• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.44 no.1
• /
• pp.71-82
• /
• 2011

The unsaturated soil column tests were carried out for weathered gneiss soil and weathered granite soil in order to obtain the relationship between rainfall intensity and infiltration velocity of rainfall on the basis of different unit weight conditions of soil. In this study, volumetric water content and pore water pressure were measured using TDR sensors and tensiometers at constant time interval. For the column test, three different unit weights were used as in-situ condition, loose condition and dense condition, and rainfall intensities were selected as 20 mm/h and 50 mm/h. In 20 mm/h rainfall intensity condition, average rainfall infiltration velocities for both gneiss and weathered granite soils were obtained as $2.854{\times}10^{-3}$ cm/s ~ $1.297{\times}10^{-3}$ cm/s for different unit weight values and $2.734{\times}10^{-3}$ cm/s ~ $1.707{\times}10^{-3}$ cm/s, respectively. In 50 mm/h rainfall intensity condition, rainfall infiltration velocities were obtained as $4.509{\times}10^{-3}$ cm/s ~ $2.016{\times}10^{-3}$ cm/s and $4.265{\times}10^{-3}$ cm/s ~ $3.764{\times}10^{-3}$ cm/s respectively. The test results showed that the higher rainfall intensity and the lower unit weight of soil, the faster average infiltration velocity. In addition, the weathered granite soils had faster rainfall infiltration velocities than those of the weathered gneiss soils except for the looser unit weight conditions. This is due to the fact that the weathered granite soil had more homogeneous particle size, smaller unit weight condition and larger porosity.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
• /
• v.30 no.4
• /
• pp.382-393
• /
• 2020

The engineered barrier system of high-level radioactive waste disposal must maintain its performance in the long term, because it must play a role in slowing the rate of leakage to the surrounding rock mass even if a radionuclide leak occurs from the canister. In particular, it is very important to clarify gas dilation flow phenomenon clearly, that occurs only in a medium containing a large amount of clay material such as a bentonite buffer, which can affect the long-term performance of the bentonite buffer. Accordingly, DECOVALEX-2019 Task A was conducted to identify the hydraulic-mechanical mechanism for the dilation flow, and to develop and verify a new numerical analysis technique for quantitative evaluation of gas migration phenomena. In this study, based on the conventional two-phase flow and mechanical behavior with effective stresses in the porous medium, the hydraulic-mechanical model was developed considering the concept of damage to simulate the formation of micro-cracks and expansion of the medium and the corresponding change in the hydraulic properties. Model verification and validation were conducted through comparison with the results of 1D and 3D gas injection tests. As a result of the numerical analysis, it was possible to model the sudden increase in pore water pressure, stress, gas inflow and outflow rate due to the dilation flow induced by gas pressure, however, the influence of the hydraulic-mechanical interaction was underestimated. Nevertheless, this study can provide a preliminary model for the dilation flow and a basis for developing an advanced model. It is believed that it can be used not only for analyzing data from laboratory and field tests, but also for long-term performance evaluation of the high-level radioactive waste disposal system.

• Proceedings of the Membrane Society of Korea Conference
• /
• 1999.07a
• /
• pp.39-42
• /
• 1999

Perfluoropolymers represent the ultimate resistance to hostile chemical environments and high service temperature, attributed to the presence of fluorine in the polymer backbone, i.e. to the high bond energy of C-F and C-C bonds of fluorocarbons. Copolymers of Tetrafluoroethylene (TEE) and 2, 2, 4Trifluoro-5Trifluorometoxy- 1, 3Dioxole (TTD), commercially known as HYFLON AD, are amorphous perfluoropolymers with glass transition temperature (Tg)higher than room temperature, showing a thermal decomposition temperature exceeding 40$0^{\circ}C$. These polymer systems are highly soluble in fluorinated solvents, with low solution viscosities. This property allows the preparation of self-supported and composite membranes with desired membrane thickness. Symmetric and asymmetric perfluoropolymer membranes, made with HYFLON AD, have been prepared and evaluated. Porous and not porous symmetric membranes have been obtained by solvent evaporation with various processing conditions. Asymmetric membranes have been prepared by th wet phase inversion method. Measure of contact angle to distilled water have been carried out. Figure 1 compares experimental results with those of other commercial membranes. Contact angles of about 120$^{\circ}$for our amorphous perfluoropolymer membranes demonstrate that they posses a high hydrophobic character. Measure of contact angles to hexandecane have been also carried out to evaluate the organophobic character. Rsults are reported in Figure 2. The observed strong organophobicity leads to excellent fouling resistance and inertness. Porous membranes with pore size between 30 and 80 nanometers have shown no permeation to water at pressures as high as 10 bars. However high permeation to gases, such as O2, N2 and CO2, and no selectivities were observed. Considering the porous structure of the membrane, this behavior was expected. In consideration of the above properties, possible useful uses in th field of gas- liquid separations are envisaged for these membranes. A particularly promising application is in the field of membrane contactors, equipments in which membranes are used to improve mass transfer coefficients in respect to traditional extraction and absorption processes. Gas permeation properties have been evaluated for asymmetric membranes and composite symmetric ones. Experimental permselectivity values, obtained at different pressure differences, to various single gases are reported in Tab. 1, 2 and 3. Experimental data have been compared with literature data obtained with membranes made with different amorphous perfluoropolymer systems, such as copolymers of Perfluoro2, 2dimethyl dioxole (PDD) and Tetrafluorethylene, commercialized by the Du Pont Company with the trade name of Teflon AF. An interesting linear relationship between permeability and the glass transition temperature of the polymer constituting the membrane has been observed. Results are descussed in terms of polymer chain structure, which affects the presence of voids at molecular scale and their size distribution. Molecular Dyanmics studies are in progress in order to support the understanding of these results. A modified Theodoru- Suter method provided by the Amorphous Cell module of InsightII/Discover was used to determine the chain packing. A completely amorphous polymer box of about 3.5 nm was considered. Last but not least the use of amorphous perfluoropolymer membranes appears to be ideal when separation processes have to be performed in hostile environments, i.e. high temperatures and aggressive non-aqueous media, such as chemicals and solvents. In these cases Hyflon AD membranes can exploit the outstanding resistance of perfluoropolymers.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.65-70
• /
• 2005

Many case histories of re-liquefaction phenomena seem to support the idea that sand deposits, if they once have been liquefied, could be reliquefied again by a subsequent earthquake even though the earthquake is smaller than the previous one. The magnitude of the strains induced in the initial liquefaction has a significant influence on the resistance of the sample to re-liquefaction. The deposits undergoing liquefaction experience large shear strain during liquefaction. And this previous strain changes the microstructure into highly anisotropic structure such as columnlike structure and connected voids. This type of anisotropy is so unstable that it can reduce re-liquefaction resistance. It is blown that the extent of anisotropic structural change depends on the gradation characteristics of ground. The purpose of this study is to estimate the correlation between the gradation characteristics of the sand and the ratio of re-liquefaction resistance to liquefaction resistance. In this study, 1-g shaking table tests were carried out on five different kinds of sands. During the tests the values of excess pore pressure at various depths and surface settlements were measured. Re-liquefaction resistances were not affected by the initial void ratio and the effective confining pressures, and the deposits of all test sands which had once been liquefied were reliquefied in the cyclic loading number below 1 to 1.5. The ratio of re-liquefaction resistance to liquefaction resistance linearly decreased as $D_{10}/C_u$ increased, and was constant as about 0.2 above the value of $D_{10}/C_u$, 0.15 mm.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
• /
• v.20 no.5
• /
• pp.145-159
• /
• 2004

The conventional method for assessment of liquefaction potential proposed by Seed and Idriss has been widely used in most countries because of simplicity of tests. Even though various data such as stress, strain, stress path, and excess pore water pressure can be obtained from the dynamic test, especially, two simple experimental data such as the maximum deviatoric stress and the number of cycles at liquefaction have been used in the conventional assessment. In this study, a new detailed assessment for liquefaction potential to reflect both characteristics of real earthquake motion and dynamic soil resistance is proposed and verified. In the assessment, the safety factor of the liquefaction potential at a given depth of a site can be obtained by the ratio of a resistible cumulative plastic shear strain determined through the performance of the conventional cyclic test and a driving cumulative plastic shear strain calculated from the shear strain time history through the ground response analysis. The last point to cumulate the driving plastic shear strain to initiate soil liquefaction is important for this assessment. From the result of cyclic triaxial test using real earthquake motions, it was concluded that liquefaction under the impact-type earthquake loads would initiate as soon as a peak loading signal was reached. The driving cumulative plastic shear strain, therefore, can be determined by adding all plastic shear strains obtained from the ground response analysis up to the peak point. Through the verification of the proposed assessment, it can be concluded that the proposed assessment for liquefaction potential can be a progressive method to reflect both characteristics of the unique soil resistance and earthquake parameters such as peak earthquake signal, significant duration time, earthquake loading type, and magnitude.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
• /
• v.20 no.8
• /
• pp.147-158
• /
• 2004

Laboratory dynamic tests are carried out to assess the liquefaction potential of saturated sands in most countries. However, simple results such as the maximum cyclic shear stress and the number of cycles at initial liquefaction are used in the experimental assessment of liquefaction potential, even though various results can be obtained from the dynamic test. In addition, it seemed to be inefficient because more than three dynamic tests with different stress ratio have to be carried out to draw a liquefaction resistance experimental curve. To improve the present assessment method fur liquefaction potential, a new critical resistible characteristic far soil liquefaction is proposed and verified through conventional cyclic triaxial tests with Jumunjin sand. In the proposed method, various experimental data such as effective stress path, stress-strain relationship, and the change of excess pore water pressure can be used in the determination of cumulative plastic shear strains at every 1/4 cycle. Especially, the critical cumulative plastic shear strain to initiate liquefaction can be defined in a specific point called a phase change point in the effective stress path and it can be calculated from a hysteric curve of stress-strain relationship up to this point. Through this research, it is found that the proposed cumulative plastic shear strain can express the dissipated energy to resist dynamic loads and consider the realistic soil dynamic behavior of saturated sands reasonably. It is also found that the critical plastic shear strain can be used as a registible index of soils to represent the critical soil dynamic state, because it seems to include no effect of large deformation.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
• /
• v.4 no.3
• /
• pp.43-52
• /
• 1984

This paper is concerned with the strain characteristics of the time effect on the remoulded saturated day sampled from the downstream of the Yeongsan river, and the constitutive equation that can generally explain time-dependent behaviors of norma1ly consolidated clay. This paper examines whether or not the afore-said constitutive equation can be applied to the remoulded Mooan-clay. Throughout this study, the conclusions obtained are as follows. 1. Throughout the isotropic consolidation test for 7 days and the isotropic relaxation test, the existence of the static and dynamic yielding surfaces is confirmed respectively. 2. The characteristics of time effect of the deformation, namely, the existence of a unique stress-strain-time relation, is conformed from the experimental result on the Mooan-clay. 3. The prodictions of the stress path and the strain on the Cam-clay theory is not consistent with those observed during the experiments. 4. Constitutive equation(2-3-12) obtained by applying Cam-clay theory to Perzyna's elastic-viscoplasticity theory can explain the behavior of pore water pressure during isotropic stress relaxation, concerned with time dependency under undrained condition. The equation can also explain the results of the undrained triaxial compression test for the clay with different strain rate under the same or different consolidation history. 5. This constitutive equation has eight material parameters which can be determined from triaxial compression tests.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
• /
• v.38 no.2
• /
• pp.357-367
• /
• 2018

Recent earthquakes in Gyeongju and Pohang have raised interest in liquefaction in South Korea. Liquefaction, which is a phenomenon that excessive pore pressure is generated and the shear strength of soil is decreased by repeated loads such as earthquakes, causes severe problems such as ground subsidence and overturning of structures. Therefore, it is necessary to identify and prepare for the possibility of liquefaction in advance. In general, the possibility of liquefaction is quantitatively assessed using the Liquefaction Potential Index (LPI), but it takes a lot of time and effort for performing site response analysis which is essential for the liquefaction evaluation. In this study, a simple method to evaluate the liquefaction potential without executing the site response analysis in a downtown area with a lot of borehole data was proposed. In this simple method, the correlation between the average shear wave velocity of the target location ground and the LPI divided by thickness of liquefiable layer was established. And the applicable correlation equation for various rock outcrop accelerations were derived. Using the 104 boreholes information in Seoul, the correlation equation between LPI and the shear wave velocity (ground water level: 0m, 1m, 2m, 3m) is obtained and the possibility of liquefaction occurrence in Seoul and Gyeongju is evaluated. The applicability of the proposed simple method was verified by comparing the LPI values calculated from the correlation equation and the LPI values derived using the existing site response analysis. Finally, the distribution map of LPI calculated from the correlation was drawn using Kriging, a geostatistical technique.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
• /
• v.32 no.1
• /
• pp.30-58
• /
• 2022

The deep geological repository for high-level radioactive waste disposal is a multi barrier system comprised of engineered barriers and a natural barrier. The long-term integrity of the deep geological repository is affected by the coupled interactions between the individual barrier components. Erosion and piping phenomena in the compacted bentonite buffer due to buffer-rock interactions results in the removal of bentonite particles via groundwater flow and can negatively impact the integrity and performance of the buffer. Rapid groundwater inflow at the early stages of disposal can lead to piping in the bentonite buffer due to the buildup of pore water pressure. The physiochemical processes between the bentonite buffer and groundwater lead to bentonite swelling and gelation, resulting in bentonite erosion from the buffer surface. Hence, the evaluation of erosion and piping occurrence and its effects on the integrity of the bentonite buffer is crucial in determining the long-term integrity of the deep geological repository. Previous studies on bentonite erosion and piping failed to consider the complex coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical behavior of bentonite-groundwater interactions and lacked a comprehensive model that can consider the complex phenomena observed from the experimental tests. In this technical note, previous studies on the mechanisms, lab-scale experiments and numerical modeling of bentonite buffer erosion and piping are introduced, and the future expected challenges in the investigation of bentonite buffer erosion and piping are summarized.