• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.42-58
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• 2001

In order to protect the environment from waste disposal activities, the prediction of the flux and flow paths of the contaminants from underground facilities should be assessed as accurately as possible. Especially, the prediction of the pathways and travel times of the nuclides from high level radioactive wastes in a deep repository to biosphere is one of the primary tasks for assessing the ultimate safety and performance of the repository. Since the contaminants are mainly transported with groundwater along the discontinuities developed within rock mass, the characteristics of groundwater flow through discontinuities is important for the prediction of contaminant fates as well as safety assessment of a repository. In this study, the actual fracture network could be effectively generated based on in situ data by separating geometric parameter and hydraulic parameter. The calculated anisotropic hydraulic conductivity was applied to a 3D porous medium model to calculate the path flow and travel time of the large studied area with the consideration of the complex topology in the area. Using the model, the pathways and travel times for groundwater were analyzed. From this study, it was concluded that the suggested techniques and procedures for predicting the pathways and travel times of groundwater from underground facilities to biosphere is acceptable and those can be applied to the safety assessment of a repository for radioactive wastes.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.82-91
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• 2010

Grouting technology is one of the ground improvement methods used in water controlling and reinforcement of rock mass in underground structure construction. It is necessarily required to find out the characteristics of grout flow through discontinuities in a rock mass for an adequate grout design and performance assessment. Laminar flow is not always applicable in simulating a grout flow in a rock mass, since the rock joints usually have apertures at a micro-scale and the flow through these joints is affected by the joint roughness and the velocity profile of the flow changes partially near the roughness. Thus, the influence of joint roughness and aperture on the grout flow in rough rock joint was numerically investigated in this study. The commercial computational fluid dynamics code, FLUENT, was applied for this purpose. The computed results by embedded Herschel-Bulkley model and VOF (volume of fluid) model, which are applicable to simulate grout flow in a narrow rock joint that is filled with air and water, were well compared with that of analytical results and previously published laboratory test for the verification. The injection pressure required to keep constant injection rate of grout was calculated in a variety of Joint Roughness Coefficient (JRC) and aperture conditions, and the effect of joint roughness and aperture on grout flow were quantified.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.307-322
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• 2023

Rock-mass grouting plays a crucial role in the construction of dams and deep caverns, effectively preventing seepage in the foundations, enhancing stability, and mitigating hazards. Most rock grouting is affected by hydrogeological and rock engineering indices such as rock quality designation (RQD), rock mass quality (Q-value), geological strength index (GSI), joint spacing (Js), joint aperture (Ap), lugeon value (Lu), secondary permeability index (SPI), and coefficient of permeability (K). Therefore, accurate geological analysis of basic rock properties and guidelines for grouting construction are essential for ensuring safe and effective grouting design and construction. Such analysis has been applied in dam construction sites, with a particular focus on the geological characteristics of bedrock and the development of prediction methods for grout take. In South Korea, many studies have focused on grout injection materials and construction management techniques. However, there is a notable lack of research on the analysis of hydrogeological and rock engineering information for rock masses, which are essential for the development of appropriate rock grouting plans. This paper reviews the current state of research into the correlation between the grout take with important hydrogeological and rock engineering indices. Based on these findings, future directions for the development of rock grouting research in South Korea are discussed.