• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.17 no.1 s.50
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• pp.1-13
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• 2007

In order to evaluate the local site effects at two town fortress areas in Korea where stone parapets were col-lapsed by historical earthquakes, site characteristics were assessed using site investigations such as borehole drillings and seismic tests. Equivalent-linear site response analyses were conducted based on the shear ways velocity ($V_s$) profiles and geotechnical characteristics determined from site investigations. The study sites are categorized as site classes C and B according to the mean $V_s$ to 30 m ranging from 500 to 850 m/s, and their site periods are distributed in the short period range of 0.06 to 0.16 sec, which contains the natural period of fortress wall and stone parapet. From the results of site response analyses in the study areas, for site class C indicating most of site conditions, contrary to site class B, the short-period (0.1-0.5 sec) and mid-period (0.4-2.0 sec) site coefficients, $F_a$ and $F_v$ specified in the Korean seismic design guide, underestimate the ground motion in short-period band and overestimate the ground motion in mid-period band, respectively, due to the high amplification in short period range, which represent the site-specific seismic response characteristics. These site-specific response characteristics indicate the potential of resonance in fortress walls during earthquake and furthermore could strongly affect the collapse of parapets resulted from seismic events in historical records.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.15-23
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• 2009

The site effects relating to the amplification of ground motion under earthquake loading are strongly influenced by both the subsurface soil condition and geologic structure. In this study, the site effects at the Hongseong area in Korea were examined by both the site investigation including borehole drilling and in-situ seismic tests and the site visit for acquiring geologic information of ground surface. Subsurface of Hongseong area with a major instrumental earthquake event in 1978 is composed of weathered layers of a maximum of 45 m thickness overlying bedrock. A geotechnical information system based on GIS framework was implemented to effectively find out spatial geologic structure of study area and it indicated Hongseong is a shallow and wide shaped basin. Two-dimensional finite element (FE) analyses for a representative cross-section of the Hongseong area were performed to evaluate seismic site responses. From the results of seismic responses, it was observed that the ground motions were amplified during the propagation of shear waves through the soil layer overlying the bedrock and the duration of shaking near the basin edges was prolonged due to the surface waves generated by interactions of shear waves with basin geometry. Furthermore, one-dimensional FE seismic response analyses were additionally conducted for soil sites selected in the basin, and it gives similar results to the two-dimensional seismic responses at most locations in the basin with the exception of the locations near the basin edges, because the basin in this study is very shallow and wide.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.201-213
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• 2015

Site effects resulting in the amplification of earthquake ground motion are strongly influenced not only by the subsurface soil conditions and structure, but also by the surface topography. Yet, over the last several decades, most studies of site-specific seismic responses in Korea have focused primarily on the seismic amplification associated with geologic and soil conditions. For example, the effects of local geology are now well established and have been incorporated into current Korean seismic design codes, whereas topographic effects have not been considered. To help address this shortcoming, two-dimensional (2D) seismic site response analyses, using finite element (FE) ground modeling with three different slope angles, were performed in order to assess the site effects of surface topography. We then compared our results, specifically peak ground acceleration (PGA) and acceleration response spectrum, to those of one-dimensional (1D) FE model analyses conducted alongside our study. Throughout much of the upper slope region, PGAs and spectral accelerations are larger in the 2D analyses than in the 1D analyses as a result of the topographic effect.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.203-218
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• 2010

The site categorization and corresponding site amplification factors in the current Korean seismic design guideline are based on provisions for the western United States (US), although the site effects resulting in the amplification of earthquake ground motions are directly dependent on the regional and local site characteristic conditions. In these seismic codes, two amplification factors called site coefficients, $F_a$ and $F_v$, for the short-period band and midperiod band, respectively, are listed according to a criterion, mean shear wave velocity ($V_S$) to a depth of 30 m, into five classes composed of A to E. To suggest a site classification system reflecting Korean site conditions, in this study, systematic site characterization was carried out at four regional areas, Gyeongju, Hongsung, Haemi and Sacheon, to obtain the $V_S$ profiles from surface to bedrock in field and the non-linear soil properties in laboratory. The soil deposits in Korea, which were shallower and stiffer than those in the western US, were examined, and thus the site period in Korea was distributed in the low and narrow band comparing with those in western US. Based on the geotechnical characteristic properties obtained in the field and laboratory, various site-specific seismic response analyses were conducted for total 75 sites by adopting both equivalent-linear and non-linear methods. The analysis results showed that the site coefficients specified in the current Korean provision underestimate the ground motion in the short-period range and overestimate in the mid-period range. These differences can be explained by the differences in the local site characteristics including the depth to bedrock between Korea and western US. Based on the analysis results in this study and the prior research results for the Korean peninsula, new site classification system was developed by introducing the site period as representative criterion and the mean $V_S$ to a depth of shallower than 30 m as additional criterion, to reliably determine the ground motions and the corresponding design spectra taking into account the regional site characteristics in Korea.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.759-768
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• 2015

The ground motions of large dimensional structures such as long span bridges at different stations during an earthquake, are inevitably different, which is known as the ground motion spatial variation effect. There are many causes that may result in the spatial variability in seismic ground motion, e.g., the wave passage effect due to the different arrival times of waves at different locations; the loss of coherency due to seismic waves scattering in the heterogeneous medium of the ground; the site amplification effect owing to different local soil properties. In previous researches, the site amplification effects have not been considered or considered by a single-layered soil model only. In this study, however, the ground motion amplification and filtering effects are evaluated by multi-layered soil model. Spatially varying ground motion at the sites with different number of layers, depths, and soil characteristics are generated and the variation characteristics of ground motion time histories according to the correlation of coherency loss function and soil conditions are evaluated. For the bridge system composed of two unit bridges, seismic behavior characteristics are analyzed using the generated seismic waves as input ground motion. Especially, relative displacement due to coherency loss and site effect which can cause the unseating and pounding between girders are evaluated. As a result, considering the soil conditions of each site are always important and should not be neglected for an accurate structural response analysis.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.38-50
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• 2008

The site-specific seismic responses and corresponding seismic hazards are influenced mainly by the subsurface geologic and geotechnical dynamic characteristics. To estimate reliably the seismic responses in this study, a geotechnical information system (GTIS) within GIS framework was developed by introducing new concepts, which consist of the extended area containing the study area and the additional site visit for acquiring surface geo-knowledge data. The GIS-based GTIS was built for Gyeongju area, which has records of abundant historical seismic hazards reflecting the high potential of future earthquakes. At the study area, Gyeongju, intensive site investigations and pre-existing geotechnical data collections were performed and the site visits were additionally carried out for assessing geotechnical characteristics and shear wave velocity ($V_S$) representing dynamic property. Within the GTIS for Gyeongju area, the spatially distributed geotechnical layers and $V_S$ in the entire study area were reliably predicted from the site investigation data using the geostatistical kriging method. Based on the spatial geotechnical layers and $V_S$ predicted within the GTIS, a seismic zoning map on site period ($T_G$) from which the site-specific seismic responses according to the site effects can be estimated was created across the study area of Gyeongju. The spatial $T_G$ map at Gyeongju indicated seismic vulnerability of two- to five-storied buildings. In this study, the seismic zonation based on $T_G$ within the GIS-based GTIS was presented as regional efficient strategy for seismic hazard prediction and mitigation.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.28 no.3C
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• pp.187-196
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• 2008

An earthquake of magnitude 5.0 occurred at Ssang-gye-sa, a Buddhist temple in Jirisan, located near the southern border of the Korean peninsula on 4 July 1936. It resulted in severe damage of several buildings and structures in Ssang-gye-sa. Particularly, the top component of a five-story stone pagoda in the temple was tipped over and fell down during the earthquake. This earthquake damage case would be usefully applied to estimating the intensity of ground motion in the Korean peninsula, a moderate seismicity region, where strong motion has never been recorded with the exception of historic seismic events. In order to estimate the local site effects and the corresponding ground motion at Ssang-gye-sa site, intensive site investigations including borehole drilling and in-situ seismic tests such as crosshole and SASW tests were performed in the temple area. Based on the site characteristics, site-specific seismic response analyses using various input motions were conducted for a representative Ssang-gye-sa site by means of both one-dimensional equivalent-linear and nonlinear methods with six input rock outcrop acceleration levels ranging from 0.044g to 0.220g. The resultant site-specific seismic responses indicated the amplified ground motions in the short-period range near the site period of Ssang-gye-sa. Furthermore, the intensity on rock outcrop of the 1936 Jirisan earthquake was estimated by making a comparison between the site responses analysis results in this study and the full-scaled seismic test of pagoda model in the prior study.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.232-238
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• 2012

In this study, the noise mapping simulation is executed to design an effective barrier reducing noise levels of a school site. The geographical features of the ambient site and the school buildings are modelled in detail in order to consider sound propagation, deflection, and absorption phenomena etc. The main sound source, sound power level of expressway, is estimated on the basis of measured noise levels at several points of the site. The noise mapping simulation is performed by using ENPro, environmental noise prediction program based on ISO 9613 to analysis the effectiveness of noise barrier. Consequently, the noise barrier is designed to meet an environmental noise standard and satisfy low cost and safety conditions.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.29-38
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• 2009

n the event of an earthquake, additional stresses can occur in the continuous welded rails (CWR) of High-speed railway (HSR) bridges due to relative displacements at expansion joints, and this stress can cause derailment. The amplification of ground motion occurs as a result of site effects, and this is pronounced at the site of a soft surface soil layer and of a rigid surface soil layer over a soft one. As a result, the amplified ground motion leads to an amplified seismic response in HSR bridges. A change in bridge pier height affects the seismic behavior of the bridge. A HSR bridge with gravel ballast tracks will show different dynamic behavior during an earthquake than one with concrete ballast tracks. The seismic responses of HSR bridges and their CWR are analyzed considering the derailment-inducing factors.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.5-19
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• 2009

Most of earthquake-induced geotechnical hazards have been caused by the site effects relating to the amplification of ground motion, which is strongly influenced by the local geologic conditions such as soil thickness or bedrock depth and soil stiffness. In this study, an integrated GIS-based information system for geotechnical data, called geotechnical information system (GTIS), was constructed to establish a regional counterplan against earthquake-induced hazards at an urban area of Daejeon, which is represented as a hub of research and development in Korea. To build the GTIS for the area concerned, pre-existing geotechnical data collections were performed across the extended area including the study area and site visits were additionally carried out to acquire surface geo-knowledge data. For practical application of the GTIS used to estimate the site effects at the area concerned, seismic zoning map of the site period was created and presented as regional synthetic strategy for earthquake-induced hazards prediction. In addition, seismic zonation for site classification according to the spatial distribution of the site period was also performed to determine the site amplification coefficients for seismic design and seismic performance evaluation at any site in the study area. Based on this case study on seismic zonations in Daejeon, it was verified that the GIS-based GTIS was very useful for the regional prediction of seismic hazards and also the decision support for seismic hazard mitigation.