• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.11-19
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• 2006

For the last decade, the hi-directional testing method has been advantageous over the conventional pile load testing method in many aspects. However, because the hi-directional test uses a loading mechanism entirely different from that of the conventional pile load testing method, many investigators and practicing engineers have been concerned that the hi-directional test would give inaccurate results, especially about the pile head settlement behavior. Therefore, a hi-directional load test and the conventional top-down load test were executed on 1.5 m diameter cast-in-situ concrete piles at the same time and site. Strain gauges were placed on the piles. The two tests gave similar load transfer curves at various depth of piles. However, the top-down equivalent curve constructed from the hi-directional load test results predicted the pile head settlement under the pile design load to be about one half of that predicted by the conventional top-down load test. To improve the prediction accuracy of the top-down equivalent curve, a simple method that accounts for the pile compression is proposed. It was also shown that the strain gauge measurement data from the hi-directional load test could reproduce almost the same top-down curve.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.23 no.11
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• pp.77-85
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• 2007

This paper investigates the mechanical characteristics of composite geo-material which was developed to reuse both dredged soils and bottom ash. The composite geo-material used in this experiment consists of dredged soil taken from the construction site of Busan New Port, cement, air foam and bottom ash. Bottom ash is a by-product generated at the Samcheonpo thermal power plant. Several series of laboratory tests were performed to investigate behavior characteristics of composite gee-material, in particular the reinforcing effect by mixing bottom ash. The experimental results of composite geo-material indicated that the stress-strain relationship and the unconfined compressive strength are strongly influenced by mixing conditions. Especially it was observed that the compressive strength of composite geo-material increased with an increase in bottom ash content due to reinforcing effect by the bottom ash. Compressive strength of composite geo-material increased with the increase in curing time. The 28-day strength of composite geo-material is $1.7{\sim}1.8$ times higher than the 7-day strength. The moist unit weight strongly depended on air-foam content as well as bottom ash content added to the composite goo-material. In composite geo-material, secant modulus ($E_{50}$) also increased as its compressive strength increased due to the inclusion of bottom ash.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.86 no.5
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• pp.607-619
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• 2023

This study, it was tried to evaluate the asphalt behavior under tensile loading conditions through indirect Brazilian and direct tensile tests, experimentally and numerically. This paper is important from two points of view. The first one, a new test method was developed for the determination of the direct tensile strength of asphalt and its difference was obtained from the indirect test method. The second one, the effects of particle size and loading rate have been cleared on the tensile fracture mechanism. The experimental direct tensile strength of the asphalt specimens was measured in the laboratory using the compression-to-tensile load converting (CTLC) device. Some special types of asphalt specimens were prepared in the form of slabs with a central hole. The CTLC device is then equipped with this specimen and placed in the universal testing machine. Then, the direct tensile strength of asphalt specimens with different sizes of ingredients can be measured at different loading rates in the laboratory. The particle flow code (PFC) was used to numerically simulate the direct tensile strength test of asphalt samples. This numerical modeling technique is based on the versatile discrete element method (DEM). Three different particle diameters were chosen and were tested under three different loading rates. The results show that when the loading rate was 0.016 mm/sec, two tensile cracks were initiated from the left and right of the hole and propagated perpendicular to the loading axis till coalescence to the model boundary. When the loading rate was 0.032 mm/sec, two tensile cracks were initiated from the left and right of the hole and propagated perpendicular to the loading axis. The branching occurs in these cracks. This shows that the crack propagation is under quasi-static conditions. When the loading rate was 0.064 mm/sec, mixed tensile and shear cracks were initiated below the loading walls and branching occurred in these cracks. This shows that the crack propagation is under dynamic conditions. The loading rate increases and the tensile strength increases. Because all defects mobilized under a low loading rate and this led to decreasing the tensile strength. The experimental results for the direct tensile strengths of asphalt specimens of different ingredients were in good accordance with their corresponding results approximated by DEM software.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.30 no.2C
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• pp.109-117
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• 2010

Gas hydrate dissociation can generate large amounts of gas and water in gas hydrate bearing sediments, which may eventually escape from a soil skeleton and form voids within the sediments. The loss of fine particles between coarse particles or collapse of cementation due to water flow during heavy or continuous rainfall may form large voids within soil structure. In this study, the effect of void formation resulting from gas hydrate dissociation or loss of some particles within soil structure on the strength of soil is examined. Glass beads with uniform gradation were used to simulate a gas hydrate bearing or washable soil structure. Glass beads were mixed with 2% cement ratio and 7% water content and then compacted into a cylindrical sample with five equal layers. Empty capsules for medicine are used to mimic large voids, which are bigger than soil particle, and embedded into the middle of five equal layers. The number, direction, and length of capsules embedded into each layer vary. After two days curing, a series of unconfined compression tests is performed on the capsule-embedded cemented glass beads. Unconfined compressive strength of cemented glass beads with capsules depends on the volume, direction and length of capsules. The volume and cross section formed by voids are most important factors in strength. An unconfined compressive strength of a specimen with large voids decreases up to 35% of a specimen without void. The results of this study can be used to predict the strength degradation of gas hydrate bearing sediments in the long term after dissociation and loss of fine particles within soil structure.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.28 no.4C
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• pp.213-220
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• 2008

A study on cemented sand reinforced with short fibers was carried out to improve its unconfined compressive strength and brittle behavior. Nak-dong River sand was mixed with Portland cement and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fibers. A PVA fiber widely used for concrete reinforcement is randomly distributed into cemented sand. Nak-dong River sand, cement and fibers with optimum water content were compacted in 5 layers and then cured for 7 days. The effect of fiber reinforcement rather than cementation was emphasized by using a small amount of cement. Weakly cemented sand with a cement/sand ratio less than 8% was fiber-reinforced with different fiber ratios and tested for unconfined compression tests. The effect of fiber ratio and cement ratio on unconfined compressive strength was investigated. Fiber-reinforced cemented sand with 2% cement ratio showed up to six times strength to non-reinforced cemented sand. Because of ductile behavior of fiber-reinforced specimens, an axial strain at peak stress of specimens with 2% cement ratio increases up to 7% as a fiber ratio increases. The effect of 1% fiber addition into 2% cemented sand on friction angle and cohesion was analyzed separately. When the fiber reinforcement is related to friction angle increase, the 8% of applied stress transferred to 1% fibers within specimens.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.30 no.5C
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• pp.209-218
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• 2010

In residual soils, large particles such as rock fragments or gravel are surrounded by sand or clay. The strength of such granular mixtures can be controlled by the concentration of fine or coarse grains. The percentage by weight, size or shape of gravel in the mixture that can control the strength of the mixture has not been clearly determined for various granular mixtures. In this study, the effect of dispersed gravels on the shear characteristics of sand was evaluated. Large and small gravels were inserted in the middle of each layer with moist Nakdong River sand and compacted into a cylindrical sample with five equal layers. Embedded gravel ratios by weight were 0, 3, 9, and 14%. After consolidation, a series of undrained triaxial compression tests was performed on Nakdong River sand with dispersed gravels. Maximum deviator stresses of the Nakdong River sand with large gravels decrease up to 38% as a percentage of embedded gravels increases. Such strength degradation decreases as a confining pressure increases. The maximum deviator stress increases as the percentage by weight of small gravel increases; at 3 or 9% of gravel weight it slightly increases but at 14% of gravel weight it increases up to 34%.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.29 no.5C
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• pp.207-215
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• 2009

Cemented soils or concrete are usually cured under moisture conditions and their strength increases with curing time. An insufficient supply of water to cemented soils can contribute to hydration process during curing, which results in the variation of bonding strength of cemented soils. In this study, by the consideration of in situ water supply conditions, cemented sand with cement ratio less than 20% is prepared by air dry, wrapped, moisture, and underwater conditions. A series of unconfined compression tests are carried out to evaluate the effect of curing conditions on the strength of cemented soils. The strength of air dry curing specimen is higher than those of moisture and wrapped cured specimens when cement ratio is less than 10%, whereas it is lower when cement ratio is greater than 10%. Regardless of cement ratio, air dry cured specimens are stronger than underwater cured specimens. A strength increase ratio with cement ratio is calculated based on the strength of 4% cemented specimen. The strength increase ratio of air dry cured specimen is lowest and that of wrapped, moisture, and underwater cured ones increased by square. Strength of air dry cured specimen drops to maximum 30% after wetting when cement ratio is low. However, regardless of cement ratio, strength of moisture and wrapped specimens drops to an average 10% after wetting. The results of this study can predict the strength variation of cemented sand depending on water supply conditions and wetting in the field, which can guarantee the safety of geotechnical structures such as dam.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.29 no.6C
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• pp.259-266
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• 2009

The steel pipe of steel-concrete composite piles increases the pile strength and induces the ductile failure by constraining the deformation of the inner concrete. In this research, the numerical models and the related input parameters were analyzed to simulate the axial load-movement relations, which were obtained from the compression loading tests for the cylindrical specimens of the steel pipe, the concrete, and the steel-concrete composite. As the results, the behavior of the steel pipe was simulated by the von-Mises model and that of the concrete by the strain-softening model, which decreases cohesion and dilation angles as the function of plastic strains. In addition, the reinforcing bars in the concrete were simulated by applying the yielding moment and decreasing the sectional area of the bars. The applied numerical models properly simulated the yielding behavior and the reinforcement effect of the steel-concrete composite piles. The parametric study for the real-size piles showed that the material strength of the steel-concrete composite pile increased about 10% for the axial loading and about 20~45% for the horizontal loading due to the reinforcement effect by the surrounding steel pipe pile.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.5-14
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• 2024

PHC piles demonstrate superior resistance to compression and bending moments, and their factory-based production enhances quality assurance and management processes. Despite these advantages that have resulted in widespread use in civil engineering and construction projects, the design process frequently relies on empirical formulas or N-values to estimate the soil-pile friction, which is crucial for bearing capacity, and this reliance underscores a significant lack of experimental validation. In addition, environmental factors, e.g., the pH levels in groundwater and the effects of seawater, are commonly not considered. Thus, this study investigates the influence of vibrating machine foundations on PHC pile models in consideration of the effects of varying pH conditions. Concrete model piles were subjected to a one-month conditioning period in different pH environments (acidic, neutral, and alkaline) and under the influence of seawater. Subsequent repeated direct shear tests were performed on the pile-soil interface, and the disturbed state concept was employed to derive parameters that effectively quantify the dynamic behavior of this interface. The results revealed a descending order of shear stress in neutral, acidic, and alkaline conditions, with the pH-influenced samples exhibiting a more pronounced reduction in shear stress than those affected by seawater.

• Clean Technology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.245-255
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• 2019

Pressurized oxy-fuel combustion is a promising technology for $CO_2$ capture with a benefit of improving power plant efficiency compared with atmospheric oxy-fuel combustion. Prior to $CO_2$ compression in this process, a flue gas condenser (FGC) is used to remove $H_2O$ while recovering the latent heat. At the same time, the FGC has a potential for high-efficiency removal of $SO_x$ and $NO_x$ by exploiting their good solubility in water. In this study, experiments were carried out in a lab-scale, direct contact FGC under different pressures varying between 1 and 20 bar to evaluate the removal efficiency of $SO_2$ and $NO_x$ for individual gases and their mixture. In the tests for individual gases, 20% and 76% of $NO_x$ was removed at 1 bar and 10 bar, respectively. Even higher removal efficiencies were achieved for $SO_2$, and also these were maintained for longer as the pressure increased. In the tests for $SO_2$ and $NO_x$ mixture, the removal efficiency of $NO_x$ increased from 13% at 1 bar to 56% at 20 bar because of higher solubility at elevated pressures. $SO_2$ in the mixture was initially dissolved almost completely and then increased by 1,219 ppm at 1 bar and by 165 ppm at 20 bar. Overall, the removal efficiency of $SO_2$ and $NO_x$ was increased at elevated pressures, but it was lower in the mixture compared with individual gases at identical conditions because of a lower pH and associated chemical reactions in water.