• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.174-183
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• 2004

The knowledge of rock strength is important in assessing wellbore stability problems, effective sanding, and the estimation of in situ stress field. Numerous empirical equations that relate unconfined compressive strength of sedimentary rocks (sandstone, shale, and limestone, and dolomite) to physical properties (such as velocity, elastic modulus, and porosity) are collected and reviewed. These equations can be used to estimate rock strength from parameters measurable with geophysical well logs. Their ability to fit laboratory-measured strength and physical property data that were compiled from the literature is reviewed. While some equations work reasonably well (for example, some strength-porosity relationships for sandstone and shale), rock strength variations with individual physical property measurements scatter considerably, indicating that most of the empirical equations are not sufficiently generic to fit all the data published on rock strength and physical properties. This emphasizes the importance of local calibration before one utilizes any of the empirical relationships presented. Nonetheless, some reasonable correlations can be found between geophysical properties and rock strength that can be useful for applications related to wellhole stability where haying a lower bound estimate of in situ rock strength is especially useful.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.204-213
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• 2008

This paper presents the analysis about the stability of the Pohang deep geothermal borehole drilled in 2006. Severe wellhole instability problems such as collapse and tight hole occurred in weak rocks while drilling. Optimal mud pressure (mud window) required to prevent instability problems during drilling is obtained from analysis on in-situ stress and rock strength. The window is bounded by vertical stress in its upper limit and by either collapse pressure or pore pressure in its lower limit. Mud window varies with different types of rocks. In the top-most semi-consolidated mudstone formation, no mud window can secure borehole stability. In some weak rock types (basic dyke and crystal tuff), the borehole pressure needs to be higher by $50{\sim}60%$ than hydrostatic pressure. That means a mud density of 1.5 g/$cm^3$ or higher should be applied during drilling in order to prevent excessive collapse around the borehole.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.14 no.6 s.53
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• pp.391-398
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• 2004

An algebraic algorithm for predicting the joint trace distribution on the cut-face of rock slope based on the orientations and the locations of joints investigated in the borehole has been developed. Joint trace prediction is manipulated by utilizing the three dimensional plane equations of both joint planes and projection face, and the extent of trace within the projection area is calculated by considering the persistence of each joint plane. Joint trace prediction method is efficiently applied for analyzing the stability and the adequacy of support design of Gimhae Naesam cut-slope, which is structurally unstable due to slumping. Structural characteristics of rock mass is investigated by performing DOM drilling and the potential rock mass sliding inside slope face is analyzed by examining the orientations of joint planes which can induce the slope failure. Also, the efficiency of anchor support design is evaluated by considering the joint trace distribution on the anchor installation area and its sliding potential.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.289-302
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• 2020

To determine the shallow subsurface structure and sliding surface of land creeping in 2016 at Hadong-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do, geophysical surveys (electric resistivity, and refraction seismic methods, borehole televiewer) and slope stability analysis were conducted. The subsurface structure delineated with borehole lithologies and seismic velocity structures provided the information that the sediment layer on the top of the slope was rather as thick as 20 m and the underlying weathered rock (anorthosite) was thinner than 1 m. Based on the tension cracks observed during the geological mapping, televiewer scanning was performed at the borehole BH-2 and detected the intensive fracture zones at the ground-water level, associated with the slip weak zones mapped in dipole-dipole electrical resistivity section. Downslope sliding and slightly upward pushing at the apex of high resistive bedrock explains the curved slip plane of the land creeping. Such a convex structure might play a role of natural toe abutment for preventing the downward development of slip weak zones. In slope stability analysis, the safety factors of the slip weak zone are calculated with varying the groundwater levels for dry and rainy seasons and the downslope is founded to be unstable with safety factor of 0.89 due to fully saturated material in rainy season.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.17 no.2 s.52
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• pp.299-307
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• 2007

We collected data of hydraulic fracturing tests and overcoring tests conducted in 84 boreholes in the south-east Korea in order to analyze the contemporary state of stress in this region. The average direction of the maximum horizontal stress was determined to be $N66^{\circ}{\pm}31^{\circ}E$. The relative magnitudes of the three principal stresses was ${\sigma}_v$ (vertical stress) < ${\sigma}_h$ (minimum horizontal stress) < ${\sigma}_H$ (maximum horizontal stress), indicating thrust fault stress regime. The stress ratio K (horizontal stress/vertical stress) was relatively high (2.2

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.303-313
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• 2001

A cut-slope near Guam-Ri Hwado-Eup Namyangju-Si Kyunggi-Do collapsed during a heavy rainfall over 400mm at 28th of August 2000. The cut-slope collapse reportedly developed mainly by block sliding along a set of discontinuities, although slope angle of the cut-slope was 40$^{\circ}$(1:1.2) that agrees with the road construction criteria. This study aims to analyze differences and correlations among several data-collecting methods limited to discontinuity analysis related with cut-slope collapse. This study started with analysing discontinuity surface characteristics, geology of the country rock and orientations of the discontinuities directly related with the collapse. Analysis of aerial photos around the study area provided regional lineament data, and discontinuity plane description and measurements were collected from core logging and Borehole Image Processing System (BIPS). Spearmans correlation ranking coefficient method was used to get correlation of discontinuity planes according to analysis methods. The result suggests that the correlation coefficient is ${\gamma}_s$ = 0.91 Plus, stability analysis of discontinuity plane orientation data using equal-area stereonet revealed that the study area is unstable to planar failure. This study suggests that the cut-slope angles currently applied should be shallower and that significant attention is required to orientation distribution of discontinuities existed in cut-slopes studies.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.327-335
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• 1995

Illite/smectite (I/S) in the Beaufort-Mackenzie Basin, Arctic Canada has been scrutinized on the basis of mineralogical analysis of 215 core and drill-cutting samples from 22 exploratory wells onshore and offshore. I/S in the Beaufort-Mackenzie Basin includes the following four types: random, a mixture of random and ordered, R1-ordered, and R>1-ordered I/S. A mixture of random and ordered I/S occurs in the transitional interval between random and R>1-ordered I/S, and may represent a metastable state in the ordering reaction. A widespread occurrence of the mixture in natural environments suggests that the ordering reaction may be a slow process that results in co-existence of reactants and products. K-saturation experiments show that layer charges of expandable layers in I/S are variable. High-charge expandable layers transform into illite-like layers upon simple K-saturation. K-saturation alters the composition and/or the degree of ordering in I/S, suggesting that illitization in nature can be transformational.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.121-131
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• 2009

In recent years, microtremor array observations have been used for estimation of shear-wave velocity structures. One of the methods is the conventional spatial autocorrelation (SPAC) method, which requires simultaneous recording at least with three or four sensors. Modified SPAC methods such as 2sSPAC, and linear array methods, allow estimating shear-wave structures by using only two sensors, but suffer from instability of the spatial autocorrelation coefficient for frequency ranges higher than 1.0 Hz. Based on microtremor measurements from four different size triangular arrays and four same-size triangular and linear arrays, we have demonstrated the stability of SPAC coefficient for the frequency range from 2 to 4 or 5 Hz. The phase velocities, obtained by fitting the SPAC coefficients to the Bessel function, are also consistent up to the frequency 5 Hz. All data were processed by the SPAC method, with the exception of the spatial averaging for the linear array cases. The arrays were deployed sequentially at different times, near a site having existing Parallel Seismic (PS) borehole logging data. We also used the imaginary part of the SPAC coefficients as a data-quality indicator. Based on perturbations of the autocorrelation spectrum (and in some cases on visual examination of the record waveforms) we divided data into so-called 'reliable' and 'unreliable' categories. We then calculated the imaginary part of the SPAC spectrum for 'reliable', 'unreliable', and complete (i.e. 'reliable' and 'unreliable' datasets combined) datasets for each array, and compared the results. In the case of insufficient azimuthal distribution of the stations (the linear array) the imaginary curve shows some instability and can therefore be regarded as an indicator of insufficient spatial averaging. However, in the case of low coherency of the wavefield the imaginary curve does not show any significant instability.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.55-66
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• 2009

At the mudstone slope located on the roadside of the Seokri area in Donghae-myeon, Pohang, Gyeongsangbuk-do, this study was performed to analyze the effects of rainfall on the stability of slope through seepage analysis according to the precipitation type of the mudstone slope, referring to the actual case of slope failure. For this, precise geological survey, geophysical exploration and drilling survey for the slope where the failure occurred were performed and followed by analysis of detailed soil layer. For the section where failure surface located, the durability reduction of rocks was measured through slaking/swelling tests and the permeability was measured through in-situ permeability tests for each soil layer. In addition, the change of strength parameter and process of instability were analyzed by back analysis, using Talren 97 and Slope/W programs, in the slope. By applying different precipitation conditions to the geographical conditions of the slope that had actual failure records, the slope stability was analyzed by seepage analysis according to duration of rainfall and rise of groundwater level resulting from the flow of rainfall caused by development of geological structures and the slope surface condition.