Introduction
Department of Geotechnical Engineering Research Research
The Department of Geotechnical Engineering Research develops advanced construction technologies that optimize the foundations that determine the integrity of structures and tunnels, and studies methods of preventing and reducing the severity of accidents caused by engineering and natural factors, such as underground pipeline ruptures, subsidence, and soil liquefaction. It creates new industries through advanced developments and integrations in areas that include automated subterranean development using tunnel boring machines (TBM), renewable energy (offshore wind power plants, geologic storage of carbon dioxide), and advanced materials (biopolymers, high-strength materials). Its efforts in the field of smart construction technology include the development of digital quality inspection procedures applied to automated construction equipment, and it is also focused on creating technology for the smart development and maintenance of infrastructure and for pioneering new environments in the ocean and below the ground. The mission of the Department of Geotechnical Engineering Research is to research and develop building safety technology that minimizes damage and harm in the event of ground failures, and create new environments for our habitation.
Major Research Areas & Initiatives
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Accuracy of subterranean spatial data and safety of buried conduits
- Protective shield system applied to new Austrian tunneling method (NATM) combined with a TBM pilot
- Blast hole stemming with high-speed shockwave reactive shear thickening fluid
- Anchorage, soil pressure, and shallow foundation design using precision data
- Prediction of ground failures around excavation sites for retaining wall installation; assessment of soil liquefaction caused by earthquakes
- Outsourcing of smart road maintenance to private entities
- IoT edge device for developing an automated safety surveillance solution for iDNA temporary structures
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Soil liquefaction risk mapping and enhanced standards of prevention
- Advanced assessment of underground safety in relation to ground subsidence and soil liquefaction
- Pipe burial and filling for the prevention of ground subsidence in urban areas
- Three-dimensional diagramming of sloped surface data and performance assessment based on accumulated data
- Friction-supported hybrid mono-pile for offshore wind power plants
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AI-enabled smart solutions for large deep-underground environments
- Basic research and business modeling for underground highway developments
- Core technology for foundation integrity of the Hyperloop and Urban Loop
- Advanced technology for the installation and operation of underground road infrastructures below cities
- Smart underwater tunnel systems
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Digital automation of road building equipment
- Core technology for the remote, automated construction of bridges and tunnels
- Development and simulation of an automated system for TBM cutter-head design
- A cluster for collecting ground surface data from construction site images for the installation of a cyber-physical system (CPS) in construction sites
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Management of regional issues and localization of technology in developing countries
- Ground subsidence response system specifically developed for road safety on Jeju Island, Korea
- Preservation and restoration of Preah Pithu and the Terrace of the Elephants in Angkor, Cambodia
- Localization of technology for designing and installing piles in a construction foundation using a hydraulic boring machine in Southeast Asia
