• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.235-252
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• 2016

This study presents a methodology to reproduce the mechanical behavior of isotropic or transversely isotropic rock using the polygonal grain-based distinct element model. A numerical technique to monitor the evolution of micro-cracks during the simulation was developed in the present study, which enabled us to examine the contribution of tensile cracking and shear cracking to the progressive process of the failure. The numerical results demonstrated good agreement with general observations from rock specimens in terms of the behavior and the evolution of micro-cracks, suggesting the capability of the model to represent the mechanical behavior of rock. We also carried out a parametric study as a fundamental work to examine the relationships between the microscopic properties of the constituents and the macroscopic behavior of the model. Depending on the micro-properties, the model exhibited a variety of responses to the external load in terms of the strength and deformation characteristics. In addition, a numerical technique to reproduce the transversely isotropic rock was suggested and applied to Asan gneiss from Korea. The behavior of the numerical model was in good agreement with the results obtained in the laboratory-scale experiments of the rock.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2021.06a
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• pp.27-27
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• 2021

세굴은 유체와 유사의 상호작용으로 발생하는 중요한 자연 현상 중 하나로, 구조 및 지반 붕괴, 홍수, 생태계 파괴 등의 문제를 야기할 수 있다. 이러한 세굴 현상을 예측하기 위해 많은 수치적 연구가 진행되어왔지만, 대부분의 연구가 기존 격자기반방법인 유한체적법 (FVM)과 개별요소법 (DEM)이 연성된 모델을 이용하였고, 이는 격자 의존도로 인한 정확도와 효율성의 문제점을 보였다. 해결책으로 입자기반 유체해석 방법인 약압축성 SPH (WCSPH)와 개별요소법의 결합모델을 이용한 모의가 연구되어 왔지만, 단순 밀도차를 활용한 유체해석방법이 압력의 불안정성을 야기하여 유사의 운동에도 영향을 주는 결과를 보였다. 또한, 개별요소법의 특성상 모의 입자의 크기를 실제 실험 입자의 크기와 동일하게 설정하면서 입자수가 지나치게 증가해 계산의 효율성이 현저히 낮아지게 되었고, 이로 인해 실제 자연 지형에 적용하는데 어려움을 보여주었다. 본 연구에서는 향상된 세굴 수치모의해석을 위해 반복법을 통해 안정적인 유체 압력을 계산하는 비압축성 SPH (ISPH)와 개별요소법을 연성한 ISPH-DEM 모델을 사용하였다. 또한, 계산속도 향상을 위해 하나의 입자가 다수의 작은 입자의 움직임을 대표하는 Coarse-grained 방법을 적용하여 기존 모델을 개선하였다. 개선된 모델을 NFLOW ISPH PURPLE 소프트웨어를 이용하여 세굴 현상을 수치 모의하였고 실험 결과와 검증을 진행한 결과, 세굴의 깊이, 너비, 형상 등을 비교하였을 때 약 10% 이내의 오차를 보였고, Coarse-grained 방법을 통한 입자 수 감소로 최소 13배 증가된 해석 속도를 보였다. 이를 통해 본 연구에서 제시된 모델이 실제 자연 지형에서의 적용가능성을 확인할 수 있었다.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.573-590
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• 2020

This study presents the current status of DECOVALEX-2023 project Task G and our research results so far. Task G, named 'Safety ImplicAtions of Fluid Flow, Shear, Thermal and Reaction Processes within Crystalline Rock Fracture NETworks (SAFENET)' aims at developing a numerical method to simulate the fracture creation and propagation, and the coupled thermohydro-mechanical processes in fracture in crystalline rocks. The first research step of Task G is a benchmark simulation, which is designed for research teams to make their modelling codes more robust and verify whether the models can represent an analytical solution for displacements of a single rock fracture. We reproduced the mechanical behavior of rock and embedded single fracture using a three-dimensional grain-based distinct element model for the simulations. In this method, the structure of the rock was represented by an assembly of rigid tetrahedral grains moving independently of each other, and the mechanical interactions at the grains and their contacts were calculated using 3DEC. The simulation results revealed that the stresses induced along the embedded fracture in the model were relatively low compared to those calculated by stress analysis due to stress redistribution and constrained fracture displacements. The fracture normal and shear displacements of the numerical model showed good agreement with the analytical solutions. The numerical model will be enhanced by continuing collaboration and interaction with other research teams of DECOVALEX-2023 Task G and validated using various experiments in a further study.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.593-609
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• 2021

We proposed a numerical method for the thermo-mechanical behavior of rock fracture using a grain-based distinct element model (GBDEM) and simulated thermally induced fracture slip. The present study is the benchmark simulation performed as part of DECOVALEX-2023 Task G, which aims to develop a numerical method to estimate the coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical processes within the crystalline rock fracture network. We represented the rock sample as an assembly of Voronoi grains and calculated the interaction of the grains (blocks) and their interfaces (contacts) using a distinct element code, 3DEC. Based on an equivalent continuum approach, the micro-parameters of grains and contacts were determined to reproduce rock as an elastic material. Then, the behavior of the fracture embedded in the rock was characterized by the contacts with Coulomb shear strength and tensile strength. In the benchmark simulation, we quantitatively examined the effects of the boundary stress and thermal stress due to heat conduction on fracture behavior, focusing on the mechanism of thermally induced fracture slip. The simulation results showed that the developed numerical model reasonably reproduced the thermal expansion and thermal stress increment, the fracture stress and displacement and the effect of boundary condition. We expect the numerical model to be enhanced by continuing collaboration and interaction with other research teams of DECOVALEX-2023 Task G and validated in further study experiments.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.270-288
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• 2021

We proposed a numerical method to simulate the hydro-mechanical behavior of rock fracture using a grain-based distinct element model (GBDEM) in the paper. As a part of DECOVALEX-2023 Task G, we verified the method via benchmarks with analytical solutions. DECOVALEX-2023 Task G aims to develop a numerical method to estimate the coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical processes within the crystalline rock fracture network. We represented the rock sample as a group of tetrahedral grains and calculated the interaction of the grains and their interfaces using 3DEC. The micro-parameters of the grains and interfaces were determined by a new methodology based on an equivalent continuum approach. In benchmark modeling, a single fracture embedded in the rock was examined for the effects of fracture inclination and roughness, the boundary stress condition and the applied pressure. The simulation results showed that the developed numerical model reasonably reproduced the fracture slip induced by boundary stress condition, the fracture opening induced by fluid injection, the stress distribution variation with fracture inclination, and the fracture roughness effect. In addition, the fracture displacements associated with the opening and slip showed good agreement with the analytical solutions. We expect the numerical model to be enhanced by continuing collaboration and interaction with other research teams of DECOVALEX-2023 Task G and validated in further study experiments.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.568-585
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• 2022

In the present study, we proposed a numerical method for simulating thermally induced fracture slip using a grain-based distinct element model (GBDEM). As a part of DECOVALEX-2023, the thermo-mechanical loading test on a saw-cut rock fracture conducted at the Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology was simulated. In the numerical model, the rock sample including a saw-cut fracture was represented as a group of random Voronoi polyhedra. Then, the coupled thermo-mechanical behavior of grains and their interfaces was calculated using 3DEC. The key concerns focused on the temperature evolution, thermally induced principal stress increment, and fracture normal and shear displacements under thermo-mechanical loading. The comparisons between laboratory experimental results and the numerical results revealed that the numerical model reasonably captured the heat transfer and heat loss characteristics of the rock specimen, the horizontal stress increment due to constrained displacement, and the progressive shear failure of the fracture. However, the onset of the fracture slip and the magnitudes of stress increment and fracture displacement showed discrepancies between the numerical and experimental results. We expect the numerical model to be enhanced by continuing collaboration and interaction with other research teams of DECOVALEX-2023 Task G and validated in further study.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.243-254
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• 2014

The present study introduces a numerical technique to simulate the mechanical behavior of brittle rock, based on a grain-based model combined with Universal Distinct Element Code (GBM-UDEC). Using the technique, the microstructure of rock sample was represented as an assembly of deformable polygonal grains, and the failure process with the evolution of micro tensile cracks under compression was examined. In terms of the characteristics of strength and deformation, the behaviors of the simulated model showed good agreement with the observations in the laboratory-scale experiments of rock.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.33 no.7
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• pp.43-53
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• 2017

Road subsidence, frequently occurring in urban areas, is caused by collapsing of surface layer due to underground cavities followed by a loss of soils. To better understand this phenomenon, the mechanism of cavity formation should be identified firstly. Two kinds of possible subsidence mechanisms were established through previous case studies and the numerical analyses based on Distinct Element Method were conducted for each of these mechanisms. It was confirmed that particle loss and surface settlement can develop differently depending on slit size, void ratio, and particle shape among the various factors influencing the road subsidence. The result demonstrated that the effects of varying cavity diameter and depth could be quantified as a damage chart.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.47-57
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• 2010

Granular soils having a large particle size have been used as a filling material in the construction of foundation, harbor, dam, and so on. Consequently, the shear behavior of this granular soil plays a key role in respect of stability of structures. For example, soil particle crushing occurring at the interface between structure and soil and/or within soil mass can cause a disturbance of ground characteristics and consequently induce issues in respect of stability of structures. In order to investigate the shear behavior according to an existence and nonexistence of particle crushing, numerical analyses were conducted by using the DEM (Discrete Element Method)-based software program PFC2D (Particle Flow Code). By dividing soil particle bonding model into crushing model and noncrushing model, total four particle bonding models were simulated and their results were compared. Noncrushing model included one ball model and clump model, and crushing model included cluster model and Lobo-crushing model. The combinations of soil particle followed the research results of Lobo-Guerrero and Vallejo (2005) which were composed of eight circles. The results showed that the friction angle was in order of clump model > cluster model > one ball model. The particle bonding model compared to one ball model and noncrushing model compared to crushing model showed higher shear strength. It was also concluded that the model suggested by Lobo-Guerrero and Vallejo (2005) is not appropriate to simulate the soil particle crushing.

• Explosives and Blasting
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.65-77
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• 2005

Reflecting the fact that there are increasing number of old high-story apartment structures in urban area, it is expected that the demand of blasting demolition will increase in the near future. It is of great important to make up for the insufficient empirical knowledge in blasting demolition through priori method such as computer simulation. Computer simulation of the blasting demolition involves complicated process. In the past domestic researches, two-dimensional bonded particle model was used to examine the overall demolition behavior of a five-story simple structure. It was observed that the two-dimensional simulation did not properly simulate the collapsing behavior of a structure mainly due to the reduced degree of freedom. In this study, three-dimensional simulation was tried. It consumed a great amount of calculation time, which limited the extent of the study. A few parameters, such as delay times, amount of charge at each hole, ball properties, were modified in order to check oui; their effect on the collapsing behavior. The differences were observed as expected but the collapsing behavior did not exactly coincide with the test blasting with a scaled model.