• 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.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.133-141
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• 2007

The excavation damaged zone (EDZ) is an area around an excavation where in situ rock mass properties, stress condition, displacement, groundwater flow conditions have been altered due to the processes induced by the excavation. Various studies have been carried out on EDZ, but most studies have focused on the mechanical bahavior of EDZ by in situ experiment. Even though the EDZ could potentially form a high permeable pathway of groundwater flow, only a few studies were performed on the analysis of groundwater flow in EDZ. In this study, the 'hydraulic EDZ' was defined as the rock zone adjacent to the excavation where the hydraulic aperture has been changed due to the excavation by using H-M coupling analysis. Fundamental principles of distinct element method (DEM) were used in the analysis. In the same groundwater level, the behavior of hydraulic aperture near the cavern was analyzed for different stress ratios, initial apertures, fracture angles and fracture spacings by using a two-dimensional DEM program. We evaluate the excavation induced hydraulic aperture change. Using the results of the study, hydraulic EDZ was defined as an elliptical shape model perpendicular to the joint.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.15 no.3 s.56
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• pp.213-222
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• 2005

In this study, an artificial neural network was used to predict stability of weak rock slopes with various discontinuities and underground water conditions. Input data were provided by UDEC analyses on 108 cases of representative conditions of different slope heights, angles, discontinuity angles and water levels. The verification shows high correlation $(r^2-=0.97)$ between analyses and predictions. The program was able to predict safety factors with the same accuracy from unlearned data sets.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2003.06b
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• pp.85-115
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• 2003

토공작업시 굴착난이도(토층, 리핑암, 발파암)를 판정하는 기준으로는 암반의 강도, 풍화정도, 불연속면 간격과 같은 여러 가지 암반의 공학적 특성 및 지반의 탄성파 속도 등이 사용된다. 그러나 실제 토공 작업시의 굴착난이도 평가는 탄성파 탐사와 같은 암석ㆍ암반의 정량적인 판단기준에 근거하지 않고 단지 현장 기술자들의 육안관찰에 의존하여 굴착난이도를 구분하고 있는 실정이다. 본 논문은 실내시험 및 현장시험, 현장굴착난이도 평가 및 탄성파탐사 등을 실시하여 여러 암석에 대한 강도특성을 파악한 것을 근거로 현장에서 사용할 수 있는 암반굴착난이도 평가법의 Checklist를 제안하였다.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.39 no.4 s.179
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• pp.451-471
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• 2006

Major projects and research topics in the field of rock mechanics are analyzed to obtain the following results: $\cdot$ Rock mechanics deals with the behavior of deformation, failure and displacement of the rock and rock mass on the basis of geological basics. Discontinuities in the rock mass are the most important parameters to control the behavior of rock mass around underground openings. $\cdot$ The objective of site investigation and testing is to determine the strength properties of the rock mass and the in situ stress regime. Specimens for laboratory and in situ tests are to be selected in order that the results of the tests give the representative properties oi the rock mass of the site in question. $\cdot$ The result of a numerical model would be better evaluated not quantitatively but qualitatively. The displacement behavior of the rock mass has to be monitored properly for the NATM (New Austrian Tunneling Method) principles. $\cdot$ The stability of rock slope is to be evaluated preferably by back analysis with strength parameters, such as cohesion and friction angle.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.215-228
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• 2004

Rock mass contains discontinuities such as faults and joints, and their mechanical properties and spatial distribution dominate the stability of rock mass. Because the deformation of rock mass occurs discontinuities in many cases. However in the case of poor quality rock mass under high stresses, the deformation along intact rock can also influence the structure's stability. In this study, two dimensional finite element program was developed with a rheological model to analyze the stability of the structure excavated in jointed rock mass. The “equivalent material” approach was used assuming intact rock, joints and rock bolts as visco-plastic materials. The program was verified by analysing an intact rock model, a jointed rock mass model and a reinforced jointed rock mass model. The displacement was examined in each model with changing the intact rock behaviour as elastic and visco-plastic. In the case of poor quality rock mass under high stresses, e assumption of visco-plastic behaviour of intact rock resulted in larger displacement than when assuming elastic behaviour for intact rock. Therefore it is recommended to add intact rock's visco-plastic behaviour to the existing model, which only assumes visco-plastic behaviour of joints and rock bolts.

• 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.

• Explosives and Blasting
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.1-16
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• 2010

This study focuses on the phenomenon that the blast damaged zone developed on rock slope surfaces can be affected by joint characteristics rather than by explosive power when the pre-splitting is applied to excavate a jointed rock slope. The characteristics of rock joints on a slope were investigated and categorized them into 4 cases. Also an image processing system has been used for comparing the distribution pattern of rock blocks. From this investigation, it was found that the rock blocks bigger than 2,000 mm occupied 42% in the case of single joint set and it showed the well efficiency of pre-splitting blast. In cases of 2~3 parallel joint sets and 2~3 intersecting joint sets are developed on rock surfaces, the rock blocks in the range of 1,000~2,000 mm occupied 43.6% and 35.8%, respectively, and it showed that the efficiency of pre-splitting was decreased. When more than 3 joint sets are randomly developed, however, the rock blocks in the range of 250~500 mm occupied 35% and there was no block bigger than 1,000 mm. This denotes that the blasting with pre-splitting was not effective. The numerical analysis using PFC2D showed that the blast damaged zone in a rock mass could be directly influenced by the pre-splitting. It is, therefore, required to investigate the discontinuity pattern on rock surfaces in advance, when the pre-splitting method is applied to excavate jointed rock slopes and to apply a flexible blating design with a consideration of the joint characteristics.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.601-615
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• 2001

The study area. Boeun-eup Boeun-kun, belongs to Ogchon metamorphic belt which is highly metamorphosed and consisted of complex geologic formations. Even though the geological structures and formations are complex and metamorphosed, the geological investigation and consideration are not enough and consequently the plane failure is occurred in the rock slope which was under construction on 1 : 0.5 gradient. This area is assessed as unstable and additional failure is possible by the discontinuity with same direction of failure surface. Therefore, the authors evaluate the slope stability using various analysis methods such as SMR, stereographic projection method, and the limit equilibrium analysis. In order to analyze stress redistribution and nonlinear displacement behavior caused by stress release, the authors conduct numerical analysis with UDEC and then the behavior of rock mass is analyzed after reinforcements are applied.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.63-75
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• 2020

When tunnel is excavated via drilling and blasting, the excessive overbreak is the primary cause of personal or equipment safety hazards and increasing the cost of the tunnel operation owing to additional ground supports such as shotcrete. The practical management of overbreak is extremely difficult due to the complex causative mechanism of it. The study examines the relationship between rock mass characteristics (unsupported face condition, uniaxial compressive strength, face weathering and alteration, discontinuities- frequency, condition and angle between discontinuities and tunnel contour) and the depth of overbreak through using feed-forward artificial neuron networks. Then, Overbreak Resistance Factor (ORF) has been developed based on the weights of rock mass parameters to the overbreak phenomenon. Also, a new concept of tunnel overbreak management system using ORF has been suggested.