• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.401-412
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• 2016

On Tuesday, January 17, 1995, an earthquake of magnitude 7.2 struck the Port of Kobe. In effect, the port was practically destroyed. After a hazard investigation, researchers reached a consensus to adopt a performance-based design in port and harbor structures in Japan. A residual displacement of geotechnical structures after an earthquake is one of the most important engineering demands in performance-based earthquake-resistant design. Thus, it is essential to provide reliable responses of geotechnical structures after an earthquake through various techniques. Today, a nonlinear explicit response history analysis(NERHA) of geotechnical structures is the most efficient way to achieve this goal. However, verification of the effective stress analysis, including post liquefaction behavior, is difficult to perform at a laboratory scale. This study aims to rigorously verify the NERHA by using well-defined field measurements, existing numerical tools, and constitutive models. The man-made, Port Island, in Kobe provides intensive hazard investigation data, strong motion records of 1995 Kobe earthquake, and sufficient engineering parameters of the soil. Two dimensional numerical analysis was conducted on the caisson quay wall section at Port Island subjected to the 1995 Kobe earthquake. The analysis result matches very well with the hazard investigation data. The NERHA procedure presented in this paper can be used in further studies to explain and examine the effects of other factors on the seismic behavior of gravity quay walls in liquefiable soil areas.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.26 no.1C
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• pp.43-52
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• 2006

Despite several constitutive models have been proposed and applied, it is still difficult to choose a suitable model and to estimate adequate analysis parameters. Furthermore, a cyclic shear behavior under the volume change caused by the seepage is more complex. None of the constitutive model is available at present in the expression of the cyclic behavior of soil under an additional volume change condition by seepage. Therefore, a new geotechnical hybrid simulation system which can control the pore water immigration was developed. The system enables a quantitative evaluation of the residual deformation such as lateral spreading and settlement caused by the liquefaction. The seismic responses in a one-dimensional slightly inclined multilayered soil system are taken into consideration, and the soils are governed by both equation of motion and the continuity equation. Furthermore, the estimation and the selection of the soil parameter for the representation of the strong nonlinearity of the material are not required, because soil behaviors under the earthquake motions are directly introduced instead of a numerical soil constitutive model. This paper presents the concept and specifications of the system. By applying the system to an example problem, the permeability effect on the seismic response during cyclic shear is studied. The importance of the volume change characteristics of sandy soil during and after cyclic shear is shown in conclusion.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.59-67
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• 2006

The centrifuge and 1-g shaking table tests were performed simultaneously to compare the dynamic behaviors of loose sands of the same geotechnical properties. The prototype soils were 10 m thick liquefiable loose sands. The geometric scaling factors were 20 for 1-g and 40 for centrifuge tests. The excess pore pressure, surface settlement, and acceleration in the soil were measured at the same locations in the 1-g and centrifuge tests. The total excess pore pressure from development to dissipation was measured. In the centrifuge test, viscous fluid was used as the pore water to eliminate the time scaling difference between dynamic time and dissipation time. In the 1-g tests, the steady state concept was applied to determine the unit weight of the model soil, and two different time scaling factors were applied for the dynamic time and the dissipation time. It is concluded that the 1-g tests can simulate the excess pore pressure of the prototype soil if the permeability of the model soil is small enough to prevent dissipation of excess pore pressure during shaking and the dissipation time scaling factor is properly determined.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.7-20
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• 2024

Ground improvement techniques through soil densification are widely used to enhance the cyclic resistance and seismic performance of liquefiable soils. However, most studies have primarily focused on the increase in soil strength before and after ground improvement, with limited investigation into changes in spatial statistical characteristics. This study aims to identify the changes in soil strength and spatial variability due to ground improvement by analyzing data from 19 cases where ground improvement was conducted using timber piles, aggregate piers, and dynamic compaction, with a cone penetration test (CPT) performed pre- and post-improvement. The changes in cone tip resistance were evaluated by comparing cone tip resistance profiles before and after ground improvement, while changes in spatial variability were assessed by examining variations in three parameters of the random field: mean (or trend function), variance, and scale of fluctuation. The results indicate that cone tip resistance generally increased, while inherent variability tended to decrease. The scale of fluctuation, representing spatial autocorrelation, generally increased following ground improvement, with higher initial fluctuation parameters correlating with a greater rate of increase. Furthermore, the probabilistic analysis of liquefaction-induced settlement revealed that changes in the scale of fluctuation due to ground improvement significantly influenced the variability of settlement, underscoring the importance of considering this factor.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.357-367
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• 2018

Recent earthquakes in Gyeongju and Pohang have raised interest in liquefaction in South Korea. Liquefaction, which is a phenomenon that excessive pore pressure is generated and the shear strength of soil is decreased by repeated loads such as earthquakes, causes severe problems such as ground subsidence and overturning of structures. Therefore, it is necessary to identify and prepare for the possibility of liquefaction in advance. In general, the possibility of liquefaction is quantitatively assessed using the Liquefaction Potential Index (LPI), but it takes a lot of time and effort for performing site response analysis which is essential for the liquefaction evaluation. In this study, a simple method to evaluate the liquefaction potential without executing the site response analysis in a downtown area with a lot of borehole data was proposed. In this simple method, the correlation between the average shear wave velocity of the target location ground and the LPI divided by thickness of liquefiable layer was established. And the applicable correlation equation for various rock outcrop accelerations were derived. Using the 104 boreholes information in Seoul, the correlation equation between LPI and the shear wave velocity (ground water level: 0m, 1m, 2m, 3m) is obtained and the possibility of liquefaction occurrence in Seoul and Gyeongju is evaluated. The applicability of the proposed simple method was verified by comparing the LPI values calculated from the correlation equation and the LPI values derived using the existing site response analysis. Finally, the distribution map of LPI calculated from the correlation was drawn using Kriging, a geostatistical technique.