• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.547-558
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• 2018

Studies of soil dynamic properties in Malaysia are still very limited. This study aims to investigate the dynamic properties of two selected tropical residual soils (i.e., Sandy Clay and Sandy Silt) and a sand mining trail (Silty Sand) in Peninsular Malaysia using 1g shaking table test. The use of 1g shaking table test for soil dynamic testing is often constrained to large strain level and small confining pressure only. Three new experimental setups, namely large laminar shear box test (LLSBT), small chamber test with positive air pressure (SCT), and small sample test with suction (SSTS) are attempted with the aims of these experimental setups are capable of evaluating the dynamic properties of soils covering a wider range of shear strain and confining pressure. The details of each experimental setup are described explicitly in this paper. Experimental results show that the combined use of the LLSBT and SCT is capable of rendering soil dynamic properties covering a strain range of 0.017%-1.48% under confining pressures of 5-100 kPa. The studied tropical residual soils in Malaysia behaved neither as pure sand nor clay, but show a relatively good agreement with the dynamic properties of residual soils in Singapore. Effects of confining pressure and plasticity index on the studied tropical residual soils are found to be insignificant in this particular study.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.435-445
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• 2019

A series of element tests with different drainage conditions and strain rates were performed on compacted unsaturated non-plastic silt in unconfined conditions. Soil samples were compacted at water contents from dry to wet of optimum with the degree of saturation varying from 24 to 59.5% while maintaining the degree of compaction at 80%. The tests performed were shear infiltration tests in which specimens had constant net confining pressure, pore air pressure was kept drained and constant, just before the shear process pore water pressure was increased (and kept constant afterwards) to decrease matric suction and to start water infiltration. In constant water content tests, specimens had constant net confining pressure, pore air pressure was kept drained and constant whereas pore water pressure was kept undrained. As a result, the matric suction varied with increase in axial strain throughout the shearing process. In both cases, maximum shear strength was obtained for specimens prepared on dry side of optimum moisture content. Moreover, the gradient of stress path was not affected under different strain rates whereas the intercept of failure was changed due to the drainage conditions implied in this study.

• Interaction and multiscale mechanics
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.235-261
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• 2009

This study illustrates the differences between the elasto-plastic cap model and Lade's model with Cosserat rotation through the analyses of two large-scale geosynthetic-reinforced soil (GRS) retaining wall tests that were brought to failure using a monotonically increasing surcharge pressure. The finite element analyses with Lade's model were able to reasonably simulate the large-scale plane strain laboratory tests. On average, the finite element analyses gave reasonably good agreement with the experimental results in terms of global performances and shear band occurrences. In contrast, the cap model was not able to simulate the development of shear banding in the tests. In both test simulations the cap model predicted failure loads that were substantially less than the measured ones.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 1999.10a
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• pp.351-356
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• 1999

An elasto-plastic constitutive model was Proposed, in which the behavior at small-to-large strain level can be modeled. From a mathematical approach it was proved that the model includes the previous successful models. The experimental results of a series of resonant column tests, torsional shear tests and triaxial tests were verified and as a result the proposed model could predict small-to-large strain behavior more consistently and accurately than the hyperbolic model and the Ramberg-Osgood model for a weathered granitic soil.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.277-291
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• 1983

In order to investigate the shear characteristics of earth structure after construction. Four sample soils with different gradation were selected and compacted under the optimum moisture content and the maximum dry density. And the direct shear test and the triaxial compression test were performed with those sample soils under various pre-compression loads. The results were summarized as follows; 1. With the increase of the percent passing of No. 200 sieve, the cohesion of soil increased regularly and the internal friction angle of soil decreased with slow ratio. 2. The pre-compression increased the shear strength of compacted cohesive soil. The increase of cohesion was very apparent but the internal friction angle didn't show such regular tendency. 3. With the increase of pre-compression load, the slope of stress-strain curve showed steep at the early stage of horizontal strain. The vertical strain was small at the compression stage and big at the expansion stage. 4. When the vertical stress of shear test with increase in the horizontal strain was small, stress ratio(shear stress vs. vertical stress) of sample showed the largest value and the slope of stress ratio curve showed also steep. 5. When the sample was had the same condition, the cohesion of soil showed bigger value in the triaxial compression test and the internal friction angle of soil showed bigger value in the direct shear test.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.237-244
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• 2020

To achieve a wide suction range, the low suction was imposed on compacted silt specimens by the axis translation technique and the high suction was imposed by the vapor equilibrium technique with saturated salt solutions. Firstly, the results of soil water retention tests on compacted silt show that the soil water retention curves in terms of gravimetric water content versus suction relation are independent of the dry density or void ratio in a high suction range. Therefore, triaxial tests on compacted silt with constant water content at high suctions can be considered as that with constant suction. Secondly, the results of triaxial shear tests on unsaturated compacted silt with the initial void ratio of about 0.75 show a strain-hardening behavior with a slightly shear contraction and then strain-softening behavior with an obviously dilation. As the imposed suction increases, the shear strength increases up to a peak value and then decreases when the suction is beyond a special value corresponding to the peak shear strength. The residual strength increases to fair value and those at high suctions are almost independent of imposed suctions. In addition, the contribution of suction to the strength of compacted silt would not diminish even in a high suction range.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.53-66
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• 2015

Plastic wastes, particularly polyethylene terephthalate (PET) generated from used bottled water constitute a worldwide environmental issue. Reusing the PET waste for geotechnical applications not only reduces environmental burdens of handling the waste, but also improves inherent engineering properties of soil. This paper investigated factors affecting shear strength improvement of PET-mixed residual soil. Four variables were considered: (i) plastic content; (ii) plastic slenderness ratio; (iii) plastic size; and (iv) soil particle size. A series of unconfined compression tests were performed to determine the optimum configurations for promoting the shear strength improvement. The results showed that the optimum slenderness ratio and PET content for shear strength improvement were 1:3 and 1.5%, respectively. Large PET pieces (i.e., $1.0cm^2$) were favorable for fine-grained residual soil, while small PET pieces (i.e., $0.5cm^2$) were favorable for coarse-grained residual soil. Higher shear strength improvement was obtained for PET-mixed coarse-grained residual soil (148%) than fine-grained residual soils (117%). The orientation of plastic pieces in soil and frictional resistance developed between soil particles and PET surface are two important factors affecting the shear strength performance of PET-mixed soil.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2005.03a
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• pp.1047-1054
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• 2005

The purpose of this study is the understanding to changes in the characteristic of soil structure and classification, atterberg limits, undrained shear strength and consolidation of clayey soil dependent on pH of soil pore water. A series of tests including consistency tests, uniaxial compressive tests, vane tests and oedometer tests are performed on. The test results indicated that pH changes in the soil pH resulted in changes in the soil structure and classification, stress-strain behavior. Specially, when pH is conditioned to 7, liquid limit, undrained shear strength and preconsolidation pressure are the largest.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2000.11a
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• pp.209-216
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• 2000

When subjected to earthquake shaking, saturated sandy soil may generate excess pore pressure. And a time may come when initial confining pressure will equal to excess pore pressure. Depending on the characteristics of the soil and the length of the drainage path, excess pore pressure was dissipated after earthquake. For this reason, it was induced settlement in grounds and fatal damage of various structures. In this study, settlement in silty sand grounds induced earthquake was evaluated using post-liquefaction constitutive equation between volumetric strain and shear strain from previous study. Using that, it was proposed that simplified estimation of settlement in silty sand grounds induced liquefaction.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.33-52
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• 2015

Based on the Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion, a gradient-dependent plastic model that considers the strain-softening behavior is presented in this study. Both triaxial shear tests on conventional specimen and precut-specimen, which were obtained from an ancient landslide, are performed to plot the post-peak stress-strain entire-process curves. According to the test results of the soil strength, which reduces from peak to residual strength, the Mohr-Coulomb criterion that considers strain-softening under gradient plastic theory is deduced, where strength reduction depends on the hardening parameter and the Laplacian thereof. The validity of the model is evaluated by the simulation of the results of triaxial shear test, and the computed and measured curves are consistent and independent of the adopted mesh. Finally, a progressive failure of the ancient landslide, which was triggered by slide of the toe, is simulated using this model, and the effects of the strain-softening process on the landslide stability are discussed.