• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.3 no.5
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• pp.429-443
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• 1995

The deformational response of plastic board drains installed to accelerate consolidation of soft soils, is examined as a problem of downdrag. The drain is modelled as a beam-column in which the axial load increases nonlinearly with depth. The soil response is represented by the Winkler medium whose coefficient of subgrade modulus increases linearly with depth. The governing equations for the drain-soil system are derived and solved as an eigenvalue problem. The critical buckling loads and the shape of the drain are obtained as functions of the normalized subgrade modulus of the soil at the top, the parameters signifying the variation of axial load along the length of the drain and the increase of subgrade modulus with depth. The derived deformed shapes of the drain are consistent with the observed ones.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.609-618
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• 2018

A new mechanical model for predicting the vibration of a pipe pile embedded in longitudinally layered visco-elastic media with radial inhomogeneity is proposed by extending Novak's plain-strain model and complex stiffness method to consider viscous-type damping. The analytical solutions for the dynamic impedance, the velocity admittance and the reflected signal of wave velocity at the pile head are also derived and subsequently verified by comparison with existing solutions. An extensive parametric analysis is further performed to examine the effects of shear modulus, viscous damping coefficient, coefficient of disturbance degree, weakening or strengthening range of surrounding soil and longitudinal soft or hard interbedded layer on the velocity admittance and the reflected signal of wave velocity at the pile head. It is demonstrated that the proposed model and the obtained solutions provide extensive possibilities for practical application compared with previous related studies.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.263-281
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• 2013

Geotextiles and geogrids have been in use for several decades in variety of geo-structure applications including foundation of embankments, retaining walls, pavements. Geocells is one such variant in geosynthetic reinforcement of recent years, which provides a three dimensional confinement to the infill material. Although extensive research has been carried on geocell reinforced sand, clay and layered soil subgrades, limited research has been reported on the aggregates/ballast reinforced with geocells. This paper presents the behavior of a railway sleeper subjected to monotonic loading on geocell reinforced aggregates, of size ranging from 20 to 75 mm, overlying soft clay subgrades. Series of tests were conducted in a steel test tank of dimensions $700mm{\times}300mm{\times}700mm$. In addition to the laboratory model tests, numerical simulations were performed using a finite difference code to predict the behavior of geocell reinforced ballast. The results from numerical simulations were compared with the experimental data. The numerical and experimental results manifested the importance that the geocell reinforcement has a significant effect on the ballast behaviour. The results depicted that the stiffness of underlying soft clay subgrade has a significant influence on the behavior of the geocell-aggregate composite material in redistributing the loading system.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.221-231
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• 2021

A two dimensional model of linearly elastic soil spring used for the settlement analysis of the flexible mat foundation is suggested in this study. The spring constants of the soils underneath the foundation were modeled assuming uniformly vertical load applied onto the foundation. The soil spring constants were back calculated using the three-dimensional finite element analysis with Midas GTS NX program. Variation of the soil spring constants was modeled as a two-dimensional polynomial function in terms of the normalized spatial distances between the center of foundation and the analytical points. The Lysmer's analog spring for soils underneath the rigid foundation was adopted and calibrated for the flexible foundation. For validations, the newly proposed soil spring model was incorporated into a two dimensional finite difference analysis for a square mat foundation at the surface of an elastic half-space consisting of soft clays. Comparative study was made for elastic soils where the shear wave velocity is 120~180 m/s and the Poisson's ratio varies at 0.3~0.5. The resulting foundation settlements from the two dimensional finite difference analysis with the proposed soil springs were found in good agreement with those obtained directly from three dimensional finite element analyses. Details of the applications and limitations of the modified Lysmer's analog springs were discussed in this study.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.339-343
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• 2001

Shield tunnel having circular section located in the soil or soft rock layer is liable to deform in such a way that its two diagonal diameters crossing each other expand and contract alternately during earthquakes. Based on this knowledge, the ground-tunnel interaction effect for this particular vibration mode is investigated. The ground surrounding a tunnel is assumed to be a homogeneous elastic medium. The bonded boundary condition on the ground-tunnel interface is considered. This suggests a firm bond between the ground and the tunnel lining. As Poisson's ratio and stiffness of the ground increases, the strain induced within the tunnel lining increases.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.51-61
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• 2005

In this study, borehole records were analyzed to verify the amplification of seismic motion at the soft reclaimed ground before and after the main event of the 1995 Hyogoken Nambu Earthquake at Port Island, Japan. From the analysis, it was shown that the amplification of seismic motion occurred near the soft ground surface (within 30 m below) where confining stress is low. Moreover, it was found that recovery of dynamic soil stiffness at the liquefied ground began gradually 3 hours after the liquefaction and completed in 10 days, when the ground exhibited the same seismic motion characteristics as those before the liquefaction.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2005.03a
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• pp.308-319
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• 2005

Piezo-ceramics are special materials which transform energy between mechanical and electrical forms. 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 is very promising.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.24 no.12
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• pp.85-92
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• 2008

It is necessary to develop a rational design method for surface reinforcement of very soft ground because most current design works rely on merely crude empirical correlations. In this paper, the mechanical behavior of very soft ground that is surficially reinforced was investigated with the aid of a series of numerical analyses. Several material properties of each dredged soft ground, reinforcement and backfill sand mat have been exercised in the numerical analysis. The result of numerical analysis was compared with those of the laboratory model test. Through the matching process between the numerical and experimental result, it is possible to determine representative material properties of the dredged soft ground, reinforcements and backfill sand mat. These verified material properties permit to evaluate the effect of the stiffness of reinforcement and the thickness of sand mat on the overall deformation of the reinforced soft ground.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2008.03a
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• pp.605-612
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• 2008

The shear wave velocity ($V_s$) has been commonly used to evaluate the dynamic properties of soil. The field $V_s$ probe (FVP) was already developed to assess the shear stiffness of a soft clay. The objective of this study is to investigate the disturbance effects of the FVP due to the penetration. The laboratory tests are conducted in a large-scale consolidometer (calibration chamber). The reconstituted clay is mixed at the water content of 110% using a slurry mixer. The FVP and down-hole test are carried out every 1cm interval to compare the data. In addition, two square rods with transducers are also implemented to get the reference value. The shear waves evaluated by the FVP, dow-hole tests, and reference rods are closely matched. This study suggests that the disturbance effect of the FVP due to the penetration into the soft clay soils is small enough and the $V_s$ evaluated by the FVP reflects well the in-situ characteristics. Furthermore, the combination of the FVP and down-hole test shows the possibility of hybrid equipment.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.195-221
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• 2013

A centrifuge model study is carried out to investigate the behavior of pile subject to negative skin friction induced by pile installation, ground water drawdown and surcharge loading. A single end-bearing pile is examined as the induced negative skin friction would induce the most severe stress on the pile structural material as compared to friction piles. In addition, the behavior of the pile under simultaneous negative skin friction and dead/live loads is examined. To facilitate detailed interpretations of the test results, the model setup is extensively instrumented and involves elaborate test control schemes. To further examine the phenomenon of negative skin friction on an end-bearing pile, finite element analyses were conducted. The numerical analysis is first validated against the centrifuge test data and subsequently extended to examine the effects of pile slenderness ratio, surcharge intensity and pile-soil stiffness ratio on the degree of mobilization of negative skin friction induced on the pile. Finally experimental and numerical studies are conducted to examine the effect of applied transient live load on pile subject to negative skin friction.