• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.257-272
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• 2016

It is usually not an easy task to counter-measure on time and appropriately when confronting with troubles in mechanized tunnelling job-sites because of the limitation of available spaces to perform those actions with the existence of disk cutter, cutter head, chamber and other various apparatus in Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM). So, it is important to predict the ground condition ahead of a tunnel face during tunnel excavation. Efforts have been made to utilize geophysical methods such as elastic wave survey, electromagnetic wave survey, electrical resistivity survey, etc for predicting the ground condition ahead of the TBM tunnel face. Each prediction method among these geophysical methods has its own advantage and disadvantage. Therefore, it might be needed to apply several geophysical methods rather than just one to predict the ground condition ahead of the tunnel face in the complex and/or mixed grounds since those methods will compensate among others. The problem is that each prediction method will give us different answer on the predicted ground condition; how to combine different solutions into a most reasonable and representative predicted value might be important. Therefore, in this study, we proposed a methodology how to systematically combine each prediction method utilizing probabilistic analysis as well as analytic hierarchy process. The proposed methods is applied to a virtual job site to confirm the applicability of the model to predict the ground condition ahead of the tunnel face in the mechanized tunnelling.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.35-45
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• 2018

It is essential to predict ground conditions ahead of the tunnel face during tunnel excavation. Various studies on tunnel prediction method of the ground condition ahead of the tunnel face have already been done and applied to in mechanized tunnelling job sites. So, all the methods used in mechanized tunnelling to predict ground conditions ahead of the tunnel face were reviewed. A questionnaire surveying Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) operators with at least 10 years' experience in TBM operation was used to determine the requirements for prediction methods as well as the distance from the tunnel face that must be assessed. Based on the result of questionnaire survey, the most feasible prediction methods applicable to mechanized tunnelling job-sites are suggested. One of the prediction methods applicable to mechanized tunnelling job-sites might be the electrical resistivity survey by utilizing the disk cutter on the cutterhead as electrode. So, in this study, laboratory tests were performed to evaluate the feasibility of prediction method utilizing electrical resistivity survey at mechanized tunnelling job-sites. It was found that geological condition ahead of 0.3 times of TBM's diameter from tunnel face could be predicted.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.235-245
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• 2002

The purpose of this study is to figure out the tendency of tunnel convergence during excavation and to present a methodology for the prediction of a fault zone ahead of a tunnel face by analyzing three dimensional displacements in various ways. 3-D numerical analysis was performed to investigate changes of tunnel convergence vectors near a fault zone and to propose a flow chart for predicting fault zones. Results of the site investigation and results of trend line analysis of in-situ data were compared to verify the usefulness of a trend line analysis. It is concluded that the orientation of faults can be predicted by using stereonets and the direction of initial stresses can be predicted from the arm length of a displacement vector as a tunnel approaches fault zones. The results of the trend line analysis coincided with those of the site investigation, and a methodology for the prediction of a fault zone was proposed.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.476-485
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• 2003

The purpose of this study is to present an analysis method for the prediction of the change of ground conditions. To this end, three-dimensional convergence displacements is analyzed in several ways to estimate the trend of displacement change. Three-dimensional arching effect is occurred around the unsupported excavation surface including tunnel face when a tunnel is excavated in a stable rock mass. If the ground condition ahead of tunnel face changes or a weak fracture zone exists a specific trend of displacement change is known to be occurred from the results of the existing researches. The existence of a discontinuity, whose change in front of the tunnel face, can be predicted from the ratio of L/C (longitudinal displacement at crown divided by settlement at crown) etc. Therefore, the change of ground condition and the existence of a fracture zone ahead of tunnel face can be predicted by monitoring three-dimensional absolute displacements during excavation, and applying the methodology presented in this study.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.101-113
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• 2006

Arching effect occurs around the unsupported excavation surface near to tunnel face when a tunnel is excavated in a stable rock mass. If a weak fracture zone exists in front of tunnel face, a displacement occurs between tunnel face and weak fracture zone due to stress concentration. If three-dimensional absolute coordinates (longitudinal, transverse, vertical direction) is measured at tunnel face by geodetic method, the ground change in front of the tunnel face can be predicted by analysing three-dimensional absolute displacement. The purpose of this study is to verify the analysis method of three-dimensional absolute displacement by comparing the trend of displacement ratio at crown and sidewall of tunnel and the influence line/trend line of crown settlement compared with TSP results in the same section.

• Explosives and Blasting
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.40-49
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• 2013

To predict ground conditions ahead of the tunnel face, seismic refraction survey has been widely used. But due to the development in seismic equipment and techniques, tomography using borehole and others are actively applied in recent years. This study has a purpose to prevent stability problems during excavation and construction of tunnels by predicting unfavorable ground conditions such as fault, fractured zone and rock quality variation zone ahead of the tunnel face using TSP survey equipment. In this study, the validity of predicting ground conditions ahead of tunnel face by TSP survey has been evaluated through the case study in the road construction site.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.71-83
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• 2004

The purpose of this study is to present an analysis method for the prediction of the changes m ground conditions. To this end, three dimensional convergence displacements are analyzed in several ways to estimate the trend of displacement changes. Three-dimensional arching effect is occurred around the unsupported excavation surface including tunnel face when a tunnel is excavated in a stable rock mass. If the ground condition ahead of tunnel face changes or a weak zone exists, a diagnostic trend of displacement change is observed by the 3 dimensional measurement and numerical analysis. Therefore, the change of ground condition and the existence of a weak zone ahead of tunnel face can be predicted by monitoring 3-dimensional absolute displacements during excavation, and applying the methodology (the ratio of L/C, $C/C_o$, etc.) presented in this study.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.327-343
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• 2004

During tunnel construction, ground failures often occur due to existence of weak zones, such as faults, joints, and cavities, ahead of tunnel face. It is hard to detect effectively weak zones, which can lead underground structure to fail after excavation and before supporting, by using conventional characterization methods. In this study, an enhanced analytical method of predicting weak zones ahead of tunnel face is developed to overcome some problems in the conventional geophysical exploration methods. The analytical method is based on Coulomb's and Gauss' laws with considering the characteristics of electric fields subjected to rock mass. Using the developed method, closed form solutions are obtained to detect a spherical shaped zone and an oriented fault ahead of tunnel face respectively. The analytical results suggest that the presence of weak zones and their sizes, location, and states can be accurately predicted by combining a proper inversion process with resistance measured from several electrodes on the tunnel face. It appears that the skin depth or resistivity in rock mass is affected by the diameter of tunnel face, natural electric potential and noises induced by experimental measurement and spatial distribution of uncertain properties. The developed analytical solution is verified through experimental tests. About 1800 concrete blocks of 5cm by 5cm by 5cm in size are prepared and used to model a joint rock mass around tunnel face. Weak zones are simulated ahead of tunnel face with a material which has relatively higher conductivity than concrete blocks. Experimental results on the model test show a good agreement with analytical results.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.227-242
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• 2019

This paper presents a method to predict ground types ahead of a tunnel face utilizing operational data of the earth pressure-balanced (EPB) shield tunnel boring machine (TBM) when running through soil ground. The time series analysis model which was applicable to predict the mixed ground composed of soils and rocks was modified to be applicable to soil tunnels. Using the modified model, the feasibility on the choice of the soil conditioning materials dependent upon soil types was studied. To do this, a self-organizing map (SOM) clustering was performed. Firstly, it was confirmed that the ground types should be classified based on the percentage of 35% passing through the #200 sieve. Then, the possibility of predicting the ground types by employing the modified model, in which the TBM operational data were analyzed, was studied. The efficacy of the modified model is demonstrated by its 98% accuracy in predicting ground types ten rings ahead of the tunnel face. Especially, the average prediction accuracy was approximately 93% in areas where ground type variations occur.

• Magazine of korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.21-26
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• 2018