Abstract
The restoration of foundations supporting the immense load of the stone pagoda at Mireuksa Temple Site prioritizes securing its structural stability. But so far, rammed earth construction is still not easy to determine the structural stability. This paper aims to emphasize that a scientific experimental study was conducted on a rammed earth construction, to identify its methodology and obtain objective data about structural stability of the foundation work. An experimental study fabricated specimens from the soil that had been removed during the excavation survey, determined the allowable bearing capacity through plate load tests, and compared the results with the predicted stress after reassembly of the stone pagoda to estimate the structural stability. Then, the repair method was selected based on the experimental study result. The evaluation method of the restoration of foundations consisted of an examination of the allowable bearing capacity and settlement. The allowable bearing of the reinforced foundation was more than twice the contact pressure under the stacked stones of the pagoda. The possibility of settlement of the rammed earth foundation soil layer during the pagoda assembly is expected to be very low because the settlement amount of the reformed soil layer is less than half of the settlement of the stabilized existing soil layer.