• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2022

A semi-analytical solution to responses of overconsolidated (OC) unsaturated soils surrounding an expanding spherical cavity under constant suction condition is presented. To capture the elastoplastic hydro-mechanical property of OC unsaturated soils, the unified hardening (UH) model for OC unsaturated soil is adopted in corporation with a soil-water characteristic curve (SWCC) and two suction yield surfaces. Taking the specific volume, radial stress, tangential stress and degree of saturation as the four basic unknowns, the problem investigated is formulated by solving a set of first-order ordinary differential equations with the help of an auxiliary variable and an iterative algorithm. The present solution is validated by comparing with available solution based on the modified Cam Clay (MCC) model. Parametric studies reveal that the hydraulic and mechanical responses of spherical cavity expanding in unsaturated soils are not only coupled, but also affected by suction and overconsolidation ratio (OCR) significantly. More importantly, whether hydraulic yield will occur or not depends only on the initial relationship between suction yield stress and suction. The presented solution can be used for calibration of some insitu tests in OC unsaturated soil.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.145-155
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• 2012

The matric suction and volumetric water content of Jumunin standard sand with a relative density of 60% were measured using an Automated Soil-Water Characteristic Curve (SWCC) apparatus during both drying and wetting processes. The test time for the drying process was longer than that for the wetting process, because the flow of water is likely to be protected by air trapped in voids within the soils during the drying process. Based on the matric suction and volumetric water content, the SWCC was estimated using the model proposed by van Genuchten (1980). For the drying process, the unsaturated fitting parameters ${\alpha}$, n, and m were 0.399, 8.586, and 0.884, respectively; for the wetting process, the values were 0.548, 5.625, and 8.220, respectively. The hysteresis phenomenon occurred in the SWCCs, which means the SWCC of the drying process is not matched with the SWCC of the wetting process. Using these unsaturated parameters, we estimated the Suction Stress Characteristic Curve (SSCC), based on the relationship between suction stress and the effective degree of saturation. The suction stress showed a rapid decrease when the matric suction exceeds the Air Entry Value (AEV). Therefore, the effective stress of unsaturated soils is different from that of saturated soils when the matric suction exceeds the AEV. The suction stress of the drying process exceeds that of the wetting process for a given effective degree of saturation. The hysteresis phenomenon was also recognized in SSCCs. The hysteresis phenomenon of SSCCs arises from that of SWCCs, which is induced by the ink bottle effect and the contact angle effect. In the case of a sandy slope, the suction stress is positive and acts to enhance the slope stability as the water infiltrates the ground, but is negative when the suction stress exceeds the AEV. The results obtained for the wetting process should be applied in analyses of slope stability, because the process of water infiltration into ground is similar to the wetting process.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2008.03a
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• pp.111-118
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• 2008

The purpose of this paper was to investigate the overburden effect on soil-water characteristic curve and unsaturated permeability of unsaturated weathered soils. For this, unsaturated suction and permeability tests under various overburden stress were conducted respectively. Then, the coefficient of unsaturated permeability and moisture capacity of weathered soils were estimated and compared. All these results are presented in the paper.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2002.03a
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• pp.139-146
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• 2002

The characteristics and prediction model for the shear strength of unsaturated residual soils was studied. In order to investigate the influence of the net normal stress on the shear strength, unsaturated triaxial tests and SWCC tests were carried out varying the net normal stress, and the experimental data for unsaturated shear strength tests were compared with predicted shear strength envelopes using existing prediction models. It was shown that the soil - water characteristic curve and the shear strength of the unsaturated soil varied with the change of the net normal stress. Therefore, to achieve a truly descriptive shear strength envelope for unsaturated soils, tile effect of the normal stress on the contribution of matric suction to the shear strength has to be taken into consideration. In this paper, a modified prediction model for the unsaturated shear strength was proposed.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.247-258
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• 2020

The shear strength of unsaturated soils, a research hotspot in geotechnical engineering, has great guiding significance for geotechnical engineering design. Although kinds of calculation models for the shear strength of unsaturated soil have been put forward by predecessors, there is still need for new models to extensively consider the nonlinear variation of shear strength, particularly for the nonlinear effect of the net normal stress on the shear strength of unsaturated soil. Here, the shear strength of unsaturated soils is explored to study the nonlinear effects of net normal stress with the introduction of a general nonlinear Mohr-Coulomb (M-C) strength criterion, and the relationship between the matric suction (or suction stress) and degree of saturation (DOS) constructed by the soil-water characteristics curve (SWCC) of van Genuchten is also applied for unsaturated soil. Then, two calculation models (i.e., an envelope shell model and an effective stress model) are established for the shear strength of unsaturated soils under the nonlinear strength theory. In these two models, the curve of the shear strength of unsaturated soils versus the net normal stress exhibits a tendency to gently. Moreover, the proposed formulas have flexibility and convenience with five parameters (for the effective stress model) or six parameters (for the envelope shell model), which are from the M-C strength parameters of the saturated soil and fitting parameters of SWCC of van Genuchten. Thereafter, by comparison with the classical theory of the shear strength of unsaturated soils from some actual cases, the rationality and accuracy of the present models were verified.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.41-52
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• 2011

The hypothesis on effective stress of unsaturated soil is validated by $K_0$ consolidation results of triaxial tests for the compacted residual soil. The stress characteristic curve (SSCC) can describe unsaturated soil behavior on water contents, which was defined from shear strength or from soil water characteristic curves. In this study, it was found that the stress path of $K_0$ consolidation can also define the SSCC. The effective stress was defined by SSCC. $K_0$ paths for various matric suctions could be described as a unique line by effective stress. The measured values of $K_0$ were interpreted by effective stress as a constant with respect to matric suction. Since the SSCC from $K_0$ consolidation agrees with that from the shear strength, the SSCC from soil water retention curve could describe effective stress behavior consistently on both $K_0$ consolidation path and stress at failure. The effective stress based on SSCC can describe the entire unsaturated behavior from consolidation to failure.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.27-38
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• 2003

The characteristics and prediction model of the shear strength of unsaturated residual granite soils were studied in this paper. In order to investigate the influence of the net normal stress on the shear strength, unsaturated triaxial tests and SWCC tests were carried out by varying the net normal stress. Experimental data for unsaturated shear strength tests were compared with predicted shear strength envelopes obtained from existing prediction models. It was shown that the soil-water characteristic curve and the shear strength of the unsaturated soil varied with the change of the net normal stress. Therefore, to achieve a truly descriptive shear strength envelope for unsaturated soils, the effect of the normal stress on the contribution of matric suction to the shear strength has to be taken into consideration. In this paper, a modified prediction model f3r the unsaturated shear strength was proposed.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.45-51
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• 2012

The shear strength of weathered granite soils under unsaturated condition was evaluated by $K_0$ consolidated triaxial tests. Various matric suctions in the unsaturated triaxial tests were applied using suction-controlled triaxial test apparatus for weathered granite soils obtained in Daegu. Soil water characteristic curve (SWCC) laboratory tests for drying and wetting procedure were performed and van Genuchten curves were fitted by experimental results. The contribution of matric suction in unsaturated soils is directly correlated to effective stress and evaluated from SWCCs. The effective stresses were estimated from these SWCCs and the relationship between effective stress and unsaturated shear strength was determined. In the effective stress description, the unsaturated shear strength with respect to various suctions indicates unique relationship and almost the same as that of the saturated envelope.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.1073-1082
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• 2015

The behavior of the unsaturated soil slope can be influenced by the various factors such as the hydraulic characteristics, the mechanical characteristics, the coefficient of conductivity, the stratifications, the rainfall conditions i.e. the rainfall intensity, the rainfall pattern, the duration time of the rainfall and the antecedent rainfall etc. It is known that the slope failure is influenced greatly by the antecedent rainfall rather than the rainfall condition at the failure time, so the antecedent rainfall is supposed to be a very important factor in slope stability analysis among these factors. To predict and to prevent the slope failure by the rainfall, the distribution of the matric suction by the antecedent rainfall must be considered first of all and the slope stability analysis should be carried out by considering the successive rainfall characteristics. In this research, 3 samples with different quantity (5%, 10%, 20%) of silts were prepared and the SWCC (Soil-water characteristic curve) tests were carried out and the associated parameters were analyzed. After analyzing the distribution of the matric suction and the change of the mechanical characteristics such as the stress and the strength when applying the antecedent rainfall for one month and the successive intensive rainfall for 12 hours, the slope stability analyses were carried out numerically. And the influence of the antecedent rainfall for one month and the SWCC on the stability of a slope were compared and analyzed.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.15-21
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• 2003

A series of triaxial compression tests were performed on samples of compacted granite soil in a modified triaxial cell that allowed separate control of pore air pressure ($U_a$) and pore water pressure ($U_w$) in order to examine the characteristics of pore pressure, volume change and stress-strain behavior during undrained loading conditions. Triaxial samples of unsaturated and saturated compacted granite soil, 50mm in diameter and 100mm in height, were prepared by compaction in a mould. These samples were tested at 3 different suction values (0.5, 1.0, 2.0 kgf/cm$^2$) for unsaturated compacted granite soil and at 3 different confining stresses (1.0, 2.0, 4.0 kgf/cm$^2$). Results showed that only effective cohesion increased with little variation of friction angle, according to matric suction.