• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.821-845
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• 2016

Extensive researches on distribution of earthquake induced damages in different regions have shown that geological and geotechnical conditions of the local soils significantly influence behavior of alluvial areas under seismic loading. In this article, the site of Babol city which is formed up of saturated fine alluvial soils is considered as a case study. In order to reduce the uncertainties associated with earthquake resistant design of structures in this area (Babol city), the required design parameters have been evaluated with consideration of site's dynamic effects. The utilized methodology combines experimental ground ambient noise analysis, expressed in terms of horizontal to vertical (H/V) spectral ratio, with numerical one-dimensional response analysis of soil columns using DEEPSOIL software. The H/V spectral analysis was performed at 60 points, experimentally, for the region in order to estimate both the fundamental period and its corresponding amplification for the ground vibration. The investigation resulted in amplification ratios that were greater than one in all areas. A good agreement between the proposed ranges of natural periods and alluvial amplification ratios obtained through the analytical model and the experimental microtremor studies verifies the analytical model to provide a good engineering reflection of the subterraneous alluviums.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.545-554
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• 2019

The customary approach used in the blast vibration analysis is to derive empirical relations between the peak particle velocities of blast-induced waves and the scaled distance, and to develop patterns limiting the amounts of explosives. During the periods when excavations involving blasting were performed at sites far from residential areas and infrastructure works, this method based on empirical correlations could be effective in reducing vibrations. However, blasting procedures applied by the fast-moving mining and construction industries today can be very close to, in particular cities, residential areas, pipelines, geothermal sites, etc., and this reveals the need to minimize blast vibrations not only by limiting the use of explosives, but also employing new scientific and technological methods. The conventional methodology in minimizing blast vibrations involves the steps of i) measuring by seismograph peak particle velocity induced by blasting, ii) defining ground transmission constants between the blasting area and the target station, iii) finding out the empirical relation involving the propagation of seismic waves, and iv) employing this relation to identify highest amount of explosive that may safely be fired at a time for blasting. This paper addresses practical difficulties during the implementation of this conventional method, particularly the defects and errors in data evaluation and analysis; illustrates the disadvantages of the method; emphasizes essential considerations in case the method is implemented; and finally discusses methods that would fit better to the conditions and demands of the present time compared to the conventional method that intrinsically hosts the abovementioned disadvantages.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.187-195
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• 2023

Intensive rainfall during the summer season in Korea has triggered numerous devastating landslides outside of downtown in mountainous areas. The 2D slope stability analysis that is generally used for cut slopes and embankments is inadequate to model slope failure in mountainous areas. This paper presents a new 3D slope stability formulation using the global sliding vector in the limit equilibrium method, and it uses an ellipsoidal slip surface for static and quasi-static analyses. The slip surface's flexibility of the ellipsoid shape gives a lower FS than the spherical failure shape in the Fellenius, Bishop, and Janbu's simplified methods. The increasing sub-columns of each column tend to increase the FS and converge to a steady value. The symmetrical geometric conditions of the convex turning corners do not indicate symmetrical failure of the surface in 3D analysis. Pseudo-static analysis shows that the horizontal seismic force decreases the FS and increases the mass volume at the critical failure state. The stability index takes the FS and corresponding sliding mass into consideration to assess the potential risk of slope failure in complex mountainous terrain. It is a valuable parameter for selecting a vulnerable area and evaluating the overall risk of slope failure.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.455-464
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• 2024

Seismic movements have varying effects on structures based on characteristics of local site. During an earthquake, weak soils are susceptible to damage due to amplified wave amplitudes. Soil-structure interaction issue has garnered increased attention in Türkiye, after devastating earthquakes in Kocaeli Gölcük (1999), Izmir (2020), Kahramanmaraş Pazarcık and Elbistan (2023). Consequently, liquefaction potential has been investigated in detail for different regions of Türkiye, mainly with available field test results. Çankırı, a city located close to North Anatolian Fault, is mainly built on alluvium, which is prone to liquefaction. However, no study on liquefaction hazard has been conducted thus far. In this study, groundwater level map, SPT map, and liquefaction risk map have been generated using Geographical Information System (GIS) for the Buğday Pazarı District of Çankırı province. Site investigations studies previously performed for 47 parcels (76 boreholes) were used within the scope of this study. The liquefaction assessment was conducted using Seed and Idriss's (1971) simplified method and the visualization of areas susceptible to liquefaction risk has been accomplished. The results of this study have been compared with the City Council's precautionary map which is currently in use. As a result of this study, it is recommended that minimum depth of boreholes in the region should be at least 30m and adequate number of laboratory tests particularly in liquefiable areas should be performed. Another important recommendation for the region is that detailed investigation should be performed by local authorities since findings of this study differ from currently used precautionary map.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.34-40
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• 2008

Underwater seismic refraction with advanced interpretation approaches makes important contributions to shallow marine exploration and geotechnical investigations in Australia's coastal areas. A series of case studies are presented to demonstrate the recent applications of continuous and static USR methods to river crossing and port infrastructure projects at various sites around Australia. In Sydney, static underwater seismic refraction (USR) with bottom-placed receivers and borehole seismic imaging assisted the development of improved geotechnical models that reduced construction risk for a tunnel crossing of the Lane Cove River. In Melbourne, combining conventional boomer reflection and continuous USR with near-bottom sources and receivers improved the definition of a buried, variably weathered basalt flow and assisted dredging assessment for navigation channel upgrades at Geelong Ports. Sand quality assessment with continuous USR and widely spaced borehole information assisted commercial decisions on available sand resources for the reclamation phase of development at the Port of Brisbane. Buried reefs and indurated layers occur in Australian coastal sediments with the characteristics of laterally limited, high velocity, cap layers within lower velocity materials. If these features are not recognised then significant error in depth determination to deeper refractors can occur. Application of advanced refraction inversion using wavefront eikonal tomography to continuous USR data obtained along the route of a proposed offshore pipeline near Fremantle allowed these layers and the underlying bedrock refractor to be accurately imaged. Static USR and the same interpretation approach was used to image the drowned granitic regolith beneath sediments and indurated layers in the northern area of Western Australia at a proposed new berthing site where deep piling was required. This allowed preferred piling sites to be identified, reducing overall pile lengths. USR can be expected to find increased application to shallow marine exploration and geotechnical investigations in Australia's coastal areas as economic growth continues and improved interpretation methods are developed.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.687-695
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• 2020

Micropile is used to improve the stability of existing structures as well as solve various geotechnical problems, such as suppressing slope activity and shearing keys of retaining walls. The existing micropile method has a significantly less capacity to resist a horizontal force than a vertical force0355 Therefore, it is necessary to develop and study an umbrella-type micropile method with excellent seismic performance that can secure seismic performance economically while minimizing structures and ground disturbance areas in the limited space of existing structures. In this study, numerical analysis was performed on the umbrella-type micropile, in which the sloped pile and vertical pile were combined, and the horizontal behavior in soft clay ground during earthquakes was analyzed. Numerical analysis showed that umbrella-type micropile suppresses horizontal displacement in soft ground, and the effect of reducing the horizontal displacement was more pronounced when the embedded depth of the slope pile was 15 m or more. The embedded depth of the micropile and horizontal displacement suppression effect was proportional. Therefore, the umbrella-type micropile has an excellent effect of suppressing horizontal displacement during earthquakes on soft clay ground.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.101-115
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• 2005

For the site characterization at two inland areas, Gyeongju and Hongsung, which represent geomorphic and geologic characteristics of inland region in Korea, in-situ seismic tests containing borehole drilling investigations and resonant column tests were peformed and site-specific seismic response analyses were conducted using equivalent linear as well as nonlinear scheme. The soil deposits in Korea were shallower and stiffer than those in western US, from which the site coefficients and site classification system in Korea were derived. Most sites were categorized as site classes C and D based on the mean shear wave velocity $(V_s)$ of the upper 30 m $(V_s30)$, ranging between 250 and 650 m/s. According to the acceleration response spectra determined from the site response analyses, the site coefficients specified in the current Korean seismic design guide underestimate the ground motion in the short-period band and overestimate the ground motion in mid-period band. These differences can be explained by the differences in the bedrock depth and the soil stiffness profile between Korea and western US. The site coefficients, $F_a$ for short-period and $F_v$ for mid-period, were re-evaluated and the site classification system, in which sites C and D were subdivided according to $V_s20,\;V_s15,\;and\;V_s10$ together with the existing $V_s30$ was introduced accounting for the local geologic conditions at inland region of the Korean peninsula. The proposed site classification system in this paper is still rudimentary and requires modification.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.343-355
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• 2021

Agricultural reservoirs seek human convenience by supplying agricultural water and providing flood damage effects and rest areas at the same time, but preventing them from aging reservoirs and earthquakes is important. The safety of levees is influenced by field material properties such as soil parameter values of the granular materials that make up the levees, but since precision safety diagnosis or general literature values are diverted, the final safety factors are limited to material properties alone. Since safety factors are determined by physical characteristic values and embankment shapes and have a significant impact on safety factors, accurate contemplation is required when examining reinforced cross sections. Therefore, this study analyzed the case of reasonable and economical reinforcement intersections when designing '◯◯reservoir' in Goheung-geun, Jeollanam-do using the GEP-SLOPE program to enable rational economic design of reinforcement intersections through repeated reviews. As a result of reducing and analyzing the first, second, and third seismic reinforcement of the levees, it was confirmed that the safety ratio was secured even with a significantly smaller amount of reinforcement than the first, second, and lower slopes by obtaining design standards of 1.20. In addition, when determining all seismic reinforcement cross-sectional shapes, it was confirmed that the shape that reinforces only the lower side rather than the upper side of the slope and the entire slope was economical with minimized cross-sectional reinforcement.

• Journal of Korean Society of Disaster and Security
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.45-56
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• 2019

In this study, the seismic risk has been evaluated by setting the bedrock acceleration to 0.154g which, was taking into consideration that the earthquake return period for the buried electric power tunnels in the metropolitan area to be 1,000 years. In this case, the risk assessment during the earthquake was carried out in three stages. In the first stage, the site classification was performed based on the site investigation data of the target area. Then, the LPI(Liquefaction Potential Index) was applied using the site amplification factor. After, candidates were selected using a hazard map. In the second stage, risk assessment analysis of seismic response are evaluated thoroughly after the recalculation of the LPI based on the site characteristics from the boring logs around the electric power area that are highly probable to be liquefied in the first stage. The third Stage visited the electric power tunnels that are highly probable of liquefaction in the second stage to compensate for the limitations based on the borehole data. At this time, the risk of liquefaction was finally evaluated based off of the reinforcement method used at the time of construction, the application of seismic design, and the condition of the site.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.127-136
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• 2008

To identify the potential area of gas hydrate in the Ulleung Basin, 2-D and 3-D seismic surveys using R/V Tamhae II were conducted in 2005 and 2006. Seismic survey equipment consisted of navigation system, recording system, streamer cable and air-gun source. For reliable velocity analysis in a deep sea area where water depths are mostly greater than 1,000 m and the target depth is up to about 500 msec interval below the seafloor, 3-km-long streamer and 1,035 $in^3$ tuned air-gun array were used. During the survey, a suite of quality control operations including source signature analysis, 2-D brute stack, RMS noise analysis and FK analysis were performed. The source signature was calculated to verify its conformity to quality specification and the gun dropout test was carried out to examine signature changes due to a single air gun's failure. From the online quality analysis, we could conclude that the overall data quality was very good even though some seismic data were affected by swell noise, parity error, spike noise and current rip noise. Especially, by checking the result of data quality enhancement using FK filtering and missing trace restoration technique for the 3-D seismic data inevitably contaminated with current rip noises, the acquired data were accepted and the field survey could be conducted continuously. Even in survey areas where the acquired data would be unsuitable for quality specification, the marine seismic survey efficiency could be improved by showing the possibility of noise suppression through onboard data processing.