• Magazine of the Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
• /
• v.40 no.5
• /
• pp.80-90
• /
• 1998

The EPS construction method-one kind of the load reducing methods-utilizes the EPS blocks, ultra-light materials whose unit weight is about 1/100 of soils and has been applied to many soft ground sites. It needed 3,000 days to get the 90% degree of the consolidation for the case of 12m high soil embankments on the 30m thick soft clayey foundations. The N value of SPT at this deposit was less than 5. The pack drain was installed to promote the radial consolidations. Although staged embankments were planned, designers failed to get a sufficient stability of the foundation ground. Therefore, the EPS fill method was selected to reduce the load and the construction period. EPS blocks(D-20 model) replaced the upper part of the soil embankments. These complex embankments reduced the ground settlement and the construction period. The possibility of lateral movements of the bridge abutments was checked and the design scheme was reviewed.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
• /
• 2002.10a
• /
• pp.65-84
• /
• 2002

The Observational Method proposed by Terzaghi can be applied for the safe and economic construction projects where the exact prediction of the behavior of the structures is difficult as in the underground excavation. The method consists of measuring lateral displacement, ground settlement and axial force of supports in the earlier stage of the construction and back analysis technique to find the best fit design parameters such as earth pressure coefficient, subgrade reaction etc, which will minimize the gap between calculated displacement and measured displacement. With the results, more reliable prediction of the later stage can be obtained. In this study, back analysis programs using the Direct Method, based on the Hill Climbing Method were made and evaluated, and to overcome the limits of the method, Genetic Algorithm(GA) was applied and tested for the actual construction cases.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
• /
• 2008.10a
• /
• pp.1218-1231
• /
• 2008

Recently the energy dependence of LNG resource is being increased. So the enlargement of LNG storage is constructed in the coastal area. Most of LNG tanks are constructed below the ground level, and thus the hydraulic uplift pressure could be a problem against the weight of tank structure. Specifically, the settlement of foundation soil in the LNG tank is also important in the aspect of safety. The low temperature around LNG tank is induced the ground freezing and hence increasing the soil volume and earth pressure. The additional lateral earth pressure due to ground freezing could be applied to the LNG tank. In this study, the stability of LNG storage tank was evaluated with consideration of freezing earth pressure by using computer program TEMP-W.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
• /
• 2008.10a
• /
• pp.1614-1622
• /
• 2008

A series of three-dimensional numerical modelling have been conducted to clarify the behaviour of multi-pressurised soil nails with high strength steel pipes. In this study, the soil non-linearity, the soil-nail interaction and staged construction are considered. It has been found that pressurised soil nails can reduce lateral ground movement by 14-21% compared to general soil nails with very low pressure. In addition, ground settlement was reduced when using multi-pressurised soil nails. The pressurised soil nail may result in an increase in the surcharge loading on the ground surface.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
• /
• v.14 no.6
• /
• pp.589-600
• /
• 2018

For foundations in permafrost regions, the displacement characteristics are uncertain because of the randomness of temperature characteristics and mechanical parameters, which make the structural system have an unexpected deviation and unpredictability. It will affect the safety of design and construction. In this paper, we consider the randomness of temperature characteristics and mechanical parameters. A stochastic analysis model for the uncertain displacement characteristic of foundations is presented, and the stochastic coupling program is compiled by Matrix Laboratory (MATLAB) software. The stochastic displacement fields of an embankment in a permafrost region are obtained and analyzed by Neumann stochastic finite element method (NSFEM). The results provide a new way to predict the deformation characteristics of foundations in permafrost regions, and it shows that the stochastic temperature has a different influence on the stochastic lateral displacement and vertical displacement. Construction disturbance and climate warming lead to three different stages for the mean settlement of characteristic points. For the stochastic settlement characteristic, the standard deviation increases with time, which imply that the results of conventional deterministic analysis may be far from the true value. These results can improve our understanding of the stochastic deformation fields of embankments and provide a theoretical basis for engineering reliability analysis and design in permafrost regions.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
• /
• v.13 no.1
• /
• pp.43-61
• /
• 2017

The inverted T-type abutments are generally used in highway bridges constructed in Korea. This type of abutment is used because it has greater stability, with more pile foundations embedded in the bedrock, while simultaneously providing support for lateral earth pressure and vertical loads of superstructures. However, the cross section of inverted T-type abutments is large compared with the piers, which makes them more expensive. In addition, a differential settlement between the abutment and embankment, as well as the expansion joints, causes driving discomfort. This study evaluated the driving comfort of several types of abutments to improve driving comfort on the abutment. To achieve this objective, a traditional T-type abutment and three types of candidate abutments, namely, mechanically stabilized earth wall (MSEW) abutment supported by a shallow foundation (called "true MSEW abutment"), MSEW abutment supported by piles (called "mixed MSEW abutment"), and pile bent and integral abutment with MSEW (called "MIP abutment"), were selected to consider their design and economic feasibility. Finite element analysis was performed using the design section of the candidate abutments. Subsequently, the settlements of each candidate abutment, approach slabs, and paved surfaces of the bridges were reviewed. Finally, the driving comfort on each candidate abutment was evaluated using a vehicle dynamic simulation. The true MSEW abutment demonstrated the most excellent driving comfort. However, this abutment can cause problems with respect to serviceability and maintenance due to excessive settlements. After our overall review, we determined that the mixed MSEW and the MIP abutments are the most appropriate abutment types to improve driving comfort by taking the highway conditions in Korea into consideration.

• Structural Monitoring and Maintenance
• /
• v.1 no.1
• /
• pp.131-157
• /
• 2014

Special track systems used to divert a train to other directions or other tracks are generally called 'railway turnout'. A traditional turnout system consists of steel rails, switches, crossings, steel plates, fasteners, screw spikes, timber bearers, ballast and formation. The wheel rail contact over the crossing transfer zone has a dip-like shape and can often cause detrimental impact loads on the railway track and its components. The large impact also emits disturbing noises (either impact or ground-borne noise) to railway neighbors. In a brown-field railway track where an existing aged infrastructure requires renewal or maintenance, some physical constraints and construction complexities may dominate the choice of track forms or certain components. With the difficulty to seek for high-quality timbers with dimensional stability, a methodology to replace aged timber bearers in harsh dynamic environments is to adopt an alternative material that could mimic responses and characteristics of timber in both static and dynamic loading conditions. A critical review has suggested an application of an alternative material called fibre-reinforced foamed urethane (FFU). The full-scale capacity design makes use of its comparable engineering characteristics to timber, high-impact attenuation, high damping property, and a longer service life. A field trial to investigate in-situ behaviours of a turnout grillage system using an alternative material, 'fibre-reinforced foamed urethane (FFU)' bearers, has been carried out at a complex turnout junction under heavy mixed traffics at Hornsby, New South Wales, Australia. The turnout junction was renewed using the FFU bearers altogether with new special track components. Influences of the FFU bearers on track geometry (recorded by track inspection vehicle 'AK Car'), track settlement (based on survey data), track dynamics, and acoustic characteristics have been measured. Operational train pass-by measurements have been analysed to evaluate the effectiveness of the replacement methodology. Comparative studies show that the use of FFU bearers generates higher rail and sleeper accelerations but the damping capacity of the FFU help suppress vibration transferring onto other track components. The survey data analysis suggests a small vertical settlement and negligible lateral movement of the turnout system. The static and dynamic behaviours of FFU bearers appear to equate that of natural timber but its service life is superior.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
• /
• v.15 no.3
• /
• pp.5-13
• /
• 2014

This paper presents the results of a numerical investigation on applicability of Light-weighted Foam Soils (LWFS) consisted of dredged soils for soft ground improvement. The engineering properties of LWFS were comprehensively investigated based on the previous experimental tests. And three dimensional numerical models which reflect soft ground conditions were adopted to evaluate the applicability of LWFS compared to SCP and DCM. A number of cases were analyzed using a stress-pore pressure coupled model. The results indicated that LWFS method enables to reduce more settlement, lateral flow and heaving than SCP method and enable to reduce more residual settlement than DCM method. Also it was revealed that such effect depends on the properties of LWFS such as unit weight, unconfined compressive strength, deformation modulus and Poisson's ratio.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.1-8
• /
• 2011

The problems like a deterioration of loading bearing capacity, an exaggeration of settlement and lateral deformation are able to be generated, meanwhile structures are built in soft ground. Top-Base method is belonged to a rigidity mat foundation method which is used to surface treatment of soft ground. This method makes an effect to increase the bearing capacity of foundation using friction force, and prevent the differential settlement. Further more, the In-Situ Top-Base method has advantages in the phase of economic effect by reduction of the construction cost and offers an expediency on construction comparing with precast products. This paper presents the way of the estimation of bearing capacity for In-Situ Top-Base method through field plate load test in soft ground. It utilizes the results to a future design by analyzing the properties in the existing study and designs through these analysis and calculating the top-base method's reasonable range.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
• /
• v.29 no.1
• /
• pp.25-40
• /
• 2022

In this study, 3D coupled-consolidation numerical parametric study was conducted to predict the deformation mechanism of a 20 storey building sitting on (4×4) piled raft (with length of piles, L_p=30 m) to adjacent 6 m diameter (D) tunnelling in stiff clay. The influences of different tunnel locations relative to piles (i.e., z_t/L_p) were investigated in this parametric study. In first case, the tunnel was excavated near the pile shafts with depth of tunnel axis (z_t) of 9 m (i.e., z_t/L_p). In second and third cases, tunnels were driven at z_t of 30 m and 42 m (i.e., z_t/L_p = 1.0 and 1.4), respectively. An advanced hypoplastic clay model (which is capable of taking small-strain stiffness in account) was adopted to capture soil behaviour. The computed results revealed that tunnelling activity adjacent to a building resting on piled raft caused significant settlement, differential settlement, lateral deflection, angular distortion in the building. In addition, substantial bending moment, shear forces and changes in axial load distribution along pile length were induced. The findings from the parametric study revealed that the building and pile responses significantly influenced by tunnel location relative to pile.