• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.350-359
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• 2007

Most large cut slopes of open pit mines, roadways, and railways are steeply inclined and composed with rocks that do not contain soils. However, these rock slopes suffer both weathering and fragmentation. In the case of steep slopes, falling rock and collapse of a slope may often occur due to surface erosion. Cast-in place concrete and rubble work are the most widely used earth structure-based pressure supports that act as restraints against the collapse of the rock slope. In order to overcome the shortcomings of conventional retaining walls, a segmental grid retaining wall is being used with connects precasted segments to construct the wall. In this study, laboratory model test was conducted to estimate deformation behavior of segmental grid retaining wall with configuration of rear strecher, height and inclination of the wall. In order to examine the behavior characteristics of a segmental grid retaining wall, this research analyzes the aspects of spacial displacement through relative displacement according to change in the inclination of the wall. Also, the walls behavior according to the formation and status of the rear stretcher which serves the role of transferring the load from the header and the stretcher which make up the wall, the displacement of backfill materials in the wall, and the location of the maximum load were surveyed and the characteristics of displacement in the segmental grid retaining wall were observed. The test results of the segmental grid retaining wall showed that there was a sudden increase in failure load according to the decrease in the wall's height and the size of the in was greatly decreased. Furthermore, it revealed that with identical inclination and height, the structure of the rear stitcher did not greatly affect the starting point or size of maximum horizontal displacement, but rather had a stronger effect on the inclination of the wall.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2009.09a
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• pp.133-144
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• 2009

Incheon Bridge, 18.4 km long sea-crossing bridge, will be opened to the traffic in October 2009 and this will be the new landmark of the gearing up north-east Asia as well as the largest & longest bridge of Korea. Incheon Bridge is the integrated set of several special featured bridges including a magnificent cable-stayed girder bridge which has a main span of 800 m width to cross the navigation channel in and out of the Port of Incheon. Incheon Bridge is making an epoch of long-span bridge designs thanks to the fully application of the AASHTO LRFD (load & resistance factor design) to both the superstructures and the substructures. A state-of-the-art of the geotechnologies which were applied to the Incheon Bridge construction project is introduced. The most Large-diameter drilled shafts were penetrated into the bedrock to support the colossal superstructures. The bearing capacity and deformational characteristics of the foundations were verified through the world's largest static pile load test. 8 full-scale pilot piles were tested in both offshore site and onshore area prior to the commencement of constructions. Compressible load beyond 30,000 tonf pressed a single 3 m diameter foundation pile by means of bi-directional loading method including the Osterberg cell techniques. Detailed site investigation to characterize the subsurface properties had been carried out. Geotextile tubes, tied sheet pile walls, and trestles were utilized to overcome the very large tidal difference between ebb and flow at the foreshore site. 44 circular-cell type dolphins surround the piers near the navigation channel to protect the bridge against the collision with aberrant vessels. Each dolphin structure consists of the flat sheet piled wall and infilled aggregates to absorb the collision impact. Geo-centrifugal tests were performed to evaluate the behavior of the dolphin in the seabed and to verify the numerical model for the design. Rip-rap embankments on the seabed are expected to prevent the scouring of the foundation. Prefabricated vertical drains, sand compaction piles, deep cement mixings, horizontal natural-fiber drains, and other subsidiary methods were used to improve the soft ground for the site of abutments, toll plazas, and access roads. Light-weight backfill using EPS blocks helps to reduce the earth pressure behind the abutment on the soft ground. Some kinds of reinforced earth like as MSE using geosynthetics were utilized for the ring wall of the abutment. Soil steel bridges made of corrugated steel plates and engineered backfills were constructed for the open-cut tunnel and the culvert. Diverse experiences of advanced designs and constructions from the Incheon Bridge project have been propagated by relevant engineers and it is strongly expected that significant achievements in geotechnical engineering through this project will contribute to the national development of the longspan bridge technologies remarkably.