• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.135-143
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• 1990

Based on the mechanism of flat jack used to measure stresses in rocks, a prerssure gauge was developed to measure vertical stresses acting on the rigid boundary in a soil mass. This paper describes the mechanism of the newly built pressure gauge, the process of calibrating the response of this gauge, and its use to centrifugal model tests. By installing this gauge in centrifugal model experiments of reinforced earth retaining walls, vertical stress distribution at the rigid boundary of model wall was obtained and compared with theoretical prediction of trapezoidal vertical stress distribution.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.86 no.4
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• pp.547-571
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• 2023

To deeply probe the actual earthquake level and fragility of typical reinforced concrete (RC) structures under multiple intensity grades, considering diachronic measurement building stock samples and actual observations of representative catastrophic earth shocks in China from 1990 to 2010, RC structures were divided into traditional RC structures (TRCs) and bottom reinforced concrete frame seismic wall masonry (BFM) structures, and the empirical damage characteristics and mechanisms were analysed. A great deal of statistics and induction were developed on the historical experience investigation data of 59 typical catastrophic earthquakes in 9 provinces of China. The database and fragility matrix prediction model were established with TRCs of 4,122.5284×104 m² and 5,844 buildings and BFMs of 5,872 buildings as empirical seismic damage samples. By employing the methods of structural damage probability and statistics, nonlinear prediction of seismic vulnerability, and numerical and applied functional analysis, the comparison matrix of actual fragility probability prediction of TRC and BFM in multiple intensity regions under the latest version of China's macrointensity standard was established. A novel nonlinear regression prediction model of seismic vulnerability was proposed, and prediction models considering the seismic damage ratio and transcendental probability parameters were constructed. The time-varying vulnerability comparative model of the sample database was developed according to the different periods of multiple earthquakes. The new calculation method of the average fragility prediction index (AFPI) matrix parameter model has been proposed to predict the seismic fragility of an areal RC structure.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2009.09a
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• pp.133-144
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• 2009

Incheon Bridge, 18.4 km long sea-crossing bridge, will be opened to the traffic in October 2009 and this will be the new landmark of the gearing up north-east Asia as well as the largest & longest bridge of Korea. Incheon Bridge is the integrated set of several special featured bridges including a magnificent cable-stayed girder bridge which has a main span of 800 m width to cross the navigation channel in and out of the Port of Incheon. Incheon Bridge is making an epoch of long-span bridge designs thanks to the fully application of the AASHTO LRFD (load & resistance factor design) to both the superstructures and the substructures. A state-of-the-art of the geotechnologies which were applied to the Incheon Bridge construction project is introduced. The most Large-diameter drilled shafts were penetrated into the bedrock to support the colossal superstructures. The bearing capacity and deformational characteristics of the foundations were verified through the world's largest static pile load test. 8 full-scale pilot piles were tested in both offshore site and onshore area prior to the commencement of constructions. Compressible load beyond 30,000 tonf pressed a single 3 m diameter foundation pile by means of bi-directional loading method including the Osterberg cell techniques. Detailed site investigation to characterize the subsurface properties had been carried out. Geotextile tubes, tied sheet pile walls, and trestles were utilized to overcome the very large tidal difference between ebb and flow at the foreshore site. 44 circular-cell type dolphins surround the piers near the navigation channel to protect the bridge against the collision with aberrant vessels. Each dolphin structure consists of the flat sheet piled wall and infilled aggregates to absorb the collision impact. Geo-centrifugal tests were performed to evaluate the behavior of the dolphin in the seabed and to verify the numerical model for the design. Rip-rap embankments on the seabed are expected to prevent the scouring of the foundation. Prefabricated vertical drains, sand compaction piles, deep cement mixings, horizontal natural-fiber drains, and other subsidiary methods were used to improve the soft ground for the site of abutments, toll plazas, and access roads. Light-weight backfill using EPS blocks helps to reduce the earth pressure behind the abutment on the soft ground. Some kinds of reinforced earth like as MSE using geosynthetics were utilized for the ring wall of the abutment. Soil steel bridges made of corrugated steel plates and engineered backfills were constructed for the open-cut tunnel and the culvert. Diverse experiences of advanced designs and constructions from the Incheon Bridge project have been propagated by relevant engineers and it is strongly expected that significant achievements in geotechnical engineering through this project will contribute to the national development of the longspan bridge technologies remarkably.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.75-84
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• 2010

In this study, the long-term performance tests, which have extensibility, creep deformation, installation resistance and durability characteristic, is conducted to apply geosynthetic strip in field. The strength reduction factors using the test results are evaluated in order to calculate long-term design tensile strength. First, the creep deformation was evaluated by both the stepped isothermal method(SIM) and the time-temperature superposition(TTS) method. The creep reduction factor is reasonable to apply 1.6. Second, the result of installation damage test had little damage of yarn, which affected strength of reinforcement. Therefore, it can be analyzed that the installation damage of geosynthetic strip has little effect of long-term design tensile strength. Finally, the durability reduction factor considering chemical, biological and outdoor exposure resistance is reasonable to apply 1.1, which is considered the stability and economic efficiency of reinforced earth wall using geosynthetic strip.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.37-44
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• 2012

This paper describes large scale pullout test results, in order to evaluate extensibility effect of strip-type reinforcement. The same test for ribbed steel strip reinforcement also is conducted to compare the friction resistance reinforcements' evaluation results. The pullout resistance of the ribbed steel strip reinforcement, which has a small cross sectional areas, was better than the friction resistance reinforcements' due to the bearing (passive) resistance. In case of friction resistance reinforcements, the pullout resistance of extensible reinforcement was better than inextensible reinforcement' even though they have a similar cross sectional areas.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.32 no.7
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• pp.47-56
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• 2016

In the case of excavating ground backfilled with soft ground, ground destruction occurs owing to the discharge of groundwater from excavated back ground in spite of earth retaining wall. To minimize this, indoor model test was implemented applying stabilizing pile as a solution for ground destruction. The unreinforced case was compared with the reinforced case and the comparison demonstrated that the ratio of the gap in settlement of the two cases is about three to one, which proves the reinforcement effect (Kim, 2014). This study has carried out the evaluation of appropriate pile spacing ratio, according to the confirmed effect of stabilizing pile. In the evaluation test the case with pile spacing ratio of 0.66 (5 stabilizing piles) was compared with that of 0.76 (3 stabilizing piles), and it has been shown that applying stabilizing pile has effect on ground destruction reduction, but may rather work as load when pile spacing ratio is narrower than a certain interval. So it was found that adjustment for appropriate pile spacing ratio is required at the stage of design. This study has shown that the pile spacing ratio is appropriate at around 0.7~0.8, which reduces ground destruction and does not function as the load of excavated back ground.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.171-191
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• 1999

The final aim of this research is to systematize the reinforced-earth wall system using the geosynthetic composite reinforcement in the weathered granite backfill soils having relatively large amount of fines. As a staged endeavour to accomplish this purpose, laboratory pull-out tests and finite element modeling are carried out in the present study focusing on the analyses of friction characteristics associated with interaction behaviors of the geosynthetic composite reinforcement composed of geogrid with a superior function in tensile resistance and geotextile with sufficient drainage effects. In addition, drainage effects of the geotextile below geogrid are examined based on the analysis of finite difference numerical modeling. From the present investigation, it is concluded that the geosynthetic composite reinforcement in the weathered granite backfills may possibly be used to achieve effects on both a reduction of deformations and an increase of the tensile resistance, together with drainage effects resulting from the geotextile.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.907-917
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• 2014

When conducting excavations after burying the soft ground, even if the retaining walls are installed, failure often occurs within backfill. In order to minimize the occurrences of failures, model test was performed after the installation of stabilizing piles to investigate the stabilizing effects. The model chamber is set up with clay foundation reinforced with and without stabilizing piles. During the excavation of clay foundation, the subsidence, pore water pressure, and soil pressure along the excavation were measured. As a result of the model test, the increase of excavation levels and the reduction of subsidence of back ground were observed with the stabilizing piles, compared to those without the stabilizing piles. The installation of stabilizing piles does not influence the pore water pressure change, but induces less subsidence rate. In addition, the depth of excavation has a significant effect on the back ground and it was evaluated that the maximum subsidence occurs as it is closer to the excavation point.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.71-86
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• 1983

Current R.C. retaining wall design is bared on WSD, but the reliability based design method is more rational than the WSD. For this reason, this study proposes a reliability based design criteria for the cantilever retaining wall, which is most common type of retaining wall, and also proposes the theoretical bases of nominal safety factors of stability analysis by introducing the reliability theory. The limit state equations of stability analysis and design of each part of cantilever retaining wall are derived and the uncertainty measuring algorithms of each equation are also derived by MFOSM using Coulomb's coefficient of the active earth pressure and Hansen's bearing capacity formula. The levels of uncertainties corresponding to these algorithms are proposed appropriate values considering our actuality. The target reliability indices (overturning: ${\beta}_0$=4.0, sliding: ${\beta}_0$=3.5, bearing capacity: [${\beta}_0$=3.0, design for flexure: [${\beta}_0$=3.0, design for shear: ${\beta}_0$=3.2) are selected as optimal values considering our practice based on the calibration with the current R.C. retaining wall design safety provisions. Load and resistance factors are measured by using the proposed uncertainties and the selected target reliability indices. Furthermore, a set of nominal safety factors, allowable stresses, and allowable shear stresses are proposed for the current WSD design provisions. It may be asserted that the proposed LRFD reliability based design criteria for the R.C. retaining wall may have to be incorporated into the current R.C. design codes as a design provision corresponding to the USD provisions of the current R.C. design code.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.33-40
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• 2018

Characteristics of interface friction between cohesionless soils and geotechnical structure surfaces play an important role in the analysis of earth load and resistance on the structure. In general, geotechnical structures are mainly composed of either steel or concrete, and their surface roughnesses with respect to soil particle sizes influence the interface characteristics between soils and the structures. Accurate assessment of the interface friction characteristics between soils and structures is important to ensure the safety of geotechnical structures, such as mechanically stabilized earth walls reinforced with inextensible reinforcements, piles embedded into soils, retaining wall backfilled with soils. In this study, based on the database of high quality interface friction tests between frictional soils and solid surfaces from literature, equation representing peak interface friction angle is proposed. The influential factors of the peak interface friction angle are relative roughness between soil and solid surface, relative density of frictional soil, and residual (constant volume) interface friction angle. Futhermore, for the developed equation of the interface friction angle, its uncertainty was assessed statistically based on Goodness-of-fit test results.