• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.221-230
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• 2023

The liquefaction of soil occurs when a soil loses strength and stiffness because of applied stress, such as an earthquake or other changes in stress conditions that result in a loss of cohesion. Hence, a method for improving the strength of liquefiable soil needs to be developed. Many techniques have been presented for their possible applications to mitigate liquefiable soil. Recently, alternative methods using biopolymers (such as xanthan gum, guar gum, and gellan gum), nontraditional additives, have been introduced to stabilize fine-grained soils. However, no studies have been done on the use of carrageenan as a biopolymer for soil improvement. Due to of its rheological and chemical structure, carrageenan may have the potential for use as a biopolymer for soil improvement. This research aims to investigate the effect of adding carrageenan on the soil strength of treated liquefiable soil. The biopolymers used for comparison are carrageenan (as a novel biopolymer), xanthan gum, and guar gum. Then, sand samples were made in cylindrical molds (5 cm × 10 cm) by the dry mixing method. The amount of each biopolymer was 1%, 3%, and 5% of the total sample volume with a moisture content of 20%, and the samples were cured for seven days. In terms of observing the effect of temperature on the carrageenan-treated soil, several samples were prepared with dry sand that was heated in an oven at various temperatures (i.e., 20℃ to 75℃) before mixing. The samples were tested with the direct shear test, UCS test, and SEM test. It can increase the cohesion value of liquefiable soil by 22% to 60% compared to untreated soil. It also made the characteristics of the liquefiable increase by 60% to 92% from very loose sandy soil (i.e., ϕ=29°) to very dense sandy soil. Carrageenan was also shown to have a significant effect on the compressive strength and to exceed the liquefaction limit. Based on the results, carrageenan was found to have the potential for use as an alternative biopolymer.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2009.09a
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• pp.1258-1270
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• 2009

Recently, the earthquakes activities are more of frequency occurred in the country. In case of nomal or large magnitude earthquakes, which cause a rising number of life loss or widespread loss of property. It must be considered how to cope with the situperty of dpmage in the country ty account of ay earthquake. Consequently, the public works have currently ensured against a lot of risk about seismism not only on large scale structures but also relatively small structures. Therefore, in this study, in order to make the seismic stability safe, it has been evaluated by the seismic performance for caisson-type breakwater. The seismic response analyses have conducted on the caisson-type breaker under long-period, short-period and artificial seismic wave. The liquefaction potential of the foundation, which is caisson-type, is also estimated by using the simplified assessment method. Finally, the result of the numerical analysis by PENTAGON 2D finite element method(FEM) program are presented for 3 cases with time-history seismic analysis under the seismic load.

• Geosciences Journal
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.871-880
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• 2018

During and shortly after the 2017 Pohang Earthquake ($M_w$ 5.4), sand blows were observed around the epicenter for the first time since the beginning of instrumental seismic recording in South Korea. We carried out field surveys plus satellite and drone imagery analyses, resulting in observation of approximately 600 sand blows on Quaternary sediment cover in this area. Most were observed within 3 km of the epicenter, with the farthest being 15 km away. In order to investigate the ground's susceptibility to liquefaction, we conducted a trench study of a 30 m-long sand blow in a rice field 1 km from the earthquake epicenter. The physical characteristics of the liquified sediments (grain size, impermeable barriers, saturation, and low overburden pressure) closely matched the optimum ground conditions for liquefaction. Additionally, we found a series of soft sediment deformation structures (SSDSs) within the trench walls, such as load structures and water-escaped structures. The latter were vertically connected to sand blows on the surface, reflecting seismogenic liquefaction involving subsurface deformation during sand blow formation. This genetic linkage suggests that SSDS research would be useful for identifying prehistoric damage-inducing earthquakes ($M_w$ > 5.0) in South Korea because SSDSs have a lower formation threshold and higher preservational potential than geomorphic markers formed by surface ruptures. Thus, future combined studies of Quaternary surface faults and SSDSs are required to provide reliable paleoseismological information in Korea.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.33-39
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• 2024

Understanding the behavior of soil under cyclic loading conditions is essential for assessing its response to seismic events and potential liquefaction. This study investigates the effect of non-plastic fines content (FC) on excess pore pressure generation in medium-density sand-silt mixtures subjected to strain-controlled cyclic direct simple shear (CDSS) tests. The investigation is conducted by analyzing excess pore pressure (EPP) ratios and the number of cycles to liquefaction (Ncyc-liq) under varying shear strain levels and FC values. The study uses Jumunjin sand and silica silt with FC values ranging from 0% to 40% and shear strain levels of 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.5%, and 1.0%. The findings indicate that the EPP ratio increases rapidly during loading cycles, with higher shear strain levels generating more EPP and requiring fewer cycles to reach liquefaction. At 1.0% and 0.5% shear strain levels, FC has a limited effect on Ncyc-liq. However, at a lower shear strain level of 0.2%, increasing FC from 0 to 10% reduces Ncyc-liq from 42 to 27, and as FC increases further, Ncyc-liq also increases. In summary, this study provides valuable insights into the behavior of soil under cyclic loading conditions. It highlights the significance of shear strain levels and FC values in excess pore pressure generation and liquefaction susceptibility.

• Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.49-64
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• 2014

Seabed beneath and near the coastal structures may undergo large excess pore water pressure composed of oscillatory and residual components in the case of long durations of high wave loading. This excess pore water pressure may reduce effective stress and, consequently, the seabed may liquefy. If the liquefaction occurs in the seabed, the structure may sink, overturn, and eventually fail. Especially, the seabed liquefaction behavior beneath a gravity-based structure under wave loading should be evaluated and considered for design purpose. In this study, to evaluate the liquefaction potential on the seabed, numerical analysis was conducted using 2-dimensional numerical wave tank. The 2-dimensional numerical wave tank was expanded to account for irregular wave fields, and to calculate the dynamic wave pressure and water particle velocity acting on the seabed and the surface boundary of the structure. The simulation results of the wave pressure and the shear stress induced by water particle velocity were used as inputs to a FLIP(Finite element analysis LIquefaction Program). Then, the FLIP evaluated the time and spatial variations in excess pore water pressure, effective stress and liquefaction potential in the seabed. Additionally, the deformation of the seabed and the displacement of the structure as a function of time were quantitatively evaluated. From the analysis, when the shear stress was considered, the liquefaction at the seabed in front of the structure was identified. Since the liquefied seabed particles have no resistance force, scour can possibly occur on the seabed. Therefore, the strength decrease of the seabed at the front of the structure due to high wave loading for the longer period of time such as a storm can increase the structural motion and consequently influence the stability of the structure.

• Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.361-374
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• 2016

When the seabed around and under gravity structures such as submerged breakwater is exposed to a large wave action long period, the excess pore pressure is generated significantly due to pore volume change associated with rearrangement soil grains. This effect leads a seabed liquefaction around and under structures as a result from decrease in the effective stress, and the possibility of structure failure is increased eventually. These facts shown above have been investigated in the previous studies related to regular and irregular waves. This study suggested a concrete mat for preventing the seabed liquefaction near the submerged breakwater. The concrete mat was mainly used as a countermeasure for scouring protection in riverbed. According to installation of the concrete mattress, the time and spatial series of the deformation of submerged breakwater, the pore water pressure, and the pore water pressure ratio in the seabed were investigated. Their results were also compared with those of the seabed unprotected with the concrete mat. The results presented were confirmed that the liquefaction potential of seabed under the concrete mattress is significantly reduced under regular wave field.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.213-214
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• 2018

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 1999.10a
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• pp.357-364
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• 1999

In recently site investigations, the need for the determination of dynamic soil properties such as dynamic modules of rigidity, elasticity, dynamic poison's ratio and damping ratio etc. is increasing for the astigmatic designs of the civil structures. To obtain some of the dynamic properties, measurement of elastic waves velocity, both P and S wave, is required. Among various methods to measure elastic wave velocity such and Down Hole, Cross Hole and Refraction etc., Suspension P.S. Logging has an advantage to use for the off-shore investigation where generation of the shock wave and traveling of the wave is difficult. In suspension P.S. logging, specially designed prove equipped with source of shock wave, two 3-channel receivers, departing 1m distance, and other auxiliary facilities is inserted down in a bore hole bottom and raised in predetermined interval, usually 1m or 2m, and measurement is conducted. P.S. logging have been conducted in a off-shore construction project near InChon in the west coast for the first in the country, and form the result, potential of the liquefaction of the subsoil was evaluated and compared with the conventional method.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.67-75
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• 2024

In the case of the Pohang earthquake, which had a magnitude of 5.4 in 2017, geotechnical damages such as liquefaction and ground settlement occurred. The need for countermeasures has emerged, and experimental research in the Pohang area has continued. This study collected undisturbed samples from damaged fine-grained soil areas where ground settlement occurred in Pohang. Cyclic tri-axial tests for identifying the dynamic characteristics of soils were performed on the undisturbed samples, and the results were analyzed to determine the cause of ground settlement. As a result of the study, it was determined that in the case of fine-grained soils, ground settlement occurred because the seismic load as an external force was relatively more significant than the shear resistance of the very soft fine-grained soils, rather than due to an increase in excess pore water pressure.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.37-42
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• 2002

Artificial neural networks are efficient computing techniques that are widely used to solve complex problems in many fields. In this paper a liquefaction potential was estimated by using a back propagation neural network model applicated to cyclic triaxial test data, soil parameters and site investigation data. Training and testing of the network were based on a database of 43 cyclic triaxial test data from 00 sites. The neural networks are trained by modifying the weights of the neurons in response to the errors between the actual output values and the target output value. Training was done iteratively until the average sum squared errors over all the training patterns were minimized. This generally occurred after about 15,000 cycles of training. The accuracy from 72% to 98% was shown for the model equipped with two hidden layers and ten input variables. Important effective input variables have been identified as the NOC,$D_10$ and (N$_1$)$_60$. The study showed that the neural network model predicted a CSR(Cyclic shear stress Ratio) of silty-sand reasonably well. Analyzed results indicate that the neural-network model is more reliable than simplified method using N value of SPT.