• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.17 no.2 s.67
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• pp.109-118
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• 2007

The excavation damaged zone (EDZ) is an area around an excavation where in situ rock mass properties, stress condition. displacement. groundwater flow conditions have been altered due to the excavation. Various studies have been carried out on EDZ, but most studies have been focused on the mechanical bahavior of EDZ by in situ experiment. Even though the EDZ could potentially form a high permeable pathway of groundwater flow, only a few studies were performed on the analysis of groundwater flow in EDZ. In this study, the' hydraulic EDZ' was defined as the rock Lone adjacent to the excavation where the hydraulic aperture has been changed due to the excavation. And hydraulic EDZ (hydraulic aperture changed zone) estimated by two-dimensional DEM program was considered in three-dimensional DFN model. From this approach the groundwater flow characteristics corresponding to hydraulic aperture change were examined. Together. a parametric study was performed to examine the boundary conditions that frequently used in DFN analysis such as constant head or constant flux condition. According to the numerical analysis, hydraulic aperture change induced by the hydraulic-mechanical interaction becomes one of the most important factors Influencing the hydraulic behavior of jointed rock masses. And also from this study, we suggest the proper boundary condition in three-dimensional DFN model.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.30 no.6C
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• pp.255-263
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• 2010

This paper investigates the effects of tunnelling-induced ground movements on nearby structures, considering soil-structure interactions of different construction (ground loss) and soil characteristics. The response of four-story block structures, which are subjected to tunnelling-induced ground movements, has been investigated in different construction (ground loss) and soil conditions using numerical analysis. The structures for numerical analysis has been modelled using Discrete Element Method (DEM) to have real cracks when the shear and tensile stress exceed the maximum shear and tensile strength. The response of four-story block structures has been investigated with a ground movement magnitude and compared in terms of construction (ground loss) and soil conditions considering the magnitude of deformations and cracks in structures. In addition, the damage levels, which are possibly induced in structures, has been provided in terms of construction (ground loss) and soil conditions using the state of strain damage estimation criterion (Son and Cording, 2005). The results of this study will provide a background for better understandings for controlling and minimizing building damage on nearby structures due to tunnelling-induced ground movements.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.306-319
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• 2020

Characterizations of Excavation Damage Zone (EDZ), which is hydro-mechanical degrading the host rock, are the important issues on the geological repository for the spent nuclear fuel. In the DECOVALEX 2019 project, Task G aimed to model the fractured rock numerically, describe the hydro-mechanical behavior of EDZ, and predict the change of the hydraulic factor during the lifetime of the geological repository. Task G prepared two-dimensional fractured rock model to compare the characteristics of each simulation tools in Work Package 1, validated the extended three-dimensional model using the TAS04 in-situ interference tests from Äspö Hard Rock Laboratory in Work Package 2, and applied the thermal and glacial loads to monitor the long-term hydro-mechanical response on the fractured rock in Work Package 3. Each modelling team adopted both Finite Element Method (FEM) and Discrete Element Method (DEM) to simulate the hydro-mechanical behavior of the fracture rock, and added the various approaches to describe the EDZ and fracture geometry which are appropriate to each simulation method. Therefore, this research can introduce a variety of numerical approaches and considerations to model the geological repository for the spent nuclear fuel in the crystalline fractured rock.

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2009.06a
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• pp.187-187
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• 2009

Opening of fractures induced by shear dilation or normal deformation can be a significant source of fracture permeability change in fractured rock, which is important for the performance assessment of geological repositories for spent nuclear fuel. As the repository generates heat and later cools the fluid-carrying ability of the rocks becomes a dynamic variable during the lifespan of the repository. Heating causes expansion of the rock close to the repository and, at the same time, contraction close to the surface. During the cooling phase of the repository, the opposite takes place. Heating and cooling together with the, virgin stress can induce shear dilation of fractures and deformation zones and change the flow field around the repository. The objectives of this work are to examine the contribution of thermal stress to the shear slip of fracture in mid- and far-field around a KBS-3 type of repository and to investigate the effect of evolution of stress on the rock mass permeability. In the first part of this study, zones of fracture shear slip were examined by conducting a three-dimensional, thermo-mechanical analysis of a spent fuel repository model in the size of 2 km $\times$ 2 km $\times$ 800 m. Stress evolutions of importance for fracture shear slip are: (1) comparatively high horizontal compressive thermal stress at the repository level, (2) generation of vertical tensile thermal stress right above the repository, (3) horizontal tensile stress near the surface, which can induce tensile failure, and generation of shear stresses at the comers of the repository. In the second part of the study, fracture data from Forsmark, Sweden is used to establish fracture network models (DFN). Stress paths obtained from the thermo-mechanical analysis were used as boundary conditions in DFN-DEM (Discrete Element Method) analysis of six DFN models at the repository level. Increases of permeability up to a factor of four were observed during thermal loading history and shear dilation of fractures was not recovered after cooling of the repository. An understanding of the stress path and potential areas of slip induced shear dilation and related permeability changes during the lifetime of a repository for spent nuclear fuel is of utmost importance for analysing long-term safety. The result of this study will assist in identifying critical areas around a repository where fracture shear slip is likely to develop. The presentation also includes a brief introduction to the ongoing site investigation on two candidate sites for geological repository in Sweden.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.27 no.12
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• pp.17-25
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• 2011

A fabric of soil media may change due to certain factors such as dissolution of soluble particles, desiccation, and cementation. The fabric changes affect the mechanical behavior of soils. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of geo-material dissolution on shear strength. Experiments and numerical simulations are carried out by using a conventional direct shear and the discrete element method. The dissolution specimens are prepared with different volumetric salt fraction in sand soils. The dissolution of the specimens is implemented by saturating the salt-sand mixtures at different confining stresses in the experimental study or reducing the sizes of soluble particles in the numerical simulations. Experimental results show that the angle of shearing resistance decreases with the increase in the soluble particle content and the shearing behavior changes from dilative to contractive behavior. The numerical simulations exhibit that macro-behavior matches well with the experimental results. From the microscopic point of view, the particle dissolution produces a new fabric with the increase of local void, the reduction of contact number, the increase of shear contact forces, and the anisotropy of contact force chains compared with the initial fabric. The shearing behavior of the mixture after the particle dissolution is attributed to the above micro-behavior changes. This study demonstrates that the reduction of shearing resistance of geo-material dissolution should be considered during the design and construction of the foundation and earth-structures.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.689-698
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• 2019

In tunnel excavation by TBMs, a cutterhead, which practically excavates the ground, is an important part directly affecting net penetration rate. Most of the researches on the cutterhead design that have been carried out until now are on the cutter arrangement. It is difficult to find a study for the effect of the scraper installation direction on TBM excavation although same cutterheads except for direction of the scraper are used in Korea. Therefore, this paper shows how the direction of scraper installation affects shield-TBM excavation. Discrete element method was used to identify the effect of scraper installation direction on shield-TBM excavation. When the scraper installation direction was outward, the amount of particles per unit time flowed into the cutter head opening was smaller than when the scraper installation direction was inward, and more loads were applied to the cutterhead.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2021

In the design of a tunnel boring machine (TBM), the excavation efficiency of the equipment depends on the design of the cutter head, which is directly in contact with the ground. Especially, the allocation of disc cutter is crucial issue. Disc cutters can be divided into center cutter zone, inner cutter zone and transition cutter zone depending on where they are placed. Many studies have been conducted to identify optimal cutting conditions for face cutters. However, research to determine the optimal cutting conditions for the transition cutter has been relatively incomplete. In this study, to identify the optimal cutting conditions for the transition cutter, numerical analysis using discrete element method was performed, and the specific energy curve according to the angle between the transition cutters was drawn to find out the optimum cutting conditions. The results show that the angle between the transition cutters showing minimum specific energy in the transition cutter zone is 9°. Transition cutter zone was divided into three sections according to the slope angle of the transition cutter. It is also found that, the greater the slope angle of the transition cutter. This finding shows good agreement with the present design of transition cutter zone.