• Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.523-531
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• 2008

In hole type CPTu equipment which combines the concepts of inhole test method and piezocone test method was newly developed in order to evaluate the dynamic properties of marine soils. It is possible to perform inhole type CPTu without any additional source device because the source and receiver are contained inside the cone rod, which is different from the conventional seismic cone system. In this study, laboratory tests using kaolinite as soft soil and numerical simulations using finite element method were carried out to investigate the effects of several parameters including test methods and soil conditions on the test results from inhole type CPTu and to find out the optimum test method. It was found that it is necessary to maintain the length of swing arm as well as the distance between source and receiver consistently to obtain the rigorous test results. The laboratory test and numerical results also reveal that contrary to the input wave frequency, the water content of soil layer and the disturbance due to the installation of swing arm apparently affect the shear wave velocity.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.349-356
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• 2015

Although geophysical methods are useful and generally provide valuable information about the subsurface, it is important to recognize their limitations. A common limitation is the lack of sufficient contrast in physical properties between different layers. Thus, multiple methods are commonly used to best constrain the physical properties of different layers and interpret each section individually. Ground penetrating radar (GPR) and shallow seismic reflection (SSR) methods, used for shallow and very shallow subsurface imaging, respond to dielectric and velocity contrasts between layers, respectively. In this study, we merged GPR and SSR data from a test site within the Cheongui granitic mass, where the water table is ~3 m deep all year. We interpreted the data in combination with field observations and existing data from drill cores and well logs. GPR and SSR reflections from the tops of the sand layer, water table, and weathered and soft rocks are successfully mapped in a single section, and they correlate well with electrical resistivity data and SPS (suspension PS) well-logging profiles. In addition, subsurface interfaces in the integrated section correlate well with S-wave velocity structures from multi-channel analysis shear wave (MASW) data, a method that was recently developed to enhance lateral resolution on the basis of CMP (common midpoint) cross-correlation (CMPCC) analysis.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Rock Mechanics Conference
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• 1995.03a
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• pp.1-26
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• 1995

Key aspects of the Norwegian Method of Tunnelling (NMT) are reviewed. These include a predictive method of support design using the six-parameter Q-system of rock mass characterisation. The rock mass rating or Q-value is updated during tunnel driving. The designed tunnel support generally consists of wet process, steel fibre reinforced shotcrete combined with fully grouted, untensioned rock bolts, Even in poor rock conditions S(fr) + B usually acts as the final rock reinforcement and tunnel lining. Since it is a drained lining, it is very economic compared to cast concrete with membranes. Light, free-standing steel liners are used to prevent water affecting the runnel environment. Rock mass conditions, and hence lining design and cost estimation can be assessed by careful use of seismic surveys. Relationships between the P-wave velocity, the rock mass deformation modulus and the Q-value have recently been established, where tunnel depth, rock porosity and the uniaxial compression strength of the rock are important variables. The rock mass modulus estimate, and simple index testing of the joints, provide the key input which joints are discretely represented (either in two dimensions with the UDEC code or in three dimensions with the 3DEC code) is generally favoured compared to continuum analysis. The latter may give a misleading impression of uniformity and deformations tend to be understimated. Q-system NMT designs of S(fr) + B (fibre reinforced shotcrete and bolting) are numerically checked and adjustments made to bolt capacities and shotcrete thickness if overloading is evident around the modelled profile.

• Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.524-530
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• 2020

The risk of offshore wind turbine support structures by scour has been proposed. The proposed utilize probabilities of scour depths and fragilities according to scour depth and a modification of a seismic risk analysis method. The probability distribution of scour depth was calculated using a equation which is suitable to consider marine environmental conditions such as significant wave height, significant period, and current velocity, and dynamic analysis was performed on an offshore wind turbine equipped with an suction bucket to find fragility. Then, the risk of offshore wind turbine support structure considering scour can be found by integrating the scour probability and the fragility.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.1-15
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• 2010

In this study, the reduction factor of the code-defined site coefficient due to the embedment of a foundation was estimated for the seismic analysis of a building built on a soft soil site. This was done by utilizing the in-house finite element software P3DASS, which has the capability of pseudo 3D seismic analysis with nonlinear soil layers. A 30m thick soft soil site laid on the rock was assumed to be homogeneous, elastic, viscous and isotropic, and equivalent circular rigid foundations with radii of 10-70m were considered to be embedded at 0, 10, 20 and 30m in the soil layer. Seismic analyses were performed with 7 bedrock earthquake records deconvoluted from the outcrop records of which the effective ground acceleration was scaled to 0.1g. The study results showed that the site coefficients are gradually reduced except in the case of a small foundation embedded deeply in the weak soil layer, and it was estimated that the deviation of the site coefficients due to the foundation size was not significant. The standard reduction factor due to the foundation embedment were calculated adding the standard deviation to the average of 5 reduction factors calculated for 5 different foundation radii. Standard reduction factors for the site amplification factor were proposed for the practical amplification and the codes of KBC, etc., in accordance with the average shear wave velocity of the site, and the site class.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.15-24
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• 2011

To clarify the distribution of joints and fracture zones in the Cheongju granitic mass, we analyzed drill-core and geophysical well-logging data obtained at two boreholes located 30 m from each other. Lithological properties were investigated from the drill-core data and the samples were classified based on the rock mass rating (RMR) and on rock quality designation (RQD). Subsurface discontinuities within soft and hard rocks were examined by geophysical well-logging and cross-hole seismic tomography. The velocity structures constructed from seismic tomography are well correlated with the profile of bedrock depth, previously mapped from a seismic refraction survey. Dynamic elastic moduli, obtained from full waveform sonic and ${\gamma}-{\gamma}$ logging, were interrelated with P-wave velocities to investigate the dynamic properties of the rock mass. Compared with the correlation graph between elastic moduli and velocities for hard rock at borehole BH-1, the correlation points for BH-2 data showed a wide scatter. These scattered points reflect the greater abundance of joints and fractures near borehole BH-2. This interpretation is supported by observations by acoustic televiewer (ATV) and optical televiewer (OTV) image loggings.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.38 no.10
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• pp.49-60
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• 2022

Underground urbanization appears to be a promising solution in response to the shortage of construction sites in the above-ground space. In this context, an accurate evaluation of a construction site ensures the long-term performance of geosystems. This study characterizes potential sites for complex plants built in underground space using geophysical methods (i.e., seismic refraction exploration and electrical resistivity survey) and in situ tests (i.e., standard penetration tests (SPTs) and downhole tests). SPTs are conducted in nine boreholes BH-1-BH-9 to estimate the groundwater level and vertical distribution of geological structures. The seismic refraction method enables us to obtain the elastic wave velocity and thickness of each soil layer for each cross-sectional area. An electrical resistivity survey conducted using the dipole array method provides the electrical resistivity profiles of the cross-sectional area. Data obtained using geophysical techniques are used to assess the classification of the soil layer and bedrock, particularly the fracture zone. This study suggests that geotechnical information using in situ tests and geophysical methods are useful references to design an underground complex plant construction.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.215-223
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• 2005

Piezo-ceramics are special materials which transform energy from mechanical to electrical forms and vice versa. Bender elements are composite materials consisting of thin piezo-ceramics and elastic shims, and are widely used as actuators and transducers in the field of electronics, robotics, autos and mechatronics utilizing the effectiveness of energy transformation capability. In geotechnical engineering, commercial bender elements are used in laboratory as source and receiver in the measurements of soil stiffness. The elements were built by using various metal shims sandwiched between piezo-ceramics and coating over the composite in the research. A pair of elements were buried in a concrete block and used as source and receiver to measure the stiffness of the concrete. The test results were verified by comparing with the resonant column testing results. In a preliminary stage of the development of an in-situ seismic testing equipment using bender elements for soft clay materials, shear waves were generated and measured by burying the elements in the barrel of kaolinite and water mixture. The measured shear wave signals were so distinct for the first-arrival pick that applicability of the elements in the field measurements could be very promising.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.22 no.11
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• pp.37-45
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• 2006

Bender elements, composed of thin piezo-ceramics and elastic shims, have been used to measure shear wave velocities of specimens in laboratories. In a preliminary stage of their field applications, an in-house research of optimizing suitable bender elements and their geometrical arrangement has been carried out in a barrel of kaolinite-water mixture. Two types of measurement configuration, similar to cross-hole and in-hole seismic testing, have been implemented. prototype instrumented rods were penetrated into a soft clay layer in the west coast and excellent shear waves were recorded. Development of penetration device (mandrel) and associated instrumented rods are in progress for deeper investigation.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.9-15
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• 2023

Compaction is performed in civil engineering sites to secure the stability of the ground and prevent settlement. While the process of compaction is crucial, it is also essential to evaluate the degree of compaction after the completion of the process. In domestic sites, the evaluation of compaction is mainly conducted on a small number of spot using point-based tests such as plate load tests and sand cone tests. The methods presented so far allow assessment of surface compaction, but evaluating compaction in deeper layers poses challenges. Moreover, due to the limited coverage of point-based testing, it is difficult to achieve an overall assessment of compaction. As a solution to these issues, the Spectral-Analysis-of-Surface-Waves (SASW) tests were utilized to evaluate compaction. SASW tests offer a broader measurement range compared to point-based tests, and depending on the test setup, this method can provide the stiffness of the ground at greater depths. In this study, SASW tests were conducted in a compacted soil site under different conditions to assess compaction. Additionally, Nuclear Density Gauge tests were conducted concurrently to compare and verify the results of SASW. The research results confirmed the feasibility of evaluating compaction using SASW at the geotechnical site.