• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.29 no.6C
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• pp.287-294
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• 2009

Suction Drain Method is a relatively new technique to improve soft ground using vacuum pressure which can be directly applied to the soft ground through drains that the pore water pressure around them are decreased without changing total stress. This can accelerate volume changes and increase strength of the ground. This paper shows the results of field test of the suction drain method applied at dredged and reclaimed clay. To evaluate the improvement effects of soft ground by the suction drain method, this paper analyzed real-time field measurements to the results of the laboratory tests and numerical analysis. The comparisons of the settlement and shear strength between suction drain method and surcharge preloading method show possibilities for replacement of the preloading methods. The settlements by suction drain method were 2.3 times larger and undrained shear strength were 300%~400% higher than surcharge method. Moreover, the water content is decreased about 30% and the preconsolidation pressure is increased about $0.52kgf/cm^2$.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.29 no.6C
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• pp.277-285
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• 2009

A series of undrained cyclic triaxial tests were carried out to investigate the cyclic shear stress strength characteristics of sands with respect to the silt content. Silty sand was collected around the basin of Nak-Dong River and remolded in laboratory with the range of silt content 0~50% in sand located. As results, with the change of silt content cyclic shear stress ratio (CSR) at N=10 showed the maximum value at 5% and the minimum at 20% in all relative density. The development tendency of the pore water pressure analyzed by the relationship cyclic ratio and pore water pressure ratio is unrelated the change of CSR varying silt content. Comparing the results of the void ratio and skeleton void ratio after consolidation, CSR varying silt content was much affected by skeleton void ratio which is known to affect shear behavior of silty sand.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.111-122
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• 2014

For accurate laboratory evaluations of soil deposits, it is essential that the samples are undisturbed. An artificial ground-freezing system is the one of the most effective methods for obtaining undisturbed samples from sand deposits. The objective of this study is to estimate the shear strengths and the characteristics of elastic waves of frozen-thawed and unfrozen specimens through the undrained triaxial compression test. For the experiments, Jumunjin standard sands are used to prepare frozen and unfrozen specimens with similar relative densities (60% and 80%). The water pluviation method is used to simulate the fully saturated condition under the groundwater table. When thawing the frozen specimens, the temperature is measured every minute. After the specimens are completely thawed, undrained triaxial compression tests are conducted using the same procedures as for the unfrozen specimens. During the triaxial tests (saturation, consolidation, and shear phase), compressional and shear waves are measured. The results show that the freeze-thaw process has minor effects on the peak deviatoric stress and shear strength values, and that the process does not affect the internal friction angle. The compressional wave velocity increases with increasing B-value to 1800 m/s in the saturation phase, but tends to remain constant in the process of consolidation and shearing. The shear wave velocity decreases with increasing B-value in the process of saturation, but changes velocity in accordance with the change in effective stress in the processes of consolidation and shearing. The compressional wave velocity has similar values regardless of the freeze-thaw process, but values of shear wave velocity are slighly lower in frozen-thawed specimens than in unfrozen specimens. This study is a preliminary experiment for estimating the shear strength and characteristics of elastic wave velocity in undisturbed frozen specimens that have been obtained using the artificial ground-freezing method.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.41-49
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• 2006

This paper deals with development and dissipation of excess pore pressure induced by the cyclic load. Cyclic triaxial tests on reconstituted samples of weathered residual soils, which were widely used as construction materials in Korea, were performed. Test results showed that excess pore pressures developed under undrained condition increased with the increase of cyclic loads and confining pressures. And a new concept based on modified excess pore pressure ratio (MEPPR) was proposed for simply estimating excess pore pressures in terms of the number of cyclic load, irrespective of cyclic loads and confining pressures. Also, it was proposed that excess pore pressure ratio (EPPR) could be effectively utilized to estimate volumetric strains during dissipation which decreased as confining pressures increased. Consequently, concept and method to effectively estimate settlements under non-liquefied condition, induced by dynamic loads such as earthquake loads were evaluated based on laboratory test results for reconstituted weathered residual soils.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.71-83
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• 2007

Liquefaction resistance depends strongly upon the degree of saturation, which is expressed in terms of the pore pressure coefficient, B. The B-value has been widely used to quantify the state of saturation of laboratory samples. However, it is practically impossible to determine in situ state of saturation by using the B-value. So, P-wave velocity can be alternatively used as a convenient index for evaluating the in situ state of saturation. In this paper, the Stokoe type torsional shear (TS) testing system was modified to saturate the specimen, with which it is also possible to measure P ($V_p$), S-wave velocity ($V_s$) and the excess pore water pressure buildup In order to examine the effect of B-value for nearly saturated sands. A series of the tests were carried out at 3 relative densities (40%, 50% and 75%) and various B-values using Toyoura sand. Based on the test results, the variations of $V_p\;and\;V_s$ with B-value were analyzed and compared with a existing theoretically derived formula. The normalized pore water pressure, $du/{\sigma}{_0}'$ and cyclic threshold shear strain, ${\gamma}^c_{th}$ with B-value were also analyzed. Additionally the test results related to pore water pressure were analyzed by $V_p$ to apply to the field seismic analysis.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.27-39
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• 2012

This research is to propose the reinforcing method and design code for the lateral behaviors of the abutment displacement induced from the rainfall infiltration on high landfill slope. First, to make the proper numerical analysis, in-situ soil (weathered granite soil) was taken, and the variance of strength parameters according to water content variance was examined by undrained direct shear test, furthermore, other soil parameters were calculated from the standard penetration test such as elastic modulus and Poisson's ratio etc,. Those parameters were used to calculate the lateral behavior of abutment by finite element method and the member force of pile in high landfill slope according to rainfall infiltration . From the results, the shoe displacement on abutment was calculated as 8.98cm, which is 3 times bigger than the allowable displacement, 3cm. To reinforce it, several reinforcing methods were selected and analyzed such as reinforced retaining wall, soil surcharge, pile reinforcing (5m enlargement, 3-line arrangement, 5m enlargement and 3-line arrangement). In case of 5m enlarged and 3-line arrangement piles, the lateral behavior of shoe showed lower value(2.26 cm) than allowable displacement.

• Geotechnical Engineering
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.205-218
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• 1998

The purpose of this study is to develop and utilize new assessment of liquefaction potential based on DSC(disturbed state concept) and dissipated energy concept. The term liquefaction has suddenly loses its shear strength and behaves like a fluid. Liquefaction has been a source of a major damage during severe earthquake. In this study, the cyclic undrained behavior of Joomoonjin strand is investigated by using an automates triaxial testing device(C. K. Chan type). In order to assess liquefaction potential of saturated strand, DSC method and energy method are applied for the experimental data. The use of DSC method and energy method to define the liquefaction potential is verified through laboratory testis of cyclic triaxial test on saturated sand specimens. Based on the analytical results of DSC method, the relationship between the factor affecting liquefaction characteristics(Dr) and physical properties of the saturated santa(fs and D.) is found. Based on the analytical results of energy method, it is found that the initial liquefaction of rand is related to the significant change in the dissipated energy. Finally, it is shown that the DSC method and energy method can capture the liquefaction mechanism.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.47-54
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• 2009

The ballast track, the most common type of conventional railroad track in Korea, is deteriorated by abrasion of ballast, it's penetration into roadbed, and rugged surface of roadbed caused by cyclic loading of train. Persistent occurrence of those phenomena lead to insufficient drain capacity, one of major factors in track design, and it increases pore water pressure and decreases of shear strength under rainfall condition leading to unstable roadbed. In this study, cylindrical model tests are executed for 3 types of geotextile applying cyclic loading in order to observe the characteristics of displacement and bearing capacity of geotextile, and undrained condition has been applied for 0 day, 3 days and 7 days to each geotextiles. The results showed that there was about 1% difference at the final displacement rates between reinforced soils and nature soils and the displacement of the ground surface increases along with the degrees of the saturation. And in case that water contents exceeds the threshold, it is also apparent that weight and tensile strength of geotextile influences displacement of the ground surface. And the larger weight of geotextile is, the smaller plastic displacement. It is evaluated that non-woven fabric comes into effect on reducing the bearing capacity but, the weight of geotextile has little influence on it.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.315-327
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• 2019

Back analysis has been used to evaluate the factor of safety and circular failure plane at the landfill failure site. However, the estimated circular failure plane by back analysis is quite different from what is observed in the field. Thus, this study was conducted to estimate an actual shear failure plane inside the ground which gives a more accurate failure plane. Cone penetration test (CPT), boring test, soft X-ray image scan, density logging, and ultrasonic logging were conducted at the field and laboratory. The result of CPT showed significantly lower cone resistance, pore pressure, and undrained shear strength at a particular part. This part is a possible shear failure plane inside the ground. To validate, the soft X-ray scan images were analyzed and found the disturbed (inclined) bedding plane induced by shear activity at the estimated shear failure plane. Density and ultrasonic logging tests also found a similar result. Thus, the method in this study is possible to estimate the shear failure plane inside the ground.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.17-26
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• 2019

In this study, the statistical characteristics of the resistance bias factors were analyzed using a high-quality field load test database, and the total resistance bias factors were estimated considering the soil uncertainty and construction errors for the application of the limit state design of aggregate pier foundation. The MLR model by Bong and Kim (2017), which has a higher prediction performance than the previous models was used for estimating the resistance bias factors, and its suitability was evaluated. The chi-square goodness of fit test was performed to estimate the probability distribution of the resistance bias factors, and the normal distribution was found to be most suitable. The total variability in the nominal resistance was estimated including the uncertainty of undrained shear strength and construction errors that can occur during the aggregate pier construction. Finally, the probability distribution of the total resistance bias factors is shown to follow a log-normal distribution. The parameters of the probability distribution according to the coefficient of variation of total resistance bias factors were estimated by Monte Carlo simulation, and their regression equations were proposed for simple application.