• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.5-12
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• 2024

In the case of creating a site in the reclaimed land (public waters), due to the nature of the coastal sedimentary ground, large-scale construction materials are required, It is necessary to utilize soft clay, which is inevitably generated during construction of the complex, as a fill material in terms of resource recycling and economic aspects (reducing the amount of embankment required). In this study, changes in the consolidation characteristics of cut-out disturbed soft clay due to the recycling of soft clay soil were identified, and a consolidation settlement design plan was proposed. Through the results of the consolidation test of the study site, the change in consolidation characteristics (compression index reduction, precede load uncountable) due to disturbance (cutting) was confirmed, the method of calculating (consolidation settlement) the filling clay layer as the composite target layer (consolidation target layer, loading load layer) was analyzed as a result consistent with the actual behavior.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.11-21
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• 2022

In this study, the individual vacuum seepage consolidation method, a new soft ground improvement method, was developed to supplement the conventional suction drain method (individual vacuum preloading method) and the geotechnical behavior was predicted through numerical analysis. If the individual vacuum seepage consolidation method applied, the effect of accelerating settlement and increasing the amount of settlement was high when the aquifer was located in the middle or at the bottom of the layer to the target improvement layer. It was found that the pumping amount in the aquifer does not affect the settlement behavior when it exceeds a certain level. Even vacuum pumping wells were installed in various locations, such as inside or outside of the embankment, the difference in settlement and horizontal displacement was insignificant. In addition, it was predicted that the settlement rate was the fastest and the horizontal displacement (inward) was large when both methods were carried out at the same time. Since this method can reach the target settlement amount very quickly, it was confirmed that it is possible to increase the spacing of vertical drain, thereby securing economic feasibility.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.22 no.8
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• pp.13-19
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• 2021

In the case of construction on soft ground - such as national expressways sponsored by Social Overhead Capital (SOC) - many problems occur due to excessive settlement: therefore, an accurate settlement prediction has a major impact on the selection of improvement methods, project budget and construction period. Most of the settlement prediction methods currently used in projects apply Terzaghi's Theory of One-Dimensional Consolidation which assumes the uniformity of the depth of the soft ground. However, the results of soft ground settlement predictions vary when the target layer is divided into multiple horizontal layers. This study analyzed the change in the consolidation settlement behavior according to the horizontal division of soft ground as well as with different loading height.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.26 no.4C
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• pp.247-254
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• 2006

Online testing method is one of the numerical experiment methods using experimental information for a numerical analysis directly. The method has an advantage in that analysis can be conducted without using an idealized mechanical model, because mechanical properties are updated from element test for a numerical analysis in real time. The online testing method has mainly been used for the geotechnical seismic engineering, whose major target is sand. A testing method that may be applied to a consolidation problem has recently been developed and laboratory and field verifications have been tried. Although related research thus far has mainly used a method to update average reaction for a numerical analysis by positioning an element tests at the center of a consolidation layer, a weakness that accuracy of the analysis can be impaired as the thickness of the consolidation layer becomes more thicker has been pointed out regarding the method. To clarify the effectiveness and possible analysis scope of the online testing method in relation to the consolidation problem, we need to review the results by applying experiment conditions that may completely exclude such a factor. This research reviewed the results of the online consolidation test in terms of reproduction of the consolidation settlement and the dissipation of excess pore water pressure of a clay specimen by comparing the results of an online consolidation test and a separated-type consolidation test carried out under the same conditions. As a result, the online consolidation test reproduced the change of compressibility according effective stress of clay without a huge contradiction. In terms of the dissipation rate of excess pore water pressure, however, the online consolidation test was a little faster. In conclusion, experiment procedure needs to improve in a direction that hydraulic conductivity can be updated in real time so as to more precisely predict the dissipation of excess pore water pressure. Further research or improvement should be carried out with regard to the consolidation settlement after the end of the dissipation of excess pore water pressure.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.28 no.6C
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• pp.349-358
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• 2008

In performing the reliability analysis for predicting the settlement with time of alluvial clay layer at Kobe airport, the uncertainties of geotechnical properties were examined based on the stochastic and probabilistic theory. By using Terzaghi's consolidation theory as the objective function, the failure probability was normalized based on AFOSM method. As the result of reliability analysis, the occurrence probabilities for the cases of the target settlement of ${\pm}10%,\;{\pm}25%$ of the total settlement from the deterministic analysis were 30~50%, 60%~90%, respectively. Considering that the variation coefficients of input variable are almost similar as those of past researches, the acceptable error range of the total settlement would be expected in the range of 10% of the predicted total settlement. As the result of sensitivity analysis, the factors which affect significantly on the settlement analysis were the uncertainties of the compression coefficient Cc, the pre-consolidation stress Pc, and the prediction model employed. Accordingly, it is very important for the reliable prediction with high reliability to obtain reliable soil properties such as Cc and Pc by performing laboratory tests in which the in-situ stress and strain conditions are properly simulated.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.47-59
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• 2023

In this research, laboratory tests were conducted on clayey sand (SC) to analyze its physical properties, compaction/permeability characteristics, and stress-strain behavior. The main objective was to determine the transitional fines content at which the mechanical properties of sand transition to those of clay, resulting in a change in the geotechnical behavior of the material. Additionally, to assess the practical applicability of SC soil, field data from a soft ground improvement site with significant settlement issues were collected. The settlement characteristics derived from laboratory tests and numerical simulations were then compared and analyzed in relation to the actual settlement data obtained from the field, aiming to evaluate the suitability of the SC soil as a compaction target layer. The laboratory tests and compaction analysis showed that the SC soil exhibited a distinct change in mechanical properties, shifting from sandy behavior to clayey behavior when the fines content exceeded 25%. This transition in mechanical behavior was found to be closely correlated with the content of clay particles within the material. Through numerical simulations of the soft ground site, it was verified that the use of clayey sand with a fines content exceeding the transitional level as a compaction target layer resulted in settlements that closely aligned with the measured settlements, with an average agreement of 91.2%. Based on these findings, it is deemed advisable to incorporate clayey sand with a fines content exceeding the transitional level as part of the compaction target layer in the design of soft ground improvements.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.37-46
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• 2023

In this paper, the physical properties, stress deformation and strength characteristics, density and permeability characteristics of silty sand (SM) by fines content were analyzed through indoor tests. also based on the results of the indoor tests, a compact analysis was performed according to the content of SM, and the applicability of SM ground to the compacted target layer was evaluated by comparing it with the measurement data of the actual problem site. As a result of indoor tests and compression analysis, SM changed its mechanical properties from sandy soil to viscous soil when the fine particle content was 35% or higher, and using field measurement data, SM was found to have a higher compression tendency than direct subsidence. Therefore, the mechanical characteristics of SM above Fc 35% are considered to be similar to that of viscous soil, which is different from the compression characteristics of the tendency of immediate subsidence to conventional sandy soil, so it is necessary to present the mechanical characteristics of SM through further research. The research findings highlight the importance of considering consolidation settlement in silty sand (SM) when evaluating soft soil conditions. These findings can aid in revising criteria for assessing weak ground conditions by providing essential engineering property data based on varying fines content in silty sand.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2014

Expansion of a roadway on a soft ground can cause settlement of the existing road during embankment construction due to the consolidation characteristics of the soft soil. Many problems related to construction and maintenance, such as deterioration of the surface, decreased safety, and decreased structural stability, could affect the existing road. This scenario is especially true if the roadway foundation is a deep thick soft ground. Therefore, engineers should carefully select a proper design based on the characteristics of the soil layer. In this study, the expansion of the second branch of the Namhae Expressway was selected as the target site because this expressway has been constructing on a soft soil layer approximately 50 m thick. The original design was reviewed, problems were discussed and alternative was proposed through value engineering job plan phases: investigation, speculation, evaluation, development and presentation. In addition, the proposed alternative was evaluated on cost, function and value improvement. Compared to the original design, the proposed alternative saved cost and improved the function and overall value.