• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.245-258
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• 2016

In this study the geotechnical system response probabilities (SRP) of the failure modes caused by the interal erosion in three dams with different histories of defects in Korea were analyzed via the internal erosion toolbox developed by USACE. The calculated values of SRP were compared with the values reported for other dams in worldwide and also the statistics on the past failures of dams and embankments in Korea. The calculated values of SRP related to the internal erosion adjacent to the conduits or spillway structures are as high as in the order of $10^{-5}$ that is significantly greater than the SRP values related to other mechanisms of internal erosion. The statistical data showing that the interal erosion adjacent to the structure is the most frequent cause of the failure of the dam in Korea could be a collateral evidence of this finding. In contrast, the values of SRP related to the internal erosion through foundation, one of the major causes of dam failure in worldwide, are relatively as low as in the order of $10^{-7}$. This result could be comparable with the rareness of the failure cases of dam caused by the internal erosion through foundation in Korea.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.31-38
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to propose a chart that can easily estimate the seismic failure probability of small and medium sized earthfill dams with little geotechnical information. By considering the existing method and procedure for estimating the seismic failure probability of a dam, the zero seismic failure probability curve, on which the seismic probability is zero regardless of the geotechnical properties of the dam, was determined in the form of hyperbola in the dam height and freeboard ratio plane. It was confirmed that the dam height-freeboard ratio distribution pattern of the Korean small and medium sized dams was shaped like a hyperbola like the zero seismic failure probability curve. Therefore, a estimation chart was constructed in which a number of seismic failure probability contours are represented by a number of hyperbolas at regular intervals in the dam height-freeboard ratio plane. The proposed chart was applied to the calculation of the seismic failure probability of two small and midium sized dams with relatively well-managed geotechnical properties and the validity of the chart was confirmed by comparison with the results obtained by the existing procedures and methods. In the future, the proposed chart is expected to be useful in considering investment priorities for maintenance and reinforcement of small and medium sized dams in preparation for earthquakes.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.451-461
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• 2016

The objective of this study is to illustrate the methods and procedures for estimating the failure probability of small fill dams subjected to earthquake events and to estimate the seismic failure probability of the Korean disaster risk fill dams where geotechnical information is not available. In this study, first of all, seismic failure probabilities of 7 disaster risk small fill dams, where geotechnical information is available, were evaluated using event tree analysis. Also, the methods and procedures for evaluating probabilities are illustrated. The relationship between dam height and freeboard for 84 disaster risk small dams, for which the safety diagnosis reports are available, was examined. This relationship was associated with the failure computation equation contained in the toolbox of US Army corps of engineers. From this association, the dam height-freeborard critical curve, which represents 'zero' failure probability, was derived. The seismic failure probability of the Korean disaster risk fill dams was estimated using the critical curve and the failure probabilities computed for 7 small dams.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.77-84
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• 2012

The engineering characteristics of natural sediments containing diatom microfossils have been investigated for their abnormal deformation and strength behavior for a few decades. The presence of disk or hollow shape diatoms causes low compressibility, high hydraulic conductivity, and high shear strength of sediments. Some of these unusual differences show the characteristic of diatom owing to the interlocking of large interparticle porosity and angular particles. This phenomenon implies the possible use of diatom as modification materials to change the engineering performance of soil mixtures. This paper describes the engineering characteristics of diatom-kaolin mixture to investigate the engineering properties of diatom modified soils using conventional geotechnical tests and elastic and electromagnetic wave propagation tests. Experimental test results show the performance improvement by increasing diatom contents and the performance degradation by the breakage of interlocking between diatom particles under high effective stress.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.1815-1829
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• 2014

Recently frequent collapse of old fill dams has taken place, which increases social awareness in the safety of the infrastructure. Fill dams in Korea has been incautiously regarded as safe once the fill dam is considered to have a full capacity to retain a conservative design flood determined by government authorities. However, developed foreign countries has been managing their fill dams by introducing systematic risk assessment techniques over a long period of time. In this study, the system response probabilities of the deteriorated old fill dams in Korea were systematically evaluated and analyzed by using the internal erosion toolbox based on the event tree analysis technique. The probability of the existence of flaw and the magnitude of the hydraulic gradient through a potential crack can significantly influence the geotechnical system response probability. The results of this study show that the probability of the existence of flaw and the magnitude of the hydraulic gradient through a potential crack can significantly influence the geotechnical system response probability and the risk of the deteriorated fill dam can be quantitatively assessed.

• Geotechnical Engineering
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.55-66
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• 1998

The purpose of this paper is to formulate and apply the stability analysis of toppling failure by considering the variation of discontinuity characteristics, slope geometry, and loading conditions. The stability condition on toppling failure of rock slope is mainly iuluenced by the dip angle $\alpha_B$ and H/t ratio. In order to check toppling failures in design, the stability charts composed of dip angle $\alpha_B$ versus H/t ratio have been constructed in the paper. In general, smaller dip angle $\alpha_B$ and smaller dip angle $\alpha_B$ and smaller H/T ratio give safer condition. The suggested curves change rapidly at the chitical point around the sone, H/t=4~6. The stable zone in stability charles becomes smaller due to step angle $\data$.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.3-16
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• 1999

This paper presents the results of sensitivity analysis based on an example study to verify a newly developed reliability-based model for rock slopes considering uncertainties of discontinuities and failure modes-plane, wedge, and toppling. The parameters that are needed for sensitivity analysis are the variability of discontinuity properties (orientation and strength of discontinuities), the loading conditions, and the rock slope geometry. The variability in orientation and friction angle of discontinuities, which can not be considered in the deterministic analysis, has a great influence on the rock slope stability, The stability of rock slopes including failure modes is more influenced by the selection of dip direction of cutting rock face than any other design variables, The example study shows that the developed reliability-based analysis model can reasonably assess the stability of rock slope.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.38 no.11
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• pp.19-30
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• 2022

Developing a fragility curve for the levee requires calculating the probability of failure according to the water level for each failure mode. Since probabilistic analysis requires iterative analysis to account for variability in geotechnical parameters, the fragility curve development inevitably requires many iterative calculations. Therefore, approximate probabilistic analysis techniques are usually applied to reduce the amount of calculation in developing the levee fragility curve. However, their accuracy has not been determined clearly. This study calculated the failure probability of slope and piping failure mode for an actual levee through probabilistic methods, such as FOSM, PEM, and MCS. Then, the fragility curve of the levee according to the water level was developed. The results of the approximate methods: FOSM and PEM, were compared with those of MCS to evaluate the applicability to the fragility curve for slope and piping failure mode.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.101-108
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• 2004

For the last 30 years, the use of EPS as a lightweight filling material has grown significantly throughout the world. The fields of applying EPS block have also increased. The most representative example in geotechnical applications is using EPS block as a compressible inclusion that causes the reduction of static earth pressure on earth-retaining wall, bridge abutment and pipes. EPS blocks have a good workability by its lightweight characteristic and a uniform engineering property with the change of its density. Also EPS blocks have best material property as a compressible inclusion. This paper analyzes that the compressible inclusion function of EPS causes the reduction of static earth pressure on retaining wall and concrete box culvert. A series of in-situ tests were conducted to evaluate the reduction of static earth pressure using EPS inclusion. Based on in-situ test, it is found that the magnitude of static earth pressure was reduced to about 20% for the retaining wall and about 45∼53% for the box culvert compared with theoretical active earth pressure.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.189-197
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• 2002

In recent years, the probabilistic analysis has been used in rock slope engineering. This is because uncertainty is pervasive in rock slope engineering and most geometric and geotechnical parameters of discontinuity and rock masses are involved with uncertainty. Whilst the traditional deterministic analysis method fails to properly deal with uncertainty, the probabilistic analysis has advantages quantifying the uncertainty in parameters. As a probabilistic analysis method, the Monte Carlo simulation has been used commonly. However, the Monte Carlo simulation requires many repeated calculations and therefore, needs much effort and time to calculate the probability of failure. In contrast, the point estimate method involves a simple calculation with moments for random variables. In this study the probability of failure in rock slope is evaluated by the point estimate method and the results are compared to the probability of failure obtained by Monte Carlo simulation method.