• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.294-303
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• 2003

The structural behaviour of rock mass structure, such as tunnel or slope is critically dependent on the various characteristics of discontinuities. Therefore, it is important to survey and analyze discontinuities correctly for the design and construction of rock mass structure. One inevitable Procedure of discontinuity survey and analysis is joint set identification from a lot of raw directional joint data. The identification procedure is generally done by a graphical method. This type of analysis has some shortcomings such as subjective identification results, inability to use extra information on discontinuity, and so on. In this study, a computer program for joint set identification based on the fuzzy clustering algorithm was implemented and tested using two kinds of joint data. It was confirmed that fuzzy clustering method is effective and valid for joint set identification and estimation of mean direction and degree of clustering of huge joint data through the applications.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.392-400
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• 2013

Joint sets should be considered as an influence factor, when location of subsidence zone by stopes is predicted. And the mechanical properties and distribution patterns of joint set above stopes may be affecting subsidence occurrence. In this study, therefore, the orientation of joint sets is reanalyzed with the data from the previous research on prediction of defining the subsidence zone. From a correlated analysis, the influence of major joint set($J_1$) on subsidence location was analyzed by comparing the angle of assumption with the angle of major joint set($J_1$).

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.31 no.12
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• pp.59-69
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• 2015

This study examined the magnitude and distribution of earth pressure on the support system in a jointed rock mass due to the different joint sets as well as varying the rock type and joint condition (joint shear strength and joint inclination angle). Based on a physical model test and its numerical simulation, a series of numerical parametric analyses were conducted using a discrete element method. The results showed that the induced earth pressure was affected significantly by a joint set depending on the inclusion of the joint inclination angle, which induces a joint sliding condition, but the number of joint sets alone was not important, even though the earth pressure could be increased slightly as the number of joint sets is increased. In addition, the study results were compared with Peck's earth pressure for soil ground, which indicated that the earth pressure in a jointed rock mass could be considerably different from that in soil ground. The study suggests that the effects of joint sets as well as rock type and joint condition are important factors affecting the earth pressure in a jointed rock mass and they should be considered when designing a support system in a jointed rock mass.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.61-71
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• 2017

The effects of joint density and size distribution on the hydrogeologic characteristics of jointed rock masses are addressed through numerical experiments based on the 2-D DFN (discrete fracture network) fluid flow analysis. Using two joint sets, a total of 51 2-D joint network system were generated with various joint density and size distribution. Twelve fluid flow directions were chosen every $30^{\circ}$ starting at $0^{\circ}$, and total of 612 $20m{\times}20m$ DFN blocks were prepared to calculate the directional block conductivity. Also, the theoretical block conductivity, principal conductivity tensor and average block conductivity for each generated joint network system were determined. The directional block conductivity and chance for the equivalent continuum behavior of the 2-D DFN system were found to increase with the increase of joint density or size distribution. However, the anisotropy of block hydraulic conductivity increases with the increase of density discrepancy between the joint sets, and the chance for the equivalent continuum behavior were found to decrease. The smaller the intersection angle of the two joint sets, the more the equivalent continuum behavior were affected by the change of joint density and size distribution. Even though the intersection angle is small enough that it is difficult to have equivalent continuum behavior, the chance for anisotropic equivalent continuum behavior increases as joint density or size distribution increases.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.16 no.4 s.50
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• pp.337-349
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• 2006

Seven hundred and fifty one fractures of the rhyolitic tuffaceous rock masses were mapped using 6 scanlines placed on rock slope exposures that were within 8.02 km of Busan-Ulsan highway. These data were analyzed to find the number of fracture sets that exist in the rock slopes and the probability distributions of orientation, spacing, trace length and fracture size in 3-D for each of the fracture sets. All the fracture set orientation distributions exhibit high variability. The Fisher distributions were found to be unsuitable to represent the statistical distribution of orientation for most of the fracture sets. The probability distributions, gamma, exponential and lognormal were found to be highly suitable to represent the distribution of spacing and semi-trace length of fracture sets. In obtain-ing these distributions, corrections were applied for sampling biases associated with spacing and trace length. The generated fracture system in 3-D was used to make predictions of fracture traces for each fracture set on 2-D win-dows. Developed stochastic 3-D fracture network for the rock mass was validated by comparing statistical proper-ties of the observed fracture traces on scanlines with the predicted fracture traces on the scanlines. This exercise fumed out to be successful.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.3-12
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• 2001

This paper presents the proposed methods of DE (distinct element) modelling to estimate the stability of tunnels in jointed rock masses. First, the criterion to select the joint set(s) contributed to the discontinuous behaviour in a tunnel section is proposed. Selected joint set(s) is(are) considered to form the edges of distinct elements (rock blocks) and the others to modify the elastic properties of rock blocks. The complex DE model with the average and the deviation of joint orientation and joint length for each joint set was compared to the simple model with only the average of joint orientation and the assumption that joint length is infinite. As a result, the latter is suitable to the purpose of tunnel design because it can show the consistent behaviour of a jointed rock mass such as the locally discontinuous failure and the global anisotropic behaviour.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.342-350
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• 1998

In this study, fracture network in rock mass was interpreted using borehole wall images obtained by televiewer. The orientation and JRC value of major joint set were evaluated adopting image analysis techniques, of which process were written in macro-program code. As linking JRC to joint stiffness using Barton-Bandis model, fracture network map was produced for application to jointed rock modelling in numerical analysis of underground structure.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.573-586
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• 2023

Joints or weak planes can induce anisotropy in the strength and deformability of fractured rock masses. Comprehending this anisotropic behavior is crucial to engineering geology. This study used plaster as a friction material to mold specimens with a single joint. The strength and deformability of the specimens were measured in true triaxial compression tests. The measured results were compared with three-dimensional numerical analysis based on the distinct element method, conducted under identical conditions, to assess the reliability of the modeled values. The numerical results highlight that the principal stress conditions in the field, in conjunction with joint orientations, are crucial factors to the study of the strength and deformability of fractured rock masses. The strength of a transversely isotropic rock mass derived numerically considering changes in the dip angle of the joint notably increases as the intermediate principal stress increases. This increment varies depending on the dip of the joint. Moreover, the interplay between the dip direction of the joint and the two horizontal principal stress directions dictates the strength of the transversely isotropic rock mass. For a rock mass with two joint sets, the set with the steeper dip angle governs the overall strength. If a rock bridge effect occurs owing to the limited continuity of one of the joint sets, the orientation of the set with longer continuity dominates the strength of the entire rock mass. Although conventional three-dimensional failure criteria for fractured rock masses have limited applicability in the field, supplementing them with numerical analysis proves highly beneficial.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.343-357
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• 2018

Algorithm which can analyze the slope failure behavior utilizing the comprehensive information of the dense point of joint poles and the joint set orientations, both of which are obtained statistically, and the defect pattern of pole distribution has been developed. This method overcomes the potential incorrectness of the hemispheric projection method utilizing the joint set orientations only and also enhances the reliability of slope failure analysis. To this end a method capable of calculating the joint dispersion index directly from the joint pole distribution, instead of contour map, has been devised. The representative orientations for the slope failure analysis has been determined by considering the number and orientations of cone angle-dependent joint sets as well as the joint dispersion index. By engaging these representative orientations to the hemispheric projection analysis more reliable slope failure examination has been carried out. Sensitivity analysis for the potentially unstable slope of plane failure mode has been performed. Significance of joint strength index and the external seismic loading on the slope stability has been fully analyzed.

• 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.