• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.26 no.1C
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• pp.33-42
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• 2006

Lots of river embankments or levees in Korea are quite so old and unknown the origin even. The river deposits, moreover, obtainable easily somewhere were used for materials of embankment without any technical considerations such as the influence soil properties and construction methods on embankment stability. It's natural that safety would be threatened if the water level rises due to flood or rainfall when it comes to abnormal weather conditions, especially. From this point of view, enlargement of embankment, irrigation works, etc. are in progress recently at the situation from a reinforcement work. However, taking influence of soil properties and construction methods on embankment stability into account against cracking or piping is still insufficient. Fragmentary design criteria or irrational construction methods are applied rather as the case may be. In this study, therefore, a way to estimate piping and cracking resistance (Sherard, 1953) has been introduced and reevaluated for practical use with an eye to material properties and its applicability to piping-experienced embankments was examined. Piping possibility was also examined in the present design criteria and compared. In view of the results achieved, it reflects that both yield piping possibility. But it's still necessary to complement how to judge and verify piping resistance of given soils with gradation curves by the representative curve, quantitatively and that piping resistance should consider compaction effects as well.