• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.75-87
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• 2021

Because the hydraulic/mechanical behaviour of unsaturated soil is more complicated than that of saturated soil, one of the most important issues in modelling unsaturated soil is to properly couple its stress-strain relationship with its water retention characteristics. Based on the results of a series of tests, the stress-strain relationship and the changes in suction and saturation of unsaturated completely decomposed granite (CDG, also called Masado) vary substantially under different loading/hydraulic conditions. To precisely model the hydraulic/mechanical behaviour of unsaturated Masado, in this study, the superloading concept was firstly introduced into an existing saturated/unsaturated constitutive model to consider the structural influences. Then a water retention curve (WRC) model considering the volumetric change in the soil, in which the skeleton and scanning curves of the water retention characteristics were assumed to shift in parallel in accordance with the change in the void ratio, was proposed. The proposed WRC model was incorporated into the constitutive model, and the validity of the newly proposed model was verified using the results of tests conducted on unsaturated Masado, including water retention, oedometer and triaxial tests. The accuracy of the proposed model in describing the stress-strain relationship and the variations in suction and saturation of unsaturated Masado is satisfactory.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.64-72
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• 2023

Biopolymer is a versatile material used in food processing, medicine, construction, and soil reinforcement. 𝛽-glucan is one of the biopolymers that improves the soil water content and ion adsorption in a drought or toxic metal contaminated land for plant survival. We analyzed drought stress damage reduction in sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas L. cv. Sodammi) by measuring the growth and major protein expression and activity under 𝛽-glucan soil amendment. The result showed that sweet potato leaf length and width were not affected by drought stress for 14 days, but sweet potatoes grown in 𝛽-glucan-amended soil showed an effect in preventing wilting caused by drought in phenotypic changes. Under drought stress, sweet potato leaves did not show any changes in electrolyte leakage, but the relative water content was higher in sweet potatoes grown in 𝛽-glucan-amended soil than in normal soil. 𝛽-glucan soil amendment increased the expression of plasma membrane (PM) H⁺-ATPase, but it decreased the aquaporin PIP2 (plasma membrane intrinsic protein 2) in sweet potatoes under drought stress. Moreover, water maintenance affected the PM H⁺-ATPase activity, which contributed to tolerance under drought stress. These results indicate that 𝛽-glucan soil amendment improves the soil water content during drought and affects the water supply in sweet potatoes. Consequently, 𝛽-glucan is a potential material for maintaining soil water contents, and analysis of the major PM proteins is one of the indicators for evaluating the biopolymer effect on plant survival under drought stress.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.25-34
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• 2017

The soil-water characteristics is the most important state parameter for understanding changes in suction and water contents of unsaturated soil slopes. In the field, the hysteretic behaviors of drying and wetting soil-water characteristic curve are real and the adoption of path-dependent suction-water content is needed to predict the hydro-mechanical analysis of unsaturated soils. In this study, in-situ monitored hydraulic behavior of various soil slopes are compared with the data from numerical analysis with the laboratory soil water characteristic curve. Then, the verifications are performed based on the field monitored data respectively. Therefore, the use of path-dependent soil-water characteristic curves could be more rational for design and analysis of unsaturated soil slopes under rainfall conditions.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.73-83
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• 2015

The objective of this study is to establish implications for forest restoration planning in North Korea by analyzing spatio-temporal forest changes and detecting bio-physical factors driving forest degraded. We measured the relationship and spatial distribution between shifting cultivation and sparse forest. We also analyzed between degraded forest land and ecological variables by binary logistic regression to find biophysical drivers of forest degradation and deforestation in North Korea. Between the sparse forest and the shifting cultivation, a positive relationship is found (r=0.91) and scattered discontinuously throughout the country (Moran's I = -1, Z score = -13.46 (p=0.000)). The sparse forest showed a negative relationship with the warmest month(bio 9), the coldest month(bio10), and the minimum of soil water contents (swc_min), while the shifting cultivation had a negative relationship with the warmest month(bio 9) and the minimum of soil water contents(swc_min). However, the most critical drivers convert forests into sloping farmland were the three months rainfall in summer(bio8) and the yearly mean of soil water contents. Such results reflect the growth period of crops which overlaps with the rainy season in North Korea and the recent land reclamation of uplands where the soil water contents are maintained with a dense forest. When South Korea aids forest restoration projects in North Korea, in consideration of food shortage due to North Korea's cropland deficiency, terrace farmlands where soil water contents can be maintained should be excluded from the priority restoration area. In addition, an evaluation method for selecting a potential restoration area must be modified and applied based on multiple criteria including altitude and socio-economic factors in the respective regions.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.222-229
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• 2005

A simplified one-dimensional model STELLA was used to predict soil water movement in lllinois corn fields using soil water balance sheets. It offered the potential to increase understanding of soil nitrate and agrochemical leaching process. The model accounted for aU possible annual inputs and outputs of water from a closed ecosystem as represented by corn fields. Water inputs included precipitation, while outputs included runoff, transpiration, evaporation and drainage. To run the model required daily inputs of two climatic data measurements such as daily precipitation and pan evaporation. Vertical water flow through the soil profile was calculated with first order equation including the difference in hydraulic conductivity and matric potential at the various soil types. The output results included daily changes of water content in the soil layers and daily amount of water losses including run-off, percolation, transpiration. This model was verified using Illinois corn field data for the soil water content measured by neutron scattering methods through 1992 to 1994 growing seasons. Approximately 22 to 78% of simulated water contents agreed with the measured values and their standard deviation, depending on soil types, whereas 30 to 70% of simulated water values agreed with the measured values and their standard deviations depending on soil layers.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.12-17
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• 1984

In order to find out the effects of soil conditioner treatment on the water movement in sandy loam and silt loam soils were treated with two different kinds of soil conditioners, hydrophobic Bitumen 0.4% or hydrophillic Uresol 0.6%, and the changes of wetting angle (soil-water contact angle), penetrability and diffusivity were measured. The results were summarized as follows: 1. Uresol 0.6% treatment decreased the wetting angle of sandy loam more than $10^{\circ}$, but there was no big difference in silt loam. 2. Sandy loam soil was changed to almost hydrophobic and the wetting angle of silt loam soil was increased to $84.9^{\circ}$ as compared to $76.0^{\circ}$ of untreated soil by Bitumen 0.4% treatment. 3. By Uresol treatment, penetrability of sandy loam was doubled but there was not difference in silt loam, and it was decreased to half in two soils by Bitumen treatment. 4. A significant positive correlation between penetrability and the cosine of wetting angle was recognized. 5. Soil water diffusivity was greatly changed by soil conditioner treatment, and the big differences were appeared at lower soil moisture content.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2023.05a
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• pp.447-447
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• 2023

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is a critical indicator of soil fertility. Its importance in maintaining ecological balance has received widespread attention. However, global temperatures have risen by 0.8℃ since the late 1800s due to human-induced greenhouse gas emissions, resulting in severe disruptions in SOC dynamics. To study the impacts of temperature variations on SOC and soil respiration, we used the Soil Carbon and Landscape co-Evolution (SCALE) model, which was capable of estimating the spatial distribution of soil carbon dynamics. The study site was located at Heshan Farm (125°20'10.5"E, 49°00'23.1"N), Nenjiang County in Heilongjiang Province, Northeast China. We validated the model using observed soil organic carbon and soil respiration in 2015 and achieved excellent agreement between observed and modeled variables. Our results showed considerable influences of temperature increases on SOC and soil respiration rates at both erosion and deposition areas. In particular, changes in SOC and soil respiration at the deposition area were greater than at the erosion area. Our study highlights that the impacts of temperature elevations are considerably dependent on soil erosion and deposition processes. Thus, it is important to implement effective soil conservation strategies to maintain soil fertility under global warming.

• Journal of Korea Soil Environment Society
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.61-70
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• 1998

This research has been made for influence of forest environmental changes, such as tree-clearcutting affecting to soil chemical and physical properties, on water storage capacity at forest fire land in Keumsan, Chungnam. The analyzed factors were bulk density, porosity, field moisture saturated hydraulic conductivity air permeability and organic matter content, Field moisture saturated hydraulic conductivity and air permeability at uncutting sites were higher than those at clearcutting sites, especially the most differences were appeared at lower slope. After 2 years passed since forest fire, the most changeable parts of soil characteristics were 5-l5cm depth below soil surface. Total Porosity, coarse pore and fine pore at uncutting sites were higher than those at clearcutting sites. Also, as soil depth increased, total porosity and coarse pore were decreased. Bulk density at uncutting sites was lower than that at clearcutting sites, and was decreased as soil depth increased. The order of the change trend in field moisture saturated hydraulic conductivity, air permeability and porosity was slope lower>middle>upper. Organic matter content at uncutting sites were higher than those at clearcutting sites, and decreased as soil depth increased. As soil depth increased, bulk density had the positive correlation, in other hand, porosity, coarse pore, field moisture saturated hydraulic conductivity, air permeability and organic matter content had the negative correlation. It was concluded that forest environmental changes by forest fire degrade soil physical and chemical properties.

• Magazine of the Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.3555-3571
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• 1974

This experiment of which aim contribute to plan irrigation system so as to increase forage crop yields, was conducted to estimate evapotranspiration amount of forage crops and to find out system of consumed water in a pasture-ground. The results obtained by this study are as follows: 1. The general weather conditions which, were closely related to the evapotrannpiration of forage crops were nearly same as those of the average year with the exception that temperature of May and June were slightly low. 2. According to the investigation of potential evapotranspirations (P.E) or forage crops and its changes during growing periods, changes of tenday P.E. were high significant according to the harvesting period. P.E of Alfalfa of which yield was the largest was the biggest. Althrough the correlations between P.E. and meteorological factors were irregular oming to three-time harvesting, correlation between ten-day evapotraspiration amount and copper plated pan evaporation or solar radiation was high positive significant. 4. Predicting formulas of P.E. were led by weather factors, and also relatione between P.E. and weather factors were showed as figure. from the these formulas, P.E. may be calculated by weather factors. 5. Predicting formulas of P.E. were led by mean temperature and copper plated pan evaporation, and by mean temperature and solar radiation. As computed values and measured values showed in figure, these formulas were high signiflent. 6. In the total consumed soil water duration of 10 days which, was non-rain period from 12th to 21th of August, Alfalfa was the largest 48.1mm, second, Orchard grass 40.1mm and Fescue 37.6mm, and Ladino clover was the smallest 37.1mm, also, order of each forage crop yield amound. was same to the abov. Order of soil moisture extraction rate of soil layer of all the for forage crops dulation of ten-day was soil layer 1 which was largest, soil layer 2, 3, and 4 Reviewing the the first five-day and the second five day, in the first five-day, order of that of all the forage crops was same to the above, but in the second five-day, that of soil layer 2 or 3 was more than the of soil layer 1.

• Magazine of the Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.96-105
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• 1989

This laboratory study was performed to produce basic data for the estimation of water requirements for desalinization, through analyzing changes of the electrical conductivity and the exchangeable sodium percentage during the desalinization of reclaimed tidelands. Desalinization experiments were carried out by two water management practices, namely, the leaching method by subsurface drainage and the rinsing method by surface drainage, using samples of silt loam soil and silty clay loam soil collected in reclaimed tidelands. The results obtained from this study were summarized as follows : 1. The sample soils used in this study were saline-sodic soils with the high electrical conductivity and the high exchangeable sodium percentage. 2. Changes of the electrical conductivity and the exchangeable sodium percentage with water requirements for desalinization showed a similar tendency in the desalinization experiment by the same water management practice. 3. The regression equation between the relative electrical conductivity(EC/EC) and water requirements for desalinization(Dw/Ds) could be described by Dw/Ds=O. 29x(EC/EC.) -0.982 (Leaching method), Dw/Ds=3. 678X0. 030(EC/EC ) (Rinsing method). 4. The regression equation between the relative exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP/ESP ) and water requirements for desalinization (Dw/Ds) could be expressed in Dw/Ds = 0.039 x (ESP/ESP. ) - 1. 134 (Leaching method), Dw/Ds=7. 197X0. 024(ESP/ESP ) (Rinsing method). 5. It was estimated that water requirements for the adequate desalinization would be Dw/Ds=0.3 (Leaching method) and Dw/Ds=3.0 (Rinsing method)