• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.28 no.12
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• pp.111-122
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• 2012

Resistivity seismic dilatometer (RSDMT) system is introduced. The resistivity module for obtaining resistivity-depth plot and seismic module for obtaining wave velocity-depth plot are attached to the conventional flat dilatometer testing equipment. To enhance the reliability and repeatability of seismic part in RSDMT, automatic testing system including automatic surface source, PC based data acquisition system and operating program was constructed. To obtain real resistivity value of soil, geometric factor for the array of electrodes in RSDMT was derived empirically. The verification studies for the developed RSDMT system were performed with SPT, CPTu, bender element test and DC resistivity survey. Through one penetration of RSDMT, various soil parameters were obtained and the reliability and repeatability of developed RSDMT system could be checked.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.261-261
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• 2007

Wearable and ubiquitous micro systems will be greatly growing and their related devices should be self-powered in order to avoid the replacement of finite power sources, for example, by scavenging energy from the environment. With ever reducing power requirements of both analog and digital circuits, power scavenging approaches are becoming increasingly realistic. One approach is to drive an electromechanical converter from ambient motion or vibration. Vibration-driven generators based on electromagnetic, electrostatic and piezoelectric technologies have been demonstrated. Among various generator types proposed so far, piezoelectric generator possesses considerable potential in micro system. To overcome low mechanical-to- electric energy conversion, the piezoelectric device should activate in resonance mode in response to external vibration. Normally, the external vibration excretes at low frequency ranging 0.1 to 200 Hz, whereas the resonant frequencies of the devices are fixed as constant. Therefore, keeping their resonant mode in varying external vibration can be one of important points in enhancing the conversion efficiency. We investigated the possibility of use of multi-bender type piezoelectric devices. To match the external vibration frequency with the device resonant frequency, the various devices with different resonant frequency were chosen. Under an external vibration acceleration of 0.1G at 120 Hz, the device exhibited a peak-to-peak voltage of 2.8 V and a power of 0.5 mw in resonance mode.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.17-33
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• 2022

This study describes the effect of ground water table on the dynamic analysis of single piles subjected to earthquake loading. The dynamic numerical analysis was performed for different dry and saturated soils with varying the relative densities of surrounding weathered soils (SM). The test soil was a weathered soil encountered in the engineering field and bender element tests were conducted to estimate the dynamic properties of test soil. The Mohr-Coulomb model and Finn model were used for soil, dry and saturated conditions, respectively. These models validated with results of centrifuge tests. When compared with the results from the soil conditions, saturated cases showed more lateral displacement and bending moment of piles than dry cases, and this difference caused from the generation of excess porewater pressure. It means that the kinematic effect of the soil decreased as the excess pore water pressure was generated, and it was changed to the inertial behavior of the pile.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.38 no.10
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• pp.41-48
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• 2022

The mass density of the medium (ρ) used to calculate the maximum shear modulus (G_max) of the saturated ground based on the shear wave velocity is unclear. Therefore, to determine the mass density, a verification formula and five scenarios were established. Laboratory tests were conducted, and the obtained results were compared. The mass density of the medium was assumed to be saturated (ρ_sat), wet (ρ_t), dry (ρ_dry), and submerged conditions (ρ_sub), and the V_s ratios of saturated to dry condition were obtained from each case. Assuming the saturated density (ρ_sat), the V_s ratio was consistent with the value from the resonant column test (RCT) results, and the value from the bender element test results was consistent with the wet density assumption (ρ_t). Considering the frequency range of earthquakes, it is concluded that applying the saturated density (ρ_sat) is reasonable as in the RCT results.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.29 no.3C
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• pp.105-113
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• 2009

Pressuremeter test estimates deformational properties of soil from the relationship between applied pressure and the displacement of cavity wall, and the results reflect the in-situ stress condition and the structure of soil particles. This study suggests the overall process of test and analysis for the evaluation of nonlinear degradation characteristics of shear moduli, based on the reloading curve of pressuremeter test. The method estimates the maximum shear modulus, taking into account the difference between the stress states around the probe in reloading and that of the in-situ state, and then combines the degradation characteristics of shear moduli taken from reloading curve. This procedure derives the shear moduli in overall strain range. Pressuremeter tests were carried out in various ground conditions using large calibration chamber, together with various reference tests. Shear moduli taken from pressuremeter tests were compared with bender element test and resonant column test results.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.29 no.2C
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• pp.51-58
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• 2009

In this study, the small strain shear moduli ($G_{max}$) of uncemented and gypsum-cemented sands are evaluated by performing a series of bender element tests on the specimens reconstituted in the calibration chamber. It is observed from the experimental results that $G_{max}$ of crushed-sands is about 35~50% smaller than that of natural sands. The increase in gypsum content is observed to result in an exponential increase of $G_{max}$ value. It is also shown that the relative density has more significant effect on $G_{max}$ of cemented sand, whereas the vertical effective stress has more significant influence on $G_{max}$ of uncemented one. A prediction equation for cemented sand is expressed as a function of gypsum content as well as void ratio and vertical effective stress.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.317-328
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• 2023

The soil behaviour can be represented by numerical modelling of element testing using diverse constitutive models. However, not all constitutive models allow the simulation of the stress-strain response at the critical state in granular soils with both contractive and dilative behaviour. Moreover, the accuracy of these models depends highly on the quality of the experimental data used for their calibration. This study addresses the modelling of the critical state behaviour of an alluvial natural soil from the Lower Tagus Valley (south of Portugal), known as TP-Lisbon sand, using the NorSand constitutive law. For this purpose, a series of numerical simulations of element testing was carried out using two algorithms performed in Visual Basic (VB) and Fast Lagrangian Analysis of Continua (FLAC). Moreover, this study presents the characterisation of of NorSand parameters from an accurate experimental programme based on triaxial and bender element testing. This experimental program allowed defining: (i) the critical state locus, (ii) the stress-dilatancy, and (iii) the soil elasticity of TP-Lisbon sand -all fundamental to calibrate the contractive and dilative behaviour of such alluvial soil. The results revealed a good agreement between experimental data and NorSand simulations using VB and FLAC. Therefore, this study showed that the quality of laboratory testing procedures and its good interpretation enables NorSand constitutive law to capture representatively the non-associated plastic strains, often expressed by the state parameter, allowing a representation of soil behaviour of alluvial soils within the critical state soil mechanics framework for different state parameters.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.93-102
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• 2015

The characteristics of frozen soils are one of most important factors for foundation design in cold region. The objective of this study is to evaluate the shear strength and stiffness of frozen soils according to the confining conditions during the freezing and shearing phase. A direct shear box is constructed for the frozen specimens and bender elements are mounted on the wall of the shear box to measure shear wave velocities. Specimens are prepared by mixing sand and silt with a silt fraction of 30% in weight and the degree of saturation of 10%, giving a relative density of 60% for all tests. The temperature of the specimens in the freezer is allowed to fall below -5℃, and then direct shear tests are performed. A series of vertical stresses are applied during the freezing and shearing phase. Shear stress, vertical displacement, and shear wave along the horizontal displacement are measured. Experimental results show that in all the tests, shear strength increases with increasing vertical stress applied during the freezing and shearing phases. The magnitude of the increase in shear strength with increasing vertical stress during shearing under fixed vertical stress in the frozen state is smaller than the magnitude of the increase in vertical stress during freezing and shearing. In addition, the change in shear wave velocities varies with the position of the bender elements. In the case of shear waves passing through the shear plane, the shear wave velocities decrease with increasing horizontal displacement. This study provides an evaluation of the properties of shear strength and stiffness of frozen soils under varied confining condition.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.32 no.6C
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• pp.285-293
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• 2012

The surface tension, which is generated in the unsaturated soils, increases the stiffness of the soils. The objective of this study is to estimate the effect of the surface tension, which varies according to the temperature, on the shear wave velocity. Nine specimens, which have the different degree of saturation (0%, 2.5%, 5%, 10%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, 100%), are prepared by using sand-silt mixtures. Experiments are carried out in a nylon cell designed for the measurement of shear waves. A pair of bender elements, which are used for the generation and detection of shear waves, is installed as a cross-hole type. The shear waves are continuously monitored and measured as the temperature of specimens decreases from $15^{\circ}C$ to $1^{\circ}C$. The results show that shear wave velocities of the fully saturated and fully dried specimens change a little bit as the temperatures of specimens decrease. However, the shear wave velocities of the specimens with the degree of saturations of 2.5%, 5%, 10%, 20%, 40%, 60% and 80% continuously increase as temperature decreases from $15^{\circ}C$ to $1^{\circ}C$. Furthermore, a fully saturated specimen is dried at the temperature of $70^{\circ}C$ in order to observe the shear waves according to degree of saturation. The shear wave velocities measured at the temperature of $70^{\circ}C$ are generally lower than those measured at temperature of $15^{\circ}C$. This study demonstrates that the dependence of shear wave velocities on the temperature according to the degree of saturation should be taken into account in both laboratory and field tests.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.23-32
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• 2013

In order to evaluate the bearing capacity behaviour of a monopod suction bucket foundation for an offshore wind tower at the western sea of Korea, a centrifuge load test and numerical analyses were performed. The monopod bucket foundation was designed to be installed in a silty sand layer. The model soil was prepared to simulate a target site by using soil samples having similar properties and controlling relative density. In-flight miniature cone penetration test and bender element array were used to confirm that the model soil had represented the target site conditions. The load - rotation curve of the centrifuge load test was analysed. A series of numerical analyses were performed to validate the experimental conditions. Self-weight of the model, distance to the boundary and elastic modulus of the soil layer were varied to study their effects on the load - rotation curves.