• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 2016

Capillary barriers, consisting of relatively fine-over-coarse materials, have been suggested as an alternative to traditional compacted soil covers. So, We were analysed to capillary barrier effect according to five cases of multi-layer cover systems. Water balance simulation was conducted with unsaturated flow model HELP to assess unsaturated hydraulic parameters such as hydraulic conductivity, climate affecting the performance of capillary barriers. Simulation were conducted for 5 Cases in the Ulsan area. Result of simulation indicated that three cases was formed unsaturated condition and capillary barrier effect.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.107-116
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• 2022

The steady state of unsaturated soil takes a long time to achieve. The soil seepage behaviours and hydraulic properties depend highly on the wetting/drying rate. It is observed that the soil-water characteristic curve (SWCC) is dependent on the wetting/drying rate, which is known as the dynamic effect. The dynamic effect apparently influences the scanning curves and will substantially affect the seepage behavior. However, the previous models commonly ignore the dynamic effect and cannot quantitatively describe the hysteresis scanning loops under dynamic conditions. In this study, a dynamic hysteresis model for SWCC is proposed considering the dynamic change of contact angle and the moving of the contact line. The drying contact angle under dynamic condition is smaller than that under static condition, while the wetting contact angle under dynamic condition is larger than that under static condition. The dynamic contact angle is expressed as a function of the saturation rate according to the Laplace equation. The model is given by a differential equation, in which the slope of the scanning curve is related to the slope of the boundary curve by means of contact angle. Empirical models can simulate the boundary curves. Given the two boundary curves, the scanning curve can be well predicted. In this model, only two parameters are introduced to describe the dynamic effect. They can be easily obtained from the experiment, which facilitates the calibration of the model. The proposed model is verified by the experimental data recorded in the literature and is proved to be more convenient and effective.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2010.09c
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• pp.66-71
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• 2010

This paper studies the effect of saturation of backfill on the seismic stability of reinforced soil walls (RSWs) using centrifuge shaking table tests. For comparison, degradation of static stability and seismic stability of a RSW under unsaturated condition was also investigated. Test results showed that the RSW under saturated condition had enough static stability. However, seismic stability of saturated RSW significantly decreased as compared with that under unsaturated condition. The saturated model RSW did not collapse, though it showed large deformation. It maintained sufficient stability after shakings although a clear slip surface appeared in the backfill. Finally, it is discussed how to evaluate residual stability of RSWs damaged by earthquakes with test results and the simple evaluation method proposed by authors.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.30 no.1C
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• pp.53-63
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• 2010

Since the water retention curve is considered as a major parameter to evaluate the unsaturated ground or soils, overburden pressure and clay content on soils underneath ground surface have not been considered for estimating water retention characteristics. Therefore, a need exists that the effect of overburden pressure and clay content on water retention characteristics was assessed in typical weathered soils found in Korea. Soil-Water Characteristic Curve and the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity were estimated using water retention characteristics under the condition of different overburden pressure, clay content, and de-saturation path. Then, these effects are evaluated with the results of SWCC tests from the laboratory. In addition to that, the unsaturated moisture capacity and diffusivity of each case is discussed.

• 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 the Korean Society of Hazard Mitigation
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.9-17
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• 2009

Most of the current drainage criteria have been developed on the basis of experimental field results and theoretical analyses of infiltration under saturated conditions. The objective of this study is to extend the understanding of pavement drainage systems by considering unsaturated condition in the sublayers. Analyses of unsaturated flows through pavements was performed by running finite element program(SEEP/W) with a range of pavement materials and drainage parameters. Meanwhile, the widely used DRIP program developed by FHWA is based on assumption of saturated condition of pavements. Differences between saturated and unsaturated condition in the sublayers of the pavements are verified. It is verified that for unsaturated conditions time to drain would take longer time compared to saturated condition.

• Land and Housing Review
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.51-57
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• 2018

The causes of landslides are dependant on rainfall events and the soil characteristics of a slope. For the conventional slope stability, the slope stability analysis has been carried out assuming the saturated soil theory. But, in order to clearly explain a proper soil slope condition by rainfall, the research should be performed using the unsaturated soil mechanism suitable for a soil slope in the field. In the study, by using two major categories of soils in Korea, such as granite and gneiss weathered soils, landslide model test and finite element method have been compared with the difference of seepage and soil stability analysis. The hydraulic conductivity of gneiss weathered soil is slower than that of granite weathered soil, and the gneiss weathered soil contains much finer soils than the granite weathered soil. It was confirmed that the instability of the slope was progressing slowly due to the slow rate of volumetric water content of the surface layer.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.93-103
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• 2012

A suction-saturation control technique based on flow pump system was developed to investigate hydraulic properties in unsaturated soils. The flow pump system is designed based on the principle of the axis-translation technique and triaxial equipment, and gives the suction-time and suction-saturation curves, the primary relationship needed for interpreting the response of unsaturated soils and link between theory and the material properties in unsaturated soil mechanics. Using the suction-saturation control technique, suction-time relationship and soil-water retention curve (SWRC) during hydraulic hysteresis were investigated with different net confining pressures and porosities. Three types of soils-two sands and a silt were used in this paper. This paper showed the effect of the hysteresis on the SWRC due to different net confining pressures and porosities. This means that a careful decision must be made as to which condition is to be modeled, since the delicate difference of the conditions in physical modeling can cause the different experimental output.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.681-687
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• 2008

It is well known that the water infiltration rate depends on soil properties such as soil water content, water head, capillary suction, density, hydraulic conductivity, and porosity. However, most of proposed infiltration models assume that the air phase is continuous and in equilibrium with the atmosphere or air compression and air entrapment on infiltration was not considered. This study presents experimental results on unsaturated water infiltration to relate air entrapment and hydraulic conductivity function based on soil air properties. The objectives of this study were to measure change of soil air pressure ahead of wetting front under air drain and air confined condition to find the confined air effect on infiltration rate, to reduce the entrapped air volume related with soil air pressure to increase the soil permeability, and to make a basis of infiltration process model for the purpose of improvement of infiltration rate in the homogeneous soil column. The results of the work show that soil air pressure increases according to increasement of the saturated soil depth rather than the wetting front depth during infiltration process.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.1489-1498
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• 2013

The monolithically coupled finite element analysis for a deformable unsaturated soil slope is performed to investigate the effect of antecedent rainfall which is assumed by initial conditions varying degree of saturation (36, 51, 77%) in finite element analysis. The distributions of matric suction and deformation on slope surface obtained from numerical simulation show the instability of antecedent rainfall-induced unsaturated soil slope. Moreover, the numerical analysis using Drucker-Prager model can be checked if a soil slope has reached failure (trial failure criterion $f^{tr}$ >0, plastic behavior) or not (trial failure criterion $f^{tr}$ < 0, elastic behavior). It is found that displacement of slope surface layer increases and the matric suction on soil slope decreases with an increase of initial degree of saturation by antecedent rainfall. Especially, the matric suction of the soil slope in dry condition (S=36%) rapidly decreases rather than that in wet condition (S=51%) at the same rainfall duration. The results of the trial failure criterion ($f^{tr}$ > 0) show slope instability in the toe region and surface of the slopes.