• Tunnel and Underground Space
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.109-119
• /
• 2001

Up to now single large cavern was excavated for each undergroud hydraulic powerhouse in Korea. But the Yangyang underground hydraulic powerhouse consists of two large caverns; a powerhouse cavern and main transformer cavern. In this carte, the structural stability of the caverns, especially the rock pillar formed between two large caverns, should be guaranteed to be sound to make the caverns permanently sustainable. In this research, the Distinct Element Method(DEM) was used to analyze the structural stability of two caverns and the rock pillar. The Barton-Bandis joint model was used as a constitutive model. The moot significant parameters such as in-site stress, JRC of in-situ natural joints, and spatial distribution characteristics of discontinuities were acquired through field investigation. In addition, two different cases; 1) with no support system and 2) with a support system, were analysed to optimize a support system and to investigate reinforcing effects of a support system. The results of analysis horizontal displacement and joint shear displacement proved to be reduced with the support system. The relaxed zone in the rock pilar also proved to be reduced in conjunction with the support system. Having a support system in place provided the fact that the non zero minimum principal stresses were still acting in the rock pillar so that the pillar was not under uniaxial compressive condition but under triaxial compressive condition. The structural stability f an approximately 36 m wide rock pillar between two large caverns was assured with the appropriate support system.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.138-144
• /
• 2011

Mine closure does often accompany the flooding of mine galleries due to ceasing a pumping operation. When a mine gallery is flooded, rocks around the gallery are fully saturated and the gallery is subject to a water pressure. The uniaxial unconfined compressive strength of a rock depends on its water content and decreases as the water content increases. A water pressure may originate the crack growth of a rock or the discontinuity growth of rock mass. Although the water in a gallery will give some support pressure inside the gallery, the degradation of rock mass properties caused by a water pressure will reduce the stability of the gallery. In this study, 2-dimensional discontinuous and 3-dimensional continuous numerical analyses have been conducted to evaluate an effect that a reduction of rock mass properties around the gallery induced by a water pressure has on the stability of mine gallery. The numerical analyses show that a reduction of rock mass properties caused by a water pressure increases displacements of rock mass around mine gallery. 2-dimensional model is found to give larger values of displacement than 3-dimensional model.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
• /
• v.32 no.5C
• /
• pp.231-238
• /
• 2012

The rockbolt functions as a main support, which restricts enlargement of the plasticity area and increases stability in the original ground around tunnels, and prevents a second deformation of an excavated surface by supplementing vulnerability arising from opening of the excavated surface. System bolting is generally applied if ground conditions are bad. System bolting is generally installed perpendicular to the excavation direction in every span. If a place is narrow, or it is difficult to insert bolts due to construction conditions, it may be connected and used with short bolts, or installed obliquely. In this study, laboratory model tests were performed to analyze the effect of the ground being reinforced by inclined bolts, based on a bending theory that assumes that the reinforced ground is a simple beam. In all test cases, deflections and vertical earth pressures induced by overburden soil pressure were measured. Total of 99 model tests were carried out, by changing the installation angle of bolts, lateral and longitudinal distance of bolts, and soil height. The model test results indicated that when the installation angle of bolts was less than $75^{\circ}$, deflections of model beams tended to increase rapidly. Also, the relaxed load that was calculated by earth pressure was rapidly increased when the installation angle of bolts was less than $75^{\circ}$. However, the optimum installation angle of inclined bolts was judged to be in the range of $90^{\circ}{\sim}75^{\circ}$. Also, as might be expected, the reinforcement effect of bolts was increased when the longitudinal and lateral distance of bolts was decreased.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
• /
• v.32 no.6
• /
• pp.518-529
• /
• 2022

In Task C of the DECOVALEX-2023 project, nine institutes from six nations are developing their numerical codes to simulate thermo-hydro-mechanical coupled behavior for the FE experiment performed at Mont Terri underground rock laboratory, Switzerland. Currently, Step 1 for comparing the simulation results to field data is the ongoing stage, and we used the OGS-FLAC simulator for a series of numerical simulations. As a result, temperature increase depending on the heating hysteresis was well simulated, and saturation variation in the bentonite depending on phase change was observed. However, due to the suction overestimation, relative humidity and temperature change in the bentonite and the pressure variation in the Opalinus clay showed a difference compared to the field data. From the observation, it is confirmed that the effect of the bentonite capillary pressure is dominant to the flow analysis in the disposal system. We further plan to draw improved results considering tunnel support material and accurate initial water pressure distribution. Additionally, the thermal, hydrological, and mechanical anisotropy of the Opalinus clay was well simulated. From the simulation results, we confirmed the applicability of the OGS-FLAC simulator in the disposal system analysis.