• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• 제5권4호
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• pp.343-362
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• 2013

Simple relationships are proposed in this paper by modifying the Schmertmann's equation for settlement estimations of footings (i.e., $B/L{\approx}1$) carrying vertical loads in saturated and unsaturated sandy soils. The modified method is developed using model plate load tests (PLTs) and cone penetration tests (CPTs) results conducted in saturated and unsaturated sand in a controlled laboratory environment. Seven in-situ large-scale footings tested under both saturated and unsaturated conditions in sands were used to validate the proposed technique. The results of the study are encouraging as they provide reliable estimates of the settlement of shallow footings in both saturated and unsaturated sands using the conventional CPT results.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• 제19권2호
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• pp.179-191
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• 2019

Based on the effective stress principle, a new formula for shear strength of unsaturated soil is derived under the general nonlinear Mohr-Coulomb (M-C) strength criterion to improve the classical strength criterion of unsaturated soil. Meanwhile, the simple irrigation model under steady seepage is adopted to obtain the distribution of the matrix suction or the degree of saturation (DOS) above the groundwater table in the slope. Then, combined with the improved strength criterion of unsaturated soil and the simple irrigation model under steady seepage, the limit equilibrium (LE) solutions for the unsaturated slope stability are established according to the global LE conditions of the entire sliding body with assumption of the stresses on the slip surface. Compared to the classical strength criterion of unsaturated soil, not only the cohesion soil but also the internal friction angle is affected by the matric suction or the DOS in the improved strength criterion. Moreover, the internal friction angle related to the matric suction has the nonlinear characteristics, particularly for a small of the matric suction. Thereafter, the feasibility of the present method is verified by comparison and analysis on some slope examples. Furthermore, stability charts are also drawn to quickly analyze the unsaturated slope stability.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• 제30권3호
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• pp.219-231
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• 2022

Geotechnical materials such as silt, fine sand, or coarse granular soils may be unstable under undrained shearing or during rainfall infiltration starting an unsaturated state. Some researches are available describing the instability of coarse granular soils in drained or undrained conditions. However, there is a need to investigate the instability mechanism of unsaturated silty soil considering the effect of degree of compaction and net confining stress under partially and fully drained conditions. The specimens in the current study are compacted at 65%, 75%, & 85% degree of compaction, confined at pressures of 60, 80 & 120 kPa, and tested in partially and fully drained conditions. The tests have been performed in two steps. In Step-I, the specimens were sheared in constant water content conditions (a type of partially drained test) to the maximum shear stress. In Step-II, shearing was carried in constant suction conditions (a type of fully undrained test) by keeping shear stress constant. At the start of Step-II, PWP was increased in steps to decrease matric suction (which was then kept constant) and start water infiltration. The test results showed that soil instability is affected much by variation in the degree of compaction and confining stresses. It is also observed that loose and medium dense soils are vulnerable to pre-failure instability i.e., instability occurs before reaching the failure state, whereas, instability in dense soils instigates together with the failure i.e., failure line (FL) and instability line (IL) are found to be unique.

• 한국농공학회논문집
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• 제48권7호
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• pp.35-43
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• 2006

This study was carried out to investigate the liquefaction behaviour and predict deviator stress with matric suction, of unsaturated silty sand. The unsaturated soil tests were conducted using a modified triaxial cell and specimens were prepared using the moisture tamping method. The axis translation technique was used to create the desired matric suctions in the specimen. Undrained triaxial compression tests were carried out at matric suction of 0, 2, 5, 10 and 25 kPa. The specimens were sheared to axial strains of about 20% to obtain steady state conditions. The results showed that liquefaction of silty sand only occurs at matric suction of 0 kPa and 2 kPa. The results also show that at matric suctions of 5, 10 and 25 kPa, the resistance to liquefaction increases. As the suction increases, the undrained effective stress path approached the drained stress path. Also, the predicted and measured maximum deviator stress for unsaturated soils using the effective stress concept showed good agreement as matric suction increases. The deviator stress increase is nonlinear as matric suction increases.

• 한국도로학회논문집
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• 제20권1호
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• pp.19-25
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• 2018

PURPOSES : The purpose of this study is to identify the road-subsidence mechanism in unsaturated sandy soils. METHODS : A series of soil chamber tests were conducted under various conditions. RESULTS : The cavity-expansion characteristics in unsaturated sandy soils due to seepage were affected by the outlet size, seepage intensity, relative density, and fine content. CONCLUSIONS : In unsaturated sandy soils, the cavity-expansion speed was affected by the outlet size, relative density, seepage intensity, and clay content; however, the cavity-expansion shape was very similar. As the outlet size and seepage intensity increased, the cavity-expansion speed increased. As the relative density increased, the cavity-expansion speed increased because of a sudden decrease in shear strength, resulting from the increased saturation (reduction of matric suction). The cavity expanded faster with the increasing clay content, up to a certain threshold. It expanded at a slower rate once it passed the threshold. Finally, it reached a stable state where the cavity did not expand due to seepage.

• Computers and Concrete
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• 제31권6호
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• pp.485-499
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• 2023

Both damage and unsaturated conditions accelerate the transport of erosive media inside concrete. However, their combined effects have not been fully investigated. A multiscale mortar model using representative volume elements is developed, capturing the number and distribution in each phase. Afterwards, mortar damage microstructure evolution is simulated in the tensile process. Finally, the unsaturated mortar transport is predicted and analysed. The results indicate that damage significantly affects the diffusion process in the early stage, while the transport performance is weakened due to the obstruction of the nontransport phase in the later stage. The higher the saturation and the more connected pores, the faster the diffusion rate of chloride ions. Chloride ions spread around the cracks in a tree-like manner along. The model can very well predict the chloride ion transport performance of unsaturated and damaged mortar.

• 한국지반환경공학회 논문집
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• 제7권5호
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• pp.31-39
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• 2006

일반적으로 흡수력은 불포화 흐름과 전단강도상의 거동을 평가하기 위한 중요한 인자가 되며, 불포화토의 부 간극수압은 흙의 구조와 포화도에 의해 영향을 받는다. 본 연구에서는 불포화 준설토의 전단강도 특성을 조사하기 위해 수정된 삼축압축시험이 수행되었다. 실험결과로서 전단강도의 변화는 배수조건보다 흡수력에 더 영향을 받고 있음을 알 수 있었고 점차적으로 흡수력 100 kPa에 수렴되고 있음을 보여준다. 이것은 흙의 불포화 상태에서 내부마찰각과 점착력이 포화상태에 비하여 흡수력에 기인하여 증가하고 있음을 나타내며, 불포화토에서 합리적인 지반강도정수의 산정을 위해서는 흡수력의 변화에 따른 겉보기 마찰각 ${\phi}^b$이 고려되어야 함을 알 수 있다.

• 한국환경과학회지
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• 제31권1호
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• pp.77-85
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• 2022

Environmental contamination by organic compounds are not only restricted to water, but extends to soil and groundwater as well. However, highly oxidized compounds, such as halogenated organics and nitro-compounds, can be detoxified employing reducing methods. Permeable reactive barrier is one of the representative technologies where zero-valent metals (ZVMs) are employed for groundwater remediation. However, organics contaminates often contaminate the unsaturated zone above the groundwater. Despite the availability of technologies like soil vapor extraction and bioremediation, removing organic compounds from this zone represents several challenges. In this study, the reduction of nitrobenzene to aniline was achieved using zero-valent iron (ZVI) under unsaturated conditions. Results indicated that the water content was an important variable in this reaction. Under dry conditions (water content = 0.2%), the reduction reaction was inhibited; however, when the water content was between 10% and 25% (saturated condition), ZVI can reduce nitrobenzene. Palladized iron (Pd/Fe) can be used to reduce nitrobenzene when the water content is between 2.5% and 10%. The reaction was evaluated over a wide range of temperatures (10 - 40 ℃), and the results indicated that increasing the temperature resulted in increased reaction rates under unsaturated conditions.

• 대한토목학회논문집
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• 제31권4D호
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• pp.571-576
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• 2011

일반적으로 도로구조물들은 포화상태라는 가정 하에 설계되고 있으나 실제 도로구조물의 재료인 입상지반재료는 대부분 불포화 상태에 존재하고 있다. 이러한 부분을 반영하기 위하여 본 논문에서는 다져진 입상지반재료를 대상으로 삼축압축시험과 함수특성곡선 시험 결과를 활용하여 다양한 조건에서의 불포화 전단강도를 추정하였다. 이를 바탕으로 비선형 모형을 활용한 2차원 유한요소해석을 실시하고 Mohr-Coulomb항복조건을 통하여 항복하중을 규명하였다. 또한, 입상재료의 항복하중에 대한 도로구조물 표층두께의 변화에 따른 영향을 확인하였다. 해석 결과 입상지반재료의 불포화토 이론을 고려하여 포장 혹은 비포장 도로의 지지력을 예측할 수 있음을 보여주고 있다.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• 제1권1호
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• pp.35-52
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• 2009

A significantly thick zone of steep slopes is commonly encountered above groundwater table and the soils within this zone are unsaturated with negative pore-water pressures (i.e., matric suction). Matric suction contributes significantly to the shear strength of soil and to the factor of safety of unsaturated slopes. However, infiltration during rainfall increases the pore-water pressure in soil resulting in a decrease in the matric suction and the shear strength of the soil. As a result, rainfall infiltration may eventually trigger a slope failure. Therefore, understanding of shear strength characteristics of saturated and unsaturated soils under shearing-infiltration (SI) conditions have direct implications in assessment of slope stability under rainfall conditions. This paper presents results from a series of consolidated drained (CD) and shearing-infiltration (SI) tests. Results show that the failure envelope obtained from the shearing-infiltration tests is independent of the infiltration rate. Failure envelopes obtained from CD and SI tests appear to be similar. For practical purposes the shear strength parameters from the CD tests can be used in stability analyses of slopes under rainfall conditions. The SI tests might be performed to obtain more conservative shear strength parameters and to study the pore-water pressure changes during infiltration.