• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
• /
• v.38 no.9
• /
• pp.45-52
• /
• 2022

Because discontinuity in the rock mass and contact of soil-structure interaction exhibits coupled thermal-hydromechanical (THM) behavior, it is necessary to develop an interface element based on the full governing equations. In this study, we derive force equilibrium, fluid continuity, and energy equilibrium equations for the interface element. Additionally, we present a stiffness matrix of the elastoplastic mechanical model for the interface element. The developed interface element uses six nodes for displacement and four nodes for water pressure and temperature in a two-dimensional analysis. The fully coupled THM analysis for fluid injection into a fault can model the complicated evolution of injection pressure due to decreasing effective stress in the fault and thermal contraction of the surrounding rock mass. However, the result of hydromechanical analysis ignoring thermal phenomena overestimates hydromechanical variables.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
• /
• v.33 no.2
• /
• pp.71-82
• /
• 2023

This study presents a direct measurement method for grain bulk modulus, which is important hydraulic-mechanical properties of rock, and conducts the experiment to investigate the grain bulk modulus of sandstone. In addition, the factors affecting the grain bulk modulus were investigated, comparing volumetric characteristics of rocks with different properties. As a result of the experiment, it was confirmed that the theoretically estimated bulk modulus is overestimated than the direct measured one. The possibility of the difference was analyzed, discussing the existence of non-connected pore space due to particle structure of the rock. Finally, the experimental results showed that the direct measurement suggested in this study can reliably predict the grain bulk modulus of sandstone.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
• /
• v.12 no.1
• /
• pp.31-41
• /
• 2010

This paper presents both numerical and physical modeling approaches for the dilation and spalling of rock recognized as typical process of rock around an underground opening at depth. For physical approach, laboratory testing of rectangular beams using a synthetic rock was used to investigate the onset of dilation and spalling. The beams are axially compressed and subjected to 4-point bending to provide non-uniform compressive stresses which are similar to the maximum tangential stress distribution around circular openings. Discrete element numerical analyses using commercial code $PFC^{2D}$ (Particle Flow Code) were performed to evaluate the stress path at various locations in the beams. The findings from these approaches suggest that the onset of dilation in laboratory tests appears to be a good indicator for assessing the stress magnitudes required to initiate spalling.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
• /
• v.33 no.6
• /
• pp.561-573
• /
• 2023

Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) constructed the KURT (KAERI Underground Research Tunnel) to analyze the hydrogeological/geochemical characteristics of deep rock mass. Numerous boreholes have been drilled to conduct various field tests. The selection of suitable investigation intervals within a borehole is of great importance. When objectives are centered around hydraulic flow and groundwater sampling, intervals with sufficient groundwater flow are the most suitable. This study defines such points as hydraulic outliers and aimed to detect them using borehole geophysical logging data (temperature and EC) from a 1 km depth borehole. For systematic and efficient outlier detection, machine learning algorithms, such as DBSCAN, OCSVM, kNN, and isolation forest, were applied and their applicability was assessed. Following data preprocessing and algorithm optimization, the four algorithms detected 55, 12, 52, and 68 outliers, respectively. Though this study confirms applicability of the machine learning algorithms, it is suggested that further verification and supplements are desirable since the input data were relatively limited.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
• /
• v.34 no.1
• /
• pp.71-87
• /
• 2024

In deep geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste, the surrounding rock at the immediate vicinity of the deposition hole may experience localized changes in permeability due to in-situ stress at depth, swelling pressure from resaturated bentonite buffer, and the heat generated from the decay of radioactive isotopes. In this study, experimental data on changes in permeability of granite, a promising candidate rock type in South Korea, were obtained by applying various confining pressures and temperature conditions expected in the actual disposal environment. By conducting the permeability test on KURT granite specimens under three or more hydrostatic pressure conditions, the relation in which the permeability decreases exponentially as the confining pressure increases was derived. The temperature-induced changes in permeability were found to be negligible at temperatures below the expected maximum of 90℃. In addition, by establishing a relation in which the initial permeability is proportional to the power of the initial porosity, it was possible to estimate permeability value for granite with a specific porosity under a certain confining pressure.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
• /
• v.40 no.3
• /
• pp.101-108
• /
• 2024

A system with the ability to recognize potential key blocks during tunnel construction by analyzing the rock face was developed in this study. This system predicts the formation of key blocks in advance and evaluates their safety factors. A laser scanner was used to collect a three-dimensional point cloud of the rock face, which was then utilized to model the excavation surface and derive the joint surfaces. Because joint surfaces have specific strikes and dip angles, the key blocks formed by these surfaces are deduced through iterative calculations, and the safety factor of each key block can be calculated accordingly. The model experiments confirmed the accuracy of the system's output in terms of the joint surface characteristics. By inputting the joint surface information, the calculated safety factors were compared with those from the existing commercial software, demonstrating stable calculation results within a 1% error margin.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.77-85
• /
• 2012

In a material, micro-cracks can be progressively occurred, propagated and finally lead to failure when it is subjected to cyclic or periodic loading less than its ultimate strength. This phenomenon, fatigue, is usually considered in a metal, alloy and structures under repeated loading conditions. In underground structures, a static creep behavior rather than a dynamic fatigue behavior is mostly considered. However, when compressed air is stored in a rock cavern, an inner pressure is periodically changed due to repeated in- and-out process of compressed air. Therefore mechanical properties of surrounding rock mass and an inner lining system under cyclic loading/unloading conditions should be investigated. In this study, considering an underground lined rock cavern for compressed air energy storage (CAES), the mechanical properties of a lining system, that is, concrete lining and plug under periodic loading/unloading conditions were characterized through cyclic bending tests and shear tests. From these tests, the stability of the plug was evaluated and the S-N line of the concrete lining was obtained.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
• /
• v.26 no.1
• /
• pp.51-61
• /
• 2016

New building methods are needed to aid increased inner-city redevelopment and industrial construction. A particular area of improvement is the efficient use of cut slopes, with the minimization of associated problems. A retaining wall of precast panels can resist the horizontal earth pressure by increasing the shear strength of the ground and reinforcing it through contact with the panels. Precast panels allow quick construction and avoid the problem of concrete deterioration. Other problems to be solved include the digging of borrow pits, the disposal of material cut from the slope, and degradation of the landscape caused by the exposed concrete retaining wall.This study suggest the methods of improvement of an existing precast panel wall system by changing the appearance of the panels to that of natural rock and improving the process of adhering the panel to a vertical slope. The panels were tested in the laboratory and in the field. The laboratory test verified their specific strength and behavior, and the field test assessed the panels' ground adherence at a vertical cutting. Reinforcement of the cutting slope was also measured and compared with the results of 3D numerical analysis. The results of laboratory test, identified that the shear bar increase the punching resistance of panel. And as a results of test construction, identified the construct ability and field applicability of the panel wall system adhered to in-situ ground. In addition to that, extended measurement and numerical analysis, identified the long-term stability of panel wall system adhered to in-situ ground.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.133-141
• /
• 2020

A geological repository comprises a natural barrier and an engineered barrier system. Its design components consist of canisters, buffers, backfill, and near-field rock. Among the engineered barrier system components, bentonite buffers minimize the groundwater flow from near-field rock and prevent the release of nuclide. Investigation of the hydraulic conductivity of the buffer to groundwater flow is an important factor in the performance evaluation of the stability and integrity of the engineered barrier of the repository. In this study, saturated hydraulic conductivity tests were performed using Gyeongju bentonite at various dry densities and temperatures, and a hydraulic conductivity prediction model was developed through multiple regression analysis using the 120 result sets of hydraulic conductivity. The test results showed that the hydraulic conductivity tends to decrease as the dry density increases. In addition, the hydraulic conductivity increased with increasing temperature. The multiple regression analysis results showed that the coefficient of determination (R²) of the hydraulic conductivity prediction equation was as high as 0.93. The hydraulic conductivity prediction equation presented in this study could be used for the design of engineered barrier systems.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.325-342
• /
• 2018

The ${\bigcirc}{\bigcirc}$ mines have been tried in various ways to perform secondary and tertiary mining in fragile rock properties. For such mining, the panels should be maintained while the mining compartments are divided and paneled. In this study, the mining gate between the panels was maintained by a steel beam and the panel life time was probabilistic evaluated. We used Taylor's formula for panel life time and modified the Pert distribution conceptually. The main input data were determined by the Pert distribution, and Monte Carlo simulation was performed to evaluate the panel life time for the probability distribution. As a result, it was analyzed that the panels could be stand-up time from a minimum of 6.5 days to a maximum of 20.6 days when the panel width was 18 to 25 m. At the confidence level of 90%, the panel life time was analyzed as 8.2-15.6 days. The short panel life time is not possible with the panel mining. Therefore, it was planned to construct a steel beam for panel maintenance. As result, it was analyzed that steel beam for panel maintenance with mining plan of less than 3 years according to mine could maintain panel within 90% confidence level.