• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.83-92
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• 2023

In this study, we conducted verification of key influencing factors during cone penetration testing using the developed Mini Cone Penetration Tester (Mini-CPT), and compared the experimental results with empirical formulas to validate the equipment. The Mini-CPT was designed to measure cone penetration resistance through a Strain Gauge, and the resistance values were calibrated using a Load Cell. Moreover, the influencing factors were verified using a model ground constituted in a soil box. The primary influencing factors examined were the boundary effect of the soil box, the distance between cone penetration points, and the cone penetration speed. For the verification of these factors, the experiment was conducted with the model ground having a relative density of 63.76% in the soil box. It was observed that the sidewall effect was considerably significant, and the cone penetration resistance measured at subsequent penetration points was higher due to the influence between penetration points. However, within the speed range considered, the effect of penetration speed was almost negligible. The measured cone penetration resistance was compared with predicted values obtained from literature research, and the results were found to be similar. It is anticipated that using the developed Mini-CPT for constructing model grounds in the laboratory will lead to more accurate geotechnical property data.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.521-532
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• 2019

This paper describes the construction of a laminar box for simulating the earthquake response of soil and structures. The confinement of soil in the transverse direction does not rely on the laminar frame but is instead achieved by two acrylic glass walls. These walls allow the behaviour of soil during an earthquake to be directly observed in future study. The laminar box was used to study the response of soil with structure-footing-soil interaction (SFSI). A single degree-of-freedom (SDOF) structure and a rigid structure, both free standing on the soil, were utilised. The total mass and footing size of the SDOF and rigid structures were the same. The results show that SFSI considering the SDOF structure can affect the soil surface movements and acceleration of the soil at different depths. The acceleration developed at the footing of the SDOF structure is also different from the surface acceleration of free-field soil.

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.47-55
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• 2013

PURPOSES : The purpose of this study is to investigate the optimal joint positions which can minimize distresses of concrete pavement containing box culvert with horizontally skewed angles. METHODS : The concrete pavement containing the box culvert with different skewed angles and soil cover depths was modeled by 3 dimensional finite element method. The contact boundary condition was used between concrete and soil structures in addition to the nonlinear material property of soil in the finite element model. A dynamic analysis was performed by applying the self weight of pavement, negative temperature gradient of slab, and moving vehicle load simultaneously. RESULTS : In case of zero skewed angle ($0^{\circ}$), the maximum tensile stress of slab was the lowest when the joint was positioned directly over side of box culvert. In case there was a skewed angle, the maximum tensile stress of slab was the lowest when the joint passed the intersection between side of the box culvert and longitudinal centerline of slab. The magnitude of the maximum tensile stress converged to a constant value regardless the joint position from 3m of soil cover depth at all of the horizontally skewed angles. CONCLUSIONS : More reasonable and accurate design of the concrete pavement containing the box culvert can be possible based on the research results.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.535-545
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• 2022

Improving the stability of the ground in seismic design requires an understanding of the dynamic behavior of the ground under seismic loads. The shaking table test is an important methodology to provide this understanding. This study aimed to assess the influence on boundary conditions, as they are among the most important factors affecting the test. This was achieved by testing the influence of boundary conditions on the seismic responses of model slopes at different locations in the testing apparatus. A model slope was fabricated at different locations in a laminar shear box, and the influence of the boundary conditions was then measured. Each model slope was created at 100, 50, and 25 cm from the soil wall, and sine wave seismic loads of the same size were inputted. The results confirmed that the acceleration was amplified by the influence of the boundary in the case of the slope being located 25 cm from the boundary, whereas the influence of the boundary conditions decreased when the slope was located at 50~100 cm.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.27 no.12
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• pp.107-116
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• 2011

Rigid soil containers (or rigid boxes) are often used for 1g shaking table tests. The rigid boxes, however, do not accurately simulate the amplification of ground acceleration and phase difference of seismic motion in the model ground due to the confinement of shear deformation and the reflection of seismic wave at the box walls. Laminar soil containers (or laminar shear boxes) can simulate the free field motion at convincingly superior accuracy than the rigid ones. In this study, the soft ground is modeled for both types of boxes and is subjected to seismic loading using a 1g shaking table. The comparison of the results using the two types of soil containers illustrates that, in case of the rigid box, the ground acceleration shows non uniform distribution and the phase synchronization of input motion. Whereas, the dynamic behavior of the laminar shear box shows good agreement with the free field behaviors such as the amplification of ground acceleration and the occurrence of phase difference.

• Proceedings of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea Conference
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• 2001.04a
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• pp.100-107
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• 2001

One major problem in the model testing is the boundary effect and size effect caused by the limit in the size of the container. To overcome this problem, various types of laminar boxes are gradually manufactured and used in the shaking table test, which ideally has zero stiffness to horizontal shear. In this study, a small-scale laminar box is manufactured, which is composed of 6 thin aluminum rectangular hollow plates, and its inside dimensions are 300 mm length by 200 mm width by 350 mm depth. Shaking table tests are performed both with the laminar box and the rigid box under the same conditions, where displacements and accelerations are measured at various points of the box and model ground. As result of analyzing the measured data, during the propagation of input seismic motion from the bottom to the ground surface, the relative displacement of the model ground and the amplification of acceleration is hardly amplified in the rigid box. Because of the effect of stress waves reflecting from the rigid wall, the acceleration is slightly decreased at the edge in the rigid box. The laminar box, manufactured in this study, has a problem in that the soil behavior at the edge of ground surface is affected by the inertia force of the top layer due to its excessive self-weight.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.143-155
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• 2022

In this study, the response acceleration amplification according to different conditions was analyzed by changing the boundary condition of the soil called LSB (Laminar Shear Box), which is placed on a 1 g shaking table for earthquake simulation experiments. Experiments were carried out with different boundary conditions by fixing both sides of the LSB, and two samples were tested by installing an accelerometer at the same location. In addition, using DEEPSOIL v7 program, a one-dimensional ground response analysis was performed to compare and analyze with the free field condition. As a result, it was confirmed that the acceleration was amplified as it went from the lower layer to the upper layer, and as a result of comparing it with the ground response analysis, it was confirmed that it appeared similar to the analysis under the free field condition. As a result of the SA (Spectrum acceleration) analysis, a result similar to that of the ground response analysis was obtained, and in the case of fixing, it was confirmed that the PSA (Peak Spectral Acceleration) was further amplified.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.69-79
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• 2022

For long underground box utility tunnels, post-tensioned precast concrete is often used. Between precast tunnel segments, sealed waterproof flexible joints are often specified. Fault displacement can lead to excessive deformation of the joints, which can lead to reduction in waterproofing due to diminished contact pressure between the sealant strip and the tunnel segment. This paper authenticates utilization of a finite element model for a prefabricated tunnel fault-crossing founded on ABAQUS software. In addition, material parameter selection, contact setting and boundary condition are reviewed. Analyzed under normal fault action are: the influence of fault displacement; buried depth; soil friction coefficient, and angle of crossing at the fault plane. In addition, distribution characteristics of the utility tunnel structure for vertical and longitudinal/horizontal relative displacement at segmented interface for the top and bottom slab are analyzed. It is found that the effect of increase in fault displacement on the splice joint deformation is significant, whereas the effects of changes in burial depth, pipe-soil friction coefficient and fault-crossing angle on the overall tunnel and joint deformations were not so significant.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.51-62
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• 2015

Shear behavior obtained by direct shear tests is dependent on shear box and boundary condition. The objective of this study is to analyze problems of conventional direct shear test (type-A) and provide the reliable results by developing type-C direct shear apparatus. Experimental tests are carried out for Ulleung sand by using type-A and -C direct shear devices. The soil specimens, which are prepared at the relative density of 60%, and are applied to vertical confining stresses of 50, 100, 200, 300, and 400 kPa, are sheared at a constant shear strain rate of 0.5 mm/min. By comparing the results obtained by type-A and -C direct shear apparatus under constant normal load (CNL) condition, the performance of new one is verified. In addition, two constrained conditions including constant normal load (CNL) and constant pressure (CP) are applied to type-C one. Experimental results show that type-A direct shear apparatus has some problems such as rotating of loading plate and upper shear box, and the frictional forces between soil and inner wall of upper shear box. Thus, the shear strengths obtained by type-A device are overestimated or underestimated depending on shear box and boundary condition. On the other hand, type-C device produces clear and consistent test results regardless of constrained conditions. This study represents that type-C direct shear apparatus not only can solve the problems of type-A direct shear apparatus but provide the reliable results.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.91-103
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• 2009

Slope failure depends upon the climatic features related to related rainfall, structural geology and geomorphological features as well as the variation of the mechanical behaviors of soil constituting a slope. In this paper, among many variables, effects of soil layer thickness on the slope failure process, and variations of matric suction and volumetric water content were observed. When the soil layer is relatively thick, the descending wetting front decreases matric suction and the observed matric suction reaches to "0" value. When the wetting front reaches to the impermeable boundary, the bottom surface of steel soil box, ascending wetting front was observed. This observation can be postulated to be the effects of various sizes of pores. When macro size pores exist, the capillary effects can be reduced and infilling of pore will be limited. The partially filled pores would be filled with water during the ascending of the wetting front, which bounces from the impermeable boundary. This assumption has been assured from the observation of variation of the volumetric water contents at different depth. When the soil layer is thick (thickness = 20 cm), for granular material, erosion is a cause triggering the slope failure. It has been found that the initiation of erosion occurs when the top soil is fully saturated. Meanwhile, when the soil layer is shallow (thickness = 10 cm), slope slides as en mass. The slope failure for this condition occurs when the wetting front reaches to the interface between the soil layer and steel soil box. As the wetting front approaches to the bottom of soil layer, reduction of shear resistance along the boundary and increase of the unit weight due to the infiltration occur and these produce complex effects on the slope failure processes.