• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.339-348
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• 2020

The uncertain geotechnical properties of frozen soil are important evidence for the design, operation and maintenance of the frozen ground. The complex geological, environmental and physical effects can lead to the spatial variations of the frozen soil, and the uncertain mechanical properties are the key factors for the uncertain analysis of frozen soil engineering. In this study, the elastic modulus, strength and Poisson ratio of warm frozen soil were measured, and the statistical characteristics under different temperature conditions are obtained. The autocorrelation distance (ACD) and autocorrelation function (ACF) of uncertain mechanical properties are estimated by random field (RF) method. The results show that the mean elastic modulus and mean strength decrease with the increase of temperature while the mean Poisson ratio increases with the increase of temperature. The average values of the ACD for the elastic modulus, strength and Poisson ratio are 0.64m, 0.53m and 0.48m, respectively. The standard deviation of the ACD for the elastic modulus, strength and Poisson ratio are 0.03m, 0.07m and 0.03m, respectively. The ACFs of elastic modulus, strength and Poisson ratio decrease with the increase of ratio of local average distance and scale of fluctuation. The ACF of uncertain mechanical properties is different when the temperature is different. This study can improve our understanding of the spatial autocorrelation variations of uncertain geotechnical properties and provide a basis and reference for the uncertain settlement analysis of frozen soil foundation.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.19-28
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• 2020

The spatial variability of geotechnical properties can lead to the uncertainty of settlement for frozen soil foundation around the oil pipeline, and it can affect the stability of permafrost foundation. In this paper, the elastic modulus, cohesion, angle of internal friction and poisson ratio are taken as four independent random fields. A stochastic analysis model for the uncertain settlement characteristic of frozen soil foundation around an oil pipeline is presented. The accuracy of the stochastic analysis model is verified by measured data. Considering the different combinations for the coefficient of variation and scale of fluctuation, the influences of spatial variability of geotechnical properties on uncertain settlement are estimated. The results show that the stochastic effects between elastic modulus, cohesion, angle of internal friction and poisson ratio are obviously different. The deformation parameters have a greater influence on stochastic settlement than the strength parameters. The overall variability of settlement reduces with the increase of horizontal scale of fluctuation and vertical scale of fluctuation. These results can improve our understanding of the influences of spatial variability of geotechnical properties on uncertain settlement and provide a theoretical basis for the reliability analysis of pipeline engineering in permafrost regions.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.93-101
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• 2007

In general, geotechnical properties have many uncertain aspects, thus probabilistic analysis have been used to consider these aspects. It is, however, quite difficult to select an appropriate target probability for a certain structure or construction process. In this study, minimum expected cost design method based on probabilistic analysis is suggested for design of vertical drains generally used to accelerate consolidation in soft clayey soils. A sensitivity analysis is performed to select the most important uncertain parameters for the design of vertical drains. Monte Carlo simulation is used in sensitivity analysis and probabilistic analysis. Total expected cost, defined as the sum of initial cost and expected additive cost, varies widely with variation of input parameters used in design of vertical drain systems. And probability of failure to get the minimum total expected cost varies under the different design conditions. A minimum value of total expected cost is suggested as a design value in this study. The proposed design concept is applicable to unit construction process because this approach is to consider the uncertainties using probabilistic analysis and uncertainties of geotechnical properties.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.138-146
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• 2007

Geotechnical performance at the soft ground is strongly dependent on the properties of the soil beneath and adjacent to the structure of interest. These soil properties can be described using deterministic and/or probabilistic models. Deterministic models typically use a single discrete descriptor for the parameter of interest. Probabilistic models describe parameters by using discrete statistical descriptors or probability distribution density functions. The consolidation process depends on several uncertain parameters including the coefficients of consolidation and coefficients of permeability in vertical and horizontal directions. The implication of this uncertain parameter in the design of prefabricated vertical drains for soil improvement is discussed. A sensitivity analysis of the degree of consolidation and calculation of settlements to these uncertain parameters is presented for clayey deposits.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2008.10a
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• pp.85-110
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• 2008

Ground investigation data to be used as a basis for geotechnical analysis and foundation design are usually troubled with large uncertainty, due to natural variability and limited number of data. Statistical methods can be a rational tool for handling such uncertain ground data, in particular with a view to the selection of characteristic values for estimating ground design parameters used in design. The characteristic values of soil properties for use in geotechnical design have oftenly based on not only a subjective judgment but also engineer's past acumulated experience. This paper discussed some statistical methods which can handle such intrinsic ground uncertainty data with a case design in a rational manner.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2002.03a
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• pp.271-278
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• 2002

Recently, deep excavation for high-rise buildings occurs frequently to accommodate the rapidly increasing population in urban area. The stability of the earth retaining structures for deep excavation becomes more critical. The behavior of the earth retaining structures should be accurately predicted in a design stage, but the predicted behavior is different from the measured data due to uncertain soil properties and problems in construction. In this study the back-analysis using Powell's optimization theory was performed to match the measured deflection and results obtained from back-analysis were presented.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.527-546
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• 2016

This paper discusses improvements of compressibility, permeability, static and liquefaction strengths of in-situ soils by grouting. Both field testing and laboratory evaluation of the on-site samples were conducted. The improvement of soils was influenced by two main factors, i.e., the grout materials and the injection mechanisms introduced by the field grouting. On-site grout mapping revealed the major mechanism was fracturing accompanied with some permeation at deeper zones of sandy soils, where long-gel time suspension grout and solution grout were applied. The study found the compressibility and swelling potential of CL soils at a 0.5 m distance to grout hole could be reduced by 25% and 50%, respectively, due to the grouting. The effect on hydraulic conductivity of the CL soils appeared insignificant. The grouting slightly improved the cohesion of the CL soils by 10~15 kPa, and the friction angle appeared unaffected. The grouting had also improved the cohesion of the on-site SM soils by 10~90 kPa, while influences on the friction angle of soils were uncertain. Liquefaction resistances could be enhanced for the sandy soils within a 2~3 m extent to the grout hole. Average improvements of 40% and 20% on the liquefaction resistance were achievable for the sandy soils for earthquake magnitudes of 6 and ${\geq}7.5$, respectively, by the grouting.

• Journal of Industrial Technology
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• v.19
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• pp.127-133
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• 1999

This paper is a research about system identification which optimizes uncertain geothechnical properties from the data measured during geotechnical design and construction. Various numerical optimization algorithms of Simplex method, Powell method, Rosenbrock method and Levenberg-Marquardt method were applied to the excavation problem to determine which method showed the best results with respect to robustness of success in finding an optimal solution to within a certain accuracy and number of function evaluations. From the results of numerical analysis, all of four algorithms are converged to exact solution after satisfying the allowed criteria, and Levenberg-Marquardt's algorithms was identified to be the most efficient method in number of function evaluations. System identification was applied to geotechnical engineering problems, possibly being occurred in field, to verify its applicability : estimation of settlement due to self-weight consolidation in dredged and filled soil. For self-weight consolidational settlement of a dredged soil, a program of evaluating the constitutive relationship of effective stress-void ratio-permeability was developed by using the technique of system identification. Thus, consolidational characteristics of a dredged soil, having a very high initial void ratio, can be evaluated.

• Geotechnical Engineering
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.33-44
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• 1989

In this paper, uncertainties in dynamic soil structure interaction (SSI) of nuclear poi.or plants subjected to seismic loading are studied considering the random characteristics of soils surround- ing the structure. Firstly sensitivity analysis is performed to study the effect of uncertain dynamic soil properties on the response of the structure. Secondly, to take into account the non-neterministic characteristics in analysis caused by random characteristics of the soil properties, Perturbation method and Rosenblueth's Two point estimates were used for this studu. The procedure is based on the comptex response method which is constituted by a combined usage of conventional finite elements for the near field and infinite elements for the far field. Results of the sensitivity analysis show that dynamic soil properties greatly affect the response of the sol.uc- lure. Results of the probabilistic analysis show that the Two-point estimate method produces good agreements with the Perturbation method.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2005.10a
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• pp.649-654
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• 2005

Shallow slope failures in residual soil during periods of prolonged infiltration are common over the world. One of the key factors that dominate slope stability is hydrological response associated with infiltration. Hence, the soil-water profile during rainfall infiltration into unsaturated soil must me examined to evaluate slope stability. However, the hydraulic response of unsaturated soil is complicated by inherent uncertainties of the soil hydraulic properties. This study presents a methodology for assessing the effects of parameter uncertainty of hydraulic properties on the response of a analytical infiltration model using first-order reliability method. The unsaturated soil properties are considered as uncertain variables with means, standard deviations, and marginal probability distributions. Sensitivities of the probabilistic outcome to the basic uncertainties in the input random variables are provided through importance factors.