• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.501-518
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• 2019

The rock properties measured under in-situ geological condition can be used to increase the reliability in numerical simulations with regard to the long-term performance of a high-level waste repository. In this study, the change in mechanical properties of KURT (Korea atomic energy research institute Underground Research Tunnel) granite was evaluated under the simulated THM (Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical) coupled condition due to a deep geological formation in the disposal repository. The rock properties such as uniaxial compression strength, indirect tensile strength, elastic modulus and Poisson's ratio were measured under the coupled test conditions (M, HM, TM, THM). It was found that the mechanical properties of KURT granite is more susceptible to the change in saturation rather than temperature within the test condition of this study. The changes in uniaxial compression strength and indirect tensile strength from the rock samples of dried or saturated conditions showed the maximum relative error of about 20% and 13% respectively under the constant temperature condition. Therefore, it is necessary to use the material properties of rock measured under the coupled THM condition as input parameters for the numerical simulation of long-term performance assessment of a disposal repository

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.1-7
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• 2007

The property of weathered soil cannot but have a possibility of having a limit when its precise approaching due to the various weathering environment, and the peculiarity of its conduct affected by the weathering degree and effect factors. Especially most domestic or international researches are concentrated on the sedimentary soil, trying to analyze the mechanical behavior of weathered soil from the viewpoint of sedimentary soil. Therefore, it's difficult to judge if those results meet the actual conduct of weathered soil. This study suggested a way of weathering degree changing experiment as an early stage in an experiment of artificially changing weathering degree. In order to find out the property of strength change by the change of weathering degree, indoor mechanical experiment was made using soil sample after freezing and thawing. Under the weathering degree, characteristic change is watched by country rock and region of weathered granite soil.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.241-251
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• 2010

The polar region is in the limelight for an academic worth as well as plenty of natural resources. The study on the polar region was reviewed for better understanding of the polar region and its rock properties. The antarctica has a windy and dry climate along with the lowest temperature on the earth. The thermal distribution according to depth in the area was reported: The freezing-thawing process was repeated in shallow depth, and the temperature falls down below zero under the specific depth. There is a great temperature difference between the atmosphere and rock. A research reported for the degree of weathering of the antarctic slope by using Schmidt hammer and Taffoni test. The rock specimens weathered by repeated freezing-thawing process were tested of the shore hardness and uniaxial compressive strength: The rock strength gradually decreased as the freezing-thawing process was repeated. The comprehensive mechanical properties of the polar region rocks and the relationship between the laboratory weathering test result and the real rock property change in the site remain as future research topics.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.117-127
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• 2011

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the effect of in-situ rock stresses on the deformability and permeability of fractured rocks. Geological data were taken from the site investigation at Forsmark, Sweden, conducted by Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Man-agement Company (SKB). A set of numerical experiments was conducted to determine the equivalent mechanical properties (essentially, elastic moduli and Poisson's ratio) and permeability, using a Discrete Fracture Network-Discrete Element Method (DFN-DEM) approach. The results show that both mechanical properties and permeability are highly dependent on stress because of the hyperbolic nature of the stiffness of fractures, different closure behavior of fractures, and change of fluid pathways caused by deformation. This study shows that proper characterization and consideration of in-situ stress are important not only for boundary conditions of a selected site but also for the understanding of the mechanical and hydraulic behavior of fractured rocks.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.287-303
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• 2009

Rock mass in Baekrokdam at the summit of Hallasan in Jeju island is composed of two volcanic rock types: Baekrokdam trachybasalt at the eastern region and Hallasan trachyte at the western region. On-going rockfall and subsequent collapse of Baekrokdam wall rock are closely linked to the weathering of trachyte distributed in the western region of Baekrokdam. Samples of Hallasan trachyte showing different weathering grades had been collected and the polarizing microscopic observation, X-ray diffraction analysis and analysis for chemical weathering had been conducted. Formation of secondary minerals, especially clay minerals, by chemical weathering has not been identified, but the change of chemical weathering indices indicated that chemical weathering process had been proceeded to the degree for increasing and decreasing the contents of some chemical components. Changes in physical and mechanical rock properties due to weathering has also been examined. Artificial weathering test of freezing-thawing reveals that the process of crack initiation and propagation deteriorated the mechanical characteristics of Hallasan trachyte and $D_B$ = 1.5 or porosity = $20{\sim}21%$ would be the ultimate limiting value induced by the mechanical weathering processes.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.203-208
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• 1999

The main objective of this study is to suggest a new assessment method of the influence of weathering due to salt crystallization on the engineering property of rock. For this purpose, various sources of salt and salt crystallization were investigated, and artificially accelerated weathering tests were carried out. In natural envionment, weathering rate is very slow and weathering process involves complex mechanisms. Therefore artificial weathering test is essential for systematic analysis. Arificial weathering test is defined as test which controls weathering rate and agents by controlling arificial environmental condition. In this study, salt crystallization test was selected among various artificial weathering test methods, for its important role in weathering. Change of various stone properties were detexted. The change of physical properties by salt crystallization were observed as follows : 72% in Brazilian tensile strength and 72% in Slake durability. These results explain the importance of salt crystallization in the mechanical behaviour and properties of stone.

• Journal of Adhesion and Interface
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.69-75
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• 2015

Stone board for the rock bed was needed to reduce weight using thin thickness and reinforced materials. In this work, stone/wood board for rock bed was studied. Stone and wood were attached to reduce total weight of stone for rock bed. For reinforcing wood heat treatment method was used to change surface and mechanical properties. Mechanical strength of heat treated wood increased more than neat condition. The optimum heat treatment condition was set on $100^{\circ}C$ under tensile, flexural loads whereas surface energy was also obtained by contact angle measurement. Optimum adhesive condition was to get the maximum adhesion between stone and wood. Lap shear test was performed for stone/wood board with different adhesives such as amine type epoxy, polyurethane, chloro-rubber and vinyl chloride acetate type. Fracture surface of lap shear test was shown at wood fracture part on stone using amine type epoxy adhesive. It was found that for high adhesion between stone and wood the optimum adhesive was epoxy type for the rock bed.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.266-275
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• 2012

In this study, a method is devised to implement a supercritical $CO_2$ ($scCO_2$) injection environment on a laboratory scale and to investigate the effects of $scCO_2$ on the properties of rock specimens. Specimens of shale and sandstone normally constituting the cap rock and reservoir rock, respectively, were kept in a laboratory reactor chamber with $scCO_2$ for two weeks. From this stage, a chemical reaction between rock surface and the $scCO_2$ was induced. The effect of saline water was also investigated by comparing three conditions ($scCO_2$-rock, $scCO_2-H_2O$-rock and $scCO_2$-brine(1M)-rock). Finally, we checked the changes in the properties before and after the reaction by destructive and nondestructive testing procedures. The swelling of shale was a main concern in this case. The experimental results suggested that $scCO_2$ has a greater effect on the swelling of the shale than pure water and brine. It was also observed that the largest swelling displacement of shale occurred after a reaction with the $H_2O-scCO_2$ solution. The results of a series of the destructive and nondestructive tests indicate that although each of the property changes of the rock differed depending on the reaction conditions, the $H_2O-scCO_2$ solution had the greatest effect. In this study, shale was highly sensitive to the reaction conditions. These results provide fundamental information pertaining to the stability of $CO_2$ storage sites due to physical and chemical reactions between the rocks in these sites and $scCO_2$.

• Explosives and Blasting
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.11-19
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• 2008

The development of an excavation damaged zone, EDZ, due to the blasting impact and stress redistribution after excavation, can influence on the long tenn stability, economy, and safety of the underground excavation. In this study, the size and characteristics of an EDZ around an underground research tunnel, which was excavated by controlled blasting, in KAERI were investigated. The results were implemented into the modelling for evaluating the influence of an EDZ on hydro-mechanical behavior of the tunnel. From in situ tests at KURT, it was possible to determine that the size of EDZ was about l.5rn. Goodman jack tests and laboratory tests showed that the rock properties in the EDZ were changed about 50% compared to the rock properties before blasting. The size and property change in the EDZ were implemented to a hydro-mechanical coupling analysis. In the modeling, rock strengths and elastic modulus were assumed to be decreased 50% and. the hydraulic conductivity was increased 1 order. From the analysis, it was possible to see that the displacement was increased while the stress was decreased because of an EDZ. When an EDZ was considered in the model, the tunnel inflow was increased about 20% compared to the case without an EDZ.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.17-24
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• 2018

A buffer in a geological disposal system minimizes groundwater inflow from the surrounding rock and protects the disposed high-level waste (HLW) against any mechanical impact. As decay heat of a spent fuel causes temperature variation in the buffer that affects the mechanical performance of the system, an accurate estimation of the temperature variation is substantial. The temperature variation is affected by thermal and material properties of the system such as thermal conductivity, density and specific heat capacity of the buffer, and thus these factors should be properly included in the design of the system. In particular, as the thermal properties are variable depending on the density and water content of the buffer, consideration of the effects should be included in the analysis. Hence, in this study, a numerical model based on finite element method (FEM) which is able to consider the change of density and water content of the buffer was established. In addition, using the numerical model, a parametric study was conducted to investigate the effect of each thermal property on the temperature variation of the buffer.