• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.1017-1025
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• 2013

The monolithically coupled finite element analysis for a deformable unsaturated soil slope is performed to investigate matric suction distribution on a soil slope subjected to rainfall infiltration, which can consider the hydraulic-mechanical characteristics for the analysis. The soil-water characteristic curves (SWCC) are experimentally determined to estimate three types of hydraulic properties of domestic areas. Based on the physical properties, the distribution of matric suction is investigated by considering the major factors, such as soil conditions, rainfall intensities, and slope angles. It is found from the results of this study that the matric suction rapidly decreases with an increase in rainfall intensity, regardless a slope angle. The slope surface is more easily saturated when its saturated hydraulic conductivity is smaller than rainfall intensity, and for the case of multi-layered soil slope, hydraulic characteristics of slope surface has a significant influence on matric suction distribution.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.89 no.2
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• pp.275-284
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• 2000

This study was carried out to analyze the mechanical properties of soil and the slope stability on the fill slope of forest road constructed in the regions which consist of igneous and metamorphic rock area. The results were summarized as follows. 1) Soil type by Unified Soil Classification System(USCS) was classified as SW in soil slope, GP in weathered rock slope, GP in soft rock slope for both types of parent rock, but gravelly soil slopes in igneous and metamorphic rock area were classified as SP and GW, respectively. 2) Dry unit weight was $1.34g/cm^2{\sim}1.59g/cm^2$, specific gravity 0.57~0.61, and void ratio 0.66~0.93 in the case of igneous rock area, a dry unit weight was $1.35g/cm^2{\sim}1.51g/cm^2$, specific gravity 2.67~2.77, and void ratio 0.78~1.01 in the case of metamorphic rock area. 3) The strength parameters such as internal friction angle(${\phi}$) and cohesion(c) were selected and tested for slope stability analysis. ${\phi}$ and c of soil in igneous rock area were within the range of $29.51^{\circ}{\sim}41.82^{\circ}$ and $0.03kg/cm^2{\sim}0.38kg/cm^2$, respectively, and $21.43^{\circ}{\sim}41.43^{\circ}$ and $0.05kg/cm^2{\sim}0.44kg/cm^2$ in metamorphic rock area, respectively. 4) Result of the slope stability analysis of forest road showed that, in the weathered rock slope of igneous rock and the weathered rock and soil slope of metamorphic rock area, the possibility of slope failure was high as safety factor was below 1.0.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.23-27
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• 2013

The risks of debris flows caused by climate change have increased significantly around the world. Recently, landslide disaster prevention technology is more focused on the failure and post-failure dynamics to mitigate the hazards in flow-prone area. In particular, we should define the soil strength and flow characteristics to estimate the debris flow mobility in the mountainous regions in Korea. To do so, we selected known ancient landslides area: Inje, Pohang and Sangju debris flows. Firstly we measured physical and mechanical properties: liquidity index and undrained shear strength by fall cone penetrometer. From the test results, we found that there is a possible relationship between liquidity index and undrained shear strength, $C_{ur}=(1.2/I_L)^{3.3}$, in the selected areas, even though they were different in geological compositions. Assuming that the yield stress is equal to the undrained shear strength at the initiation of sliding, we examined the flow characteristics of weathered soils in Korea. When liquidity index is given as 1, 1.5 and 3.0, the debris flow motion of weathered soils is compared with that of mud-rich sediments, which are known as low-activity clays. At $I_L=1$, it seems that debris flow could reach approximately 250m after 5 minutes. As liquidity index increased from 1 to 3, the debris flow propagation of weathered soils is twice than that of low-activity clays. It may be due to the fact that soil masses mixed with the ambient water and then highly fragmented during flow, thereby leading to the high mobility. The results may help to predict the debris flow propagation and to develop disaster prevention technology at similar geological settings, especially for the weathered soils, in Korea.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.57-70
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• 2015

This paper presents the results of an investigation into the effect of forced temperature change cycles on physical and mechanical properties of sand and weathered granite soil. The effect of forced temperature change cylecs on the particle arrangement and the thermal conductivity was first investigated. A series of triaxial compression tests on the soils were also performed to look into the effect of temperature change cycles on the stress-strain-strength behavior. The results indicated that the forced temperature change cycle does not significantly affect the particle arrangement and thermal conductivity. It is shown however that the heating duration showed some effect on the deviatoric stress at failure while no significant effect due to the number of heating-cooling cycle was observed.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.99-111
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• 1993

The transformation of rocks into unconsoli-dated debris is the prime geomorphic processes including weathering and soil forming process. In these processes, rocks tend to be unconsol-idated debris with small particles. Particularly, typical granite is more likely affected by weathering, since the rock consists of quartz, feldspar and mica that can be easily coarse-grained and well jointed without bedding. The purposes of this study are to clarify the index and properties of mechanical weathering that contributed to transformation of granite distributed in Korea. A total of seventy-three samples of weathering products of granite in Korea were collected during the three-year period, March 30, 1989 to February 21, 1992. The prticle analysis was performed for clay, silt and sand using Sieve and Hydrometer. The results of the analysis are as the followings: First, soil textures in the study area are included seven categories of textures as C, CL, SCL, Sil, SL, LS, and S. Among these textures, the most frequent soil texture were SL, S and SCL in order. Second, the weathering products of granite are crumbled by weathering and hydrothermal. Clay texture consisted of fine materials seems to be influenced by hydrothermal, while Sand texture composed of coarse materials, seems to be significantly influenced by weathering. Third, the index of mechanical weathering by region indicates that Hawngdeung(1) is the lowest as 2.37 and the index by soil texture shows that Clay texture is the lowest as 2.46. Forth, the regression analysis of MW showes that sand/clay variable is the most significant variable. Finally, pedochemical weathering is prevailed on the clayey gruss and geochemical weathering is on the gruss and shattering is on the weathered rock, strongly, but the fine materials in some sites were formed by argillation of hydrothermal.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.21-30
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• 2014

In this study, the applicability of the lightweight dynamic cone penetrometer in the domestic slope site was investigated using the weathered granite soil sampled form the Namwon slope site. And then, the lightweight dynamic cone penetration tests according to the change in the degree of compaction and water content were performed and it was analyzed with the correlations between the degree of compaction, the void ratio, the degree of saturation and the value of cone resistance. From the laboratory test results, the cone penetration resistance was rapidly increased in the dry side of the optimum moisture content, and it was largely decreased in the wet side of the optimum moisture content. Moreover, when the degree of compaction and the degree of saturation are large, the cone resistance is increased linearly. And a high correlativity was shown between water content, void ratio, the degree of saturation and the cone resistance. From these results, it is judged that the lightweight dynamic cone penetrometer can be applied to the investigation on the site slope.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.21 no.10
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• pp.85-97
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• 2005

Despite a number of advantages of reinforced earth walls over conventional concrete retaining walls, there exist concerns over long-term residual deformation when subjected to repeated and/or cyclic loads, especially when used as part of permanent structures. In view of these concerns, in this paper time-dependent deformation characteristics of geosynthetic reinforced soil under sustained and/or repeated loads were investigated using a series of plane strain compression tests on geogrid reinforced weathered granite soil specimens. The results indicate that sustained or repeated loads can yield appreciable magnitudes of residual deformations, and that the residual deformations are influenced not only by the loading characteristics but by the mechanical properties of geogrid. It is also found that the preloading technique can be effectively used in controlling residual deformations of reinforced soils subjected to sustained and/or repeated loads.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.5-13
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• 2018

Recently, construction disasters in thawing season are increasing due to the ground collapse and it is related to the improper compaction during winter season. Compaction at sub-zero temperature reduces the compaction effect and the research of mechanical properties of thawed soil after winter compaction can be used as useful data to understand the behavior of the ground in the thawing season. On the other hand, the research interest in the unsaturated soil mechanics has been increasing in the field of the geotechnical engineering. Therefore, it is expected that the research of unsaturated characteristics under the compaction of sub-zero temperature and freezing & thawing condition provides information to the researchers in the related fields. Therefore, in this research, unsaturated soil-water characteristics test and unsaturated uniaxial compression test were conducted on the specimens compacted at sub-zero temperature and continuous freezing & thawing condition to investigate change of unsaturated characteristics and matric suction. Based on the test results, the change of matric suction and the decrease of strength and stiffness were observed with the freezing & thawing conditions. Especially in case of the weathered soil, the strength and matric suction were significantly reduced with lower temperature and more repetition of freezing & thawing cycles. This result implies that compaction of sub-zero temperature and freezing & thawing cycles will have a considerable influence on the stability of the ground.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.90 no.5
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• pp.608-618
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• 2001

To understand the weathering processes of the soil by submicroscopic method is very important to realize the properties of the soils. In this study soil formation processes show every steps to the changes in chemical and mechanical properties and the submicroscopic characteristics of soil weathering on the profiles of forest soils derived from granite in southern part of Korea. Fecal pellets(SEM) are given a full detail of the positive activities of the forest soil animals; mainly invertebrates in the O horizon and the E horizon. External shapes of fecal pellets have been divided into five groups : spherical, ellipsoidal, cylindrical, platy and threadlike. But doughnutlike form of fecal pellets is observed in this study. The soluble and suspended materials in the soils move downwards by percolation from the A horizon to the B or the BC horizons, and result in the illuviation cutans(SEM) on the ped surface of the lower horizon and deposited stack of kaolinite. Illuviated cutans are deposited on the ped surface even in the depth of 312cm in the BC horizon as well as the Bt horizon and comprise of fine silt, coarse clay and fine clay. A lot of halloysites are observed on the cutan surface. Halloysite formation from feldspars has been well known but a lot of hallyosite formation are observed in this study. The formation were predicted by Jackson(1962), inferred by Wada and Kakuto(1983a, b) and proved evidently by Cho and Mermut(1992a, b). This also suggests that halloysites in the soils derived from granite are formed a lot from ferruginous chlorites. The release of Fe from the chlorite structure are significant pedogenic processes and newly formed Fe oxides imparted a red color to the soils. The iron oxides particles, which are ejected and recrystalized, aggregate thickly on the edge of the ferruginous chlorites, and this indicates the release of structural Fe from weathered chlorites. Hematites and goethites are frequent in the fine clay in this soils.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.359-365
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• 2007

Freezing and thawing cycle is one of the major weathering-induced factors in the mechanical weathering of the rock mass. This natural process accelerates rock weathering process by breaking down the parent rock materials and makes soil or weathered rock formation in a rock slope surface zone. It can also cause reduction of the shear strength in slopes. It is important to calculate the deterioration depth caused by freezing-thawing for a slope stability analysis. In this study, deterioration depths of rock slope due to freezing-thawing were calculated using the 1-D heat conductivity equation. The temperature distribution analysis was also carried out using collected temperature distribution data for last five years of several major cities in Korea. The analysis was performed based on the distributed rock types in study areas. Thermal conductivities, specific heats and densities of the calculation rocks are tested in the laboratory. They are thermal properties of rocks as input parameters for calculating deterioration depths. Finally, the paper is showing the calculated deterioration depths of each rock type slopes in several major cities of Korea.