• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.315-327
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• 1999

Rock fracture mechanics has been widely applied to blasting, hydraulic fracturing, rock slope and many other practical problems in rock engineering. But a measuring method for the fracture toughness of rock, one of the mort important parameters in fracture mechanics as an intrinsic property of rock, has not been yet well established. To obtain mode I rock fracture toughness, the more favorable disc-typed specimens such as CCNBD, SCB, chevron-notched SCB and BDT were used in this study. Rock fracture toughness under mixed-mode and mode II conditions was measured by using the STCA applied to the CCNBD specimen. Size effects such as specimen thickness, diameter and notch length on fracture toughness were investigated. From the mixed-mode results, fracture envelops were obtained by applying various regression curves. The mixed-mode results were also compared with three mixed-mode failure criteria. In each fracture toughness test, acoustic emission was measured to get the data for determining the load levels of different crack propagation patterns.

• Journal of Industrial Technology
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• v.19
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• pp.197-208
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• 1999

The process of localization of cracks and movement of the fracture process zone(FPZ) was studied using the acoustic-emission(AE) techniques. The rate of AE events and sources of AE activity were studied for mortar and rock specimens loaded in uniaxial compression. A series of transducers could be used to detect and AE activity. Based on the time differences between detection of the event at different transducers, source of AE activity could be detected. The rate of AE events increased sharply before peak load. The highest rate occurred just after peak load was attained. The effective crack length estimated from the modified linear-elastic fracture mechanics seemed consistent with the optical and AE measurements.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.17 no.2 s.67
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• pp.128-138
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• 2007

At low in-situ stress, the continuity and distribution of natural fractures in rock mass predominantly control the failure processes. However at high in-situ stress, the failure process are affected and eventually dominated by stress-induced fractures preferentially growing parallel to the excavation boundary. This fracturing is often observed in brittle type of failure such as slabbing or spatting. Recent studies on the stress- or excavation-induced damage of rock revealed its importance especially in a highly stressed regime. In order to evaluate the brittle failure around a deep underground opening, physical model experiments were carried out. For the experiments a new tue triaxial testing system was made. According to visual observation and acoustic emission detection, brittle failure grades were classified under three categories. The test results indicate that where higher horizontal stress, acting perpendicular $(S_{H2})$ and parallel $(S_{H1})$ to the axis of the tunnel respectively, were applied, the failure grade at a constant vertical stress level (Sy) was lowered. The failure initiation stress was also increased with the increasing $S_{H1}\;and\;S_{H2}$. From the multi-variable regression on failure initiation stress and true triaxial stress conditions, $f(S_v,\;S_{H1},\;S_{H2})$ was proposed.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.396-408
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• 2016

Rock fracture mechanics has been widely applied to various fields of rock and civil engineering. But most researches covered mode I behavior, though mode II behavior is dominant in rock engineering. Until now, there is only one ISRM suggested method for mode II toughness of rock. A new SCC (Short Core in Compression) mode II toughness test method was developed considering 1) application of confining pressure, 2) easiness of notch creation, 3) utilization of existing equipment, 4) simple test procedure. The stress intensity factors were determined by 3D finite element method considering line and distributed loading conditions. The tests with granite specimens were carried out using MTS 815 rock test system with a loading rate of 0.002 mm/s. The mean value of mode II fracture toughness of granite showed $2.33MPa{\sqrt{m}}$. Mode I toughness of the same granite was $1.12MPa{\sqrt{m}}$, determined by Brazilian disk test and $K_{IIC}/K_{IC}=2.08$. The smooth fracture surface with rock powder formation also supported mode II behavior of SCC method. The SCC method can be used for the determination of mode II fracture toughness of rocks based on the current results.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.67-80
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• 2014

Long-term stability and delayed failure of granite were evaluated through the laboratory test based on Wilkins method and Brazilian disc test (BDT) which yields tensile strength, mode I fracture toughness and subcritical crack growth parameters. Then, the long-term strength of granite was estimated by using analytical models and long-term stability of compressed air-energy storage (CAES) pilot cavern pressurized up to 5 ~ 6 MPa was evaluated using numerical code, FRACOD with the determined subcritical crack growth parameters. The results of test and analyses showed that the subcritical crack growth index, n was determined as 29.39 and the inner pressure of 5 ~ 6 MPa had an insignificant effect on the long-term stability of pilot cavern. It was also found that the measurement and analysis of acoustic emission events can describe the accumulation of damage due to subcritical crack growth quantitatively. That is, AE monitoring can provide the current status of rock under loading if we make an identical installation condition in the field with that of the laboratory test.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.274-286
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• 1994

Direct shear tests were on ducted in a laboratory setting in order to investigate the shear strength and deformation behavior of rock joints. Also, the characteristics of acoustic emissions (AE) during shearing of rock joints were studied. The artificial rock joints were created by splitting the intact blocks of Hwangdeung granites and Iksan marbles. Joint roughness profiles were measured by a profile gage and then digitized by Image analyzer. Roughness profile indices(Rp) of the joints were calculated with these digitized data. Peak shear strength, residual shear strength, shear stiffness and maximum acoustic emission(AE) rate were investigated with joint roughness. The peak shear strenght, the residual shear strength and the shear stiffness were increased as roughness popfile index or normal stress increased in the shear tests of granites. In the tests of marble samples, the shear deformation characteristics were not directly affected by joint roughness. As the result of two directional shear tests, the shear characteristics were varied with shear direction. AE count rates were measured during the shear deformation and the AE signals in several stages of the deformation were analyzed in a frequency domain. The AE rate peaks coincided with the stress drops during the shear deformation of joint. The dominant frequencies of the AE signals were in the vicinity of 100 kHz fo rgranite sample and 900 kHz for marble samples. The distribution of amplitude was dispersed with increasing normal stress.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2008.10a
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• pp.946-956
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• 2008

Acoustic emission(AE) is low-energy seismic event associated with a sudden inelastic deformation such as the sudden movement of existing fractures, the generation of new fractures or the propagation of fractures. These events rapidly increase before major failure and happen within a given rock volume and radiate detectable seismic waves. Rock slopes are usually large in scale and there are many discontinuities in rock mass. AE waves are strongly attenuated when they propagate through joints. Thus we should resolve the attenuation problem to monitor large volume. In this study, we developed waveguide which is composed of two different materials, cement mortar and stainless steel rod. And several laboratory tests on developed waveguide are performed to obtain generalized AE parameters to predict the failure stage in rock slope. Comparing field data with experimental data in laboratory tests, failure stage of rock slope can be evaluated. To verify and optimize the developed monitoring method, we are now carrying out the field application at a rock slope.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.657-673
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• 2019

A monitoring method based on acoustic emission (AE) sensor has been widely used to evaluate the damage of structures in underground rock. The acoustic emission signal generated from cracking in material is analyzed as various acoustic emission parameters in time and frequency domain. To investigate from initial crack generation to final failure of rock material, it is important to understand the characteristics of acoustic emission parameters according to the stress ratio and rock strength. In this study, uniaxial compression tests were performed using very strong and weak rock specimen in order to investigate the acoustic emission parameters when the failure of specimen occurred. In the results of experimental tests, the event, root-mean-square (RMS) voltage, amplitude, and absolute energy of very strong rock specimen were larger than those of the weak rock specimen with an increase of stress ratio. In addition, the acoustic emission parameters related in frequency were more affected by specification (e.g., operation and resonant frequency) of sensors than the stress ratio or rock strength. It is expected that this study may be meaningful for evaluating the damage of underground rock when the health monitoring based on the acoustic emission technique will be performed.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.523-536
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• 2013

In order to ensure the safety of the subsea tunnel during its construction and operation, unlike the underground structures on land, the special monitoring system is essential which considers the characteristics of subsea tunnels in addition to conventional stress and displacement measurements applied to existing land tunnels. Therefore, the concept applied to NATM is reorganized to evaluate the stability of subsea tunnels. And the observation system for making a monitoring plan, the critical strain theory for tunnel safety management and MS monitoring methods for detecting the local failure and crack initiation of rock and supports, are introduced. Finally, the scheme of monitoring and management for subsea tunnels by using these methods is suggested.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.493-505
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• 2013

This numerical study investigates seismicity and fault slip induced by fluid injection in deep geothermal reservoir with pre-existing fractures and fault. Particle Flow Code 2D is used with additionally implemented hydro-mechanical coupled fluid flow algorithm and acoustic emission moment tensor inversion algorithm. The output of the model includes spatio-temporal evolution of induced seismicity (hypocenter locations and magnitudes) and fault deformation (failure and slip) in relation to fluid pressure distribution. The model is applied to a case of fluid injection with constant rates changing in three steps using different fluid characters, i.e. the viscosity, and different injection locations. In fractured reservoir, spatio-temporal distribution of the induced seismicity differs significantly depending on the viscosity of the fracturing fluid. In a fractured reservoir, injection of low viscosity fluid results in larger volume of induced seismicity cloud as the fluid can migrate easily to the reservoir and cause large number and magnitude of induced seismicity in the post-shut-in period. In a faulted reservoir, fault deformation (co-seismic failure and aseismic slip) can occur by a small perturbation of fracturing fluid (<0.1 MPa) can be induced when the injection location is set close to the fault. The presented numerical model technique can practically be used in geothermal industry to predict the induced seismicity pattern and magnitude distribution resulting from hydraulic stimulation of geothermal reservoirs prior to actual injection operation.