• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.11
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• pp.205-212
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• 2018

In order to overcome shortcomings of commercial analysis program for solving certain geotechnical problems, finite element method adopting isoparametric quadrilateral element was selected as a tool for analyzing soil behavior and calculating process was programmed. Two examples were considered in order to verify reliability of the developed program. One of the two examples is the case of acting isotropic confining pressure on finite element and the other is the case of acting shear stress on the sides of the finite element. Isoparametric quadrilateral element was considered as the finite element and displacements in the element can be expressed by node displacements and shape functions in the considered element. Calculating process for determining strain which is defined by derivatives using global coordinates was coded using the Jacobian and the natural coordinates. Four point Gauss rule was adopted to convert double integral which defines stiffness of the element into numerical integration. As a result of executing analysis of the finite element under isotropic confining pressure, calculated stress corresponding to four Gauss points and center of the element were equal to the confining pressure. In addition, according to the analyzed results for the element under shear stress, horizontal stresses and vertical stresses were varied with positions in the element and the magnitudes and distribution pattern of the stresses were thought to be rational.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.36 no.12
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• pp.77-86
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• 2020

In this study, the importance of implied strength correction for shallow depths at a region of moderate to low seismicity with primary focus on its effect upon site natural period and mean period of the ground motion is investigated. In addition to the most commonly used Modified Kondner-Zelasko (MKZ) model, this paper uses a quadratic/hyperbolic (GQ/H) model that can capture the stress - strain response at large strains as well as small strain stiffness dependence. A total of six site profiles by downhole tests are used and 1D site response analyses are performed using three input motions with contrasting mean periods. The difference between non-corrected and corrected analyses is conditional on the site period as well as mean ground motion period. The effect of periods is analyzed by correlating them with the effective peak ground acceleration, maximum shear strains and amplification factors. The comparative study reveals that the difference is more prominent in soft sites with long site periods. Insignificant differences are observed when soil profiles are subjected to ground motion with very short mean period.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.37 no.11
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• pp.51-60
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• 2021

River scour erodes the soil around the pier, reducing the lateral bearing capacity of the pier and lowering the stability of the structure. In this study, in order to examine the effect of scouring on the stability of the structure, an experiment was performed to measure the natural frequency of the pier according to the excavation of the surrounding ground. Impact vibration test was conducted on the pier with the caisson foundation of the Mangyeonggang Bridge, which is scheduled to be demolished. Accelerometers were attached to the top, center, and bottom of the pier and the acceleration responses were measured by hitting those three points. The experimental results showed that the top hit showed consistent and reasonable results of the acceleration responses according to the hitting position. The measured accelerations were converted to the frequency domain through Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), and then the natural frequency was determined. In addition, to analyze the scour effect on the natural frequency of the pier, the ground around the pier was excavated and the natural frequency change was analyzed. As a result, the natural frequency showed the decreasing tendency according to the excavation depth, but the decrease was small due to the large stiffness of the caisson foundation.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.23 no.8
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• pp.11-16
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• 2022

The compaction process using vibrating rollers in road construction is essential to increase soil stiffness in earthworks. Currently, there is no clear standard for the operation method of the compaction roller during compaction. Although simple quality inspection techniques have been developed, plate load test (PLT) and field density test (FDT) are the most frequently used test methods to evaluate the degree of compaction during road construction as the most frequently used quality inspection methods. However, both inspection methods are inefficient because they cannot perform quality inspection in all sections due to time and cost reasons. In this study, we analyzed how the operating conditions of vibrating rollers affect the compaction quality. An intelligent quality management system, which is a currently developed and commercialized technology, was used to obtain quality inspection results in all sections. As a result of the test, it was analyzed that the speed and vibration direction of the compaction roller had an effect on the compaction degree, and it was found that the compaction direction had no effect on the compaction degree.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.143-150
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• 2021

To develop the technique for predicting the horizontal displacement of a retaining wall induced by an earthquake, an equation of motion that depicts the retaining wall-soil vibrating system was derived. The resulting differential equation was solved using the Runge-Kutta-Nystr?m method. Considering the pre-mentioned derivation process, the analysis procedures for obtaining horizontal displacement induced by an earthquake were programmed. The core algorithm of the displacement-force relationship, which is the main engine of the developed program, was suggested. Considering the results obtained by adopting the developed program to the assumed retaining wall under an earthquake, the relationships between the time-displacement, time-force, and displacement-force were reasonable. According to the results computed by the program, the displacements to the front direction of the wall occurred, and the displacement per cycle converged after some cycles elapsed. Displacements with a natural period were calculated, which showed that the maximum displacement was observed when the natural frequency was slightly different from the excitation frequency rather than the same values of the two frequencies. This happens because the vibrating system was modeled by two springs with different stiffness.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.507-522
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• 2021

Specific survey objectives often cannot be met using only one geophysical method, as each method's results are influenced by the specific physical properties of subsurface materials. In particular, areas susceptible to geological hazards require investigation using more than one method in order to reduce risks to life and property. Instead of analyzing the results from each method separately, this work develops a four-quadrant criterion for classifying areas of levees as safe or weak. The assessment is based on statistically determined thresholds of seismic velocity (P-wave velocity from seismic refraction and S-wave velocity from multichannel analysis of surface waves) and electrical resistivity. Thresholds are determined by subtracting the standard deviation from the mean during performance testing of this correlation technique applied to model data of four horizontal and inclined fracture zones. Compared with results from the crossplot of resistivity and P-wave velocity, crossplot analysis using resistivity and S-wave velocity data provides more reliable information on the soil type, ground stiffness, and lithological characteristics of the levee system. A loose and sandy zone (represented by low S-wave velocity and high resistivity) falling within the second quadrant is interpreted to be a weak zone. This interpretation is well supported by the N values from standard penetrating test for the central core.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.75-86
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• 2009

Salt, one of the most common soluble materials in engineering soil, may have an effect on mechanical behaviors of soils under its cementation process. In order to investigate this natural phenomenon, non-soluble material by using glass beads is mixed with salt electrolyte and cemented by using oven to evaporate water. Three different sizes of glass bead particles, 0.26, 0.5, and 1.29 mm, with different salt concentration, 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0M, are explored by using P- and S-waves, excited by bender elements and piezo disk elemets, respectively. The velocities of the P-wave and S-wave of the particulate medium cemented by salt show three stages with the degree of saturation: 1) S-wave velocities increase while P-wave velocities reduce with degree of saturation changing from 100% to 90%; 2) Both velocities are stable with degree of saturation varying from 90% to 10%; 3) The velocities change enormously when the specimens are nearly dry with degree of saturation from 10% to 0%. Besides, the resonance frequencies of S-wave show similar stages to the S-wave velocities. This study demonstrates meaningful trends of elastic wave characteristics of geo-materials according to the cementation of dissolved salt.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.5-13
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• 2007

The performance of innovative prestressed support (IPS) earth retention system applied in soft clay was investigated and presented. The IPS wale system provides a high flexural stiffness to resist the bending by lateral earth pressure, and transfers lateral earth pressure to strut supports. The IPS wale system provides a larger spacing of support than conventional braced and anchored systems. The IPS earth retention system was selected for temporary earth support in a building construction in North Busan area. The excavation was made 28.8 m wide, 52.0 m long, and 16.1 m deep through loose fill to soft clay. The IPS system consists of 650 mm thick slurry walls, and five levels of IPS wales and struts. Field monitoring data were collected including wall deflections at six locations, ground water levels at four locations, IPS wale deflections at thirty locations, and axial loads on struts at twenty locations, during construction. The IPS earth retention system applied in soft clay performed successfully within a designed criterion. Field measurements were compared with design assumptions of the IPS earth retention system. The applicability and stability of the IPS earth retention system in soft clay were investigated and evaluated.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.47-60
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• 2007

Conventional active surface wave measurements performed using a transient or continuous source are often limited in the maximum depth of penetration due to the difficulty of generating low-frequency energy with reasonably portable sources. This limitation may inhibit accurate seismic site response calculations because of the inability to define deeper subsurface structure. By measuring surface wave generated by passive sources including microtremors and cultural noise, it is possible to overcome this problem and develop soil stiffness profiles to much larger depth. Reliability of dispersion estimates from the passive surface wave measurements is critical to present reliable shear wave velocity profiles and can be improved by the measurements and analyses of passive surface waves based on correct understanding of systematic errors included in passive dispersion data. In this study, the systematic errors caused by poor wavenumber resolution and energy leakage into sidelobes in passive tests are mainly explored. Recommendations for reliable passive surface wave measurements and dispersion estimates are presented and illustrated at a site in San Jose, California, U.S.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.57-67
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• 2008

Two test methods, nonrepetitive plate loading test (NPLT) and repetitive plate loading test (RPLT) are being used to control the quality of compaction through the evaluation of the stiffness of subgrade soils in the Korea railway industry. Subgrade reaction modulus ($k_{30}$) from the NPLT and strain modulus ($E_v$) from the RPLT are the index values to check them. The methods have similar aspects, but they differ in the modulus evaluation method, the numbers of loading stage, termination procedures, etc. This paper analyses the differences of the two test methods and evaluates the relationship between subgrade reaction modulus and strain modulus. In order to develop the relationship, total 22 tests were performed including the NPLT and the RPLT at the 6 original grounds, and 5 upper or lower subgrades in Kyungbu High Speed Railway II stage construction sites. According to the soil conditions, the relationship between subgrade reaction modulus and strain modulus was proposed with corrections by considering strain states, mean confining pressures, and Poisson's ratio.