• Journal of Industrial Technology
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• v.25 no.B
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• pp.55-62
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• 2005

This paper is the results of experimental and numerical works on analyzing the geotechnical engineering behavior and characteristics of excavated clay slope formed by the method of excavated replacement which is one of treatments in soft soil ground. For the centrifuge model tests, models of excavated clay slope were prepared by remolding the marine clayey soil sampled from the field. Tests were performed with changing the slope to investigate the behavior of them. On the other hand, numerical analyses were carried out to analyze the change of safety factor against instability of slope with time. Changes of pore water pressure, shear strength and displacement were also investigated. As results of centrifuge model tests with slopes of 1:1.5 and 1:3 using the confining body of simulating the effect of excavation, for the case of 1:1.5, slope failure occurred right after remove the confining body whereas relatively small displacements within the range of 3.2mm, implying to maintain the stability of slope, were observed for the case of 1:3 slope. From the results of numerical analyses using the software of PLAXIS to investigate the stability of slope after excavation, the minimum safety factor against slope failure was 1.28 for the case of 1:3 slope. The further researches in the future are required with considerations of build up of static pore water pressures during acceleration of centrifuge, depth of excavation influencing the behavior of the slope and permeability of the slope since excavation of the slope was not simulated well resulted from the limitations of apparatus at the stage of excavation during the centrifuge tests.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.483-503
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• 2017

Uncertainty is a fact belonging to engineering practice. An important uncertainty that sets geotechnical engineering is the variability associated with the properties of soils or, more precisely, the characterization of soil profiles. The reason is due largely to the complex and varied natural processes associated with the formation of soil. Spatial variability analysis for the study of the stability of natural slopes, complementing conventional analyses, is able to incorporate these uncertainties. In this paper the characterization is performed in back-analysis for a case of landslide occurred to verify afterwards the presence of the conditions of shear strength at failure. This approach may support designers to make more accurate estimates regarding slope failure responding, more consciously, to the legislation dispositions about slope stability evaluation and future design. By applying different kriging techniques used for spatial analysis it has been possible to perform a 3D-slope reconstruction. The predictive analysis and the areal mapping of the soil mechanical characteristics would support the definition of priority interventions in the zones characterized by more critical values as well as slope potential instability. This tool of analysis aims to support decision-making by directing project planning through the efficient allocation of available resources.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.1-17
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• 2000

In this study, 270 cut-slopes are investigated and statistical analyses are performed. More than 84% of unstable slopes are rock slopes or rock-soil mixed slopes, and 72% of the slopes have 10 to 30 meter in height. And in order to clarify the cause of failure, 3 slopes which have been failed are back-analysed by using the computer programs such as DIPS, UDEC and PCSTABL5M. A heavy rainfall during rainy season is a main cause of slope failure, and a blasting vibration during construction could also give a significant influence on the slope instability.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.30 no.8 s.251
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• pp.1008-1015
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• 2006

Based on three-dimensional (3-D) FE limit analyses, this paper provides plastic limit, collapse and instability load solutions for pipe bends under combined pressure and in-plane bending. The plastic limit loads are determined from FE limit analyses based on elastic-perfectly plastic materials using the small geometry change option, and the FE limit analyses using the large geometry change option provide plastic collapse loads (using the twice-elastic-slope method) and instability loads. For the bending mode, both closing bending and opening bending are considered, and a wide range of parameters related to the bend geometry is considered. Based on the FE results, closed-form approximations of plastic limit and collapse load solutions for pipe bends under combined pressure and bending are proposed.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.243-255
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• 2010

The slope design of an open-pit mine must consider economical efficiency and stability. Thus, the overall slope angle is the principal factor because of limited support or reinforcement options available in such a setting. In this study, slope displacement, as monitored by a GPS system, was analyzed for a coal mine at Pasir, Indonesia. Predictions of failure time by inverse velocity analysis showed good agreement with field observations. Therefore, the failure time of an unstable slope can be roughly estimated prior to failure. A GIS model that combines fuzzy theory and the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) was developed to assess slope instability in open-pit coal mines. This model simultaneously considers seven factors that influence the instability of open-pit slopes (i.e., overall slope gradient, slope height, surface flows, excavation plan, tension cracks, faults, and water body). Application of the proposed method to an open-pit coal mine revealed an enhanced prediction accuracy of failure time and failure site compared with existing methods.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.123-136
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• 2019

This study examines the effect of collector well installed to reduce groundwater level in the regions with the occurrence of landcreep, a soil mass movement triggered by instability on slopes. Slopes are prone to failure as a result of instability caused by its internal, topographic and geological properties as well as due to external factors such as rainfall and earthquake. In Korea during the rain season, rainfall infiltration affects the groundwater level in soil, building up porewater pressure and load, and finally drives slopes to collapse. Slope failure caused by rainfall infiltration has been leading to a drastic forest degradation. The studied slope is located adjacent to a valley, its terrain corresponds to piedmont gentle slope, while the upper part of the failure surface is steep. After reinforcing the terrain where landcreep had occurred and installing collector well on the slope, we measured the changes in the groundwater level. In order to analyze the relationship between the well and the slope, we calculated the ratio of groundwater level to rainfall before and after the installation of the collector well. As a result, it is confirmed that the ratio increases after the installation of the well, which in turn reduces the groundwater level. Analysis of the change in groundwater level after 3, 7, 15 days antecedent rainfall showed that the higher the overall groundwater level, the less the value ($r_p$) of groundwater level-rainfall ratio is, while the value becomes relatively greater when the groundwater level is low. In particular, if a slope has a large catchment basin as is in the case of the studied site, antecedent rainfall affects groundwater level in the order of 3 < 7 < 15 days.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.16 no.6 s.65
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• pp.451-466
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• 2006

Analysis of slope behavior concerning the structural characteristics of field rock mass can be processed by virtue of borehole information of joint orientation and position acquired from DOM drilled core. Anticipated sliding potential of pre-failed rock slope is analyzed and the regional slope instability is investigated by inspecting the hazardous joints and blocks the traces of which is projected on the cut-face. Cross section has been set at the center of rock slope and the traces of both joints and tetrahedral blocks, which potentially can induce the slope failure, are drawn to investigate the failure modes and the triggering mechanism. Automated monitoring system has been established to measure the slope movement and especially, inclinometer has been installed inside DOM borehole to analyze the slope movement by considering the internal rock structure. Algorithms for predicting the slope failure time have been reviewed and the significance of heavy rainfall on the slope behavior has been investigated.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2019

Shallow failures occur frequently in both engineered and natural slopes in expansive soils. Rainfall infiltration is the most predominant triggering factor that contributes to slope failures in both expansive soils and clayey soils. However, slope failures in expansive soils have some distinct characteristics in comparison to slopes in conventional clayey soils. They typically undergo shallow failures with gentle sliding retrogression characteristics. The shallow sliding mass near the slope surface is typically in a state of unsaturated condition and will exhibit significant volume changes with increasing water content during rainfall periods. Many other properties or characteristics change such as the shear strength, matric suction including stress distribution change with respect to depth and time. All these parameters have a significant contribution to the expansive soil slopes instability and are difficult to take into consideration in slope stability analysis using traditional slope stability analysis methods based on principles of saturated soil mechanics. In this paper, commercial software VADOSE/W that can account for climatic factors is used to predict variation of matric suction with respect to time for an expansive soil cut slope in China, which is reported in the literature. The variation of factor of safety with respect to time for this slope is computed using SLOPE/W by taking account of shear strength reduction associated with loss of matric suction extending state-of-the art understanding of the mechanics of unsaturated soils.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.511-521
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• 2015

It is a common failure type that high-filled embankment slope sideslips. The deformation mechanism and factors influencing the sideslip of embankment slope is the key to reduce the probability of this kind of engineering disaster. Taking Liujiawan high-filled embankment slope as an example, the deformation and failure characteristics of embankment slope and sheet-pile wall are studied, and the factors influencing instability are analyzed, then the correlation of deformation rate of the anti-slide plies and each factor is calculated with multivariate linear regression analysis. The result shows that: (1) The length of anchoring segment is not long enough, and displacement direction of embankment and retaining structure are perpendicular to the trend of the highway; (2) The length of the cantilever segment is so large that the active earth pressures behind the piles are very large. Additionally, the surface drainage is not smooth, which leads to form a potential sliding zone between bottom of the backfill and the primary surface; (3) The thickness of the backfill and the length of the anti-slide pile cantilever segment have positive correlation with the deformation whereas the thickness of anti-slide pile through mudstone has a negative correlation with the deformation. On the other hand the surface water is a little disadvantage on the embankment stability.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.65-76
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• 2009

The unsaturated characteristics of Korean weathered granite soils have been studied to investigate the influence of saturated permeability, rainfall intensity and soil-water characteristic curve (SWCC) on the slope stability. The upper, average and lower SWCCs were estimated from the publication and experimental results using the statistical concept. The roughly estimated SWCC can be used for the soils without experimental results by relating SWCC with the particle size distribution curve. An appropriate ratio between the saturated permeability and the rainfall intensity ($k_s$/i) was also suggested for practical use in designing the slopes by investigating the time-dependent variation of slope instability during the rainfall. The slope stability was deteriorated from the initiation of rainfall and recovered again after the factor of safety reached the critical value. The FS of the slope decreased at first and then increased after reaching the critical value during the rainfall. As a result, the slope instability was not related with an absolute rainfall intensity but with the ratio between the saturated permeability and the rainfall intensity. In case of the upper SWCC, the critical condition occurred when the ratio between the saturated permeability and the rainfall intensity was in the range of $1.0{\sim}2.0$.