Analysis of Geotechnical Characteristics of Coastal Clay Soil Found in Incheon and Gwangyang

Abstract

Recently, there has been an increase in the number of projects involving the planning and construction of business complex facilities and land development in coastal regions. However, coastal regions are characterized by very soft clay soil. Consequently, such clay soil needs to be augmented for facilitating land procurement. Furthermore, to realize land improvement, the associated geotechnical characteristics need to be analyzed through laboratory tests by acquiring pristine samples of cohesive soil. According to the results obtained from previous studies, the characteristics of the cohesive soil found in Korea can vary depending on the region and depositional environment. The objective of this study is to examine the representative physical and mechanical characteristics of marine clay found in Namhae coast (Gwangyang) and Seohae coast (Incheon) by comparing and analyzing these characteristics. To this end, land examinations were conducted during planning and construction, and data were gathered from 445 sites in Incheon and 844 sites in Gwangyang for comparing the associated physical and mechanical characteristics. Subsequently, by conducting regression analysis, equations of correlation between liquid limit and natural water content, effective surface load and pre-consolidation load, compression index and liquid limit, and compression index and natural water content were deduced. The obtained results indicate that compared to the soil found in Incheon, the clay fraction, natural water content, liquid limit, plasticity index, liquidity index, initial void ratio, and compression index of the soil found in Gwangyang are higher.