• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.301-311
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• 2020

In this study, shear strength behavior of fine-grained soils was investigated under unsaturated conditions. The samples in the unsaturated state were subjected to a net normal stress (σ-u_a) of 40 kPa and different matric suctions (u_a-u_w) of 50, 100 and 150 kPa. The matric suction values applied in the triaxial tests were selected according to the bubbling pressures determined from the SWC curves. The study was carried out on prepared re-constituted cylindrical samples by uniaxial consolidation of soil slurries. First, consolidated drained (CD) triaxial compression tests were performed on the saturated samples and the cohesion and angle of internal friction were determined. After that, drained triaxial compression tests under matric suctions were performed on the unsaturated samples. In order to obtain unsaturated test results, cohesion and internal friction angle values of saturated samples were used. The nonlinear surface representing the shear strength surface was approximated consisting of two planes (double planar surface). The reason for the nonlinear behavior of some soils is that the amount of sand content contained in it is relatively high and the bubbling pressure/permanent water content value is relatively low.

• 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.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2008.03a
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• pp.963-971
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• 2008

Unsaturated soil mechanics has been often used to find out a cause of failure (tensile failure) of retaining walls and hill slopes containing sandy soils. Checking shear strength is a popular method by considering suction stress developed form pore water menisci among the grains and saturated pockets of pore water under negative pressure. Linear Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion is generally adopted as a failure criterion. However, depending on relative density, stress history, and the magnitude of stress, the failure behavior of sand may not follow linear M-C frictional behavior. For stress in the large compressive ranges, say from tens to hundreds of kPa, the linear M-C criterion is an adequate representation for the shear strength behavior of sand. However, less than tens of kPa, the M-C criterion often can not be accurately represented. Depending on failure criterion, the uniaxial tensile strength is different over 100% relative error. For sand behavior under small compression regimes, therefore, such as under low or zero gravity, or under undergoing tensile failure in the crest area of hill slopes or behind retaining walls, it is important to consider the non-linear behavior.