• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.32 no.6C
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• pp.295-304
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• 2012

In this study, a resonant column testing system which is the largest in Korea has been developed to evaluate the dynamic deformation characteristics of coarse granular geomaterials, and the performance and the applicability of the testing system have been verified. The system has been developed as a typical Stokoe type device whose boundary conditions are fixed bottom and free top with additional mass, and can adopt a large specimen with 200 mm in diameter and 400 mm in height. The driving and measurement instruments are configured as high performance and precision systems, hence the automated testing system is appropriate to drive enough stress and to measure the behavior precisely for the test in practical manner. The dynamic response of the mechanical components and the applicability of the system have been evaluated using metal specimens as well as polyurethane specimens, and its precision was verified by comparing its results with those from other equipment and/or methods. To confirm the applicability of the large system for coarse geomaterials, the resonant column test results from both large and normal scale apparatus for the same material were compared and it was found that the result can be partially affected by scale. Finally, the dynamic deformation characteristics of coarse geomaterial which is used for construction of large dam was evaluated using the large system and its practicality could be confirmed.