• Geotechnical Engineering
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.63-72
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• 1996

The current practice in construction of reinforced earth retaining walls is to use a granular soil for the backfill material. When the material is available in site, the construetion cost can be remarkably reduced. As the weathered granite soils are abundant and widely distributed throughout the Korean peninsula: whether they are suitable or not as the backfill material is considered to be the most important key in economic construction of the wall. This paper investigates the grain size distribution of the weathered soils which locate at many places throughout the nation and then examines limitation of their use based on the specifications of different countries. The variaton of shear strength with both different fine contents and saturation is also investigated. It is known that the grain size distribution of most weathered soils are not satisfied with the general requirement. However their use is possible in wide range when the backfill keeps in unsaturated condition using good drainage facilities and 1 or pervious reinforcements.