• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.102-111
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• 2014

Ecological restoration is regarded as a major strategy for preventing biodiversity loss and thereby enhancing ecosystem service. This study was performed to evaluate ecosystem service value that the restored ecosystem provides. Ecosystem service was evaluated for provisioning and regulating services. The former service was evaluated by comparing similarities in a viewpoint of floristic composition to the reference site between the restored and the unrestored sites. Species composition of the restored site was found to be more similar to the reference site than that of the unrestored site and thereby restoration practice contributed for enhancing the provisioning service. Regulating service was evaluated based on microclimate control, soil amelioration, and improvement of water holding capacity. The value of ecosystem services in terms of microclimate control, soil amelioration, and improvement of water holding capacity was higher in the restored site than in the unrestored site. In consequence, ecological restoration of coal mine spoils contributed for enhancing the ecosystem service value of the corresponding site and thereby is rewarding the cost invested for restoration.

• Magazine of the Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.127-134
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• 2001

In order to expand agricultural lands in the western and southern coasts of Korean Peninsula, coarse soils excavated from hillsides have been used as fill materials for reclamation. In order to tackle with the problems and to confirm availability, research on soil improvement involve mixing cement to the fine wet soils. Required undrained shear strength$(C_u)$ for fill material was analysed to be 0.34~1.2 $kgf/cm^2$. It has been known that when cement is added to high water content marine clay its unconfined compression strength increased to 2 $kgf/cm^2$. Consolidation results show that pre-consolidation pressure increased to 1.8 $kgf/cm^2$and 3.4 $kgf/cm^2$ with the addition of 3% and 5% of cement respectively. This result shows that low-height embankments could be constructed without significant compression. Since the effectiveness of improvement may be different site by site, the mix design for each site is necessary in order to optimize it. The process is first to determine aimed shear strength and then optimum mix ratio of cement after carrying out a series of tests.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2019

This paper proposes a new numerical approach to model geocell reinforced soils, where the geocell is described as membrane elements and the complex interaction between geocell and soil is realized by coupling their degrees of freedom. The effectiveness and robustness of this approach are demonstrated using two examples, i.e., a geocell-reinforced foundation and a large scale retaining wall project. The first example validates the approach against established solutions through a comprehensive parametrical study to understand the influence of geocell on the improvement of bearing capacity of foundations. The study results show that reducing the geocell pocket size has a strong effect on improving the bearing capacity. In addition, when the aspect ratio maintains the same value, the bearing capacity improvement with increasing geocell height is insignificant. Comparing with the field monitoring and measurement in the project, the second example investigates the application of the approach to practical engineering projects. This paper provides a practically feasible and efficient modelling approach, where no explicit interface or contact is required. This allows geocell reinforced soils in large scale project can be effectively modelled where the mechanism for complex geocell-soil interaction can be explicitly observed.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.31-40
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• 2021

Injection grouting is one of the most common ground improvement practice to increase the strength and reduce the hydraulic conductivity of soils. Owing to the environmental concerns of conventional grout materials, such as cement-based or silicate-based materials, bio-inspired biogeotechnical approaches are considered to be new sustainable and environmentally friendly ground improvement methods. Biopolymers, which are excretory products from living organisms, have been shown to significantly reduce the hydraulic conductivity via pore-clogging and increase the strength of soils. To study the practical application of biopolymers for seepage and ground water control, in this study, we explored the injection capabilities of biopolymer-based grout materials in both linear aperture and particulate media (i.e., sand and glassbeads) considering different injection pressures, biopolymer concentrations, and flow channel geometries. The hydraulic conductivity control of a biopolymer-based grout material was evaluated after injection into sandy soil under confined boundary conditions. The results showed that the performance of xanthan gum injection was mainly affected by the injection pressure and pore geometry (e.g., porosity) inside the soil. Additionally, with an increase in the xanthan gum concentration, the injection efficiency diminished while the hydraulic conductivity reduction efficiency enhanced significantly. The results of this study provide the potential capabilities of injection grouting to be performed with biopolymer-based materials for field application.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.329-342
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• 2019

In this paper, the effect of a group of sand columns in the loose soil bed using triaxial tests was studied. To investigate the effect of geotextile reinforcement type on the bearing capacity of these sand columns, Vertical encased sand columns (VESCs) and horizontally reinforced sand columns (HRSCs) were used. Number of sixteen independent triaxial tests and finite element simulation were performed on specimens with a diameter of 100 mm and a height of 200 mm. Specimens were reinforced by either a single sand column or three sand columns with the same area replacement ratio (16%) to evaluate the Influence of the column arrangement. Effect the number of sand columns, the length of vertical encasement and the number of horizontal reinforcing layers were investigated, in terms of bearing capacity improvement and economy. The results indicated that the ultimate bearing capacity of the samples with three ordinary sand columns (OSCs) is eventually about 11% more than samples with an OSC. Also, comparison of the column reinforcing modes showed that four horizontal layers of geotextile achieved similar performance to a vertical encasement geotextile at the 50% of the column height, from the viewpoint of strength improvement, while from the viewpoint of economy, the geotextile needed for encasing the single column is around 2.5 times of the geotextile required for four layers.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.79-90
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• 2022

Soybean-urease induced carbonate precipitation (EICP), as an alternative to microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP), was employed for soil improvement. Meanwhile, soluble calcium produced from industrial waste carbide slag powder (CSP) via the acid dissolution method was used for the EICP process. The ratio of CSP to the acetic acid solution was optimized to obtain a desirable calcium concentration with an appropriate pH. The calcium solution was then used for the sand columns test, and the engineering properties of the EICP-treated sand, including unconfined compressive strength, permeability, and calcium carbonate content, were evaluated. Results showed that the properties of the biocemented sand using the CSP derived calcium solution were comparable to those using the reagent grade CaCl₂. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses revealed that spherical vaterite crystals were mainly formed when the CSP-derived calcium solution was used. In contrast, spherical calcite crystals were primarily formed as the reagent grade CaCl₂ was used. This study highlighted that it was effective and sustainable to use soluble calcium produced from CSP for the EICP process.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.461-469
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• 2022

One of the most important factors that should be considered for using any ground improvement technique is the stability of stabilized soil and the durability of the provided solution for getting the required engineering properties. Generally, most of the earth structures that are constructed on clayey soils are exposing movements due to the long periods of drying or wetting cycles. Over time, environmental changes may result in swells or settlements for these structures. In order to mitigate this problem, this research has been performed on mixtures of high plasticity clay with traditional additives such as lime, cement and non-traditional additives such as polypropylene fiber. The purpose of the research is to assess the most appropriate ground improvement technique by using commercially available additives for resisting the developed desiccation cracks during the drying process and resisting the volume changes that may result during wet/dry cycles as an attempt to simulate the changes of environmental conditions. The results show that the fiber-reinforced samples have the lowest volumetric deformation in comparision with cement and lime stabilized samples, and the optimum fiber content is identified as 0.38%. In addition, the desiccation cracks were not visible on the samples' surface for both unreinforced and chemically stabilized samples. Regarding cracks resistance resulting from the desiccation process, it is observed, that the resistance is connected with the fiber content and increases with the increase of the fiber inclusion, and the optimum content is between 1% and 1.5%.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.41-51
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• 2023

Cementitious materials such as Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC), fly ash, lime, and bitumen have been employed for soil improvement over the years. However, due to the environmental concerns associated with the use of OPC, substituting OPC with calcium sulfoaluminate (CSA) cement offers good potential for ground improvement because it is more eco-friendly. Although earlier research has investigated the stabilizing effects of CSA cement-treated sand, no attempt has been made to examine soil behavior under high confining pressure. As a result, this study aimed to investigate the shear strength and mechanical behavior of CSA cement-treated sand using a consolidated drained (CD) triaxial test with high confining pressure. The microstructure of the examined sand samples was investigated using scanning electron microscopy. This study used sand with CSA cement contents of 3%, 5%, and 7% and confining pressures of 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 MPa. It revealed that the confining pressures and CSA cement content significantly affected the stress-strain and volumetric change behavior of CSA cement-treated sand at high confining pressures.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
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• 2017.06a
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• pp.369-369
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• 2017

To improve the reclaimed land soil, we put organic materials (Chopped kenaf, decomposed rice hull, rice straw, pellet type manure compost) into reclaimed land for 3,000 kg per 10a. As a result, EC of reclaimed soil was lowered by 58% ($1.2dS/m{\rightarrow}0.5$), content of soil organic material was risen from 6.7 g/kg to 16.0 (1.4 fold ${\uparrow}$), porosity of soil was elevated from 1.57 % to 1.31 (16.6% ${\downarrow}$), soil hardness was reduced from 20.2 mm to 17.9 (11.4% ${\downarrow}$) and plow layer soil was deepen from 19.8 cm to 26.8 (35% ${\uparrow}$). In the wake of physiochemical improvement of reclaimed soil, the growth phase of crops became better contrast to non-treatment. For example the plant height of Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) cultivated in reclaimed land containing organic materials was lengthen by 18.8%. Especially, the improvment effect of pellet type manure compost and rice straw was more preferable. When the kenaf was cultivated in reclaimed land containing organic materials, the yield was become higher. The average yield of organic materials treatment was 9,218 kg/10a, and it was 2.1 times higher than non-treatment (4,368kg/10a). And the effective treatments to increase yields were pellet type manure compost (10,848 kg/10a, 148% ${\uparrow}$), rice straw (120% ${\uparrow}$) and chopped kenaf (95% ${\uparrow}$). To intensify the effect of physicochemical enhancement of reclaimed land soil and improving yields, we put into various physical types of organic materials (pellet type, liquid type, powdered type). The most effective organic materials type for enhancement of physicochemical properties (EC of reclaimed soil was lowered, content of soil organic material was risen, porosity of soil was elevated, soil hardness was reduced, plow layer soil was deepen) was pellet. And source to maintain better growth phase and get more yield were liquid and pellet types. When we used pellet type organic material, the plant height of kenaf was lengthen by 41% in comparison with non-treatment and yield was more than 122% more. And also liquid type could get more yield (by 127%) and growth phase (by 38%)

• Land and Housing Review
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.31-39
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• 2015

Most landscape areas in apartment complex have been changing. Increasing the area of underground parking lots have an effect on apartment's circumstance. Natural ground was decreased so that the most space in apartment complex were converted into an artificial ground. To suggest the soil quality management, this study examined the actual situation about the soil quality of planting ground such as the quality standard as artificial soil, the difference of natural ground, and the difference of soil quality according to the work classification. As a result, the soil quality of the apartment complex with a large underground parking lot had low quality of soil. Soil physical properties were relatively fine but soil chemical properties needed the quality control. The soil quality of natural ground and artificial ground was not statistically significant and the soil quality by the work classification also had no statistical significance. Therefore, we established improvements about standards of the chemical properties for quality management, the soil quality in the natural ground and applying the equivalent standard according to the work classification.