• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.60-69
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• 2016

In this study, we estimated root zone soil moisture dynamics using remotely sensed (RS) data. A soil moisture data assimilation scheme was used to derive the soil and root parameters from MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data. Based on the estimated soil/root parameters and weather forcings, soil moisture dynamics were simulated at spatio-temporal scales based on a hydrological model. For calibration/validation, the Little Washita (LW13) in Oklahoma and Chungmi-cheon/Seolma-cheon sites were selected. The derived water retention curves matched the observations at LW 13. Also, the simulated soil moisture dynamics at these sites was in agreement with the Time Domain Reflectrometry (TDR)-based measurements. To test the applicability of this approach at ungauged regions, the soil/root parameters at the pixel where the Seolma-cheon site is located were derived from the calibrated MODIS-based (Chungmi-cheon) soil moisture data. Then, the simulated soil moisture was validated using the measurements at the Seolma-cheon site. The results were slightly overestimated compared to the measurements, but these findings support the applicability of this proposed approach in ungauged regions with predictable uncertainties. These findings showed the potential of this approach in Korea. Thus, this proposed approach can be used to assess root zone soil moisture dynamics at spatio-temporal scales across Korea, which comprises mountainous regions with dense forest.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.76-81
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• 2006

The reinforcement of soil shear strength by nylon net as substitute materials simulating a fine root system was evaluated by soil strength parameters(apparent cohesion(c) and internal friction angle(tan${\phi}$), using simple shear tester which clearly depicts shear deformation and controls soil suction. And the results of shear test by using bamboo as a substitute materials simulating a main root system and using nylon net as a substitute materials simulating a fine root system were compared. The reinforcement of soil strength by nylon net are expressed by apparent cohesion more than internal friction angle. In addition the increment of apparent cohesion by nylon net reached a peak in suction 60 $cmH_2O$. Different from with bamboo, the possibility of the change on internal friction angle(tan${\phi}$) caused by the soil water condition was shown in shear strain 20% condition. These results show that the mechanism of reinforcement by substitute materials simulating root system may be different in the condition of various soil water content.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.437-448
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• 2022

Alluvial soil is challenging to work with due to its high compressibility. Thus, consolidation settlement of this type of soil should be accurately estimated. Accurate estimation of the consolidation settlement of alluvial soil requires accurate prediction of compressibility parameters. Geotechnical engineers usually use empirical correlations to estimate these compressibility parameters. However, no attempts have been made to develop correlations to estimate compressibility parameters of alluvial soil. Thus, this paper aims to develop new models to predict the compression and recompression indices (Cc and Cr) of alluvial soils. As part of the study, geotechnical laboratory tests have been conducted on large number of undisturbed samples of local alluvial soil. The obtained results from these tests in addition to available results from the literature from different parts in the world have been compiled to form the database of this study. This database is then employed to examine the accuracy of the available empirical correlations of the compressibility parameters and to develop the new models to estimate the compressibility parameters using the nonlinear regression analysis. The accuracy of the new models has been accessed using mean absolute error, root mean square error, mean, percentage of predictions with error range of ±20%, percentage of predictions with error range of ±30%, and coefficient of determination. It was found that the new models outperform the available correlations. Thus, these models can be used by geotechnical engineers with more confidence to predict Cc and Cr.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.70-79
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• 2016

Based on the soil moisture data assimilation suggested in the first paper (I), we estimated root zone soil moisture and evaluated drought severity using remotely sensed (RS) data. We tested the impacts of various spatial resolutions on soil moisture variations, and the model outputs showed that resolutions of more than 2-3 km resulted in over-/under-estimation of soil moisture values. Thus, we derived the 2 km resolution-scaled soil moisture dynamics and assessed the drought severity at the study sites (Chungmi-cheon sites 1 and 2) based on the estimated soil/root parameters and weather forcings. The drought indices at the sites were affected mainly by precipitation during the spring season, while both the precipitation and land surface characteristics influence the spatial distribution of drought during the rainy season. Also, the drought severity showed a periodic cycle, but additional research on drought cycles should be conducted using long-term historical data. Our proposed approach enabled estimation of daily root zone soil moisture dynamics and evaluation of drought severity at various spatial scales using MODIS data. Thus, this approach will facilitate efficient management of water resources.

• Mycobiology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.41-50
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• 2005

Results from an innovative approach to improve remediation in the rhizosphere by encouraging healthy plant growth and thus enhancing microbial activity are reported. The effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (Am) on remediation efficacy of wheat, mungbean and eggplant grown in soil spiked with polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) was assessed in a pot experiment. The results of this study showed that Am inoculation enhanced dissipation amount of PAHs in planted soil, plant uptake PAHs, dissipation amount of PAHs in planted versus unplanted spiked soil and loss of PAHs by the plant-promoted biodegradation. A number of parameters were monitored including plant shoot and root dry weight, plant tissue water content, plant chlorophyll, root lipid content, oxido-reductase enzyme activities in plant and soil rhizosphere and total microbial count in the rhizospheric soil. The observed physiological data indicate that plant growth and tolerance increased with Am, but reduced by PAH. This was reflected by levels of mycorrhizal root colonization which were higher for mungbean, moderate for wheat and low for eggplant. Levels of Am colonization increased on mungbean > wheat > eggplant. This is consistent with the efficacy of plant in dissipation of PAHs in spiked soil. Highly significant positive correlations were shown between of arbuscular formation in root segments (A)) and plant water content, root lipids, peroxidase, catalase polyphenol oxidase and total microbial count in soil rhizosphere as well as PAH dissipation in spiked soil. As consequence of the treatment with Am, the plants provide a greater sink for the contaminants since they are better able to survive and grow.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.46-51
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• 2004

In this paper, reinforcement of soil shear strength by bamboo(substitute materials simulating a root system) are evaluated by soil strength parameters(apparent cohesion(c) and internal friction angle(tan${\Phi}$)), using simple shear tester which clearly depicts shear deformation and controls soil suction. The results show that the internal friction angle does not change under various soil suction conditions but the apparent cohesion, which reach a peak in suction of 45cm$H_2O$ near critical capillary head, is effected by soil suction. And the reinforcement of soil strength by bamboo are expressed by apparent cohesion more than internal friction angle. In addition the increment of apparent cohesion by bamboo reached a peak in suction 45cm$H_2O$ too.

• Korean Journal Plant Pathology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.37-45
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• 1997

Disease incidence (DI), pre-emergence damping-off (PDO), days until the first symptom appeared (DUS), disease progress curve (DPC), and area under disease progress curve (AUDPC) were investigated in vivo after sowing ginseng seeds in each of 37 ginseng-cultivated soils which were sampled from 4 regions in Korea. Non linear fitting parameters, A, B, K and M, were estimated from the Richards' function, one of the disease progress models, by using the DI at each day from the bioassay. Inter- and intra-relationships between disease variables and stand-missing rate (SMR) in fields were investigated by using the simple correlation analysis. Disease variables of the root rot were divided into two groups: variables related to disease incidence, e.g., DI, AUDPC and A parameter, and variables related to disease progress, e.g., B, K and M parameters. DI, AUDPC, and DUS had significant correlations with SMR in ginseng fields, and then it showed that the disease development in vivo corresponded with that in fields. Soil samples could be separated into 3 and 4 groups, respectively, on the basis of the principal component 1 (PC1) and the principal component 2 (PC2), which were derived from the principal component analysis (PCA) of Richards' parameters, A, B, K and M. PC1 accounted for B, K and M parameters, and PC2 accounted for A parameter.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.94 no.4 s.161
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• pp.281-286
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• 2005

Trees enhance slope stability against down slope mass movement through the removal of soil water by transpiration and by the mechanical reinforcement of their roots. To assess the magnitude of this reinforcement on natural slope stability, direct shear tests were made on dry sand reinforced with different array types of roots. Pinus koraiensis was used as root specimens. The peak shear resistance at each normal stress level was measured on the rooted and unrooted soil specimens. Increased soil resistance(${\Delta}S$) by roots was calculated using parameters like internal friction angle and cohesion of tested soil and also evaluated the effects of root array in tested soil. As results, we find that shear resistance increased in tested soil shear box as diameters and arrayed numbers of root specimen increased and cross root array in tested soil had a much greater reinforcing effect than other root arrays. Comparison of traditional root-soil model with experiments showed that simulated reinforce strength by the model was different with those obtained by the experiment due to its linearity.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.611-624
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• 2023

Soil properties make it attractive as a building material due to its mechanical strength, aesthetically appearance, plasticity, and low cost. However, it is frequently necessary to improve and stabilize the soil mechanical properties with binders. Soil-cement is applied for purposes ranging from housing to dams, roads and foundations. Unconfined compression strength (UCS) and split tensile strength (CD) are essential mechanical parameters for ascertaining the aptitude of soil-cement for a given application. However, quantifying these parameters requires specimen preparation, testing, and several weeks. Methodologies that allowed accurate estimation of mechanical parameters in shorter time would represent an important advance in order to ensure shorter deliverable timeline and reduce the amount of laboratory work. In this work, an extensive campaign of UCS and CD tests was carried out in a sandy soil from the Leiria region (Portugal). Then, using the machine learning tool Neural Pattern Recognition of the MATLAB software, a prediction of these two parameters based on six input parameters was made. The results, especially those obtained with resource to a Bayesian regularization-backpropagation algorithm, are frankly positive, with a forecast success percentage over 90% and very low root mean square error (RMSE).

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.960-966
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• 2021

A technical approach to design and carry out an experiment to determine the uptake of selected radionuclides in site-specific conditions in Kuwait was developed and successfully executed for developing a radioecological decision support system. The radionuclides from soil-to-plant transfer factors have been obtained for leafy and non-leafy vegetables, and root crops cultivated in Kuwait. Two types of vegetated soils were selected and spiked with high concentrations of three relatively short-lived selected radionuclides (⁸⁵Sr, ¹³⁴Cs, and ¹³³Ba). The highest strontium and barium transfer factors were found in the order: leafy vegetables > root crops > non-leafy vegetables. The approximate range of radiocesium transfer factor was found to be low in all plant groups and was comparable to those reported elsewhere in different soil types of temperate and tropical environments. A strong negative correlation between the obtained transfer factors and the distribution coefficient of the radionuclide in soil was found. It is recommended to adopt the newly derived parameters for the sensitive areas in Kuwait and other Gulf countries instead of using the generic parameters, whenever dose calculation codes are used. This will help to more accurately assess and predict the end results of the committed effective dose equivalent through ingestion pathway.