• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
• /
• 2002.03a
• /
• pp.743-750
• /
• 2002

Unsaturated soil has a possibility to induce a negative pore water pressure. Until now, saturated soil is mainly focused on the research of soil mechanics. Recently, soil mechanics is researched on two major parts such as saturated and unsaturated soil mechanics. Negative pore water pressure has a non-linear relationship with the water content changes. Soil-water characteristic curves of soil in Korea are not determined. There is no proper characteristic value such as air-entry value and residual water content. In this study, the characteristic curves of reclaimed soil, sand, and weathered granite soil were determined by laboratory tests. Air-entry value and residual water content were determined by fitting methods. Soil-water characteristic curves were estimated based on the particle-size distribution and compared with the laboratory test results. The results of soil-water characteristic curves estimation indicated that Fredlund and Wilson's model is excellent for sand and weathered granite soil. Arya and Paris's model is excellent for reclaimed soil.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.42 no.5
• /
• pp.562-567
• /
• 2010

A One-Dimensional Water Flow and Contaminant Transport in Unsaturated Zone (FTUNS) code has been developed in order to interpret radionuclide migration in an unsaturated zone. The pore-size distribution index (n) and the inverse of the air-entry value ($\alpha$) for an unsaturated zone were measured by KS M ISO 11275 method. The hydraulic parameters of the unsaturated soil are investigated by using soil from around a nuclear facility in Korea. The effect of hydraulic parameters on radionuclide migration in an unsaturated zone has been analyzed. The higher the value of the n-factor, the more the cobalt concentration was condensed. The larger the value of $\alpha$-factor, the faster the migration of cobalt was and the more aggregative the cobalt concentration was. Also, it was found that an effect on contaminant migration due to the pore-size distribution index (n) and the inverse of the air-entry value ($\alpha$) was minute. Meanwhile, migrations of cobalt and cesium are in inverse proportion to the Freundich isotherm coefficient. That is to say, the migration velocity of cobalt was about 8.35 times that of cesium. It was conclusively demonstrated that the Freundich isotherm coefficient was the most important factor for contaminant migration.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.33-42
• /
• 2012

The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of soil grain size and its distribution on soil-water characteristic. To do this, soil-water characteristic tests were conducted on Saemangeum silt using the axis translation technique. For comparison, the test was also conducted on Jumunjin sand. Using the test results, the soil-water characteristic curves (SWCCs) of Saemangeum silt and Jumunjin sand were predicted by Van Genuchten model. By comparison and analysis between two SWCCs, the silt shows higher values of matric suction, water content, and air entry value than the sand. On the other hand, the sand has higher values of Van Genuchten model parameters of ${\alpha}$, $n$, $m$ than the silt. It indicates that the SWCC is significantly dependent on the structure of soils. In other words, if a soil has relatively high grain size and poor grain size distribution curve, the values of saturated volumetric water content, residual volumetric water content, and air entry value are small, and the variation of volumetric water content is high in accordance with the matric suction variation, and consequently it shows a narrow range of funicular region.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
• /
• v.38 no.2
• /
• pp.5-13
• /
• 2022

The unsaturated behavior of sandy silt (SM soil) was investigated experimentally. Special attention was given to the stress-strain behavior of unsaturated weathered soil (SM) prior to failure and behavior at failure under monotonic loading. A sandy silt (SM) weathered soil containing a certain amount of fine contents distributed in Korea, was chosen to form samples with different densities of Dr=25%, 60%, and 75%. and matric suctions. The isotopically Consolidated Drain test (CD-test) was performed to maintain a constant matric suction during the shearing process. Based on the experimental results, it was qualitatively identified that the higher the relative density, the greater the virtual friction angle (ϕ^b) value and AEV (Air Entry Value) were induced. Also it is found that the internal friction angle (ϕ') is more or less constant. even if the matric suction is increased.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
• /
• v.23 no.5
• /
• pp.431-439
• /
• 2020

Soil-water retention curve (SWRC) contains key information for the application of unsaturated soil mechanics principles to engineering practice. The SWRC variables are commonly used to describe the hydro-mechanics of soils. Generally, these parameters are determined using the graphical method which can be time consuming. The SWRC is highly dependent on the pore size distribution (PSD). Theoretically, the PSD obtained by mercury intrusion porosimetry test can be used to determine some SWRC variables. Moreover, the relationship between SWRC and shrinkage curve has been investigated. A new method to determine total SWRC variables directly without curve-fitting procedure is proposed. Substituting the variables into linear SWRC equations construct SWRC. A good agreement was obtained between predicted and measured SWRCs, indicating the validity of the proposed method for unimodal SWRC.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
• /
• 2010.09a
• /
• pp.764-771
• /
• 2010

The stability analysis method of an unsaturated slope considering the suction stress was performed on the infinite sand slope. During drying and wetting processes, the Soil-Water Characteristics Curve (SWCC) of the sand with the relative density of 75% was measured using the automated SWCC apparatus. Also, the Suction Stress Characteristics Curve (SSCC) was estimated. Based on these results, the stability analysis of an unsaturated infinite slope was carried out considering the slope angle, the weathering zone and the relative change in friction angle as a soil depth. According to the result of slope stability analysis, the safety factors of slope were less than 1 when the slope angles were more than $50^{\circ}$. The safety factors of slope tend to increase with increasing the depth from the ground surface. Especially, the safety factors have a tendency to increase and decrease above near the ground water level due to the suction stress. The maximum safety factor of slope in this analysis was occurred at the Air Entry Value (AEV) of drying process. The influence range of suction stress above the ground water level can be found out and can be defined as the funicular zone which means the metric suction range from the air entry point to the point of residual volumetric water content.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
• /
• v.24 no.6
• /
• pp.27-35
• /
• 2008

At low normal stress levels tensile strength of sand varies with either saturation or suction of soil in an up-and-down manner with a peak tensile strength that can occur at any degree of saturation. A theory that accurately predicts tensile strength of wet sand is presented. A closed form expression for tensile strength unifies tensile strength characteristics in all three water retention regimes: pendular, funicular, and capillary. Three parameters are employed in the theory; namely, the Internal friction angle (at low normal stress) ${\phi}_t$, the inverse value of the air-entry pressure ${\alpha}$, and the pore size spectrum parameter n. It is shown that the magnitude of peak tensile strength is dominantly controlled by the ${\alpha}$ parameter. The saturation at which peak tensile strength occurs only depends on the pore size spectrum parameter n.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
• /
• 2006.03a
• /
• pp.28-33
• /
• 2006

Shallow failures of slopes in weathered soils are caused by infiltration due to prolonged rainfall. These failures are mainly triggered by the deepening of the wetting band accompanied by a decrease in suction induced by the water infiltration. In this paper, hysteresis on soil-water characteristic curve(SWCC) of granite and gneiss weathered soils are investigated using transient flow analysis respectively. Each case was subjected to artificial rainfall intensities and time duration depending on the laboratory-based drying and wetting processes. The results show that the unsaturated seepage on weathered slopes are very much affected by the initial suction of soils and unsaturated permeability of the soils. In addition, a granite weathered soil has a lower air-entry value, residual matric suction, and wetting front suction and less hysteresis loop than a gneiss weathered soil.

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.142-149
• /
• 2004

Recently, the government introduced the thermal storage system for reducing the electric power load. Especially, the ice slurry type has gained lots of interest due to its good heat transfer and flowing characteristics. This study was peformed to understand the effects of transporting ice slurry through elbows of various angle. Propylene glycol water solution was used and about 2 mm ice particles were circulated. The experiments were carried out under various conditions, such as concentration and velocity of water solution ranging between 0∼20 wt％, 1.5∼2.5 m/s, respectively. And elbows with 4 different angles of 30$^{\circ}$, 45$^{\circ}$, 90$^{\circ}$, 180$^{\circ}$. The differential pressure and IPF (ice packing factor) between the pipe entry and exit were measured. The tendency of pressure loss and outlet IPF in elbow is that the pressure loss was reduced as concentration and flow velocity of water solution is increased, and low value appeared at 10 wt％ and 2.5 m/s. The variation of outlet IPF was compared with the inlet IPF in the range of $\pm$20％.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
• /
• v.32 no.2
• /
• pp.209-219
• /
• 2022

To experimentally investigate the variation of soil characteristics in slope during rainfall and the shape of slope failure, the model test was performed using soil box and artificial rainfall simulator. The model test of slope formed by the homogenous sand was performed, and the saturation pattern in the model slope due to rainfall infiltration was observed. The slope model with the inclination of 35° was set up on the slope of 30°, and the rainfall intensity of 50 mm/hr was applied in the test. The soil depth of 35 cm was selected by considering the size of soil box, and the TDR (time domain reflectometry) sensors were installed at various depths to investigate the change of soil characteristics with time. As the result of model test, the slope model during rainfall was saturated from the soil surface to the subsurface, and from the toe part to the crest part due to rainfall infiltration. That is, the toe part of slope was firstly saturated by rainfall infiltration, and then due to continuous rainfall the saturation range was enlarged from the toe part to the crest part in the slope model. The failure of slope model was started at the toe part of slope and then enlarged to the crest part, which is called as the retrogressive failure. At the end of slope failure, the collapsed area increased rapidly. Also, the mode of slope failure was rotational. Meanwhile, the slope failure was occurred when the matric suction in the slope was reached to the air entry value (AEV) estimated in soil-water characteristic curve (SWCC).