• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.105-114
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• 2007

Two-dimensional imaging of $V_s$ profile becomes more important in Korea because of the large horizontal variation of soil stiffness. To obtain a shear-wave velocity profile in geotechnical practice, various seismic nondestructive investigation methods are being frequently used. In this study, harmonic wavelet analysis of wave (HWAW) method is applied to the determination of $V_s$ profile to overcome some of weaknesses in the existing surface wave methods. HWAW method which is based on time-frequency analysis using harmonic wavelet transform has been developed to determine phase and group velocities of waves. Field testing of this method is relatively simple and fast because one experimental setup which consists of one pair of receivers is needed to determine $V_s$ profile of site. The proposed method uses the signal portion of the maximum local signal/noise ratio to evaluate the phase velocity to minimize the effects of noise, and uses single array inversion which considers receiver locations. Field tests were performed in 2 sites in order to evaluate accuracy of test method and estimate the applicability of 2-D imaging by HWAW method. Through field applications and comparison with other test results, the good accuracy and applicability of the proposed method were verified.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.23 no.12
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• pp.33-42
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• 2007

The assessment of shear wave velocity($V_s$) in soft soils is extremely difficult due to the soil disturbances during sampling and field access. After a ring type field $V_s$ probe(FVP) has been developed, it has been applied at the southern coastal area of the Korean peninsular. This study presents the upgraded FVP "blade type FVP", which minimizes soil disturbance during penetration. Design concerns of the blade type FVP include the tip shape, soil disturbance, transducers, protection of the cables, and the electromagnetic coupling between transducers and cables. The cross-talking between cables is removed by grouping and extra grounding of the cables. The shear wave velocity of the FVP is simply calculated by using the travel distance and the first arrival time. The large calibration chamber tests are carried out to investigate the disturbance effect due to the penetration of FVP blade and the validity of the shear waves measured by the FVP. The blade type FVP is tested in soils up to 30m in depth. The shear wave velocity is measured every 10cm. This study suggests that the upgraded blade type FVP may be an effective device for measuring the shear wave velocity with minimized soil disturbance in the field.

• 한국지구물리탐사학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.09a
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• pp.155-175
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• 2005

Soil and rock dynamic properties such as shear wave velocity (VS), compressional wave velocity (VP) and corresponding Poisson's ratio ( v ) are very important geotechnical parameters in predicting deformational behavior of structures as well as practicing seismic design and performance evaluation. In an effort to measure the parameter efficiently and accurately, various bore-hole seismic testing techniques have been, thus, developed and used during past several decades. In this study, cross-hole seismic testing technique which is known as the most reliable seismic method was adopted for obtaining geotechnical dynamic properties. To perform successfully the cross-hole test for rock as well as soil layers regardless of the ground water level, spring-loaded source which impact laterally a subsurface ground in vertical bore-hole was developed and applied at three study areas, which contain four sites composed of two existing port sites and two new LNG storage facility sites. The geotechnical dynamic properties such as VS, VP and v with depth were efficiently determined from the laterally impacted cross-hole seismic tests at study sites, and were provided as the fundamental parameters for the seismic performance evaluation of the existing ports and the seismic design of the LNG storage facilities.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.10 no.2 s.48
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• pp.51-62
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• 2006

In the companion paper (I-Problem Statements of the Current Seismic Design Code), the current Korean seismic design code is required to be modified considering site characteristics in Korea for the reliable estimation of site amplification. In this paper, three site classification methods based on the mean shear wave velocity of the top 30m $V_{S30}$, fundamental site periods $(T_G)$ and bedrock depth were investigated and compared with each other to determine the best classification system. Not enough of a difference in the standard deviation of site coefficients $(F_a\;and\;F_v)$ to determine the best system, and neither is the difference between the average spectral accelerations and the design response spectrum of each system. However, the amplification range of RRS values based on $T_G$ were definitely concentrated on a narrow band than other classification system. It means that sites which have a similar behavior during earthquake will be classified as the same site category at the site classification system based on $T_G$. The regression curves between site coefficients and $T_G$ described the effect of soil non linearity well as the rock shaking intensity increases than the current method based on $V_{S30}$. Furthermore, it is unambiguous to determine sue category based on $T_G$ when the site investigation is performed to shallower depth less than 30m, whereas the current $V_{S30}$ is usually calculated fallaciously by extrapolating the $V_s$ of bedrock to 30m. From the results of this study, new site classification system based on $T_G$ was recommended for legions of shallow bedrock depth in Korea.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.101-115
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• 2005

For the site characterization at two inland areas, Gyeongju and Hongsung, which represent geomorphic and geologic characteristics of inland region in Korea, in-situ seismic tests containing borehole drilling investigations and resonant column tests were peformed and site-specific seismic response analyses were conducted using equivalent linear as well as nonlinear scheme. The soil deposits in Korea were shallower and stiffer than those in western US, from which the site coefficients and site classification system in Korea were derived. Most sites were categorized as site classes C and D based on the mean shear wave velocity $(V_s)$ of the upper 30 m $(V_s30)$, ranging between 250 and 650 m/s. According to the acceleration response spectra determined from the site response analyses, the site coefficients specified in the current Korean seismic design guide underestimate the ground motion in the short-period band and overestimate the ground motion in mid-period band. These differences can be explained by the differences in the bedrock depth and the soil stiffness profile between Korea and western US. The site coefficients, $F_a$ for short-period and $F_v$ for mid-period, were re-evaluated and the site classification system, in which sites C and D were subdivided according to $V_s20,\;V_s15,\;and\;V_s10$ together with the existing $V_s30$ was introduced accounting for the local geologic conditions at inland region of the Korean peninsula. The proposed site classification system in this paper is still rudimentary and requires modification.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.203-218
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• 2010

The site categorization and corresponding site amplification factors in the current Korean seismic design guideline are based on provisions for the western United States (US), although the site effects resulting in the amplification of earthquake ground motions are directly dependent on the regional and local site characteristic conditions. In these seismic codes, two amplification factors called site coefficients, $F_a$ and $F_v$, for the short-period band and midperiod band, respectively, are listed according to a criterion, mean shear wave velocity ($V_S$) to a depth of 30 m, into five classes composed of A to E. To suggest a site classification system reflecting Korean site conditions, in this study, systematic site characterization was carried out at four regional areas, Gyeongju, Hongsung, Haemi and Sacheon, to obtain the $V_S$ profiles from surface to bedrock in field and the non-linear soil properties in laboratory. The soil deposits in Korea, which were shallower and stiffer than those in the western US, were examined, and thus the site period in Korea was distributed in the low and narrow band comparing with those in western US. Based on the geotechnical characteristic properties obtained in the field and laboratory, various site-specific seismic response analyses were conducted for total 75 sites by adopting both equivalent-linear and non-linear methods. The analysis results showed that the site coefficients specified in the current Korean provision underestimate the ground motion in the short-period range and overestimate in the mid-period range. These differences can be explained by the differences in the local site characteristics including the depth to bedrock between Korea and western US. Based on the analysis results in this study and the prior research results for the Korean peninsula, new site classification system was developed by introducing the site period as representative criterion and the mean $V_S$ to a depth of shallower than 30 m as additional criterion, to reliably determine the ground motions and the corresponding design spectra taking into account the regional site characteristics in Korea.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2010.03a
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• pp.687-698
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• 2010

Borehole drilled depend on the point is bound to be limited to obtain the 2-D or 3-D layer information for entire targer area. On the other hand, SASW and MASW provide the sectional form of layer information through the shear wave velocity($V_s$). Therefore the useful information of the target area can be derived from SASW, MASW and borehole data. In this research, the correlation reflected locality and nationwide between sectional geo-layer and $V_s$ was investigated and analyzed. The target areas are westside of Pyeongtaek and Incheon. The shear wave velocity($V_s$) obtained from SASW, MASW and borehole data conducted within the scope of crossline for survey was utilized in each region. In the 2D distribution of $V_s$ from SASW, MASW, $V_s$ tend to continually increase deeper and deeper. By the target area, the depth of each representative geo-layer was nested on the sectional distribution map of $V_s$ to suggest the range of $V_s$ in accordance of strata by using borehole data. The 2D sectional geo-layer distribution map is presented based on the range of $V_s$. In addition the correlation between measured and calculated $V_s$ according to the empirical equation was analyzed.

• 한국지구물리탐사학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.09a
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• pp.125-153
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• 2005

It has been widely known that the seismic piezo-cone penetration test (SCPTU) is one of the most useful techniques for investigating the geotechnical characteristics including dynamic soil properties. As the practical applications in Korea, SCPTU was carried out at two sites in Busan and four sites in Incheon, which are mainly composed of alluvial or marine soil deposits. From the SCPTU waveform data obtained from the testing sites, the first arrival times of shear waves were and the corresponding time differences with depth were determined using the cross-over method, and the shear wave velocity profiles (VS) were derived based on the refracted ray path method based on Snell's law and similar to the trend of cone tip resistance (qt) profiles. In Incheon area, the testing depths of SCPTU were deeper than those of conventional down-hole seismic tests. Moreover, for the application of the conventional CPTU to earthquake engineering practices, the correlations between VS and CPTU data were deduced based on the SCPTU results. For the empirical evaluation of VS for all soils together with clays and sands which are classified unambiguously in this study by the soil behavior type classification Index (IC), the authors suggested the VS-CPTU data correlations expressed as a function of four parameters, qt, fs, $\sigma$, v0 and Bq, determined by multiple statistical regression modeling. Despite the incompatible strain levels of the down-hole seismic test during SCPTU and the conventional CPTU, it is shown that the VS-CPTU data correlations for all soils clays and sands suggested in this study is applicable to the preliminary estimation of VS for the Korean deposits and is more reliable than the previous correlations proposed by other researchers.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.211-222
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• 2021

The magnitude 5.4 earthquake occurred in 2017 near 7.5 km north of Buk-gu, Pohang. In order to find out the characteristics of microtremor in Buk-gu, Pohang, Gyeongsangbuk-do, where earthquake damage occurred significantly, a total of 39 points were acquired to analyze the horizontal to vertical spectral ratio (HVSR). Microtremor vary from region to region, so the resonant frequency of the region is obtained by examining the microtremor. For Thickness analysis, we analyze the structure and properties of shear wave velocity (Vs) up to the underlying rock to compare resonance frequencies to match the horizontal to vertical spectral ratio (HVSR) analysis technique against nearby boring data. Using F₀ = V_s/4H with a resonance frequency of alluvium is 1.3 ± 0.07 Hz and a resonance frequency of Yeonil group is 0.69 ± 0.22 Hz, the alluvium thickness was found to be 26~30 m and the Yeonil group thickness was 170~250 m.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2008.03a
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• pp.605-612
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• 2008

The shear wave velocity ($V_s$) has been commonly used to evaluate the dynamic properties of soil. The field $V_s$ probe (FVP) was already developed to assess the shear stiffness of a soft clay. The objective of this study is to investigate the disturbance effects of the FVP due to the penetration. The laboratory tests are conducted in a large-scale consolidometer (calibration chamber). The reconstituted clay is mixed at the water content of 110% using a slurry mixer. The FVP and down-hole test are carried out every 1cm interval to compare the data. In addition, two square rods with transducers are also implemented to get the reference value. The shear waves evaluated by the FVP, dow-hole tests, and reference rods are closely matched. This study suggests that the disturbance effect of the FVP due to the penetration into the soft clay soils is small enough and the $V_s$ evaluated by the FVP reflects well the in-situ characteristics. Furthermore, the combination of the FVP and down-hole test shows the possibility of hybrid equipment.