• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.27-34
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• 2022

Since water flow in the ground depends on the pore structure composed of soil grains, equations to predict the hydraulic properties based on the grain size have low accuracy. This paper presents a methodology to compute constriction-pore size distribution by Silveria's method and estimate saturated and unsaturated hydraulic properties of soils. Well-graded soil shows a uni-modal pore size distribution, and poor-graded soil does a bimodal distribution. Among theoretical models for saturated hydraulic conductivity using pore size distribution, Marshall model is well-matched with experimental results. Model formulas for soil-water characteristic curves and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity using the pore size distribution are proposed for hydraulic analysis of unsaturated soil. Continuous research is needed to select a model suitable to estimate hydraulic properties by applying the developed model formulas to various soils.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.73-83
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• 2006

Seepage analysis through unsaturated zone based on the theory of unsaturated flow is commonly performed to evaluate dam safety. However, the concepts of unsaturated soil behavior have not been transferred into the hands of practicing geotechnical engineers since the problems involving unsaturated soils often have the appearances of being extremely complex. There is variability and uncertainty associated with the unsaturated hydraulic properties that in turn will lead to variability in predicting unsaturated soil behavior such as seepage rate and the pore water pressure distribution. In this paper, measurements of the soil-water characteristic curve and saturated hydraulic conductivity for the core material of dam were conducted. Then, finite element stochastic analysis was used to capture the effect of unsaturated hydraulic properties on the seepage behavior of dam. It is observed that the amount of seepage increases, as the values of unsaturated soil parameters a and n increase. The values of m and p showed opposite trend.

• 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.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.93-103
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• 2012

A suction-saturation control technique based on flow pump system was developed to investigate hydraulic properties in unsaturated soils. The flow pump system is designed based on the principle of the axis-translation technique and triaxial equipment, and gives the suction-time and suction-saturation curves, the primary relationship needed for interpreting the response of unsaturated soils and link between theory and the material properties in unsaturated soil mechanics. Using the suction-saturation control technique, suction-time relationship and soil-water retention curve (SWRC) during hydraulic hysteresis were investigated with different net confining pressures and porosities. Three types of soils-two sands and a silt were used in this paper. This paper showed the effect of the hysteresis on the SWRC due to different net confining pressures and porosities. This means that a careful decision must be made as to which condition is to be modeled, since the delicate difference of the conditions in physical modeling can cause the different experimental output.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.681-687
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• 2008

It is well known that the water infiltration rate depends on soil properties such as soil water content, water head, capillary suction, density, hydraulic conductivity, and porosity. However, most of proposed infiltration models assume that the air phase is continuous and in equilibrium with the atmosphere or air compression and air entrapment on infiltration was not considered. This study presents experimental results on unsaturated water infiltration to relate air entrapment and hydraulic conductivity function based on soil air properties. The objectives of this study were to measure change of soil air pressure ahead of wetting front under air drain and air confined condition to find the confined air effect on infiltration rate, to reduce the entrapped air volume related with soil air pressure to increase the soil permeability, and to make a basis of infiltration process model for the purpose of improvement of infiltration rate in the homogeneous soil column. The results of the work show that soil air pressure increases according to increasement of the saturated soil depth rather than the wetting front depth during infiltration process.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.57-64
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• 2013

In this paper, in order to solve high water content of water sludge and promote its recycle, sludge mixtures with various mixing ratios were produced. Sludge mixture consisted of water sludge and weathered granite soil. Their physical properties and unsaturated characteristics (soil-water characteristic curve, and unsaturated permeability function) were investigated by laboratory tests. Experimental test results indicated that at a given matric suction volumetric water content of sludge mixture increased as water sludge content increased. Air entry values of sludge mixture increased from 0.9 kPa to 2.4 kPa with an increase in water sludge content or fine content. In addition, unsaturated permeability function, which is an important factor for performing infiltration analysis, was predicted using saturated permeability and soil-water characteristic curve of sludge mixture.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.5-11
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• 2015

Slope stability is affected by duration of precipitation, probable rainfall intensity, unsaturated soil property, and soil strength. The recent analyses of slope stability tend to include unsaturated analysis based on infiltration properties of soil, while researches of unsaturated soil slope tend to include the analysis of deformation and stress distribution of soil over time. However, infiltration property of unsaturated soil slope depends not only on intensity or duration of precipitation, but also on relief and surface condition, which is not considered in status quo. This research uses hydrologic model parameters of soil in order to consider effects of inclination on filtration, and carries out analysis of unsaturated soil slope to confirm the effects according to slope inclination and surface condition. In conclusion, using slope stability analysis, the need to consider infiltration rate according to inclination and surface condition was confirmed even under the same precipitation conditions.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.31 no.1D
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• pp.73-82
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• 2011

Generally, an unsaturated condition was not considered to predict the long-term strength and drainage behaviors on compacted road foundations. However, it is logical way to consider the unsaturated condition and hysteresis behavior on road foundations like subbase and subgrade. For more quantitative analysis, rational experimental approach requires proper laboratory tool and material model, and hydraulic properties of pavement geomaterials under unsaturated conditions. In this study, therefore, laboratory data from the soil-water characteristic curve tests were used to predict suction and unsaturated permeability on pavement foundations and the results were analyzed based on the nonlinear fitting model considered. In addition to that, the unsaturated moisture capacity of each material is discussed.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.123-133
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• 2001

Since most of soil slopes are in an unsaturated state, it is necessary to consider the unsaturated characteristics of soil slopes, in order to obtain more reasonable results. Therefore in this study we supplemented a slope stability analysis program to consider them, based on the concept of limit equilibrium. We also applied an optimization technique to search for a failure surface. Besides, we carried out experiments to obtain the unsaturated soil properties required in the analysis with weathered granite soils. We formulated a nonlinear apparent cohesion relationship with the matrix suction to be able to apply the unsaturated shear strength characteristics to the stability analysis. In addition, we intended to obtain more accurate soil water characteristic curves(SWCC) by measuring the change in volume of the specimen in the SWCC tests. As a result, we could appropriately assess the change of the safety factor according to the rainfall intensity and duration, by considering the variation of suction, permeability, and shear strength caused by the infiltration of rainfall into slopes.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.5-13
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• 2018

Recently, construction disasters in thawing season are increasing due to the ground collapse and it is related to the improper compaction during winter season. Compaction at sub-zero temperature reduces the compaction effect and the research of mechanical properties of thawed soil after winter compaction can be used as useful data to understand the behavior of the ground in the thawing season. On the other hand, the research interest in the unsaturated soil mechanics has been increasing in the field of the geotechnical engineering. Therefore, it is expected that the research of unsaturated characteristics under the compaction of sub-zero temperature and freezing & thawing condition provides information to the researchers in the related fields. Therefore, in this research, unsaturated soil-water characteristics test and unsaturated uniaxial compression test were conducted on the specimens compacted at sub-zero temperature and continuous freezing & thawing condition to investigate change of unsaturated characteristics and matric suction. Based on the test results, the change of matric suction and the decrease of strength and stiffness were observed with the freezing & thawing conditions. Especially in case of the weathered soil, the strength and matric suction were significantly reduced with lower temperature and more repetition of freezing & thawing cycles. This result implies that compaction of sub-zero temperature and freezing & thawing cycles will have a considerable influence on the stability of the ground.