• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.17 no.2 s.52
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• pp.225-233
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• 2007

The engineering properties of surface soils in natural terrain are changed due to wildfire. This change of engineering properties induced by wildfire is related to landslides occurrence. To investigate the change of soil properties caused by wildfire, the various soil tests are performed. The soil samples are obtained from the recently burned slopes of Yangyang area, Kangwon Province. The soil samples obtained from the burned slopes are classified into three types depending on the burning grade: the perfect burning grade, the intermediate burning grade, the non-burning grade. As the result of tests, the specific gravity and the dry unit weight of soils obtained from perfect and alternative burning grades are less than those of soils obtained from non-burning grade. It judges that an electronic force, ionic components and of soils are changed and organic matters in soils are burned by wildfire. The permeability of soil obtained from alternative burning grade is the lowest and that of soil obtained from perfect burning grade is the highest. The water-repellent layer is formed on soil surface by wildfire. The water-repellent layer is existed at the area of alternative turning grade, while the layer is not existed at the area of perfect burning grade. The water-repellent layer is collapsed in high temperature more than about $400^{\circ}C$.