• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.52-63
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• 2009

This is a study on large-scale rock joint roughness measurements using LIDAR (light detection and ranging) and the Split-FX point cloud processing software. The large-scale rock Joint Roughness Coefficient (JRC) is calculated using the maximum amplitude of joint asperities over the profile length on large-scale Joint surfaces of rock. As the profile length increases, JRC decreases due to scale-effects of rock specimens and is non-stationary. Also JRC shows anisotropy depending on the profile direction. The profile direction is measured relative to either dip or strike of the large-scale joint.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2001

The geological characteristics of Korea are that we can encounter the rock layer only after 10m of excavation, methods to presume the rock pressure distribution of the rock layer is urgently needed. When using the existing empiric science of Terzaghi-Peck, Tschebotarioff to measure the rock pressure of the rock layer, underestimate the real strength because of the cohesion is ignored. Therefore calculating the horizontal sliding force of wedge block, which includes the dips and shear strength of discontinuities and surcharge load etc., think to be to getting a closer rock stress of the real rock pressure acting upon the earth structure in rock mass. This research use Coulomb soil pressure theory assuming that the backfill soil will yield wedge failure when it has cohesion, applying Prakash-Saran(l963), and then it uses equilibrium of force and shear strength $\tau$=c+$\sigma$tan $\Phi$ of the cliscontinuities. Analyzing shear strength and dips of cliscontinuities using calculated theory according to the status of discontinuities aperture, we were able to find out that because the cohesion and friction angle of the rock layer itself is large enough, how the dip directions and dips facing the excavation face is the only factor deciding whether or not the rock stress is applied. The evaluated theory of this research should be strictly estimated, so that the many parameters such as c, $\Phi$value, types and structures of rock class, excessive lateral pressure, dynamic load, earthquake, needed later when calculating shear strength of discontinuities and especially the ground water effect acting on rock layer should be coumpted with many measuring data achieve at the insite to study the application.

• Explosives and Blasting
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.10-16
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• 2016

Recently, transition from open pit to underground mining in limestone mines is an increasing trend in Korea due to environmental issues such as noise, dust and vibrations caused by crushers and equipment. The severe damages in the surrounding rock mass of underground opening caused by explosive blasting may lead to rock fall hazards or casualties. It is well known that variables which mainly affect blast-induced rock falls in underground mining are: blast vibration level, joint orientation and distribution and shape of the cross sections of underground structures. In this study, UDEC program, which is a DEM code, is used to simulate blast vibration-induced rock fall in underground openings. Variation of joint space, joint angle and joint normal stiffness was considered to investigate the effect of joint characteristics on the blast vibration-induced rock fall in underground opening. Finally, jointed rock mass models considering blast-induced damage zone were examined to simulate the critical blast vibration value which may cause rock falls in underground opening.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.438-447
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• 2007

This technical report is to introduce the research on SRM (Synthetic Rock Mass) which was presented in 2007 ISRM Congress at Lisbon by Prof, Fairhurst who speak with emphasis on its importance and potential in rock engineering. The Synthetic Rock Mass approach to jointed rock mass characterization (Pierce et al. 2007) is reviewed relative to existing empirical approaches and current understanding of jointed rock mass behaviour. The review illustrates how the key factors affecting the mechanical behaviour of jointed rock masses may be considered and demonstrates that the SRM approach constitutes a significant step forward in this field. This technique, based on two well-established methods, Bonded Particle Modelling in PFC-3D (Potyondy and Cundall, 2004) and Discrete Fracture Network simulation, employs a new sliding joint model that allows for large rock volumes containing thousands of pre-existing joints to be subjected to any non-trivial stress path. Output from SRM testing includes rock mass brittleness and strength, evolution of the full compliance matrix and primary fragmentation.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.23 no.10
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• pp.97-107
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• 2007

Accurate evaluation of the slope stability by assuming failure block as the entire slope is considered to be apposite for the small scale slope, whereas it is not the case for the large scale slope. Hence, appropriate estimation of a failure block size is required since the safety factor and the joint strength parameters are the function of the failure block size. In this paper, the size of failure block was investigated by generating 3-dimensional rock joint system based on statistical data of joints obtained from research slope, such as joint orientation, spacing and 3-dimensional joint intensity. The result indicates that 33 potential failure blocks exist in research slope, as large as 1.4 meters at least and 38.7 meters at most, and average block height is 15.2 meters. In addition, the data obtained from 3 dimensional joint system were directly applicable to the probability analysis and 2 and 3 dimensional discontinuity analysis.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.317-327
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• 2024

When a non-persistent joint system is formed in a large-scale rock slope, slope failure may occur due to presence of a the stepped sliding surface. Such a surface can be divided into joint-to-joint sliding surfaces or joint-to-rock bridge sliding surfaces. In the latter case, the rock bridge provides shear resistance parallel to the joint and tensile resistance perpendicular to the joint. The load of the sliding rock can lead to failure of the rock bridge, thereby connecting the two joints at each ends of the bridge and resulting in step-path failure of the slope. If each rock bridge on a slope has the same length, the tensile strength is lower than the shear strength, resulting in the rock bridges oriented perpendicular to the joint being more prone to failure. In addition, the smaller the ratio of discontinuity spacing to length, the greater the likelihood of step-path failure. To assess the risk of stepped sliding on a rock slope with non-persistent joints, stability analysis can be performed using limit equilibrium analysis or numerical analysis. This involves constructing a step-path failure surface through a systematic discontinuity survey and analysis.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.351-358
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• 1998

A statistical method for assessing the joint persistence based on the in-situ measurement of joint trace length has been derived. This method utilizes the probability density distribution of either the joint trace length or the diameter of hypothetically circular joint diameter depending on the relative size of joint surface to that of the potential keyblock. The stability of potential keyblock with different sizes and joint persistences has been also calculated to illustrate the applicability of the developed method to the design and the safe excavation of large scale underground openings.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2019

Earthquake can change underground stress condition around the hypocenter and affect the fracture systems of the rocks. In Korea, the M5.8 Gyeongju earthquake on September 12, 2016 and M5.4 Pohang earthquake on November 15, 2017 occurred inside the Yangsan fault zone and possibly affected the fracture systems in the Yangsan fault zone and nearby rock masses. In this study, the characteristics of the fracture system (fracture orientation, number of the fractures, fracture spacing and aperture, dip angle, fracture density along depth, and relative rock strength) of the rocks in the low/intermediate level radioactive waste repository site located in the coastal area of the East Sea are analyzed by the impact of the Gyeongju and Pohang earthquakes using acoustic televiewer data taken from the boreholes at the radioactive waste repository site in 2005 and 2018. As a result of acoustic televiewer logging analysis, the fracture numbers, fracture aperture, and fracture density along depth overall increased in 2018 comparing to those in 2005. This increase tendency may be due to changes in the fracture system due to the impact of the earthquakes, or due to weathering of the wall of the boreholes for a long period longer than 10 years after the installation of the boreholes in 2005. In the borehole KB-14, on the whole, the orientation of the fractures and the average fracture spacing are slightly different between 2005 and 2018, while dip angle and relative rock strength in 2005 and 2018 are similar each other.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.229-238
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• 2002

This paper introduces the surface roughness parameter, Rs to the characterization of joint roughness and quantitatively illustrates the influence of joint roughness on the joint shear strength. A new peak shear strength criterion for rock joints using Rs is suggested. The results show that the surface roughness parameter, Rs can appropriately reflect the degree of roughness for the rock joint surfaces tested in this study A measuring interval of 2mm and profile length of 5cm can be used to characterize the joint roughness of the rock core size surfaces; however, the scale of fluctuation, $\delta_\alpha$ should be considered to extend the surface roughness parameter, Rs to the large-scale field rock joint surfaces. For the smooth joint roughness, sliding of the rock cores is the principal shear mechanism; however, the breakage of roughness from the rock cores is inferred for rougher joint roughness.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.1-17
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• 2022

The mechanical and thermal properties of the rock masses can affect the performance associated with both the isolating and retarding capacities of radioactive materials within the deep geological disposal system for High-Level Radioactive Waste (HLW). In this study, the essential parameters for the site descriptive model (SDM) related to the rock mechanics and thermal properties of the HLW disposal facilities site were reviewed, and the technical background was explored through the cases of the preceding site descriptive models developed by SKB (Swedish Nuclear and Fuel Management Company), Sweden and Posiva, Finland. SKB and Posiva studied parameters essential for the investigation and evaluation of mechanical and thermal properties, and derived a rock mechanics site descriptive model for safety evaluation and construction of the HLW disposal facilities. The rock mechanics SDM includes the results obtained from investigation and evaluation of the strength and deformability of intact rocks, fractures, and fractured rock masses, as well as the geometry of large-scaled deformation zones, the small-scaled fracture network system, thermal properties of rocks, and the in situ stress distribution of the disposal site. In addition, the site descriptive model should provide the sensitivity analysis results for the input parameters, and present the results obtained from evaluation of uncertainty.