• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.459-469
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• 2019

It is important to estimate the shear strength of shallow compacted soils as a construction material. A series of constant water content triaxial compression (CWCC) tests under low confining state in this study were performed on compacted geomaterials. For establishing a relationship of the shear strengths between saturated and unsaturated states on compacted geomaterials, the suction stresses were derived by two methods: the conventional suction-measured method and the Suction stress-SWRC Method (SSM). Considering the suction stress as an equivalent confining stress component in the (${\sigma}_{net}$, ${\tau}$) plane, it was found that the peak deviator stress states agree well with the failure line of the saturated state from the triaxial compression test when the SSM is applied to obtain the suction stress. On the other hand, the cavitation phenomenon on the measurement of suction affected the results of the conventional suction-measured method. These results mean that the SSM is distinctly favorable for obtaining the suction value in the CWCC test because the SSM is not restricted by the cavitation phenomenon. It is expected that the application of the SSM would reduce the time required, and the projected cost with the additional equipment such as a pore water measuring device in the CWCC test.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.31 no.1D
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• pp.83-90
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• 2011

A need still exists that the unsaturated condition is to be considered when evaluating the infiltration and drainage capacity for compacted geomaterials in road foundation or embankments. For this reason, numerical analysis were used to analyze the time-dependent unsaturated infiltration and drainage condition depending on various geomaterial types. Therefore, laboratory data from the soil-water characteristic curve tests on geomaterials were adopted from previous studies. In addition, the unsaturated permeability was estimated using SWCC. Then the infiltration and drainage performance of unsaturated compacted soils were evaluated under various conditions based on the proposed method. The results demonstrated that the effect of initial suction and SWCC path on each material could be substantial and the proper application on analysis is very important to enhance the prediction on each capacity.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.31 no.1D
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• pp.73-82
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• 2011

Generally, an unsaturated condition was not considered to predict the long-term strength and drainage behaviors on compacted road foundations. However, it is logical way to consider the unsaturated condition and hysteresis behavior on road foundations like subbase and subgrade. For more quantitative analysis, rational experimental approach requires proper laboratory tool and material model, and hydraulic properties of pavement geomaterials under unsaturated conditions. In this study, therefore, laboratory data from the soil-water characteristic curve tests were used to predict suction and unsaturated permeability on pavement foundations and the results were analyzed based on the nonlinear fitting model considered. In addition to that, the unsaturated moisture capacity of each material is discussed.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.271-288
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• 2017

This paper aims to investigate the effects of replacing cement with ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) in self compacting concrete in the fresh and hardened state. The performance of SCC in moderate climate is well investigated but few studies are available on the effect of hot environment. In this paper, the effect of initial water-curing period and curing conditions on the performance of SCC is reported. Cement was substituted by GGBFS by weight at two different levels of substitution (15% and 25%). Concrete specimens were stored either in a standard environment (T=$20^{\circ}C$, RH=100%) or in the open air in North Africa during the summer period (T=35 to $40^{\circ}C$; R.H=50 to 60%) after an initial humid curing period of 0, 3, 7 or 28 days. Compressive strength at 28 and 90 days, capillary absorption, sorptivity, water permeability, porosity and chloride ion penetration were investigated. The results show that the viscosity and yield stress are decreased with increasing dosage of GGBFS. The importance of humid curing in hot climates in particular when GGBFS is used is also proved. The substitution of cement by GGBFS improves SCC durability at long term. The best performances were observed in concrete specimens with 25% GGBFS and for 28 days water curing.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.31 no.4D
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• pp.571-576
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• 2011

In general, conventional road pavements are designed under the assumption that the shear strength of geomaterials are under saturated state. In reality, however, most of the pavement geomaterials exists under the unsaturated state. To deal with this gap between saturated and unsaturated conditions, in this paper, unsaturated shear strength was estimated using the results from the triaxial compression test and soil-water characteristics curves. Then, yield loads were assessed using 2-Dimensional finite element method with the selected nonlinear elastic model and the Mohr-Coulomb yield criteria. In addition, various unsaturated condition and surface layer effects on the yield load of granular materials were identified. Therefore, the results demonstrated would provide a possibility to estimate bearing capacity of paved or unpaved roads using unsaturated soil mechanics.