• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.27 no.8
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• pp.31-37
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• 2011

In order to evaluate the effect of matric suction on the strength and deformation characteristics, the unsaturated unconfined compression test is performed for the statical1y compacted silty sand. Specimens used were made under conditions with various initial degrees of saturation. The initial matric suction, matric suction at the peak shear strength and the volumetric deformation during the shear process were measured. From these results, it was found that the initial degree of saturation exerts the influence on the behaviors of suction, peak shear strength and the volumetric deformation. Furthermore, the suction stress($P_s$) which means the apparent cohesion due to matric suction in the unsaturated shear strength could be derived.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2009.03a
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• pp.866-873
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• 2009

CFRD (Concrete Faced Rockfill Dam) has been world-widely constructed due to a lot of advantages compared with rockfill dam and recently, sand/gravel materials, instead of crushed rock materials, are also utilized as a main rockfill material to overcome geological and environmental problems. In this paper, the process of water infiltration into the originally unsaturated sand/gravel-fill dam is studied using two-dimensional saturated-unsaturated seepage theory. According to the results of seepage analysis, if the effective drainage zone is installed in the dam, the reservoir water infiltrate into the dam along a downward flow path towards the lower drainage area. The main body constructed with sand/gravel materials, therefore, remains unsaturated.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.69-75
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• 2014

The shear strength characteristics of an unsaturated earth material are highly important not only for evaluating the seepage characteristics but also the stability of levee for a lifelong. In this study, unsaturated strength characteristics of Nak-dong river sand and clay that frequently used for the levee construction in southern province of Korea were analyzed using unsaturated triaxial compressive test. The strength characteristics due to the variation of matric suction were analyzed using multi-stage compression technique and the results were directly compared with the non-linear formulation for the apparent cohesion ($C_{max}$), and the friction component ${\varphi}^b$ were determined and evaluated from the test for the application of linear Mohr-Coulomb failure criteria. Cohesion and friction characteristics of the unsaturated levee material under various suction phases were also explored during this study.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.267-284
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• 2011

The aim of the paper is to study the hydro-mechanical behaviour of a tuff and calcareous sand mixture. A first experimental phase was carried out in order to find the optimal mixture. This showed that the material composed of 80% tuff and 20% calcareous sand provides the maximum mechanical strength. The second experimental phase concerns the study of the drying- wetting behaviour of the optimal mixture. Triaxial shear tests in saturated and unsaturated states at constant water content were carried out on samples initially compacted at the MPO. Experimental results let to deduce the parameters necessary for the prediction of the hydro-mechanical behaviour of pavement formulated from tuff and calcareous sand mixtures, related to moisture. This optimal mixture satisfies the regulation rules and hence constitutes a good local eco-material, abundantly available, for the conception of pavements.

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.20 no.9
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• pp.614-623
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• 2008

This paper presents the results of a laboratory study on the thermal conductivity of and(silica, quartzite, limestone, sandstone, granite and two masonry sands)-water mixtures used for ground heat exchanger backfilling materials. Nearly 260 tests were performed in a thermal conductivity measuring system to characterize the relationships between the thermal conductivity of mixtures and the water content. The experimental results show hat the thermal conductivity of mixtures increases with increasing dry density and with increasing water content. The most widely used empirical prediction models for thermal conductivity of soils were found inappropriate to estimate the thermal conductivity of unsaturated sand-water mixtures. An improved model using an exponential relationship to compute the thermal conductivity of dry sands and empirical relationship to assess the normalized thermal conductivity of unsaturated sand-water mixtures is presented.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.261-273
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• 1993

In order to study hydraulic properties and mechanical properties on unsaturated region, soil-water retention curve was obtained for suction plate method and pressure plate method, respectively. To investigate permeability of unsaturated soil and soil-water retention curve at the same time, unsaturated permeability tests using an improved Richard's method were performed on Joomoonjin Sand. These experimental results were compared with those by empirical equations. The relationship between air entry value and saturated permeability of filter was obtained for selecting a proper filter in unsaturated soil tests.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2002.03a
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• pp.743-750
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• 2002

Unsaturated soil has a possibility to induce a negative pore water pressure. Until now, saturated soil is mainly focused on the research of soil mechanics. Recently, soil mechanics is researched on two major parts such as saturated and unsaturated soil mechanics. Negative pore water pressure has a non-linear relationship with the water content changes. Soil-water characteristic curves of soil in Korea are not determined. There is no proper characteristic value such as air-entry value and residual water content. In this study, the characteristic curves of reclaimed soil, sand, and weathered granite soil were determined by laboratory tests. Air-entry value and residual water content were determined by fitting methods. Soil-water characteristic curves were estimated based on the particle-size distribution and compared with the laboratory test results. The results of soil-water characteristic curves estimation indicated that Fredlund and Wilson's model is excellent for sand and weathered granite soil. Arya and Paris's model is excellent for reclaimed soil.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2001.09a
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• pp.47-50
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• 2001

The laboratory tests were peformed to investigate the relationship between electrical resistivity and the unsaturated subsurface condition and to evaluate the contamination due to leachate based on measuring electrical resistivity. For weathered granite soil, the electrical resistivity of soil decreases as moisture density increases. The electrical resistivity of soil decreases as the concentration of leachate in pore fluid increases since leachate contains various ionic constituents. And the modified Archie's equation for applying to unsaturated sand is derived by regression analysis.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 2006.11a
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• pp.741-744
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• 2006

The study focuses on the mixture of materials for the development of porous concrete with unsaturated polyester resin. The materials used in the mixture include the coarse aggregates unsaturated polyester resin as binder, calcium carbonate and sand as a filler. An experimental procedure has been carried out to select the best combination of the materials that satisfy both the required permeability and compressive strength.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.301-311
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• 2020

In this study, shear strength behavior of fine-grained soils was investigated under unsaturated conditions. The samples in the unsaturated state were subjected to a net normal stress (σ-u_a) of 40 kPa and different matric suctions (u_a-u_w) of 50, 100 and 150 kPa. The matric suction values applied in the triaxial tests were selected according to the bubbling pressures determined from the SWC curves. The study was carried out on prepared re-constituted cylindrical samples by uniaxial consolidation of soil slurries. First, consolidated drained (CD) triaxial compression tests were performed on the saturated samples and the cohesion and angle of internal friction were determined. After that, drained triaxial compression tests under matric suctions were performed on the unsaturated samples. In order to obtain unsaturated test results, cohesion and internal friction angle values of saturated samples were used. The nonlinear surface representing the shear strength surface was approximated consisting of two planes (double planar surface). The reason for the nonlinear behavior of some soils is that the amount of sand content contained in it is relatively high and the bubbling pressure/permanent water content value is relatively low.