• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 1998.10a
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• pp.175-182
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• 1998

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.32 no.7
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• pp.35-45
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• 2016

Estimation of vertical bearing capacity is critical in the design of bucket foundation used to support offshore structure. Empirical formula and closed form solutions for bucket foundations in uniform sand or clay profiles have been extensively studied. However, the vertical bearing capacity of bucket foundations in alternating layers of sand overlying clay is not well defined. We performed a series of two-dimensional axisymmetric finite element analyses on bucket foundations in sand overlying clay soil, using elasto-plastic soil model. The load transfer mechanism is investigated for various conditions. Performing the parametric study for the friction angles, undrained shear strengths, thickness of sand layer, and aspect ratios of foundation, we present the predictive charts for determining the vertical bearing capacities of bucket foundations in sand overlying clay layer. In addition, after comparing with the finite element analysis results, it is found that linear interpolation between the design charts give acceptable values in these ranges of parameters.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.13-20
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• 2021

A suite of 3D large deformation finite element (FE) analyses was performed to investigate the load transfer mechanism and penetration resistance of spudcan foundations in heterogeneous soil profile consisting of sand and clay. The Elasto-Plastic models following Mohr-Coulomb and Tresca failure criteria were adopted for sand and clay, respectively. The accuracy of the numerical model was validated against centrifuge test measurements. The dense sand behavior with dilation is modeled using the non-associated flow rule. An investigation study consisting of key parameters, which includes variation in soil stratigraphy (sand-clay, sand-clay-sand), strength parameters of sand and clay (��' and su) and normalized height ratio of the sand layer (Hs/D) was conducted to assess the penetration behavior of spudcan. Based on calculated outputs, it was demonstrated that these parameters have a significant influence on the penetration resistance of spudcan. The calculated penetration resistance profiles are compared with the published (sand overlying clay) analytical model. It is confirmed that for the case of two-layer soil, the available theoretical model provides an accurate estimate of peak penetration resistance (qpeak). In the case of three-layer soil, the presence of a third stiff layer affects the penetration resistance profile due to the squeezing of the soil.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.287-311
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• 2015

The ultimate bearing capacity and failure mechanism of square footings resting on a sand layer over clay soil have been investigated numerically by performing a series of three-dimensional non-linear finite element analyses. The parameters investigated are the thickness of upper sand layer, strength of sand, undrained shear strength of lower clay and surcharge effect. The results obtained from finite element analyses were compared with those from previous design methods based on limit equilibrium approach. The results proved that the parameters investigated had considerable effect on the ultimate bearing capacity and failure mechanism occurring. It was also shown that the thickness of upper sand layer, the undrained shear strength of lower clay and the strength of sand are the most important parameters affecting the type of failure will occur. The value of the ultimate bearing capacity could be significantly different depending on the limit equilibrium method used.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.29-41
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• 1999

This Paper applied a simple strength parameter averaging method to double layered systems consisting of the strong sand layer overlying the soft clay deposit. This study derived a formula which defines a critical depth as the strength parameters, and used the correction parameter, $\alpha$ to reduce an error of the strength parameter averaging method. The results of the method were presented in the form of dimensionless charts and were compared with the results of several solutions proposed by Satyanarayana & Grag, Sreenivasulu, and Meyerhof & Hanna. The results of the proposed method coincided with the method of Meyerhof & Hanna and the results obtained from FLAC. But the Satyanarayana & Grag method and the Sreenivasulu method overestimated the bearing capacity. Consequently, the bearing capacity of foundation on sand layer overlying soft clay layer can be approximately estimated by using the proposed dimensionless charts.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.85-96
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• 2004

The ultimate bearing capacity of surface foundations on a sand layer overlying clay has been theoretically investigated. First, a review of previous studies on the bearing capacity problems for this type of foundation was performed and a discussion was presented concerning the practical application. Second, the kinematic approach of limit analysis was used to calculate the upper bound of the true ultimate bearing capacity. The kinematic solutions are upper bounds and their accuracy depends primarily on the nature of the assumed failure mechanism. This approach makes it convenient to create design charts, and it is possible to trace the influence of parameters. Third, the commercial finite element program ABAQUS was applied to obtain the ultimate bearing capacity based on the elasto-plastic theory. Results obtained from the kinematic approach were compared with those from the program ABAQUS and the limit equilibrium equations proposed by Yamaguchi, Meyerhof and Okamura et al. Finally, the validities of the results from the kinematic approach, the results from the program ABAQUS and the limit equilibrium equations were examined.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.198-208
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• 2011

When a structure which has relatively low load constructs on soft clay, the bearing capacity of the ground will be improved by sand overlying clay. In this condition, verifying the bearing capacity is difficult from the P.B.T etcetera in the in-situ. So, it is needed to estimate precise bearing capacity in the design process. In this study, 2-dimensional chamber tests and FEM analyses are conducted to evaluate behavior of bearing capacity for shallow foundations on a sand overlying clay. Because depth ratio H/B and bearing capacity ratio $q_c/q_s$ are selected as main factors, height of a sand, undrained shear strength of a clay and width of a loading are designated as variables. Results from chamber tests are very similar with those of FEM analyses. And it shows that punching shear mechanism is more suitable than the equation of Okamura et al.(1998). To make continual application of load spread mechanism, the equivalent load spread angle is proposed for H/B and $q_c/q_s$. Also, the linear regression equation of critical depth ratio Hf is suggested for $q_c/q_s$.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.263-281
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• 2013

Geotextiles and geogrids have been in use for several decades in variety of geo-structure applications including foundation of embankments, retaining walls, pavements. Geocells is one such variant in geosynthetic reinforcement of recent years, which provides a three dimensional confinement to the infill material. Although extensive research has been carried on geocell reinforced sand, clay and layered soil subgrades, limited research has been reported on the aggregates/ballast reinforced with geocells. This paper presents the behavior of a railway sleeper subjected to monotonic loading on geocell reinforced aggregates, of size ranging from 20 to 75 mm, overlying soft clay subgrades. Series of tests were conducted in a steel test tank of dimensions $700mm{\times}300mm{\times}700mm$. In addition to the laboratory model tests, numerical simulations were performed using a finite difference code to predict the behavior of geocell reinforced ballast. The results from numerical simulations were compared with the experimental data. The numerical and experimental results manifested the importance that the geocell reinforcement has a significant effect on the ballast behaviour. The results depicted that the stiffness of underlying soft clay subgrade has a significant influence on the behavior of the geocell-aggregate composite material in redistributing the loading system.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2010.09a
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• pp.3-25
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• 2010

The paper deals with two bearing capacity problems of shallow footing under combined loading. The first is a FEM study of shallow strip footing on two-layer clay deposits subjected to a vertical, horizontal and moment combined loading, while the second is a centrifuge study of shallow rectangular footing on dry sand under double eccentricity. The FEM results revealed that the existence of top soft layer sensitively affects more on horizontal and moment capacity than vertical capacity for cases of footing on soft clay overlying stiff clay. Practical design charts are presented to evaluate bearing capacities of footing for various combinations of the ratio of the depth of the upper layer to the footing width and the ratio of undrained strength of the upper layer to that of the lower. The centrifuge tests indicated that current design practice of calculating failure load of rectangular surface footing under double eccentricity underestimates the centrifuge loading test data. This trend is more marked when the eccentricity becomes larger. The decreasing trend in failure load with an increase of double eccentricity is rather uniquely expressed by a single curve, using a newly defined resultant eccentricity and the diagonal length of the footing base.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.175-185
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• 2015

Jack-up type WTIV(Wind Turbine Installation Vessel) is used to avoid the effects of waves when installing wind turbines in the Southwest Sea of South Korea. During the preloading procedure, unexpected penetration may cause some risks such as excessive penetration or punch-through failure. To ensure the safety of the WTIV during preloading, the bearing capacities should be evaluated based on the soil data at each borehole. Eight boreholes (OW-1 to -8) have been drilled in the Southwest Sea of South Korea. The bearing capacities of a spudcan designed to be used in this district are calculated using both a conventional analysis and finite element analysis with the soil properties of OW-1 to -8. A finite element analysis is carried out for OW-1, -3, and -4 to gain an in-depth understanding of the soil behavior during the penetration. OW-1, -3, and -4 are representative boreholes for a strong layer overlying a soft layer, a general soft layer, and a soft layer overlying a strong layer, respectively. The resultant bearing capacity curves versus the depth of the numerical analysis are compared with the conventional method. The results show that the conventional analysis is conservative. Case studies for different spudcan areas and shapes are also conducted to seek an appropriate spudcan type for the Southwest Sea of South Korea. Finally, a spudcan with a rectangular shape and a bearing area of $112.8m^2$ is selected.