• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2010.03a
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• pp.656-665
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• 2010

Shear modulus has been recognized as one of the important soil properties in dynamic analysis of ground and can be calculated from in situ measurement of shear wave velocity. Field seismic tests are the most accurate but expensive methods to investigate dynamic ground characteristics. Due to that reason, empirical equations for estimating the shear wave velocity are widely used rather than conducting in-situ tests. The most common equations are based on the N value obtained in conjuctions with a standard penetration test. In this paper, the field datas of standard penetration test and suspension PS logging measured in 126 sites of Korea were summarized and the correlation equations between N value and shear wave velocity are suggested.

• Land and Housing Review
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.389-397
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• 2012

In this study, crosshole seismic test, donwhole seismic test, SPT uphole test, and suspension PS logging (SPS logging) were conducted and the shear wave velocities of these tests were compared. The test demonstrated the following result: Downhole tests showed similar results compared to those of crosshole tests, which is known to be relatively accurate. SPS logging showed reliable results in the case of no casing, i.e. in the rock mass, while, in the case of soil ground, its values were lower or higher than those of other tests. SPT-uphole tests showed similar results in the soil ground and upper area of rock mass compared to other methods. However, reliable results could not be obtained from these tests because SPT sampler could not penetrate into the rock mass for the tests.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.79-87
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• 2008

Recently, a new seismic probe, called "MudFork", has been developed and can be utilized for accurate and easy measurements of shear wave velocities of cohesive soils. To expand its use to estimate undrained shear strength and density, a preliminary investigation to correlate these properties with shear wave velocity was attempted. Cone penetration tests and a seismic test, using MudFork, were performed at a silty soil site near Incheon, Korea. Also, undisturbed samples were obtained using thin-wall tube samplers, and the shear wave velocities and undrained shear strengths of the samples were measured in the laboratory. A simple linear relationship between shear strength and shear wave velocity was obtained, and a tentative relationship between density and shear wave velocity was also defined.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.10 no.4 s.50
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• pp.1-13
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• 2006

Soil and rock dynamic properties such as shear wave velocity $(V_s)$, compressional wave velocity $(V_p)$ and corresponding Poisson's ratio (v) are very important geotechnical parameters in predicting deformational behavior of structures as well as practicing seismic design and performance evaluation. In an effort to measure the parameter efficiently and accurately, various bore-hole seismic testing techniques have been, thus, developed and used during past several decades. In this study, cross-hole seismic testing technique which is known as the most reliable seismic method was adopted for obtaining geotechnical dynamic properties. To perform successfully the cross-hole test for rock as well as soil layers regardless of the ground water level, spring-loaded source which impact laterally a subsurface ground in vertical bore-hole was developed and applied at three study areas, which contain four sites composed of two existing port sites and two new LNG storage facility sites. The geotechnical dynamic properties such as $V_s,\;V_p$ and v with depth from the soil surface to the engineering and seismic bedrock were efficiently determined from the laterally impacted cross-hole seismic tests at study sites, and were provided as the fundamental parameters for the seismic performance evaluation of the existing ports and the seismic design of the LNG storage facilities.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.449-460
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• 2022

Safe underground construction in a rock mass requires adequate ground investigation and effective determination of rock conditions. The estimation of rock mass behavior is difficult, because rock masses are innately anisotropic and heterogeneous at different scales and are affected by various environmental factors. Quantitative rock mass classification systems, such as the Q-system and rock mass rating, are widely used for characterization and engineering design. The measurement of rock classification parameters is subjective and can vary among observers, resulting in questionable accuracy. Geophysical investigation methods, such as seismic surveys, have also been used for ground characterization. Torsional shear wave propagation characteristics in cylindrical rods are equal to that in an infinite media. A probabilistic quantitative relationship between the Q-value and shear wave velocity is thus investigated considering long-wavelength wave propagation in equivalent continuum jointed rock masses. Individual Q-system parameters are correlated with stress-dependent shear wave velocities in jointed rocks using experimental and numerical methods. The relationship between the Q-value and the shear wave velocity is normalized using a defined reference condition. This relationship is further improved using probabilistic analysis to remove unrealistic data and to suggest a range of Q-values for a given wave velocity. The proposed probabilistic Q-value estimation is then compared with field measurements and cross-hole seismic test data to verify its applicability.

• 한국지구물리탐사학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.09a
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• pp.155-175
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• 2005

Soil and rock dynamic properties such as shear wave velocity (VS), compressional wave velocity (VP) and corresponding Poisson's ratio ( v ) are very important geotechnical parameters in predicting deformational behavior of structures as well as practicing seismic design and performance evaluation. In an effort to measure the parameter efficiently and accurately, various bore-hole seismic testing techniques have been, thus, developed and used during past several decades. In this study, cross-hole seismic testing technique which is known as the most reliable seismic method was adopted for obtaining geotechnical dynamic properties. To perform successfully the cross-hole test for rock as well as soil layers regardless of the ground water level, spring-loaded source which impact laterally a subsurface ground in vertical bore-hole was developed and applied at three study areas, which contain four sites composed of two existing port sites and two new LNG storage facility sites. The geotechnical dynamic properties such as VS, VP and v with depth were efficiently determined from the laterally impacted cross-hole seismic tests at study sites, and were provided as the fundamental parameters for the seismic performance evaluation of the existing ports and the seismic design of the LNG storage facilities.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.675-682
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• 2000

25 seismic shot gathers were obtained to study the two dimensional subsurface shear wave velocities in a landfilled area near the Keum river estuary. Borehole(BH#1 and BH#2) tests at two sites were made in the same area. Standard Penetration Tests were also performed at the same time. The 2-D shear wave velocity structure resulted from the inversion of the seismic data shows that the subsurface of the studied area consists of the upper 1${\sim}$3 meter thick layer(200 m/sec${\sim}$700 m/sec), the middle 5${\sim}$8 m thick low velocity layer(100 m/sec${\sim}$400 m/sec), and the lower layer of 1000m/sec or higher shear wave velocities. The thickness of the low velocity layer decreases from the BH #1 site to the BH #2 site. The depth to the basement also decreases toward the BH #2 site. The examination of the S wave velocity structure, the description of the geologic contents, and the Standard Penetration Test values indicate that the middle layer of low shear wave velocity may be related to the clay content of the layer. On the other hand, the Standard Penetration test values increase with depth, showing no significant relationship with the geologic contents of the subsurface. This study shows that the inversion of surface waves can be effective in the study of the shear wave velocity, especially in the area where low velocity layers can be found. The method of inversion of surface waves also can be used as a viable technique to overcome the limit of the seismic refraction method.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.51-59
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• 2004

The evaluation of shear modulus is very important in various fields of civil engineering. In this paper, the site characterization method using HWAW method is applied to determine shear wave velocity profile of two test sites in order to verify the field applicability of HWAW method. Shear wave velocity profiles by HWAW method are compared with shear wave velocity profiles by SASW test and PS-Suspension Logging test. Through field applications, it is shown that HWAW method can minimize the effect of noise and lateral non-homogeneity of the site and determine detailed local shear wave velocity profile of site.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.14-18
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• 2004

High levels of ambient noise and safety factors often limit the use of 'active-source' seismic methods for geotechnical investigations in urban environments. As an alternative, shear-wave velocity-depth profiles can be obtained by treating the background microtremor wave field as a stochastic process, rather than adopting the traditional approach of calculating velocity based on ray path geometry from a known source. A recent field test in Melbourne demonstrates the ability of the microtremor method, using only Rayleigh waves, to resolve a velocity inversion resulting from the presence of a hard, 12 m thick basalt flow overlying 25 m of softer alluvial sediments and weathered mudstone. Normally the presence of the weaker underlying sediments would lead to an ambiguous or incorrect interpretation with conventional seismic refraction methods. However, this layer of sediments is resolved by the microtremor method, and its inclusion is required in one-dimensional layered-earth modelling in order to reproduce the Rayleigh-wave coherency spectra computed from observed seismic noise records. Nearby borehole data provided both a guide for interpretation and a confirmation of the usefulness of the passive Rayleigh-wave microtremor method. Sensitivity analyses of resolvable modelling parameters demonstrate that estimates of shear velocities and layer thicknesses are accurate to within approximately $10\%\;to\;20\%$ using the spatial autocorrelation (SPAC) technique. Improved accuracy can be obtained by constraining shear velocities and/or layer thicknesses using independent site knowledge. Although there exists potential for ambiguity due to velocity-thickness equivalence, the microtremor method has significant potential as a site investigation tool in situations where the use of traditional seismic methods is limited.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2006.03a
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• pp.562-571
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• 2006

Mean shear wave velocity of the upper 30m $(V_s30)$ used as the current site classification criterion for determining seismic design ground motions in Korea was established based on the typical depth of site investigations in western US, in which the depth to bedrock is much deeper than that in Korea. In this study, to establish appropriate site classification system for site conditions of Korea, site investigations including in-situ seismic tests to determine shear wave velocity $(V_s)$ were carried out at total 72 sites in Korean peninsula. The mean $V_s's$ to the depths of 5m, 10m, 15m, 20m and 25m together with the $V_s30$ at the testing sites were determined, and the correlation between the mean $V_s$ to a depth shallower than 30m and the $V_s30$ was drawn and suggested for the efficient seismic site classification in Korea. The proposed correlation could be utilized for the seismic design in case of the $V_s$ profiles shallower than 30 m in depth. The correlation in this study, nevertheless, requires further modification by means of the accumulation of various site data in Korea.