• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.35-40
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• 2007

The vertical drain method recently being used in Korea is divided into the sand drain method, the pack drain method, the paper drain method, and the PBD method according to the drainage. However, these methods generate the disturbed zone called the smear zone when the drainage is penetrated into the in-situ ground. The characteristics of the smear zone generated cause the problems that the coefficient of permeability decreases and the consolidation time becomes longer than expected in the design. Although the size of the smear zone is a very important factor directly influencing the degree of consolidation, in the existing studies, the general value for the size of the smear zone proposed has been used in the design. However, the size of the smear zone proposed by the existing studies cause a loss of economical efficiency because of the inaccuracy of the design. Hence, in this study, the characteristics on the size of the smear zone were analyzed by carrying out the three dimensional numerical analysis and the method to determine the conversion size of the smear zone considering the change of the coefficient of permeability was proposed in order to consider the change of the coefficient of permeability in the actual design.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.13 no.8
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• pp.85-94
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• 2012

Evaluation of the smear effect caused by mandrel penetration into soft ground for a vertical drain installation is very important to predict the consolidation time of soft ground improvement. 30 kinds of laboratory model tests considering in situ conditions were conducted to investigate the formation of a smear zone and the decrease of coefficient of permeability in the disturbed zone. Three types(C(clay):M(silt)=1:1, 0.5:0.5, and 0:1) of reconstituted samples were used for 3 dimensional smear zone test. An experimental study was performed focusing on length of mandrel penetration, mandrel shape and size, earth pressure, and ground condition(unit weight and grain size distributions). Laboratory test results show that the length of mandrel penetration is the most critical factor for the formation of smear zone. As a result, the ratio between diameter of the smear zone($d_s$) and that of mandrel($d_m$) at field using long mandrel becomes larger than conventional $d_s/d_m$. The ratio between $d_s$ and $d_m$ ranges from 1.89 and 2.48 with the sample at C:M=1:0. It was also found that the $d_s/d_m$ value with the round shape of the mandrel is smaller than that of diamond one. The value of $d_s/d_m$ decreased with larger mandrel size, lower unit weight, and higher earth pressure. However, higher silt content led to increase of $d_s/d_m$. The ratio between coefficient of horizontal permeability in the smear zone($k_{hs}$) and that of undisturbed zone($k_{ho}$) ranged from 0.70 to 0.85. The test results imply that factors and values affecting $k_{hs}/k_{ho}$ show similar tendency with $d_s/d_m$.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.217-225
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• 2003

An experimental study was conducted to evaluate the smeared effect due to mandrel penetration into soft ground for a vertical drain installation. Laboratory tests were performed to investigate the formation of a smear zone, the variations of strength, and the consolidation characteristics in the disturbed zone using two types(CL at Yangsan site and OH at Pohang site) of soft clayey soils. The smear zone effect was evaluated focusing on mandrel shape, mandrel size, penetration speed, and ground condition. Based on laboratory test results, the diameter of the smear zone$(d_s)$ ranged from 3.08 and 3.92 times that of mandrel$(d_m)$. It was also found that the $(d_s/d_m)$ value of the circular shape of the mandrel is smaller than those of square and rectangular shapes. The value of $(d_s/d_m)$ decreased with larger mandrel size, lower penetration speed in the CL soil, and higher penetration speed in the OH soil. However, natural water content was minimally affected by $(d_s/d_m)$. Respectively, the coefficients of horizontal consolidation$(C_{hs})$ and horizontal Permeability$(K_s)$ of smear zone ranged from 0.81 to 0.87 times, and 0.73 to 0.83 times those of the undisturbed zone. Based on this study, the values of $C_{hs}, K_s$ and unconfined compressive strength$(q_{us})$ in the smear zone were the lowest at close vicinity of the mandrel and increased linearly with distance from the mandrel. Further, the $(q_{us})$ varied from 0.5 to 0.9 times that of the undisturbed zone strength.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.27-33
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• 2007

The vertical drain method recently being used in Korea is one of the popular soft ground improvement methods, and it is divided into the sand drain method, the pack drain method, the paper drain method, and the PBD method according to the drainage. However, these methods generate the disturbed zone called the smear zone when the drainage is penetrated into the in-situ ground. The characteristics of the smear zone generated cause the problems that the coefficient of permeability decreases, and then the consolidation time in the design becomes longer than expected. Even though the coefficient of horizontal consolidation and the coefficient of permeability in the smear zone are very important design factors directly influencing the degree of consolidation, in the existing studies, these coefficients have been empirically derived by the coefficient of vertical consolidation and used for the design. However, in case that these coefficients derived by the coefficient of vertical consolidation are applied to the actual design, a loss of the duration of construction and a loss of economical efficiency can be happened because of the inaccuracy of the coefficient of horizontal consolidation and the coefficient of permeability. Hence, in this study, in order to understand such influence, the laboratory test was carried out so as to reasonably determine the coefficient of permeability and the coefficient of consolidation in diverse ground conditions. Then, the range of smear effect on clay and silt was estimated with monitoring data through the laboratory test.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 1996.12a
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• pp.89-100
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• 1996

• Journal of Industrial Technology
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• v.29 no.A
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• pp.127-134
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• 2009

In this paper, an numerical approach is performed to investigate the effects of smear zone, occurred by penetrating vertical drains, on consolidation behavior of soft clay deposits. Such a numerical analysis is applied to the field condition to confirm its applicability. Parametric numerical analyses is carried out to study influencing factors such as permeability in smear zone, boundary of smear zone and discharge capacity of vertical drains on the consolidation of soil. As results of analyses, for the given conditions of soil, degree of consolidation is getting faster with increase of permeability of vertical drain. Degree of consolidation is delayed with decrease of permeability of smear zone. As the ratio of drain width to smear zone increases, the degree of consolidation decreases. Proposed values of influencing factors by previous researchers is found to be reliable from results of numerical analyses with Cam-clay model.

• 한국방재학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2007.02a
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• pp.279-282
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• 2007

When ground disturbance takes place due to vertical drain construction through mandrel penetration, that affects excess pore water pressure dissipation time because of soft clay coefficient of permeability decreasing. Eventually, consolidation time is influenced. In this research, we measure process of excess pore water pressure dissipation before and after each other different shape's mandrel penetration through model test, and calculates range of smear zone, coefficient of permeability and horizontal coefficient of consolidation after model test. Using of test result, we grasp a degree of drainage ability drop resulting from vertical drain construction.

• 한국방재학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2007.02a
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• pp.542-545
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• 2007

The vertical drain method generate the disturbed zone, because the drainage should be penetrated into the in-situ ground. The characteristics of the smear zone generated cause the problems that the coefficient of permeability decreases and the consolidation time anticipated in the design is not properly shortened. In this study, in order to understand such influence, the laboratory test were carried out so as to reasonably determine the coefficient of consolidation in silt. For that procedure, mandrel of a diversity were penetrated into the soil tube with silt, and then the variation of pore water pressure was measured with the pore pressure meter, Then, the range of smear effect on silt was estimated with monitoring data through the laboratory test, and also analyzed with inputting the coefficient of consolidation into the theoretical equation.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 1999.10a
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• pp.81-86
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• 1999

The installation of vertical drains by means of a mandrel causes significant remolding of the subsoil, especially in the immediate vicinity of the mandrel. Thus, a zone of smear will be developed with reduced permeability and increased compressibility. This paper is mainly concerned with a field study to investigate the effect of smear due to vertical drain installation. In the present study, a field smear test was conducted to assess the extent of the smear zone around the vertical drain. The extent of the smear zone around a vertical drain was evaluated from the CPT results. CPT test was carried out to some distance around the mandrel installation. The test results revealed that a smear zone was estimated to be 3.6~5.3 times of the mandrel diameter.

• Geotechnical Engineering
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.45-58
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• 1997

In this paper the factors developing ground disturbance with the penetration of PDB mandrels are analysed by using field reconnaissance and laboratory test. In the laboratory tests, the amount of smear zones around the PDB mandrels is compared with respect to the shape and the size of mandrels by penetrating model mandrels of various shapes into the reconstituted clay. The shapes of mandrels selected are circular, oval and rectangular. It was recognized from the field reconnaissance that the size and shape, driving techniques of mandrels, as well as the size and shape of anchor shoe could develop ground disturbance. The mandrels that would reduce the smear effect of clay is oval and rectangular shapes rat her than circular one. It was found that the smear effect becomes smaller as the ratio of the long and short edge of the rectangular shape mandrel becomes larger.