• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.7 no.5
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• pp.31-39
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• 2006

In this study, modified triaxial compression tests were carried out to investigate the characteristics of shear strength of unsaturated dredged soils. The variation of shear strength generally depends on more matric suction than drained conditions, and then is gradually converged in matric suction 100kPa. It indicates that the effective angle of internal friction and effective cohesion in unsaturated conditions increase due to degree of saturation, namely, matric suction than those of saturated conditions. Therefore, it shows that apparent friction angle, ${\phi}^b$ due to the variation of matric suction to evaluate reasonable shear strength parameters in unsaturated soils should be considered.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.145-155
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• 2012

The matric suction and volumetric water content of Jumunin standard sand with a relative density of 60% were measured using an Automated Soil-Water Characteristic Curve (SWCC) apparatus during both drying and wetting processes. The test time for the drying process was longer than that for the wetting process, because the flow of water is likely to be protected by air trapped in voids within the soils during the drying process. Based on the matric suction and volumetric water content, the SWCC was estimated using the model proposed by van Genuchten (1980). For the drying process, the unsaturated fitting parameters ${\alpha}$, n, and m were 0.399, 8.586, and 0.884, respectively; for the wetting process, the values were 0.548, 5.625, and 8.220, respectively. The hysteresis phenomenon occurred in the SWCCs, which means the SWCC of the drying process is not matched with the SWCC of the wetting process. Using these unsaturated parameters, we estimated the Suction Stress Characteristic Curve (SSCC), based on the relationship between suction stress and the effective degree of saturation. The suction stress showed a rapid decrease when the matric suction exceeds the Air Entry Value (AEV). Therefore, the effective stress of unsaturated soils is different from that of saturated soils when the matric suction exceeds the AEV. The suction stress of the drying process exceeds that of the wetting process for a given effective degree of saturation. The hysteresis phenomenon was also recognized in SSCCs. The hysteresis phenomenon of SSCCs arises from that of SWCCs, which is induced by the ink bottle effect and the contact angle effect. In the case of a sandy slope, the suction stress is positive and acts to enhance the slope stability as the water infiltrates the ground, but is negative when the suction stress exceeds the AEV. The results obtained for the wetting process should be applied in analyses of slope stability, because the process of water infiltration into ground is similar to the wetting process.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.35-43
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• 2010

Partially saturated permeability should be defined by the function of suction (or degree of saturation) and porosity. However, commercial software and most researchers' model often describe as the function of suction. The stability of a soil slope can be affected by both hydraulic and shear strength properties of partially saturated soils. For both studies, we generally use an uncoupled seepage analysis program Seep/W(Geo-Slope, 2007) and a series stress-deformation analysis program Sigma/W, or slope stability analysis program Slope/W. Seep/W is performed for simulations of partially saturated flow problems in non-deformable soil media. However, under real situations, the water flow processes in a deformable soil are influenced by soil skeleton movement and the pore water pressure changed due to seepage will lead to changes in stresses and to deformation of a soil. Many researchers are currently developing their models for solving coupled hydro-mechanical problems to simulate slope stability during a rainstorm. For a proper implementation in the field, the developed model should be still needed in order to achieve appropriate accuracy of the solution for coupled hydro-mechanical problems in soil slope stability. Thus, the paper presents the comparison of slope stability between uncoupled and coupled analyses of seepage and stress deformation problems.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.33-41
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• 2016

This study attempted to investigate drain capacity and vegetation potential of made-planting soil via finite element simulations. Engineering drain capacity of made-planting soil can be evaluated by an analysis of unsaturated soils. In a perspective for vegetation landscape, it is necessary to check whether the minimum amount of water in the made-planting soil can be supplied for the survival of plants. Herein, 1-m high soil column covered by made-planting soil were numerically simulated. Numerical results showed that how the coefficient of permeability of saturated soil and soil-water characteristics of unsaturated soil are considered significantly influences the drain capacity of soils. Variation in the volumetric water content within the Least Limiting Water Range (LLWR) provides us with information on whether the soil can contain a sufficient amount of water for the plants to survive the drought.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.1073-1082
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• 2015

The behavior of the unsaturated soil slope can be influenced by the various factors such as the hydraulic characteristics, the mechanical characteristics, the coefficient of conductivity, the stratifications, the rainfall conditions i.e. the rainfall intensity, the rainfall pattern, the duration time of the rainfall and the antecedent rainfall etc. It is known that the slope failure is influenced greatly by the antecedent rainfall rather than the rainfall condition at the failure time, so the antecedent rainfall is supposed to be a very important factor in slope stability analysis among these factors. To predict and to prevent the slope failure by the rainfall, the distribution of the matric suction by the antecedent rainfall must be considered first of all and the slope stability analysis should be carried out by considering the successive rainfall characteristics. In this research, 3 samples with different quantity (5%, 10%, 20%) of silts were prepared and the SWCC (Soil-water characteristic curve) tests were carried out and the associated parameters were analyzed. After analyzing the distribution of the matric suction and the change of the mechanical characteristics such as the stress and the strength when applying the antecedent rainfall for one month and the successive intensive rainfall for 12 hours, the slope stability analyses were carried out numerically. And the influence of the antecedent rainfall for one month and the SWCC on the stability of a slope were compared and analyzed.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.32 no.3C
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• pp.113-120
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• 2012

An actual slope failure was analyzed in residual soils at Jinju. Due to rainfall infiltration, the safety factor decreases in the unsaturated layers, since the effective stress and shear strength decrease. In this study, the effective stress is based on suction stress using soil water retention curve. Unsaturated properties were evaluated on soil water retention curve, hydraulic conductivity and shear strength with samples from the site. After infiltration analysis of unsaturated flow under the actual rainfall, the distribution of pore water pressure could be calculated in the slope layers. In the stress field of finite elements, an elastic analysis calculated total stress distribution in the layers and also shear stresses on the slip surface using elastic model. On the slip surface, suction stress and effective stress evaluated the shear strength. As a result, the factor of safety was calculated due to rainfall, which could simulate the actual slope failure. In particular, it was found that the suction stress increases and both the effective stress and the shear strength decrease simultaneously on the slip surface.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.22 no.7
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• pp.55-64
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• 2006

Shallow failures of slopes in weathered soils are caused by infiltration caused by prolonged rainfall. These failures are mainly triggered by the deepening of the wetting band accompanied by a decrease in suction induced by the water infiltration. In this paper, hysteresis on soil-water characteristic curve (SWCC) of granite and gneiss weathered soils is investigated using transient flow analysis respectively. Each case was subjected to artificial rainfall intensities and time duration depending on the laboratory-based drying and wetting processes. The results show that the unsaturated seepage on weathered slopes are very much affected by the initial suction of soils and unsaturated permeability of the soils. In addition, a granite weathered soil has a lower air-entry value, residual matric suction, and wetting front suction and less hysteresis loop than a gneiss weathered soil.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.63-67
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• 2011

Recently, the application of unsaturated-soil theory is concerned in practice. Most characteristics of unsaturated-soil is the relationship between volumetric water contents and matric suction. Usually the volume water contents is estimated by the relationship between gravity water contents and volume water contents because of the difficulty of measurement of volumetric water contents. In this case, the water exists in only void of soil, and the relationship between gravity water contents and volume water contents is calculated by only water in void, but in fact, the water exists in the particle of the soil. So the real volume water contents is different with calculated volume water contents derived by the relationship containing only void water. The object of this research is to revise the relationship between volume water contents and gravity water contents by using the absorptivity tests of the soil particle.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.37-48
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• 2017

Soil-water characteristic curve (SWCC) has been widely used to estimate the shear strength and coefficient of permeability for unsaturated soils. In general, it is divided into the drying path in which the water is discharged and the wetting path in which the water is permeated, and it has a hysteresis indicating different suctions at the same volumetric water content. In reality the field behavior of unsaturated soils is much closer to the wetting path during the infiltration. The drying path has been practically used for various analyses because obtaining the wetting path takes longer than the drying path. Although many approaches for estimating wetting path have been studied till now, these are complex and do not fit well. Therefore, a simple method for estimating wetting path based on empirical approach in this study is proposed in unsaturated soils, and a feasibility study is conducted as well.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.41-52
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• 2011

The hypothesis on effective stress of unsaturated soil is validated by $K_0$ consolidation results of triaxial tests for the compacted residual soil. The stress characteristic curve (SSCC) can describe unsaturated soil behavior on water contents, which was defined from shear strength or from soil water characteristic curves. In this study, it was found that the stress path of $K_0$ consolidation can also define the SSCC. The effective stress was defined by SSCC. $K_0$ paths for various matric suctions could be described as a unique line by effective stress. The measured values of $K_0$ were interpreted by effective stress as a constant with respect to matric suction. Since the SSCC from $K_0$ consolidation agrees with that from the shear strength, the SSCC from soil water retention curve could describe effective stress behavior consistently on both $K_0$ consolidation path and stress at failure. The effective stress based on SSCC can describe the entire unsaturated behavior from consolidation to failure.