• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.393-401
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• 2016

In the present study, fault attitudes and the locations of appearance of faults in tunnel faces were predicted by analyzing the trajectory of the maximum longitudinal displacement immediately before the appearance of faults through three-dimensional finite element analysis. A total of 28 fault attitude models were used in the analysis. Those faults that have drives with dip appear first in the upper part of tunnel faces as tunnel excavation progresses and their maximum longitudinal displacement shows a tendency to move from the middle part to the upper part of tunnel faces. Those faults that have drives against dip appear first in the lower part of tunnel faces as tunnel excavation progresses and their maximum longitudinal displacement shows a tendency to move from the middle part or middle upper part to the lower part of tunnel faces. In addition, when the dip of faults is larger the maximum longitudinal displacement moves from the left upper part toward the wall part in the case of drive with dip models and from the left lower part toward the wall part in the case of drives against dip models. Therefore, it was indicated that the attitudes of faults distributed ahead of tunnel faces and the locations where faults appear in tunnel faces can be predicted by analyzing the longitudinal displacement trajectory of tunnel faces following excavation.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.81-90
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• 2017

Preceding displacements in tunnel are difficult to predict since the measurements of displacements after excavation can not be performed immediately. In the present study, The longitudinal displacements which can be measured immediately after excavation are used to predict the crown settlements occurring before excavation only if fault is located at the tunnel crown. Three-dimensional finite element analysis was conducted using 28 numerical models with various fault attitudes to analyze the correlation between the longitudinal displacements on tunnel face and preceding crown settlements. The results, $L_{face}/C$ ratio show 2~12% in the drives with dip models and 2~13% in the drives against dip models individually. In addition, each model has a certain $L_{face}/C$ ratio. The result of the regression analysis show that the coefficient of determination is over 0.8 in most models. Therefore, crown settlements occurring before excavation can be predicted by analyzing the longitudinal displacements occurring on tunnel faces.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.403-411
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• 2016

A three-dimensional finite element analysis was conducted to analyze the predictable distances of a fault zone by using longitudinal displacement on tunnel face, trend line, L/C ratio, and C/C₀ ratio at tunnel crown. The analysis used 28 numerical models with various fault attitudes. As a result, those faults that have drives with dip could be predicted earliest in L/C and C/C₀ ratio analysis. And those faults that have drives against dip could be predicted earliest in L/C ratio and longitudinal displacement analysis. In addition, the fault zone ahead of tunnel was predicted in most models by using longitudinal displacement, trend line, L/C ratio, and C/C₀ ratio. However, the longitudinal displacement among these methods may be most usefully predict a fault zone since it is displacements can be measured immediately after tunnel excavation.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.187-196
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• 2016

We conducted three-dimensional finite element analysis to predict the presence of upcoming fault zones during tunneling. The analysis considered longitudinal displacements measured at tunnel face, and used 28 numerical models with various fault attitudes. The x-MR (moving range) control chart was used to analyze quantitatively the effects of faults distributed ahead of the tunnel face, given the occurrence of a longitudinal displacement. The numerical models with fault were classified as fault gouge, fault breccia, and fault damage zones. The width of fault cores was set to 1 m (fault gouge 0.5 m and fault breccia 0.5 m) and the width of fault damage zones was set to 2 m. The results, suggest that fault centers could be predicted at 2~26 m ahead of the tunnel face and that faults could be predicted earliest in the 45° dip model. In addition, faults could be predicted earliest when the angle between the direction of tunnel advance and the strike of the fault was smallest.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.855-867
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• 2018

When a weak zone exists ahead of tunnel face, the stress in the adjacent area would increase due to the longitudinal arching effect and the stability of the tunnel is affected. Therefore, it is critical to prepare a countermeasure through the investigation of the frontal weakness zone of the excavated face. Although there are several researches to predict the existence of weak zone ahead of tunnel face, such as geophysical exploration, numerical analysis and tunnel support, lack of studies on the relaxation zone depending on the width or distance from the vulnerable area. In this study, the impact of the weak zone on the formation of the relaxation zone was investigated. For this purpose, a series of laboratory test were carried out varying the width of the weak zone and the separation distance between tunnel face and weak zone. In the model test, sand with a water content of 3.8% was used to form a model ground. The model weak zone was constructed with dry sand curtains. The tunnel face was adjusted to allow a sequential excavation of upper and lower half part. load cells were installed on the bottom of the foundation and the tunnel face and measuring instruments for displacement were installed on the surface of the model ground to measure the vertical stress and surface displacements due to tunnel excavation respectively. The test results show that the width of weak zone did not affect the ground settlement while the ground subsidence drastically increased within 0.25D. The vertical stress and horizontal stress increased from 0.5D or less. In addition, the longitudinal arching effect is likely within the 1.0D zone ahead of the tunnel face, which may reduce the vertical stress in the ground following tunneling direction.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.99-112
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• 1999

When there exists a fault zone ahead of the tunnel face and a tunnel is excavated without perceiving its existence, it will cause stress concentration in the region between the tunnel face and the fault zone because of the influence of the fault zone on the arching phenomena. Because the underground structure has many unreliable factors in the design stage, the prediction of a fault zone ahead of the tunnel face by monitoring plans during tunnel construction and the rapid establishment of appropriate support system are required for more economical and safer tunnel construction. Recent study shows that longitudinal displacement changes during excavation due to the change of rock property, and if longitudinal displacement and settlement, which are measured in the field, are considered together in displacement analysis, the prediction of change in rock mass property is possible. This study provided the method for the prediction of fault zones by analyzing the changes of L/C and (Ll-Lr)/C ratio (L= longitudinal displacement at crown, C = settlement at crown, Ll = longitudinal displacement at left sidewall, Lr = longitudinal displacement at right sidewall) and the stereographic projection of displacement vectors which were obtained from the 3-D numerical analysis of hybrid method in various initial stress conditions.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.71-82
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• 2006

One of the most popular pre-reinforcement methods of tunnel heading in cohesionless soils would be the fore-polling of grouted pipes, known as RPUM (reinforced protective umbrella method) or UAM (umbrella arch method). This technique allows safe excavation even in poor ground conditions by creating longitudinal arch parallel to the tunnel axis as the tunnel advances. Some previous studies on the reinforcing effects have been performed using numerical methods and/or laboratory-based small scale model tests. The complexity of boundary conditions imposes difficulties in representing the tunnelling procedure in laboratory tests and theoretical approaches. Full-scale study to identify reinforcing effects of the tunnel heading has rarely been carried out so far. In this study, a large scale model testing for a tunnel in granular soils was performed. Reinforcing patterns considered are four cases, Non-Reinforced, Crown-Reinforced, Crown & Face-Reinforced, and Face-Reinforced. The behavior of ground and pipes as reinforcing member were fully measured as the surcharge pressure applied. The influences of reinforcing pattern, pipe length, and face reinforcement were investigated in terms of stress and displacement. It is revealed that only the Face-Reinforced has decreased sufficiently both vertical settlement in tunnel heading and horizontal displacement on the face. Vertical stresses along the tunnel axis were concentrated in tunnel heading from the test results, so the heading should be reinforced before tunnel advancing. Most of maximum axial forces and bending moments for Crown-reinforced were measured at 0.75D from the face. Also it should be recommended that the minimum length of the pipe is more than l.0D for crown reinforcement.