• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.89-97
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• 2017

In this study, we evaluated effect of particle size on arsenic solid-state speciation and bioaccessibility in soils highly contaminated with arsenic from smelting and mining. Soils were partitioned into six particle size fractions ($2000-500{\mu}m$, $500-250{\mu}m$, $250-150{\mu}m$, $150-75{\mu}m$, $75-38{\mu}m$, <$38{\mu}m$), and arsenic solid-state speciation and bioaccessibility were characterized in each particle size fraction. Arsenic solid-state speciation was characterized via sequential extraction and XRD analysis, and arsenic bioaccessibility was evaluated by SBRC (Solubility Bioaccessibility Research Consortium) method. In smelter site soil, arsenic was mainly present as arsenic bound to amorphous iron oxides. Fine particle size fractions showed higher arsenic concentration, but lower arsenic bioaccessibility. On the other hand, arsenic in mine site soil showed highest concentration in largest particle size fraction ($2000-500{\mu}m$), while higher bioaccessibility was observed in smaller particle size fractions. Arsenic in mine site soil was mainly present as arsenolite ($As_2O_3$) phase, which seemed to affect the distribution of arsenic and arsenic bioaccessibility in different particle size fractions of the mine soil.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2018

BACKGROUND: Different physical and chemical properties of biochar, which is made out of a variety of biomass materials, can impact water movement through amended soil. The objective of this research was to develop a decision support tool evaluating the impact of the shape and the size distribution of biochar on soil saturated hydraulic conductivity ($K_{sat}$). METHODS AND RESULTS: Plastic beads of different size and morphology were compared with biochar to assess impacts on soil $K_{sat}$. Bead and biochar were added at the rate of 5% (v/w) to coarse sand. The particle size of bead and biochar had an effect on the $K_{sat}$, with larger and smaller particle sizes than the original sand grain (0.5 mm) decreasing the $K_{sat}$ value. The equivalent size bead or biochar to the sand grains had no impact on $K_{sat}$. The amendment shape also influenced soil hydraulic properties, but only when the particle size was between 3-6 mm. Intra-particle porosity had no significant influence on the $K_{sat}$ due to its small pore size and increased tortuosity compared to the inter-particle spaces (macro-porosity). CONCLUSION: The results supported the conclusion that both particle size and shape of the amended biochar impacted the $K_{sat}$ value.

• Progress in Superconductivity and Cryogenics
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.10-13
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• 2016

In this study, we developed a new volume reduction technique for cesium contaminated soil by magnetic separation. Cs in soil is mainly adsorbed on clay which is the smallest particle constituent in the soil, especially on paramagnetic 2:1 type clay minerals which strongly adsorb and fix Cs. Thus selective separation of 2:1 type clay with a superconducting magnet could enable to reduce the volume of Cs contaminated soil. The 2:1 type clay particles exist in various particle sizes in the soil, which leads that magnetic force and Cs adsorption quantity depend on their particle size. Accordingly, we examined magnetic separation conditions for efficient separation of 2:1 type clay considering their particle size distribution. First, the separation rate of 2:1 type clay for each particle size was calculated by particle trajectory simulation, because magnetic separation rate largely depends on the objective size. According to the calculation, 73 and 89 % of 2:1 type clay could be separated at 2 and 7 T, respectively. Moreover we calculated dose reduction rate on the basis of the result of particle trajectory simulation. It was indicated that 17 and 51 % of dose reduction would be possible at 2 and 7 T, respectively. The difference of dose reduction rate at 2 T and 7 T was found to be separated a fine particle. It was shown that magnetic separation considering particle size distribution would contribute to the volume reduction of contaminated soil.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.21 no.7
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• pp.13-20
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• 2005

For experimental study on the effect of particle size distribution on the liquefaction resistance strength, particle size distribution curves of the dredged soil were investigated. In this process, four mean particle sizes and three uniformity coefficients were defined representatively and twelve representative particle size distribution curves which have different mean particle size and uniformity coefficient, were defined and manufactured by using the real dredged river soil. Cyclic triaxial tests and resonant column tests were carried out to analyze the effect of mean particle size and uniformity coefficient on the liquefaction resistance strength and dynamic characteristics.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.98-104
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• 2008

This research was performed to evaluate the extraction characteristics of heavy metals for soil washing of mine tailings-contaminated soil according to particle size distribution and the chemical distributional existence of the metals. As the soil particle size was decreased, the extracted concentrations of heavy metals was increased except Fe and Mn. Most of all heavy metals were extracted within 6 h by soil washing with 0.05 M EDTA. Extraction efficiency of metals was decreased for Pb, Cu, and Zn with decreasing of particle size. Significant difference was not observed in extraction efficiency for Cd according to particle size distribution. Extraction efficiency for Cd was the highest as 86~91%, while the lowest as 5~14% for Fe. Most metals of the soil without soil washing was distributed as reducible, oxidizable, and residual fractions. Pb, Zn, and Cd existed as reducible (Fe/Mn oxide) and residual fractions and Cu existed as oxidizable and residual fractions after soil washing treatment with 0.05 M EDTA. As the soil particle size was decreased, residual fraction was increased for Pb and Cu. About 90% of reducible fraction in Pb, Zn, and Cd was removed by soil washing with 0.05 M EDTA. As the results, it was founded that soil particle size was the important parameter to effect on distributional fraction and extraction efficiency of metals in mine tailings-contaminated soil.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.241-255
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• 2022

In this study, sieve analysis testing was performed on weathered granite soil from Yecheon (eastern South Korea) before and after water washing in accordance with the sieve analysis regulations of KS F 2302. The changes in particle separation and particle size distribution after washing with water were analyzed. Image analysis using an optical microscope revealed that soil particles were separated into smaller particles by water washing. The change in the particle size distribution curve was assessed using five index values. The increase in the fine particle fraction (<0.075 mm) was 13.67%, the increase in the 0.075-0.25 mm fraction was 19.44%, and the mean particle diameter (D₅₀) decreased by 0.663 mm. In addition, the maximum passage width (B_M) of the particle size distribution curve increased by 21.08% for the #30 sieve, and the moving area (A) of the particle size distribution curve was 69.28%·mm. These results suggest that washing with water is an effective way to prevent underestimation of the fine particle content in soil.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.475-480
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• 2001

Sensing soil organic matter is crucial for precision farming and environment friendly agriculture. Near infra-red(NIR) was utilized to measure the soil organic matter. Multivariate calibration methods, including stepwise multiple linear regression(MLR), principal components recession(PCR) and partial least squares regression(PLS), were applied to soil spectral reflectance data to predict the organic matter content. The effect of soil particle size and water content was studied. The range of soil organic matter contents was from 0.5 to 11%. Near infrared (NIR) region from 700 to 2,500nm was applied. For uniform soil particle size, result had good correlation (R$\^$2/ = 0.984, standard error of prediction= 0.596). The effect of soil particle size could be eliminated with 1st order derivative of the NIR signal. However. moist soil had a little lower correlation. R$\^$2/ was 0.95 and standard error of prediction was 0.94% using the PLS method. The results showed the possibility of soil organic matter measurement using NIR reflectance on the field.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.135-143
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• 2022

Soils are natural granular materials whose mechanical properties differ according to the size and composition of the particles, so soils exhibit an obvious scale effect. Traditional soil mechanics is based on continuum mechanics, which can not reflect the impact of particle size on soil mechanics. On that basis, a matrix-reinforcing-particle cell model is established in which the reinforcing particles are larger-diameter sand particles and the matrix comprises smaller-diameter bentonite particles. Since these two types of particles deform differently under shear stress, a new shear-strength theory under direct shear that considers the stress concentration and bypass phenomena of the matrix is established. In order to verify the rationality of this theory, a series of direct shear tests with different reinforcing particle diameter and volume fraction ratio are carried out. Theoretical analysis and experimental results showed that the interaction among particles of differing size and composition is the basic reason for the size effect of soils. Furthermore, the stress concentration and bypass phenomena of the matrix enhance the shear strength of a soil, and the volume ratio of reinforcing particles has an obvious impact on the shear strength. In addition, the newly proposed shear-strength theory agrees well with experimental values.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.21-26
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• 2003

Hwang and Powers (2003) developed a simple model for estimating water retention characteristic (WRC) directly from particle-size distribution (PSD) data, by applying a lognormal distribution law to both PSD and pore-size distribution. The objective of this work was to determine if the performance of the model developed by Hwang and Powers (2003) would be affected by soil texture. The results of this research proved that the performance of the model was indeed affected by soil texture. In particular, its performance diminished with increases in the fine particle fractions. Also, the nonlinear model, which assumes a nonlinear relation between particle-size and pore-size, performed better than the linear model, regardless of soil texture classes.

• Progress in Superconductivity and Cryogenics
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.26-31
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• 2021

Advanced classification of Cs contaminated soil by using a magnetic force-assisted selection pipe was investigated. A selection pipe is a device that sort particles depending on their particle size, based on the relationship between buoyancy, drag, and gravity force acting on the particles. Radioactive cesium is concentrated in small-particle size soil components with a large specific surface area. Hence, the volume of the Cs contaminated soil can be reduced by recycling the large-particle size soil components with low radioactive concentration. One of the problems of the selection pipe was that the radioactive concentration of the stayed soil in the selection pipe exceeds 8000 Bq/kg, which is the standard value of recycling of Cs contaminated soil, due to low classification accuracy. In this study, magnetic fields were applied to the lab-scale selection pipe from upper side to improve the classification accuracy and to reduce the radioactive concentration of the stayed soil.