• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.5-17
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• 2022

A pile is a type of medium for constructing superstructures in weak geotechnical conditions. A pretensioned spun high-strength concrete (PHC) pile is composed of high-strength concrete with a specified strength greater than 80 MPa. Therefore, it has advantages in resistance to axial and bending moments and quality control and management since it is manufactured in a factory. However, the skin friction of a pile, which accounts for a large portion of the pile bearing capacity, is only approximated using empirical equations or standard penetration test (SPT) N-values. Particularly, there are some poor research results on the pile-soil interface under the seismic loads in Korea. Additionally, some studies do not consider geoenvironmental elements, such as groundwater pH values. This study performs sets of cyclic simple shear tests using submerged concrete specimens for 1 month to consider pH values of groundwater and clay specimens composed of kaolinite to generate a pile-soil interface. 0.2 and 0.4 MPa of normal stress conditions are considered in the case of pH values. The disturbed state concept is employed to express the dynamic behavior of the interface, and the disturbed function parameters are newly suggested. Consequently, the largest disturbance increase under basic conditions is observed, and an early approach to the failure under low normal stress conditions is presented. The disturbance function parameters are also suggested to express this disposition quantitatively.

• 한국지구물리탐사학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.09a
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• pp.125-153
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• 2005

It has been widely known that the seismic piezo-cone penetration test (SCPTU) is one of the most useful techniques for investigating the geotechnical characteristics including dynamic soil properties. As the practical applications in Korea, SCPTU was carried out at two sites in Busan and four sites in Incheon, which are mainly composed of alluvial or marine soil deposits. From the SCPTU waveform data obtained from the testing sites, the first arrival times of shear waves were and the corresponding time differences with depth were determined using the cross-over method, and the shear wave velocity profiles (VS) were derived based on the refracted ray path method based on Snell's law and similar to the trend of cone tip resistance (qt) profiles. In Incheon area, the testing depths of SCPTU were deeper than those of conventional down-hole seismic tests. Moreover, for the application of the conventional CPTU to earthquake engineering practices, the correlations between VS and CPTU data were deduced based on the SCPTU results. For the empirical evaluation of VS for all soils together with clays and sands which are classified unambiguously in this study by the soil behavior type classification Index (IC), the authors suggested the VS-CPTU data correlations expressed as a function of four parameters, qt, fs, $\sigma$, v0 and Bq, determined by multiple statistical regression modeling. Despite the incompatible strain levels of the down-hole seismic test during SCPTU and the conventional CPTU, it is shown that the VS-CPTU data correlations for all soils clays and sands suggested in this study is applicable to the preliminary estimation of VS for the Korean deposits and is more reliable than the previous correlations proposed by other researchers.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.63-72
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• 2015

This paper describes the correlation and relationship between elastic moduli measured by three stiffness measurement methods with different mechanical characteristics to evaluate the compaction characteristics of subgrade soils. The Soil Stiffness Gauge (SSG) with very small strain (${\approx}0.001%$) ranges, static Plate Loading Test (PLT) with mid-level strain (${\approx}0.01{\sim}0.1%$) ranges, and Dynamic Cone Penetrometer (DCP) using penetration resistance were implemented to measure the elastic modulus. To use the elastic modulus measured by different measurement methods with a wide range of strain in practice, it is required to identify the correlation and relationship of measured values in advance. The comparison results of the measured elastic moduli ($E_{SSG}$, $E_{PLT}$, $E_{DCP}$) using the three measurement methods for domestic and overseas subgrade soils under various conditions indicate that the evaluated elastic modulus relies on the types of soils and the level of stress condition. The correlation analysis of the measured elastic moduli except the data of cement treated soils indicates that the static elastic modulus ($E_{PLT}$) is evaluated as about 60 to 80% of the dynamic elastic modulus ($E_{SSG}$). Unusual soils such as cement treated soils are required to be corrected by the stress correction during the correlation analysis with typical soils, because these types of soils are sensitive to the stress condition when measuring the static elastic modulus ($E_{PLT}$) of soils. In addition, when considering the use of DCP data for the evaluation of the elastic modulus ($E_{DCP}$), the measured data of the elastic modulus less than 200 MPa show more reliable correlation.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.22 no.12
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• pp.67-76
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• 2006

The reasonable assessment of the shear stiffness of a dredged soft ground and soft clay is difficult due to the soil disturbance. This study addresses the development and application of a new in-situ shear wave measuring apparatus (field velocity probe: FVP), which overcomes several of the limitations of conventional methods. Design concerns of this new apparatus include the disturbance of soils, cross-talking between transducers, electromagnetic coupling between cables, self acoustic insulation, the constant travel distance of S-wave, the rotation of the transducer, directly transmitted wave through a frame from transducer to transducer, and protection of the transducer and the cable. These concerns are effectively eliminated by continuous improvements through performing field and laboratory tests. The shear wave velocity of the FVP is simply calculated, without any inversion process, by using the travel distance and the first arrival time. The developed FVP Is tested in soil up to 30m in depth. The experimental results show that the FVP can produce every detailed shear wave velocity profiles in sand and clay layers. In addition, the shear wave velocity at the tested site correlates well with the cone tip resistance. This study suggests that the FVP may be an effective technique for measuring the shear wave velocity in the field to assess dynamic soil properties in soft ground.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.37-45
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• 2008

A pilot test using environmentally friendly drains, was carried out to evaluate their applicability potential in the field. The pilot test site was divided into 5 different areas, with several combinations of vertical and horizontal drains installed for evaluation. Conventional natural fiber drains (FDB), new developed straw drain board (SDB) and plastic drain board (PDB) were used as vertical drains, while sand and fiber mats were used as horizontal drains. Surface settlement rates and excess pore pressure generation/dissipation tendency of PDB and FDB are almost identical except those of SDB. Cone tip resistance obtained from cone penetration test measured at the end of 1st consolidation stage for upper soft layer definitely increased irrespective of types of vertical drains. The monitoring and site investigation test data obtained at the pilot test site prove the vertical natural fiber drains can be used as substitutes of conventional plastic and sand material.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.53-61
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• 2014

Sea gives us a lot of benefits and one of them is a role of transporting goods easily by ship. Accordingly the industrial area or the container yard is constructed either on the low sea or near the sea. Sea dredging ground is made by pumping them using dredge pump to the inside of embankment after dredging undersea soils. The dredging ground after pumping is in the slurry state but as time goes, consolidation by the own weight happens and evaporation happens at the surface of dredging ground. The evaporation causes the crest layer in the upper side of dredging ground. Under the crest layer there is still a soil of slurry state which has just little bearing resistance. This kind of characteristics makes it difficult to get a exact bearing capacity using the equations proposed until now. In this study we have performed simultaneously both the field loading tests and the cone penetration tests on the sea dredging ground. From the result of field tests, new experimental equation for the ultimate bearing capacity has been proposed. If we use the new equation, it is believed that some design of sea dredging ground could be more accurate.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.429-438
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• 2018

Cone and T-bar penetrometers have been frequently used to estimate the undrained shear strength of clay. For small-size model tests, miniature penetrometers should be used but their correlation factors have not been well published. In this study, a testing setup was developed to derive empirical factors of the miniature cone and T-bar penetrometers. A 350mm-diameter chamber and kaolin clay were utilized to prepare soil specimens consolidated under four different pre-consolidation pressures controlling undrained shear strength. Two miniature cones with two diameters of 10-mm and 16-mm and a T-bar penetrometer with 10-mm diameter were used to investigate boundary effect, penetration rate effect, and diameter and shape effect. Unconsolidated-undrained triaxial tests were carried out with samples taken from the specimens to measure undrained shear strength. Finally, empirical factors for the penetrometers were constructed to correlate tip resistance to undrained shear strength.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2007.09a
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• pp.266-292
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• 2007

Round Robin Test (RRT) on ground response analyses was conducted for three sites in Korea based on several site investigation data, which include borehole logs with the N values from standard penetration test (SPT) for all three sites and additionally cone tip resistance profiles for two sites. Three input earthquake motions together with the site investigation data were provided for the RRT. A total of 12 teams participating in this RRT presented the results of ground response analyses using equivalent-linear and/or nonlinear method. Each team determined input geotechnical properties by using empirical relationships and literatures based on own judgment, with the exception of the input motions. Herein, the characteristics of input motions were compared in terms of the frequency and period, and the selection of the depth to bedrock, on which the motions is impinged, was discussed considering geologic conditions in Korea. Furthermore, a variety of geotechnical properties such as shear wave velocity profiles and soil nonlinear curves were investigated with the input properties used in this RRT.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.245-249
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• 2008

The purpose of this study is to test performances of 14 types of root barrier materials by applying testing plants and soils suitable for weather and natural features of Korea. For testing plants, Plioblastus pygmaed Mitford A. and Pyracantha angustifolia have been selected. For testing soil, mixture of pearlite and peat moss in 3:1 ratio(volume). Testing container has been fabricated with duplicated structure having inner and outer containers. And the outer container has 2 hinges on its side wall to allow opening and closing. Wet rock wool with 50mm in thickness has been inserted between inner and outer containers to allow root to penetrate through root barrier material and continue to grow. We planted 12 Plioblastus pygmaed Mitford A. and 4 Pyracantha angustifolia per one testing container. Three testing samples have been made for 1 type of root barrier material, which become a total 42 specimens. Planted testing samples have been installed within the greenhouse, which will be observed regularly for 2 years from now on. We started test from July 11, 2008 and had performed intermediate observations every month for initial 3 months. From the 3rd intermediate observation on Sept. 18, we confirmed that 6 types of root barrier materials have penetrated roots. Even though two types of them(EDPM Sheet, Polyethylene Sheet) have been generally used as root barrier materials for roof planting system, all of three testing samples have a lot of penetrated roots. This result proves that it is not reasonable to introduce testing methods of root barrier from Europe or Japan.

• Geotechnical Engineering
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.37-50
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• 1986

The uncertainties encountered in the stability analysis for the foundation of offshore structures on clay are formulated in probabilistic terms and used to evaluate the reliability of the foundation design. The major sources of uncertainty are: soil properties, f.ave loads, and methods of analysis. The major part of the uncertainty in safety factor is contributed by the uncertainty in the undrained shear strength. All sources of uncertainties that affect the shear strength of clay are modeled and systematically analyzed. The in situ undrained shear strengths are evaluated by laboratory tests and cone penetration tests. The undrained shear strengths from the laboratory test and CPT, respectively at Statfjord B site in the North Sea, are used as an example in risk analysis. Using the CPT alone, the failure probability on sliding of gravity platform at Statfjord B is much larger than the failure probability using the laboratory undrained shear strengths. The major uncertainty of using the CPT as the estimate of th2 undrained shear strength of clay results from the correlation between the cone resistance and the undrained shear strength.