• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.10 no.11
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• pp.3287-3295
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• 2009

This present study implemented a rainfall simulation system, and performed simulation and numerical analysis according to rainfall and slope conditions using a model slope built with weathered granite soil. Extensive analysis were conducted on the characteristics of changes in volumetric water content and pore water pressure measured in the simulation, and compared them with the results of numerical analysis. It took longer for the volumetric water content to reach the limit when rainfall intensity was high and the slope was steep and shorter when rainfall intensity was low and the slope was gentle. When rainfall intensity was low and the duration of rainfall was short, negative pore water pressure was higher and the time for restoration was shorter. On the contrary, when rainfall intensity was high and the duration of rainfall was long, it took a longer time to restore negative pore water pressure. In the results of rainfall simulation and numerical analysis, the distribution of volumetric water content and pore water pressure was similar between the two. However, the volumetric water content was different by up to 5%, and pore water pressure by up to 3kPa.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.15 no.4 s.42
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• pp.487-494
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• 2005

In order to estimated a reason of soil slope failure new measurement technology is demanded to measure a variation of volumetric water content which is a key physical parameter for understanding the slope failure in the field. In this study a laboratory soil tank test were conducted to use RDB and ADR measurement probes for measuring the variation of volumetric water content. These experiments were compared with two physical parameters as volumetric water content and pressure water head which are estimated to the compacted weathered granite soil under the artificial rainfall, 7.5mm/hour, in the whole of two stages. From the results the variation of volumetric water content and pressure water head is represented to nearly similar travel time.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.45-53
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• 2015

This study has obtained Soil Water Retention Curve (SWRC) of the unsaturated soil from the volumetric pressure plate extractor test and the triaxial compression tests was also conducted. By using the rainfall data measured in the site the seepage analysis of unsteady flow was performed with the program of SEEP/W in Geostudio 2007 and stability of the slope was analyzed with SLOPE/W program. Results of analyses show that shear strength of the unsaturated soil increases with the increase of matric suction. And it was also found that the net volumetric stress and the apparent cohesion increased with the matric suction. The seepage analysis of rainfall represents that the increasing rate of negative pore pressure at the zone of large negative pore pressure is appeared to be high even though lower rainfall intensity, but this tendency declines with ground depth. The stability analysis of slope was carried out for the actual plane of failure with the data representing the field condition. The factor of safety thus calculated was about unity (1.0) or just below, which means that the adopted method of analysis is in good agreement with the field condition.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.199-210
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• 2004

In this study, the physical and mechanical properties of the weathered shale soils distributed in the Hwasun area have been measured in the laboratory. The physical and mechanical properties of the weathered shale soils in the study area as follows: the specific gravity is 2.66 to 2.68, the liquid limit is 36.39 to 36.92(%), the plastic limit is 18.53 to 19.48(%), the plasticity index is 17.44 to 17.86 and soil classification is CL. The maximum dry unit weight and optimum moisture content as calculated by compaction test is 22.5 to 23% and 1.58 to $1.61t/\textrm{m}^3$, respectively. The result of direct shear testing show that cohesion in saturated and unsaturated conditions increases according to the increase of dry unit weight. Internal friction angle in an unsaturated condition increases with an increase of dry unit weight, but in a saturated condition, it increases after decreasing. When compares with engineering characteristics of tile weathered shale soils in the Daegu area (Kim et al., 1995), specific gravity is found to be similar, but the liquid and plastic limit of soil samples in this study area is slightly higher than those of soil samples in the Daegu area.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.23 no.11
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• pp.39-48
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• 2007

The soil-water characteristic curve(SWCC) is a useful tool in the prediction of the engineering behavior of unsaturated soils. Several equations are available in the literature to mathematically represent the experimental behavior of the SWCC. Some equations are based on the assumption that the shape of curve is dependent upon pore-size distribution. Other equations assume that SWCC can be estimated from the grain size distribution and the physical properties of soils. This study evaluated the suitability of using two different SWCC equations for defining the relationship between water content and matric suction. Various parameters that influence the SWCC behavior are also briefly discussed.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.21-28
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• 2021

The factors of landslides depend on rainfall intensity, duration, and the characteristics of the soil slope. The conventional slope stability analysis has been carried out by assuming that the slope is saturated. But, a site slope consisting of unsaturated ground must be imitated and interpreted in order to explain a proper behavior of the slope due to rainfall. In this study, by using two major categories of soils in Korea, such as granite and gneiss weathered soils, landslide model test and numerical analysis have been compared with the difference of seepage and volumetric water content. In general, the permeability of gneiss weathered soil, which contains a lot of fines content, is slower than that of granite weathered soil. As a result, in extreme rainfall, numerical analysis can show results that can penetrate quickly, resulting in saturation or more dangerous collapse.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.86-100
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• 1985

In order to investigate the strength characteristics of weathered granite soils in unsaturated state, the five physically different weathered granite soils and the common soil (sandy loam) were examined. The disturbed and the undisturbed material were prepared for triaxial compression test. The following conclusions were drawn from the study; 1. Dry density of the undisturbed soil samples was lower than maximum dry density determined from the compaction test and it showed the higher value at the well graded soil. 2. The failure strength of the samples decreased with the increase of moisture content of the soil and these results were highly pronounced at the common soil sample having a good cohesive property. 3. On weathered granite soils, the cohesion was lower measured and the internal friction angle highly, the decrease rate at internal friction angle with increase of moisture content of the soil was more significant than that of cohesion 4. The modulus of deformation of the samples decreased with increase of moisture content of the soil and these phenomena were highly pronounced at the weathered granite soils than common soil. 5. The failure strength of the samples increased with in crease of confining pressure and effect of confining pressure on failure strength was highly significant at the lower moisture content of the soil.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.29-36
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• 2019

High-level radioactive waste (HLW) such as spent fuel is inevitably produced when nuclear power plants are operated. A geological repository has been considered as one of the most adequate options for the disposal of HLW, and it will be constructed in host rock at a depth of 500~1,000 meters below ground level with the concept of an engineered barrier system (EBS) and a natural barrier system. The compacted bentonite buffer is one of the most important components of the EBS. As the compacted bentonite buffer is located between disposal canisters with spent fuel and the host rock, it can restrain the release of radionuclides and protect canisters from the inflow of groundwater. Because of inflow of groundwater into the compacted bentonite buffer, it is essential to investigate soil-water characteristic curves (SWCC) of the compacted bentonite buffer in order to evaluate the entire safety performance of the EBS. Therefore, this paper conducted laboratory experiments to analyze the SWCC for a Korean Ca-type compacted bentonite buffer considering dry density, confined or unconfined condition, and drying or wetting path. There was no significant difference of SWCC considering dry density under unconfined condition. Furthermore, it was found that there was higher water suction in unconfined condition that in confined condition, and higher water suction during drying path than during wetting path.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.407-414
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• 2010

Until now, the pore size distribution, PSD, of soil profile has been calculated from soil moisture characteristic data by water release method or mercury porosimetry using the capillary rise equation. But the current methods are often difficult to use and time consuming. Thus, in this work, theoretical framework for an easy and fast technique was suggested to estimate the PSD from unsaturated hydraulic conductivity data in an undisturbed field soil profile. In this study, unsaturated hydraulic conductivity data were collected and simulated by the variation of soil parameters in the given boundary conditions (Brooks and Corey soil parameters, ${\alpha}_{BC}=1-5L^{-1}$, b = 1 - 10; van Genuchten soil parameters, ${\alpha}_{VG}=0.001-1.0L^{-1}$, m = 0.1 - 0.9). Then, $K_s$ (1.0 cm $h^{-1})$ was used as the fixed input parameter for the simulation of each models. The PSDs were estimated from the collected K(h) data by model simulation. In the simulation of Brooks-Corey parameter, the saturated hydraulic conductivity, $K_s$, played a role of scaling factor for unsaturated hydraulic conductivity, K(h) Changes of parameter b explained the shape of PSD curve of soil intimately, and a ${\alpha}_{BC}$ affected on the sensitivity of PSD curve. In the case of van Genuchten model, $K_s$ and ${\alpha}_{VG}$ played the role of scaling factor for a vertical axis and a horizontal axis, respectively. Parameter m described the shape of PSD curve and K(h) systematically. This study suggests that the new theoretical technique can be applied to the in situ prediction of PSD in undisturbed field soil.

• Water for future
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.129-140
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• 1995

In this study we derived steady-state relationships between surface saturation area and subsurface outflow, and between surface saturation area and soil moisture storage through numerical experiments with Richards equation on a hillslope. Numerical experiments analyzed the sensitivity of topographic and soil hydraulic properties on steady-state relationships between surface saturation area and subsurface outflow. And the power law for the extent of surface saturation area was determined as a function of subsurface outflow or soil moisture storage.