PURPOSES : In this study, a numerical analysis method and the shear strength model of unsaturated soil were applied to understand the governing factors that affect the development and progress of road subsidence at various water content levels. METHODS: Laboratory testing methods, the soil-water characteristic curve (SWCC), relationship between internal friction and interparticle friction, and different numerical analysis methods used to characterize or simulate road subsidence processes were evaluated from the literature review. A contact model, and a range of interparticle static friction coefficients and cohesion energy densities to simulate the captivity initiation and progress in the discrete element method (DEM) were selected and suggested, respectively. By using the proposed contact model and values, a set of parametric studies were performed to clearly understand the progress of subsidence at various water content levels and the shear strength characteristics of soil. RESULTS : When the interparticle friction and cohesion energy density are very low, the ground particles flow like an inviscid fluid. The sequential expansion of the cavity is governed by the tangential strength of the soil around the cavity, especially when the interparticle friction and cohesion energy density are high enough. Furthermore, the difference between the quantum of flow at the outlet and the quantum of detaching particles around the cavity determines the progress and the size of the cavity. CONCLUSIONS : The parametric study using the discrete element method clearly showed the effect of the interparticle friction and cohesion energy density on the progress and subsidence of the cavity. The resizing of particles depending on the water content appears to be a reasonable consideration to create a more realistic simulation with the DEM.

PURPOSES : This study compares the results of field-monitored unsaturated hydraulic data to verify the wetting path estimation method using the drying path on roadside soil slope. METHODS: A method proposed by Fredlund was used to estimate the wetting curves of soil water characteristic curves. Wetting curves were estimated from the drying curve acquired mainly from laboratory testing, and the estimated wetting curve was applied to the infiltration analysis to verify the estimation method. The infiltration analysis results obtained from the drying, wetting, and estimated wetting curves were compared to the field-monitored data at the same location. RESULTS : The volumetric water contents measured at 40 cm were closest to analysis results obtained from the wetting curve, whereas the volumetric water content measured at 80 cm were closest to the analysis results obtained from the drying curve. The results of the estimated wetting curves were between the results of the drying and wetting curves. The measured suction results were within the drying and wetting curves, and the estimated wetting curves were within the drying and wetting curves. Additionally, the safety factor obtained from applying the drying curves was carefully calculated, and the factor of safety of the estimated wetting curves was close to the results of the wetting curves. CONCLUSIONS : Applying a drying curve to calculate the slope stability during the rainy season will cause an overestimation of the factor of safety at roadside soil slopes. However, if the proposed estimation method of the wetting curve can be applied to the numerical analysis, the stability of the road slope can be reasonably estimated.

PURPOSES: The purpose of this study is to identify the road-subsidence mechanism in unsaturated sandy soils. METHODS: A series of soil chamber tests were conducted under various conditions. RESULTS: The cavity-expansion characteristics in unsaturated sandy soils due to seepage were affected by the outlet size, seepage intensity, relative density, and fine content. CONCLUSIONS: In unsaturated sandy soils, the cavity-expansion speed was affected by the outlet size, relative density, seepage intensity, and clay content; however, the cavity-expansion shape was very similar. As the outlet size and seepage intensity increased, the cavityexpansion speed increased. As the relative density increased, the cavity-expansion speed increased because of a sudden decrease in shear strength, resulting from the increased saturation (reduction of matric suction). The cavity expanded faster with the increasing clay content, up to a certain threshold. It expanded at a slower rate once it passed the threshold. Finally, it reached a stable state where the cavity did not expand due to seepage.

일반적으로 도로의 하부인 노상층은 불포화토 상태로 존재하기 때문에 함수비의 변동을 예측하기 위해서는 불포화 함수특성곡선(soil-water characteristic curve)의 추정은 필수적이다. 따라서, 국내 대표적인 노상토인 다짐된 화강풍화계열 노상토를 대상으로 함수특성을 정량화하기 위하여 pressure plate 장치를 활용하여 건조 및 습윤 이력과정의 실험을 각각 수행한 후 이를 토대로 불포화토 함수특성에 대한 해석을 수행하였다. 실험결과, 화강 풍화 노상토의 함수비를 좌우하는 흡수력이 건조와 습윤 과정에 있어 서로 다른 수치를 나타내었고 흡수력에 따른 불포화 투수계수와 습윤용적 그리고 확산 등의 흐름특성을 통하여 이력(hysteresis)을 확인하였다. 이를 토대로 도로하부의 연중흡수력을 추정하였다.

국내에서 1999년부터 2011년까지 발생한 우기(6월~9월) 및 건기(10월~5월) 시 발생한 사면파괴 이력을 살펴보면 대부분의 사면파괴는 6~9월인 우기 시 태풍 및 집중호우로 인해 집중적으로 발생한다. 이러한 사면파괴로 발생하는 도로 유실 및 가옥 매몰 등은 심각한 경제적인 손실뿐만 아니라 인명피해를 유발하고 있으며, 이에 대한 대책이 필요한 실정이다. 특히 전 국토면적의 70% 이상이 산지로 구성되어 있기 때문에 국지성 집중호우에 의한 사면파괴로 인명피해가 발생할 가능성이 높다. 또한 실제 사면 안정성을 평가하기 위해서는 불포화 지반정수를 반영함과 동시에 사면안정성에 큰 영향을 미치는 강우특성을 고려해야 한다. 그러나 대부분 기존의 연구에서는 사면의 침투 및 안정해석 시 지속강우를 적용하여 강우강도의 변화만을 이용해 해석을 수행하고 있다. 본 연구에서는 강우가 사면의 안정성에 미치는 영향을 고려하기 위해 국내의 강우패턴을 반영하여 불포화 사면의 안정해석을 수행하였다. 쌍봉형(Bimodal rainfall pattern), 단봉형(Unimodal rainfall pattern)의 강우를 적용하고 투수계수가 높은 지반과 낮은 지반에 대해 사면의 침투 및 안정해석을 수행하였다. 이를 통해 지반조건에 따라 강우패턴을 적용하였을 때, 사면의 안전율 변화 및 침투특성을 분석하였다.

본 연구에서는 불포화 투수계수를 측정하기 위하여 Klute(1965a)에 의하여 제안된 정적측정방법의 원리에 axis-translation의 기법을 적용하여 새로운 실험장치를 개발하였다. 이 실험장치는 모관흡수력(matric suction)의 증가에 따른 함수특성과 투수계수의 변화를 동시에 측정할 수 있도록 설계되었다. 실험에는 불포화 투수특성과 No.200체 통과 세립분의 상호관계를 규명하기 위하여 각각 세립함유량이 7.3%(인주), 19.6%(성환)