• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
• /
• v.26 no.5
• /
• pp.533-549
• /
• 2024

Soil conditioning is a critical process when tunneling with an earth pressure balance (EPB) shield tunnel boring machine (TBM) to enhance performance. To determine the optimal additive injection conditions, it is important to understand the rheological properties of conditioned soil, which is typically assessed using a rheometer. However, a rheometer cannot simulate the actual process of muck discharge in a TBM. Therefore, in this study, a scaled-down model of an 8-meter-class EPB shield TBM chamber and screw conveyor, reduced by a factor of 1:20, was fabricated and its applicability was evaluated through laboratory experiments. A lab-scale model experiment was conducted on artificial sandy soil using foam and polymer as additives. The experimental results confirmed that screw torque was consistent with trends observed in previous laboratory pressurized vane shear test data, establishing a positive proportional relationship between screw torque and yield stress. The muck discharge efficiency according to foam injection ratio (FIR) showed similar values overall, but decreased slightly at 60% of FIR and when the polymer was added. In addition, the pressure distribution generated along the chamber and screw conveyor was assessed in a manner similar to the actual EPB TBM. This study demonstrates that the lab-scale screw conveyor model can be used to evaluate the shear properties and muck discharge efficiency.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
• /
• v.17 no.6
• /
• pp.15-24
• /
• 2001

In order to evaluate undrained shear strength of clayey soils using Piezocone Penetration Test (CPTu), piezoncone factor is utilized. Commonly, piezoncone factors determined by empirical basis were preferred, which were established by correlation between measurements of piezocone test and undrained strengths obtained from other shearing tests. However, previous studies on the empirical piezocone factors were site-specific and there have been no systematic investigations on the effect of both engineering characteristics of clayey soils and soil non-homogeneity on the piezocone factor. Accordingly, the direct application of the previous results to Korean clayey soils without verification may be inappropriate. In this study, empirical piezocone factors are evaluated by comparing 46 CPTu results of 10 test sites with undrained shear strength obtained from Field Vane Test (FVT) and laboratory triaxial tests. Their reliabilities are investigated by the comparison with the previous piezocone factors and the deviation of data distribution from the mean values. And the effects of referencing test methods and typical engineering characteristics of clayey soils such as overconsolidation ratio (OCR) and plastic Index (I$_{p}$) are examined. Because piezocone factors obtained for various soil conditions are widely distributed, it is not appropriate to use the mean value as a representative. Instead, it is recommended to apply the piezocone factors with OCR, which is found to be a major factor in deriving piezocone factor. The necessitated piezocone factors are presented.d.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
• /
• v.30 no.2
• /
• pp.65-76
• /
• 2014

For soil improvement, sand mats or sand compaction piles are often constructed on soft marine clays. In such cases, some amounts of sand and clay are inevitably mixed. Sand or gravel often exists in the weathered soils near the slope surface. This research investigates the effect of mixing sand content on consistency limits and shear strength of clays. Firstly, sand was mixed with kaolinite or bentonite at 0, 9, 17, 23, 29, 33, 50% and then liquid and plastic limits were measured. Both plastic and liquid limits decreased as a sand content increased. The water content of clay-sand mixtures with different sand content increased by 10% or 20% step by step and then their undrained shear strength was measured using a portable vane shear device called Torvane. For all cases, undrained shear strength of clay-sand mixtures decreased rapidly until reaching a certain value. Their state changed from undrained to drained state gradually as the sand content increased, which caused their undrained shear strength to decrease. On the other hand, a series of direct shear tests were also conducted on such clay-sand mixtures to investigate the effect of sand content on cohesion and angle of internal friction. It was found from clay-sand mixtures that their cohesion decreased but angle of internal friction increased as the sand content increased.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
• /
• v.25 no.5
• /
• pp.29-37
• /
• 2024

This study aimed to investigate the changes in chemical components that occur when weak clay is mixed with steel slag modified with calcium oxide, and to understand the expression characteristics of compressive strength according to hydrophilicity and curing time. XRF testing, SEM imaging, vane shear strength and uniaxial compressive strength testing were conducted. Calcium (Ca) released from the steel slag increases the Ca content in clay by increasing the number of crystal particles and forming a coating layer known as calcium silicate hydrate (CaO-SiO₂-H₂O) through chemical reactions with SiO₂ and Al₂O₃ components. The weak clay stabilized with steel slag is classified into an initial inactive zone where strength relatively does not increase and an activation zone where strength increases over curing time. The vane shear strength of the initial inactive area was found to be 4.4 to 18.4 kN/m² in the state of the weight mixing ratio Rss 30% (steel slag 30% + clay 70%). In the case of the active area, the maximum uniaxial compressive strength increased to 431.8 kN/m² after 480 hours of curing time, which increased due to the apparent adhesion strength of clay through pozzolanic reaction. Therefore, considering the strength expression characteristics of stabilized mixed clay based on the mixing ratio (Rss) during the recycling of steel slag can enhance its practicality in civil engineering sites.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.5-17
• /
• 2005

Spatial uncertainty of Busan marine clay ground, which commonly occurs during site investigation testing, data analysis and transformation modeling, has been described. In this paper geotechnical uncertainty of shear strength indicator $N_k$ has been quantified in both horizontal direction and vertical direction using geostatistical Kriging method. Most of soil data used are from 25 boring tests, 75 laboratory tests, 124 field vane tests and 25 cone penetration tests (CPT). CPT-$N_k$ data for undrained shear strength determination, which are the most important properties in geotechnical design stages, have been analysed. Comparison between cone factor from conventional CPT-based method and that of geostatistical method shows that geostatistical Kriging method is an ideal tool to quantify the spatial variability of uncertainty from self-correlation of soil property of interest, and can be recommended to identify the spatial distribution of consolidation .md shear strength of soils at any sites concerned.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
• /
• v.1 no.1
• /
• pp.27-33
• /
• 2000

Stone columns is ground improvement method which is composed of compacted gravel or crushed stone inserted into the soft ground consisting of loose sand and clay by replacement method. Generally stone columns are constructed in silty clay, above 70% replacement rate for increasing the bearing capacity and shear strength. Low replacement stone columns method is limited below 30% at replacement rate-premising strength increase of clay ground is estimated efficiently. This study, laboratory model tests were conducted to investigate the consolidation drainage promotion and shear strength increase effect in soft ground with replacement rate by stone columns. The settlement reduction effect and settlement reduction coefficients increase with increasing the replacement rate in composite ground. The results of model tests indicate that consolidation promotion effect is proved. The increasing strength of composite ground was verified by vane shear tests.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
• /
• v.34 no.4
• /
• pp.1227-1240
• /
• 2014

Abandoned mines often cause environmental problems, such as alteration of landscape, metal contamination, and landslides due to a heavy rainfall. Geotechnical and rheological tests were performed on waste materials corrected from Imgi waste rock dump, located in Busan Metropolitan City. Debris flow mobility was examined with the help of 1-D BING model which was often simulated in both subaerial and subaqueous environments. To determine flow curve, we used a vane-penetrated rheometer. The shear stress (${\tau}$)-shear rate (${\dot{\gamma}}$) and viscosity(${\eta}$)-shear rate (${\dot{\gamma}}$) relationships were plotted using a shear stress control mode. Well-known rheological models, such as Bingham, bilinear, Herschel-Bulkley, Power-law, and Papanastasiou concepts, were compared to the rheological data. From the test results, we found that the tested waste materials exhibited a typical shear shinning behavior in ${\tau}$-${\dot{\gamma}}$ and and ${\eta}$-${\dot{\gamma}}$ plots, but the Bingham behavior is often observed when the water contents increased. The test results show that experimental data are in good agreement with rheological models in the post-failure stage during shearing. Based on the rheological properties (i.e., Bingham yield stress and viscosity as a function of the volumetric concentration of sediment) of waste materials, initial flowing shape (5 m, 10 m, and 15 m) and yield stress (100 Pa, 200 Pa, 300 Pa, and 500 Pa) were input to simulate the debris flow motion. As a result, the runout distance and front velocity of debris flow are in inverse propositional to yield stress. In particular, when the yield stress is less than 500 Pa, most of failed masses can flow into the stream, resulting in a water contamination.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
• /
• v.23 no.5
• /
• pp.89-100
• /
• 2007

In this study, various field and laboratory tests were performed to investigate the characteristics of shear strength and bearing behavior to be considered in the estimation of stability and trafficability in early stage of stabilization process in marine clay dredged deposit. Site characterization was carried out to grasp the basic properties of the deposit. Field vane test, unconfined compression test and direct shear test were conducted to evaluate the shear strength distribution for varied depths, and the characteristics of shear strength and stress-strain behavior of the crust layer. Plate load tests were also performed to estimate the bearing capacity and to assess load-settlement behavior and failure pattern of the deposit. The bearing capacity was also estimated using previously proposed methods for double-layered clay deposit. The estimated bearing capacity was compared with the results of the plate load tests and then, the applicability of the estimation method was discussed.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
• /
• v.29 no.11
• /
• pp.73-84
• /
• 2013

When a slope failure or a debris flow occurs, a shear strength on failure plane becomes nearly zero and soil begins to flow like a non-cohesive liquid. A consistency of cohesive soils changes as a water content increases. Even a cohesive soil existing at liquid limit state has a small amount of shear strength. In this study, a water content, at which a shear strength of cohesive soils is zero and then cohesive soils will start to flow, was proposed. Three types of clays (kaolinite, bentonite and kaolinite (50%)+bentonite (50%)) were mixed with three different solutions (distilled water, sea water and microbial solution) at liquid limit state and then their water contents were increased step by step. Then, their undrained shear strength was measured using a portable vane shear device called Torvane. The ranges of undrained shear strength at liquid and plastic limits are 3.6-9.2 kPa and 24-45 kPa, respectively. On the other hand, the water content that corresponds to the value of the undrained shear strength changing most rapidly is called flow water content. The flow limit refers to the water content when undrained shear strength of cohesive soils is zero. In order to investigate the relationship between liquid limit and flow limit, the cohesive index was defined as a value of the difference between flow limit and liquid limit. The new plasticity index was defined as the value of difference between flow limit and plastic limit. The new liquidity index was also defined using flow limit. The values of flow limit are 1.5-2 times higher than those of liquid limit. At the same time, the values of new plasticity index are 2-5.5 times higher than those of original plasticity index.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
• /
• v.25 no.5
• /
• pp.387-401
• /
• 2023

The Earth Pressure Balanced (EPB) Shield Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) is widely employed for constructing urban underground spaces due to its minimal vibration and low noise levels. The injection of additives offers several advantages, including maintaining shield chamber pressure, reducing shear strength, minimizing cutter wear, and decreasing the permeability of the excavated soil. This technique is known as soil conditioning and involves the application of additives such as foam, polymer, and bentonite slurry. In this study, weathered granite soil commonly encountered at domestic tunnel sites was used as a soil specimen. Foam and polymer were applied as additives to assess the rheological properties of conditioned soils. The workability was evaluated through slump tests, while the rheological properties were assessed through laboratory pressurized vane shear tests conducted under the same conditions. Specially, the polymer was applied under specific conditions with low workability with high slump values, with the aim of evaluating the impact of polymer application. The test results revealed that with an increase in the Foam Injection Ratio (FIR), the slump value also increased, while the torque, peak strength, yield stress, apparent viscosity, and thixotropic area decreased. Conversely, an increase in the Polymer Injection Ratio (PIR) led to results opposite to those of FIR. Additionally, a correlation between the slump value and yield stress was proposed. When comparing conditions with only foam applied to those with both foam and polymer applied, even with similar slump values, the yield stress was found to be lower in the latter conditions.