low Strength Material (CLSM) and the characterization of shear waves in CLSM according to curing time. To ensure the early age properties and flow, the CLSM consists of CSA cement, sand, silt, water, fly ash, and accelerator. In addition, three different type specimens according to fine contents are mixed. A couple of bender elements are installed at the wall of measurement cell and the CLSM specimen are prepared at the measurement cell for 28 days. Experimental results show that the resonant frequency and shear wave velocities increase with an increase in the curing time, regardless of the fine contents. Up to ten hours, the amplitudes of shear waves also increase, and the resonant frequency and shear wave velocities at the same time increase as the fine contents increase. The shear wave measurement technique using the bender elements may be effectively used to evaluate the hardening properties of CLSM along the curing time.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.28 no.12
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• pp.41-51
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• 2012

Soils are commonly unsaturated in the near surface. The stiffness of soils is affected by the amount of air and water. The objective of this study is to evaluate the porosity of the unsaturated soils by using the elastic waves including compressional and shear waves. The elastic waves are measured at different degrees of saturation by controlling the matric suction. Thus, the unsaturated soils are characterized at different levels of the matric suction. Shear and compressional waves are measured by using the bender elements and the piezo disk elements, respectively. Both transducers are installed on the walls of the rectangular cell. The unsaturated soils are prepared by using uniform size sands and silts. Test results show that both compressional and shear wave velocities change according to the matric suction. The elastic modulus, the shear modulus, and the Poisson's ratio are estimated based on the measured elastic wave velocities. In addition, the void ratio of the unsaturated soils estimated using elastic wave velocities matches well with the volume based void ratio. This study demonstrates that the elastic waves can be effectively used for the characterization of unsaturated soils.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.22 no.12
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• pp.67-76
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• 2006

The reasonable assessment of the shear stiffness of a dredged soft ground and soft clay is difficult due to the soil disturbance. This study addresses the development and application of a new in-situ shear wave measuring apparatus (field velocity probe: FVP), which overcomes several of the limitations of conventional methods. Design concerns of this new apparatus include the disturbance of soils, cross-talking between transducers, electromagnetic coupling between cables, self acoustic insulation, the constant travel distance of S-wave, the rotation of the transducer, directly transmitted wave through a frame from transducer to transducer, and protection of the transducer and the cable. These concerns are effectively eliminated by continuous improvements through performing field and laboratory tests. The shear wave velocity of the FVP is simply calculated, without any inversion process, by using the travel distance and the first arrival time. The developed FVP Is tested in soil up to 30m in depth. The experimental results show that the FVP can produce every detailed shear wave velocity profiles in sand and clay layers. In addition, the shear wave velocity at the tested site correlates well with the cone tip resistance. This study suggests that the FVP may be an effective technique for measuring the shear wave velocity in the field to assess dynamic soil properties in soft ground.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.22 no.8
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• pp.43-54
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• 2006

The scope of this paper covers the applications of bender element tests in consolidation, tomography, and liquefaction. Loading and unloading time during consolidation are evaluated based on shear wave velocity. As S-wave velocity is dependent on effective stress, the loading step may be determined. However, cautions are required due to the different mechanism between the settlement and effective stress criteria. The stress history may be evaluated because the S-wave shows the cement controlled regime and stress controlled regimes. A fixed frame complemented with bender elements permits S-wave tomography The tomography system is tested at low confinement within a true triaxial cell. Results show that shear wave velocity tomography permits monitoring changes in the velocity field which is related to the average effective stress. To monitor the liquefaction phenomenon, S-wave trans-illumination is implemented with a high repetition rate to provide detailed information on the evolution of shear stiffness during liquefaction. The evolution of shear wave propagation velocity and attenuation parallel the time-history of excess pore pressure during liquefaction. Applications discussed in this paper show that bender elements can be a very effective tool for the detection of shear waves in the laboratory.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.505-517
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• 2003

The purpose of this paper is to examine the origin of materials of sanddune in the Chungcheongnamdo. The sands consist mainly of quartz with lesser amount of feldspar and other heavy minerals. With the exception of those from the granite, the sands have a very fine texture. Another characteristic of the sand grains is the low degrees of roundness and grading which indicates that the source areas of the material are not far from the accumulating field. The rivers and streams of this region are not effective in transporting sediments for the coastal dunes. It has been recognized that the beaches and sanddunes have recently been receded as a result of the decrease in materials and the devastating actions of the breakers. The degradation process occurs most actively when the spring tides attack the beaches and foredunes. There are strata with red tint along the coastal areas of the Chungcheongnamdo which trace their origin back to the Pleistocene. From the fact that they contain little or no gravels, the strata are believed to have been the sanddunes during the last interglacial period. This fossil dunes provide part of the materials for the development of the present-day sanddunes along the coastal areas of the region.