• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.30 no.10
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• pp.67-80
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• 2014

The thickness of permafrost in Eastern Siberia is from 200 to 500 meters. The seasonally frozen layer can vary from 0 to 4m depending on ground temperature and its location. The shear wave velocity varies from 80m/s in summer to 1500m/s in winter depending on soil type. When melted, large impedence will occur due to the difference between the shear wave velocity of seasonally frozen soil and that of permafrost layer. Large displacement may occur at the boundary of the melted and the frozen layer, and this phenomenon should be considered in a seismic design. In this research, one-dimensional equivalent linear analyses were performed to investigate the effects of the seasonally frozen layer on ground amplification characteristics. Soil profiles of Yakutsk and Chara in Eastern Siberia were selected from geotechnical reports. 20 recorded ground motions were used to evaluate the effect of input motions. As the thickness of seasonally frozen layer and the difference in the shear wave velocity increases, the amplification is shown to increase. Peat, very soft organic soil widely distributed throughout Eastern Siberia, is shown to cause significant ground motion amplification. It is therefore recommended to account for its influence on propagated motion.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.14 no.7
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• pp.19-29
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• 2013

Analysis via classical soil mechanics theory is either ineffective or inappropriate for fully describing stress distribution or failure conditions in cold regions, since mechanical properties of soils in cold regions are different from those reported in the classical soil mechanics theory. Therefore, collecting and analyzing technical data, and systematic and specialized research for cold regions are required for design and construction of the structure in cold regions. Freezing and thawing repeat in active layer of permafrost region, and a loading condition affecting the structure changes. Therefore, the reliable analysis of mechanical properties of frozen soils according to various conditions is prerequisite for design and construction of the structure in cold regions, since mechanical properties of frozen soils are sensitive to temperature condition, water content, grain size, relative density, and loading rate. In this research, the direct shear apparatus which operates at 30 degrees below zero and large-scaled low temperature chamber are used for evaluating shear strength characteristics of frozen soils. Weathered granite soil is used to analyzed the shear strength characteristics with varying freezing temperature condition, vertical confining pressure, relative density, and water content. This research shows that the shear strength of weathered granite soil is sensitively affected by various conditions such as freezing temperature conditions, normal stresses, relative densities, and water contents.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.49-54
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• 2016

An active layer distributed on surface of an extreme cold region causes a frost heave by repeating the freezing and thawing according to the seasonal temperature change. Since the height of frost heave is greatly affected by the thickness of active layer, an accurate evaluation of the thickness of active layer is necessary for the safe design and construction of the infrastructure in the extreme cold region. In this study, dynamic cone penetrometer, which is miniaturized in-situ penetration device, is applied for the evaluation of active layer depth distribution. As the application tests, two dynamic cone penetration tests were conducted on the study sites located in Solomon and Alaska. In addition, ground temperature variations were obtained. As the results of the application tests, the depth of interface between the active layer and the permafrost was evaluated from the difference in dynamic cone penetration indexes of the active layer and the permafrost, and a layer was detected around the interface considered as an ice lens layer. Also, the interface depths between the above zero and the below zero temperature determined from the ground temperature variations correspond with the interface depths evaluated from the dynamic cone penetration tests. This study demonstrates that the dynamic cone penetrometer may be a useful tool for the evaluation of the active layer in the extreme cold region.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.27-36
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• 2014

Due to the latitudinal location of Korea, the seasonally frozen ground has been focused on as research topics such as the frost heaving under the asphalt road rather than the permafrost ground. However, the recent construction of the second Korean Antarctic research station, the Jangbogo station and the participation on the development of the natural gas pipeline in Russia arouse the research interests on the behavior of the permafrost ground. At the design process of the geotechnical structures on the permafrost ground, the evaluation of the creep characteristics of the frozen soil is very crucial. Since the domestic specification on the frozen soil testing does not exist currently, it is necessary to evaluate the creep characteristics of frozen soils systematically with regard to the affecting factors. Therefore, the creep characteristics of the frozen specimens of dense Jumoonjin sand were evaluated under various loads at -5 and $-10^{\circ}C$. Based on the test results, as the load became close to the strength and the temperature became lower, the duration of the secondary creep became shorter and more distinct tertiary creep responses were observed.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.35-41
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• 2014

Many infra suructure such as road, railway, building and utility foundations have been damaged by the repeated freezing and thawing of the soil during winter and spring every year in seasonal frost region. The frost penetration depth is most important factor in the design of structure such as road, railway and building in seasonal frost region. This paper presents the results of calculation of frost penetration depth and frost heaving in concrete track for railway construction. Model concrete track were installed near the railway track in Gangwon, Gyeonggi, Choongbuk province and frost penetration depth were measured using methylene blue frost penetration depth gauge. Model concrete track in Cheolwon, frost heaving of concrete track were also evaluated. The measure of maximum frost penetration depth and frost heaving can be applied to design railway track for cold region in Korea.

• Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.95-107
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• 2013

In order to examine the temperature regime responsible for periglacial processes, air and ground temperatures were monitored from October 2010 to May 2011 at a subalpine bare patch (1,710m asl) of Mt. Halla. Four thermistor sensor probes were installed at 55 cm above a ground surface and depths of 2 cm, 10 cm, and 20 cm, respectively. A mean air temperature is $-0.1^{\circ}C$, while mean ground temperatures are $1.8^{\circ}C$ at 2 cm, $2.6^{\circ}C$ at 10 cm and $3.2^{\circ}C$ at 20 cm deep. A mean monthly ground temperature at 2 cm deep demonstrates below $0^{\circ}C$ successively from January to March, while those at 10 cm and 20 cm deep show no sub-zero temperature. A total of 72 freeze-thaw cycle was observed in air temperature. However, the numbers in ground temperature reduced into 17 at 2 cm, 8 at 10 cm, and 3 at 20 cm deep. The cycles of air temperature and ground temperature at 2 cm deep mostly fluctuated diurnally, while those of ground temperature at 10 cm and 20 cm deep exhibited a several-daily oscillation. Snow cover over 55 cm high remained from January to early April, and it seemed to disappear completely on April 16. A seasonal frost of at least 2 cm thick was formed on late December and the isotherm of $0^{\circ}C$ descended slowly into 10 cm deep on late March to early April due to the insulating snow cover. It showed the maximum freezing depth of 20 cm on April 7 to 14 and then thawed rapidly so that the frozen ground did not longer after April 17. Periglacial processes are predominant during a freezing period than a thawing period when the ground surface is still covered with snow. The periglacial mass movement in the subalpine zone of Mt. Halla is mainly generated by frost creep in terms of the occurrence depth of diurnal freeze-thaw cycle and the maximum freezing depth of ground.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.75-79
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• 2013

The frost depth is one of important factors in the design of structures such as roadways, buried pipeline, and foundations. A frost indicator with methylene blue solution has several advantages with respect to installation cost, maintenance, and simple measurement. However, as a geotechnical engineering aspect, the accuracy of the frost indicator has not been proved yet. This paper presents experimental and field investigations of the accuracy of the frost indicator and contour maps of maximum frost depth. The contour maps of maximum frost depth can be applied to design geo-infrastructure in South Korea.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.45-56
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• 2014

Frozen ground in cold region consists of an upper active layer and lower permafrost which is permanently frozen land. During the summer season, the air temperature is high enough to make the frozen ground melt, which causes the reduction of soil strength and thaw settlement. These phenomena result in structural instability, so it is necessary to apply frozen ground stability techniques. Thermosyphon is a closed natural two-phase convection device to maintain the ground temperature below $0^{\circ}C$ by extracting heat from the ground and discharges it into the atmosphere. Experimental and numerical investigation has been performed to estimate the effect of the refrigerant filling ratio in thermosyphon using R-134a refrigerant and the thermal conductance of the thermosyphon.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.30 no.9
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• pp.57-66
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• 2014

The ground in cold region consists of active and permafrost layers. The active layer at the unstable state may cause ground corrosion and uplift, when the temperature of frozen ground increases due to seasonal changes. The thermosyphon is one of the stabilization methods to maintain the ground stability in the frozen ground. The thermosyphon is a closed two-phase convection device that extracts heat from the ground and discharges it into the atmosphere. In this study, ground freezing experiment using a thermosyphon and simulated ground with the isolation material was conducted to evaluate the thermal performance of the thermosyphon. In order to consider the thermal performance of the thermosyphon, commercial numerical program (TEMP/W) was adopted. Likewise, the thermal performance of thermosyphon and thermal properties of ground were applied in the numerical model. In a series of comparisons with experiment results and numerical study, thermal performance of thermosyphon can be evaluated.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.27-33
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• 2017

In this study, the stability of trench slope was analysed in summer and winter seasons for the construction of pipelines in permafrost regions. The construction standards of Korea, Russia and UK were compared for obtaining an optimum trench shape for a pipeline of 30 in. diameter. Using the geotechnical properties of soil in Yakutsk (Russia), the stability of trench slope was analysed using Strength Reduction Method (SRM) according to the horizontal slope angle values of $0^{\circ}$, $10^{\circ}$, $20^{\circ}$ and $30^{\circ}$ and vertical slope angle values of $20^{\circ}$, $30^{\circ}$ and $40^{\circ}$. In both seasons, an increase in the slope angle results in a decrease in the factor of safety. The results show that horizontal slope angle of $30^{\circ}$ was not safe in summer season. At the vertical slope angle of $20^{\circ}$, trench side failure was observed, whereas, ground slope failure was observed at the vertical slope angles of $30^{\circ}$ and $40^{\circ}$. Due to the solidification of pore water at temperatures below $0^{\circ}C$, cementation of soil particles take place. Therefore, the trench slope was found to be stable in the winter season at all vertical and horizontal slop angles, except for special load cases and abrupt temperature changes.