• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.47-51
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• 2004

An unsaturated hydraulic conductivity function and a soil-water characteristic curve are the essential constitutive factors in studying unsaturated soils. In order to obtain the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity function, prediction functions, which are based on the soil-water characteristic curve, have been used because it is difficult to measure the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity function directly. In this study, a parameter estimation method using the flow pump technique is introduced to determine the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity function. This method provides more accurate and independent solution than previous methods for the determination of the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity function which is not subordinate to the soil-water characteristic curve or prediction models.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.26 no.10
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• pp.49-60
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• 2010

Unsaturated permeability function is an important factor in the design and analysis of various unsaturated soil structures. Generally the permeability characteristics decrease as the mat ric suction increases and the trend is similar to water retention characteristics of a soil. The permeability of unsaturated soils can be obtained directly by laboratory tests or indirectly by estimation methods from other soil properties. For unsaturated soils sampled from 7 areas in KOREA, SWCCs and unsaturated permeability functions were obtained by experimental tests. The unsaturated permeability results were also compared with the unsaturated permeability functions derived from the SWCCs theoretically. However, the current estimation models of unsaturated permeability function did not express the unsaturated permeability characteristics. Therefore, the FXK-M permeability function was modified to predict more accurate permeability functions for Korean weathered soils using a correction factor that can be calculated from the air-entry value of SWCC. The new estimation model resulted in good agreements for all tested soils.

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.8 no.2 s.28
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• pp.95-104
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• 2006

Hysteresis is a common feature exhibited in hydraulic properties of an unsaturated soil. This study focuses on hysteresis observed in a compacted weathered granite subgrade soils based on the pressure plate laboratory tests. It was found that the Soil-Water Characteristics Curve of a soil is hysteretic and unique. The results also show that the wetting and drying curves predicted using the Fredlund and Xing model is quite close to the laboratory-measured results. For a specific matric suction, water content or coefficient of permeability on a wetting curve is always lower than those found on a drying curve.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.30 no.1C
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• pp.53-63
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• 2010

Since the water retention curve is considered as a major parameter to evaluate the unsaturated ground or soils, overburden pressure and clay content on soils underneath ground surface have not been considered for estimating water retention characteristics. Therefore, a need exists that the effect of overburden pressure and clay content on water retention characteristics was assessed in typical weathered soils found in Korea. Soil-Water Characteristic Curve and the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity were estimated using water retention characteristics under the condition of different overburden pressure, clay content, and de-saturation path. Then, these effects are evaluated with the results of SWCC tests from the laboratory. In addition to that, the unsaturated moisture capacity and diffusivity of each case is discussed.

• 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 GEO-environmental Society
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.47-58
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• 2005

Development of underground space is conducted for various useful facility and underground structures and deep excavation technology for reclaimed area has been researched and developed. The seepage flow and behavior of phreatic line in reclaimed area was predominated by transient flow caused by tidal action. Also the soil-water characteristic relation is most important factor for transient flow analysis, therefore the research about the soil-water characteristic is strongly required. In this paper, laboratory tests (pressure cell, desiccator, and tensiometer test) and theoretical analysis were performed to investigate the soil-water characteristic such as air-entry value, metric suction, and residual water content. And the feasibility of prediction method for soil-water characteristic are presented by transient seepage analysis and comparison between analysis results and in-situ measured seepage flux in LNG TK-00 storage tank. Based on the result of laboratory and theoretical analysis, Fredlund and Xing's method provide to work out well for reclaimed ground soils. Also, the transient analysis result is more reasonable and effective for design of deep excavation work in coastal and reclaimed ground.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.133-142
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• 2000

Series of tests were carried out to study permeability characteristics of unsaturated soils. The weathered soils taken from Inju, Sungwhan, and Kuri, were selected to have different amount of fine grained soils in order to find a possible correlation between the unsaturated permeability behavior and fine grained soils contents. Measurements of permeability for unsaturated soils were performed with a newly developed apparatus, which modeled after Klute's apparatus(1965a). The apparatus was designed to measure volumetric water content and permeability by applying incremental suction pressure. Permeability and volumetric water content of unsaturated soils generally decreased as density of the soil increased. The relationship between volumetric water content and permeability was not related to the fine grained soils contents because the plots scattered widely. By comparing volumetric water content with permeability, empirical parameters A and B could be determined, which made to be possible to predict unsaturated permeability from soil-moisture characteristics.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.11-20
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• 2022

In order to acquire hydraulic characteristics for unsaturated layers, water retention tests were performed and compared by using the evaporation method, volumetric pressure plate extractor (VPPE) and chilled-mirror dew point method. The evaporation and chilled-mirror method are currently developed experimental technology and measure the water retention curve of unsaturated soils quickly and accurately. In the evaporation and VPPE method, the water retention has been measured and compared until 100kPa matric suction and consequently the result of the evaporation method could be verified. In the chilled-mirror method, the water retention has been measured until high level of matric suction and the overall shape of water retention curves could be obtained. As a result of water retention tests, the representative water retention curves were obtained and the applicability of each test method was discussed. Using both the evaporation and chilled-mirror methods, the soil water retention curve can be acquired reasonably for the whole range of matric suction.

• 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.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.25-34
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• 2018

The physical properties and unsaturated characteristics of acid sulfate soils were investigated and analyzed. As the results of measuring physical properties of the acid sulfate soils obtained around the Ilkwang mine area, the dry unit weight is $1.246t/m^3$ and this soil is classified into the silty sand (SM) by USCS. Soil Water Characteristics Curves (SWCC) of the drying and wetting paths were measured by the automated SWCC apparatus. Also, Hydraulic Conductivity Functions (HCF) of the drying and wetting paths were estimated by the van Geunchten (1980) model which is the most well-known parameter estimation method. The hydraulic conductivity of acid sulfate soils in the dry path was continuously decreased with increasing the matric suction. However, the hydraulic conductivity in the wetting path was decreased relatively small with increasing matric suction and decreased suddenly just before water entry value of matric suction. Meanwhile, the hysteresis phenomenon was occurred in SWCCs and HCFs during the drying and wetting paths.