• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.221-231
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• 2021

A two dimensional model of linearly elastic soil spring used for the settlement analysis of the flexible mat foundation is suggested in this study. The spring constants of the soils underneath the foundation were modeled assuming uniformly vertical load applied onto the foundation. The soil spring constants were back calculated using the three-dimensional finite element analysis with Midas GTS NX program. Variation of the soil spring constants was modeled as a two-dimensional polynomial function in terms of the normalized spatial distances between the center of foundation and the analytical points. The Lysmer's analog spring for soils underneath the rigid foundation was adopted and calibrated for the flexible foundation. For validations, the newly proposed soil spring model was incorporated into a two dimensional finite difference analysis for a square mat foundation at the surface of an elastic half-space consisting of soft clays. Comparative study was made for elastic soils where the shear wave velocity is 120~180 m/s and the Poisson's ratio varies at 0.3~0.5. The resulting foundation settlements from the two dimensional finite difference analysis with the proposed soil springs were found in good agreement with those obtained directly from three dimensional finite element analyses. Details of the applications and limitations of the modified Lysmer's analog springs were discussed in this study.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.361-375
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• 2015

Constructions over soft and loose soils are one of the most frequent problems in many parts of the world. Cement and cement-lime mixture have been widely used for decades to improve the strength of these soils with the deep soil mixing method. In this study, to investigate the freeze-thaw effect of sand improved by polymers (i.e., styrene-acrylic-copolymer-SACP, polyvinyl acetate-PVAc and xanthan gum) and fly ash, unconfined compression tests were performed on specimens which were exposed to freeze-thaw cycles and on specimens which were not exposed to freeze-thaw cycles. The laboratory test results concluded that the unconfined compressive strength increased with the increase of polymer ratio and curing time, whereas, the changes on unconfined compressive strength with increase of freeze-thaw cycles were insignificant. The overall evaluation of results has revealed that polymers containing fly ash is a good promise and potential as a candidate for deep soil mixing application.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.79-89
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• 2000

The application of stabilization method has increased because of short construction periods, no environmental problems with dumped and replaced soil, assurance of required strength and economical effect with mid to small size construction. The unconfined and triaxial(UU-condition) compression tests were executed with each mixing sample for the study of the improvement effects and the effect of design-parameters by the stabilization methods. Three typical stabilizers, which are representative in Korea, were applied in this study, and three common soils(very soft clay, general weathered soil, common clay), which are common in Korea, were used in this study. In this study, the effect of engineering factors(soils, stabilizers and water contents, etc.) which are important parameters for the improvement effects of mixed ground by stabilizers, was analyzed. As results, the tendencies of design-parameters(unconfined compression strength, deformation modulus and strength parameter) are presented and the criteria of the application of stabilization methods are suggested.

• Proceedings of the KSR Conference
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• 1999.05a
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• pp.375-382
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• 1999

The use of compaction grouting system(C.G.S) evolved in the 1950's to correct structural settlement of buildings. Over the almost 50 years, the technology has developed and is currently used in wide range of applications. Compaction Grouting, the injection of a very stiff 'zero-slump' mortar grout under relatively high pressure, displaces and compacts soils. It can effectively repair natural or man-made soil strength deficiencies in variety of soil formations. Major uses of Compaction Grouting include densifying loose soils or fill voids caused by sinkholes, poorly compacted fills, broken utilities, improper dewatering, or soft ground tunneling excavation. Other application include preventing liquefaction, re-leveling settled structures, and using compaction grout bulbs as structural elements of minipiles or underpinning. So, on the basis of the case history constructed in recent year, a study has been performed to analyze the basic mechanism of the Compaction Grouting and verify the effectiveness of the ground improvement.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.28 no.9
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• pp.5-15
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• 2012

Field monitoring data for embankments in thirteen road construction sites at coastal area of the Korean Peninsula were analyzed to investigate the characteristics of lateral flow in soft grounds, to which vertical drain methods were applied. First of all, the effect of the embankment scale on the lateral flow was investigated. Thicker soft soils and lager relative embankment scale produced more horizontal displacements in soft grounds. Especially, if thick soft grounds were placed, the relative embankment scale, which was given by the ratio of thickness of soft ground to the bottom width of embankments, became larger and in turn large horizontal displacement was produced. And also higher filling velocity of embankments induced more horizontal displacements in soft grounds. The other major factors affecting the lateral flow in soft ground were the thickness and undrained shear strength of soft grounds, the soil modulus and the stability number. Maximum horizontal displacement was induced by less undrained shear strength and soil modulus of soft grounds. Also more stability numbers produced more maximum horizontal displacements. When the shear deformation does not develop, the stability number was less than 3.0 and the safety factor of bearing was more than 1.7. However, if the stability number was more than 5.14 and the safety factor of bearing was less than 1.0, the unstable shear failure developed in soft ground. 50mm can be recommended as a criterion of the allowable maximum horizontal displacement to prevent the shear deformation in soft ground, while 100mm can be recommended as a criterion of the allowable maximum horizontal displacement to prevent the shear failure in soft ground.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.355-364
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• 2016

Recently, a 3,250 meter-long tunnel was constructed beneath the sea bed formed of composite sedimentary soils to transport reusable waste heat gas of industrial complex in the west coast of Korea. Some risks such as machine settlement always exist due to the uncertainties of geological and construction factors during the subsea shield TBM tunnelling. In this construction site, the deviation of tunnel alignment caused by shield TBM settlement was occurred during excavation. It was examined that the lack of bearing capacity of soft clay was a main cause. This paper evaluates the risk of shield TBM tunnelling considering the ground conditions. Correlation between machine settlement and its advance rate was evaluated through the analytical equation in which bearing capacity is considered and a 3-D numerical analysis which can simulate the TBM advance condition (in other words, the dynamic condition). It was found out that a shield TBM could settle due to the insufficient bearing capacity of soft clay layers. In order to prevent such the problem, the best advance rate proper to the ground characteristics is needed to be applied. In the ground conditions of the section of interest, it was turned out that if the shield TBM advance rate was maintained between 35 mm/min and 40 mm/min, the machine settlement could be avoided.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.20 no.8
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• pp.77-87
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• 2004

In this paper a back-propagation neural network model is developed to estimate the preconsolidation pressure of Korean soft soils based on 176 oedometer tests and 63 piezocone test results, which were compiled from 11 sites - western and southern parts of Korea. Only 147 data were used for the training of the neural network and 29 data, which were not used during the training phase, were used for the verification of trained network. Empirical and theoretical models were compared with the developed neural network model. A simple 4-4-9-1 multi-layered neural network has been developed. The cone tip resistance $q_T$ penetration pore pressure $u_2$, total overburden pressure $\sigma_{vo}$ and effective overburden pressure $\sigma'_{vo}$ were selected as input variables. The developed neural network model was validated by comparing the prediction results of the proposed neural network model for the new data which were not used for the training of the model with the measured preconsolidation pressures. It can also predict more precise and reliable preconsolidation pressures than the analytical and empirical model. Furthermore, it can be carefully concluded that neural network model can be used as a generalized model for prediction of preconsolidation pressure throughout Korea since developed model shows good performance for the new data which were not used in both training and testing data.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.5-16
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• 2009

Preconsolidation stress is one of the important design parameters in soft soils because the behavior of saturated soft soils changes dramatically at the preconsolidation stress. For the estimation of preconsolidation stress, the global vertical settlement without considering micro strain behavior has been considered. The purpose of this study is to propose and verify a new method called the "shear wave velocity method" for determination of the preconsolidation stress reflecting on particle behavior at the small-strain. In this study, the undisturbed soft soils obtained at Busan, Incheon and Gwangyang in Korea were used. The oedometer cell incoporated with the bender elements is used for the consolidation tests under the $K_0$ condition. The preconsolidation stress determined by the proposed method is compared with that estimated by Casagrande (e-log p'), Sridharan (log (1+e)-log p'), and Onitsuka (In(1+e)-log p') methods. This study suggests that the shear wave velocity method may determine simply the preconsolidation stress with considering the small-strain behavior.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.417-439
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• 2017

The stone columns are increasingly being used as a soil improvement method for supporting a wide variety of structures (such as road embankment, buildings, storage tanks etc.) especially built on soft soil. Soil improvement by the stone column method overcomes the settlement problem and low stability. Nevertheless, stone column in very soft soils may not be functional due to insufficient lateral confinement. The required lateral confinement can be overcome by encasing the stone column with a suitable geosynthetic. Encasement of stone columns with geogrid is one of the ideal forms of improving the performance of stone columns. This paper presents the results of a series of experimental tests and numerical analysis to investigate the behavior of stone columns with and without geogrid encasement in soft clay deposits. A total of six small scale laboratory tests were carried out using circular footing with diameters of 0.05 m and 0.1 m. In addition, a well-known available software program called PLAXIS was used to numerical analysis, which was validated by the experimental tests. After good validation, detailed of parametric studies were performed. Different parameters such as bearing capacity of stone columns with and without geogrid encasement, stiffness of geogrid encasement, depth of encasement from ground level, diameter of stone columns, internal friction angle of crushed stone and lateral bulging of stone columns were analyzed. As a result of this study, stone column method can be used in the improvement of soft ground and clear development in the bearing capacity of the stone column occurs due to geogrid encasement. Moreover, the bearing capacity is effected from the diameter of the stone column, the angle of internal friction, rigidity of the encasement, and depth of encasement. Lateral bulging is minimized by geogrid encasement and effected from geogrid rigidity, depth of encasement and diameter of the stone column.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2007.06a
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• pp.613-616
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• 2007

The main structures that comprise a tidal power plant are turbine structure, sluice structure, tide embankment and gate. Since these structures are founded on seabed ground, an extensive geotechnical site investigation to evaluate the engineering properties of field soils must be conducted prior to design and construction. According to the results of geotechnical site investigation conducted at the planned site for construction of Incheon bay tidal power plant, soft ground generally lie 7 meters below the seabed surface level. This research suggests the reliable and economical design of foundations and ground improvements required for construction of main structures in Incheon bay tidal power plant, with considerations on field conditions.