• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• 제28권6호
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• pp.637-644
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• 2022

Loess soils are unsaturated and widely distributed in the northwest zone in China. Many steep slope of unsaturated are observed are observed to be naturally stable. However, a low factor of safety (FoS) for these slopes would be computed from the slope stability analysis following local code practices. It seems that the analyzed results following the local code practices do not agree with the real condition as observed in the field. It is commonly known that soil suction plays an important role in slope stability due to a higher shear strength of the unsaturated soil as compared with that of the saturated soil. In this paper, it is observed that the computed FoS can also be affected by unsaturated unit weight of the soil. However, the effect of unsaturated unit weight of the soil on the slope stability is commonly ignored in engineering practice. Therefore, both the effects of shear strength and unit weight of the unsaturated soil on the computed FoS of unsaturated soil slope are investigated in this study. It is observed that the unsaturated unit weight of soil on the computed FoS increases with increase in slope angle. It is also observed that the effects of the unsaturated shear strength and unsaturated unit weight on the computed FoS are more significant than the effect of 3D analyses compared to the 2D analyses on the FoS.

• 한국지반공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국지반공학회 2010년도 춘계 학술발표회
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• pp.599-606
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• 2010

It has been reported that many slope failures in unsaturated soils are mainly caused by downward infiltration due to rainfall. The rainfall characteristics could be an important factor, and more predictable slope failures can be achieved by considering more reasonable rainfall conditions. So, a need exists that these trends of infiltration in weathered soils, which is commonly found in Korea, are assessed by considering rainfall conditions based on phenomenological approach. In this paper, numerical analyses of unsaturated soil slope under rainfall conditions are presented based on the soil-water characteristic curve in the laboratory and huff method. Then the performance of unsaturated weathered soil slopes was evaluated under various conditions after applying the effect of overburden pressure on SWCCs and fines contents. The results demonstrated that the rainfall conditions using Huff method can be very effective and the proper application on analysis is very important to enhance the prediction on unsaturated slope stability.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• 제19권2호
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• pp.179-191
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• 2019

Based on the effective stress principle, a new formula for shear strength of unsaturated soil is derived under the general nonlinear Mohr-Coulomb (M-C) strength criterion to improve the classical strength criterion of unsaturated soil. Meanwhile, the simple irrigation model under steady seepage is adopted to obtain the distribution of the matrix suction or the degree of saturation (DOS) above the groundwater table in the slope. Then, combined with the improved strength criterion of unsaturated soil and the simple irrigation model under steady seepage, the limit equilibrium (LE) solutions for the unsaturated slope stability are established according to the global LE conditions of the entire sliding body with assumption of the stresses on the slip surface. Compared to the classical strength criterion of unsaturated soil, not only the cohesion soil but also the internal friction angle is affected by the matric suction or the DOS in the improved strength criterion. Moreover, the internal friction angle related to the matric suction has the nonlinear characteristics, particularly for a small of the matric suction. Thereafter, the feasibility of the present method is verified by comparison and analysis on some slope examples. Furthermore, stability charts are also drawn to quickly analyze the unsaturated slope stability.

• 한국지반공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국지반공학회 2007년 가을학술발표회
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• pp.481-501
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• 2007

Excessive rainfalls due to climatic changes can trigger an increase in rainfall-induced slope failures that pose real threats to both lives and properties. Many high slopes in residual soils could stand at a steep angle, but failed during or after rainfall. Commonly, these slopes have a deep groundwater table and negative pore-water pressures in the unsaturated zone above the groundwater table contribute to the shear strength of soil and consequently to factor of safety of the slope. Stability assessment of slope under rainfall requires information on rate of rainwater infiltration in the unsaturated zone and the resulting changes in pore-water pressure and shear strength of soil. This paper describes the application of unsaturated soil mechanics principles and theories in the assessment of rainfall effect on stability of slope through proper characterization of soil properties, measurement of negative pore-water pressures, seepage and slope stability analyses involving unsaturated and saturated soils. Factors controlling the rate of changes in factor of safety during rainfall and a preventive method to minimize infiltration are highlighted in this paper.

• 한국지반공학회논문집
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• 제31권2호
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• pp.5-11
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• 2015

비탈면의 안정성은 강우지속시간, 확률강우강도, 지반의 불포화특성, 지반강도 등에 의해 영향을 받는다. 최근 비탈면안정성 해석은 지반의 침투특성을 고려한 불포화해석을 수행하고 있으며, 불포화 토사비탈면에 대한 연구는 시간변화에 따라 지반의 변형과 응력분포해석을 고려할 수 있도록 하는 방향으로 진행되고 있다. 그러나 이와는 별개로 불포화사면의 침투특성은 강우강도나 지속시간 뿐만 아니라 비탈면의 지형여건과 녹화상태에 따라서도 침투정도가 다르지만, 이에 대한 영향은 고려하지 않고 있다. 본 연구에서는 비탈면경사 및 표면상태에 따른 침투를 고려하기 위하여 토양의 수리특성을 고려한 모형을 사용하고, 토사비탈면에 대한 불포화해석을 수행하여 비탈면 경사에 따른 영향을 파악하였다. 연구결과 비탈면 안정해석시 동일한 강우조건 하에서도 비탈면경사에 따른 침투율이 고려되어야 할 필요성을 제시하였다.

• 한국지반공학회논문집
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• 제26권11호
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• pp.75-87
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• 2010

불포화토에 강우가 지속되면 토체내 간극수압이 상승하게 된다. 따라서 토층의 포화로 인해 강도가 저하되고, Suction압이 균형을 이루는 임계 깊이까지 Wetting Front가 하강하여 사면붕괴가 발생한다. 지중 간극수압을 제어할 수 있다면 강도저감을 방지함으로써 사면안정을 유지할 수 있을 것이다. 본고는 지중 간극수를 흡수하여 배출할 수 있는 흡수관 설계를 시도하여 실험성과로 그 가능성을 제시하였다. 흡수관은 사면안정을 위한 보조공법으로 활용하는 것이 효과적일 것이다.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• 제28권1호
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• pp.77-87
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• 2022

Many geotechnical analyses require the investigation of water flow within partially saturated soil zone to incorporate the effect of climatic conditions. It is widely understood that the hydraulic properties of the partially saturated soil should be included in the transient seepage analyses. However, the characteristics of dual porosity soils with dual-mode water retention curve are normally modelled using single-mode mathematical equation for simplification of the analysis. In reality, the rainwater flow can be affected significantly by the dual-mode hydraulic properties of the soil. This paper presents the variations of safety factor for dual porosity soil slope with dual-mode water retention curve and dual-mode unsaturated permeability. This paper includes the development of the new dual-mode unsaturated permeability to represent the characteristics of soil with the dual-mode water retention curve. The finite element analyses were conducted to examine the role of dual-mode water retention curve and dual-mode unsaturated permeability on the variations of safety factor under rainfall loading. The results indicate that the safety factor variations of dual porosity soil slope modelled using the dual-mode water retention curve and the unsaturated permeability equation are lower than those of dual porosity slope modelled using single-mode water retention curve and unsaturated permeability equations.

• 한국지반환경공학회 논문집
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• 제8권4호
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• pp.67-74
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• 2007

강우시 우수의 침투로 사면의 안정성은 감소되며, 사면활동에 의한 피해를 최소화하기위해 강우시 토사사면에 대한 사면 안정해석시 지표까지 완전히 포화되는 조건으로 설계하도록 설계기준을 강화하고 있다. 그러나 이와 같은 설계방식은 강우강도, 강우지속시간, 지반특성, 사면의 기하학적 특성 등과 관계없이 동일하게 지표까지 완전 포화조건으로 설계함으로써 지나치게 과다하게 설계되는 경향이 있는 등 문제점이 지적되고 있다. 또한 대부분의 토사사면은 불포화상태에 있으며, 불포화특성을 고려한 사면 안정해석이 수행되어야 할 것이다. 본 논문은 강우시 토사 사면이 완전 포화되기까지 소요되는 강우지속시간을 예측할 수 있는 방법을 제시하였다. 이를 위해 본 논문에서는 불포화토의 흙-수분 특성과 포화시 투수계수, 사면의 기하학적 조건, 강우강도 등을 고려하여 불포화토 사면에 대한 유한요소해석을 실시하여 강우시 토사사면이 완전 포화되기 까지 소요되는 강우지속시간을 예측하였으며, 이들 해석결과로부터 간편하게 사용할 수 있는 예측도표를 제시하였다.

• 토지주택연구
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• 제9권2호
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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.

• 한국지반공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국지반공학회 2005년도 지반공학 공동 학술발표회
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• pp.649-654
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• 2005

Shallow slope failures in residual soil during periods of prolonged infiltration are common over the world. One of the key factors that dominate slope stability is hydrological response associated with infiltration. Hence, the soil-water profile during rainfall infiltration into unsaturated soil must me examined to evaluate slope stability. However, the hydraulic response of unsaturated soil is complicated by inherent uncertainties of the soil hydraulic properties. This study presents a methodology for assessing the effects of parameter uncertainty of hydraulic properties on the response of a analytical infiltration model using first-order reliability method. The unsaturated soil properties are considered as uncertain variables with means, standard deviations, and marginal probability distributions. Sensitivities of the probabilistic outcome to the basic uncertainties in the input random variables are provided through importance factors.