• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.20 no.8
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• pp.159-166
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• 2004

In this study, experiments on the SWCC were performed in order to find out the characteristics of unsaturated soil and to analyze the stability of unsaturated weathered slopes with rainfall-induced wetting. Several soil types classified by mixture portion of clay (CH) in the weathered soil (SW) were used in experimental tests. To achieve the SWCC, the filter paper method was used on SW with varying clay contents. A tensiometer test was used for measuring wetting front suction of the soils in a laboratory with varying relative densities. Based on the experimental results, it is shown that the wetting front suction increases as clay contest of mixture soil increases : in particular, the wetting front suction increases sharply as the clay contents increase. It is also found that wetting front suction affects the initial wetting band depth and stability of the slope.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.523-535
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• 2008

A simulated rainfall system was built, and the unsaturated characteristics were examined by execution of simulated rainfall system test and soil water characteristic curve cell test(SWCC Cell Test) under the various rainfall and slope conditions. With the results, the applicability of infiltration behavior under rainfall and soil water characteristic curve models to the unsaturated weathered granite soil was examined. At the results of comparison the volumetric water content and matric suction measured in the wetting process(under rainfall) with those in the drying process(leaving as it was) of the simulated rainfall system, the volumetric water content showed a difference of $2{\sim}5%$ and matric suction of about $3{\sim}10\;kPa$, indicating the occurrence of hysteresis. In addition, the difference was relatively larger in matric suction than in the volumetric water content, and this tells that the hysteresis behavior is larger in matric suction. When the soil water characteristic curve derived from measurements in simulated rainfall system test were compared with those from the soil water characteristic curve cell test, both methods produced soil water characteristic curves close each other in the wetting process and the drying process, but in both, there was a difference between results obtained from in the wetting process and those from in the drying process. Thus, when soil water characteristic curves are rationally applied to the design and stability analysis considering of the properties of unsaturated soil, it is considered desirable to apply the soil water characteristic curve of the wetting process to the wetting process, and that of the drying process to the drying process.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.67-74
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• 2007

Many studies for slope stability studies have indicated that the infiltration of rainwater into a slope decrease the slope stability. In order to minimize damage caused by slope failure, most design codes suggest that the slope stability be analyzed by saturated condition during rainy season. However it would be excessively conservative condition that every soil slope is saturated in rainy season irrespective of rainfall intensity, soil type and slope geometry. In addition, because most soil slopes are in an unsaturated state, it is necessary to consider the unsaturated characteristics of slope. This paper suggests a prediction method of saturation time for the weathered granite soil slopes due to rainfalls. The finite element analysis of transient water flow through unsaturated slope was used to investigate effects of soil-water characteristics, permeability at saturation, slope geometry, and rainfall intensity. From the result of these analyses, the prediction charts considering soil-water characteristics, permeability at saturation, and slope height were proposed in this study. It is possible to the time required to be saturated slope after rainfall.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.14 no.12
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• pp.5-12
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• 2013

In this study, weathered granite model tests were performed to investigate the variation of volumetric water content and matric suction by the adsorption and desorption processes of artificial rainfall. It has been compared with numerical analysis in unsaturated condition. As the results, the behaviors of volumetric water content and matric suction were distinguished by the seepage distance separated into higher, middle and lower area, and the drainage layer located at the bottom of the experimental device. In the adsorption process, the instantaneously large change of matric suction and water content were related to the increase of permeability in soil. However, in the desorption process, the change of matric suction and water content were gradually small because of the decrease of permeability. The volumetric water content and matric suction showed the difference according to the seepage distance, however the typical characteristic curves were made by the adsorption and desorption processes.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.21 no.7
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• pp.5-12
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• 2005

In order to investigate the strength and deformation anisotropy of compacted decomposed granite soils, a series of unsaturated-drained triaxial compression tests were performed. The sample used in the study was decomposed granite soil from Shimonoseki in Yamaguchi prefecture. The sample had three different angles of the axial (major principal) direction to the sedimentation plane (compaction plane), 0, 45 and 90 degrees. The compression strain of specimens subjected to isotropic compression was strongly influenced by the sedimentation angle. In addition, the time dependence was independent of the sedimentation angle in relation to the deformation behavior during the secondary compression process. The effect of the sedimentation angle on the triaxial compression strength and deformation was clear with low confining stress. Moreover, it was recognized that although the sedimentation angle and preparation methods were different, the dilatancy rate was relative to the increment of strength due to dilatancy. Therefore, it may be concluded that the compacted specimen has anisotropic mechanical properties similar to those of sand with initial fabric anisotropy.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.28 no.5C
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• pp.255-262
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• 2008

In order to investigate the strength anisotropy of compacted materials, a series of unsaturated and saturated-drained triaxial compression tests was performed. Three different orientation angles of the axial direction of samples with respect to the horizontal plane were investigated: ${\delta}=0$, 45 and 90 degrees. As the results showed, the suction rate on the strength of the unsaturated specimen was not influenced by ${\delta}$. And the effect of the angle ${\delta}$ on the strength was more pronounced on unsaturated specimen as compared to saturated specimen. Moreover, a new procedure was proposed to take into account the effect of the angle ${\delta}$ on the shear strength of unsaturated soils.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.89-99
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• 2009

In order to clarify the relation between the physical properties and the strength parameters of compaction materials and to develop a method for evaluating the strength parameters required for design from the physical indices including void ratio and dry density, compaction test, one-dimensional compression test, and exhausted-drained triaxial compression test were carried out with decomposed granite soils. The test results showed that the specimens became over-consolidated by compaction and the increase of the strength parameters of the specimens by the increase of the compaction energy could be verified quantitatively. A method for the evaluation of strength parameters from the void ratio of soil after compaction using preconsolidation theory which evaluates over-consolidation of materials was developed and its engineering applicability was tested for verification.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.15 no.2 s.42
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• pp.123-132
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• 2005

This study presents the results of a laboratory investigation performed to study physical properties of soil-bentonite mixtures through the vertical permeation test and dielectric measurement test using Frequency Domain Reflectometry system for the liner of waste landfill. For the laboratory experiments, geotechnical testing was conducted on pre-mixed soil-bentonite which is consisted of standard sand, weathered granite soil and bentonite for estimating physical parameters such as a volumetric water content, void ratio and dielectric constant. In experiment results, initial soil-bentonite mixing rate has an effect of change of volumetric water content. Also change of volumetric water content of a soil-bentonite mixture is clearly detected to measure a response of dielectric constant. In order to estimate an unsaturated permeable property of soil-bentonite mixtures, equations between volumetric water content and dielectric constant were derived from this study.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.101-109
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• 2007

In South Korea, many weathered soil slopes are composed of soil mixtures with certain amount of clay fractions in natural soil deposits. Accordingly, it is very important to analyze that effect of the fines on the stability of unsaturated soil slopes. In this study, five different soil types classified by mixture portion of fines were used and experiment on the soil-water characteristic curve tests (SWCC) using GCTS (Geotechnical Consulting and Testing Systems) pressure plate were performed in order to analyze the stability of unsaturated soil slopes. Based on the infiltration analysis which contains SWCC test result by the SEEP/W, it is shown that the increasing rate of the wetting band depth was decreased as the fines content and the relative density were increased. According to the stability analysis result of the unsaturated soil slopes through the SLOPE/W, it is found that the transition from the wetting band depth to the variation of strength parameters which affect the stability of unsaturated soil slopes appears to occur around $10\sim15%$ of clay contents in the mixtures.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.29 no.1C
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• pp.1-9
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• 2009

In this study, the influence of wetting band depth by continuous rainfall and the magnitude of wetting front suction on the stability of slopes in weathered soils were investigated by using finite element programs SEEP/W and SLOPE/W. Three different intensities of rainfall (10mm/hr, 30mm/hr, 50mm/hr) were chosen, and the total duration of rainfall was 96 hours. Three infinite slopes with the inclination of 1:1.5 and 1:1.8, 1:2.0 were considered and the typical properties and the shear strength parameters of the weathered soil were applied. It is shown that rainfall duration plays an important role in slope stability. Based on the analytical results, it is found that as the rainfall duration increases, the wetting band depth also increases. Also, the increasing rate of the wetting band depth was decreased as the soil density was increased. These results come from the decrease of the coefficient of permeability and the increase of the soil suction. Finally, it is also shown that the safety factors of slopes by unsaturated analysis are mostly larger than those by saturated analysis. Therefore, commonly used saturated analysis may substantially underestimate the degree of safety factor in realistic situations.