• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.363-373
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• 2018

The evaluation of Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical (THM) coupling behavior is important for the development of underground space for various purposes. For a high-level radioactive waste repository excavated in a deep underground rock mass, the accurate prediction of the complex THM behavior is essential for the long-term safety and stability assessment. In order to develop reliable THM analysis techniques effectively, an international cooperation project, Development of Coupled models and their Validation against Experiments (DECOVALEX), was carried out. In DECOVALEX-2015 Task B2, the in situ THM experiment that was conducted at Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory(URL) by Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), was modeled by the research teams from the participating countries. In this study, a THM coupling technique that combined TOUGH2 and FLAC3D was developed and applied to the THM analysis for the in situ experiment, in which rock, buffer, backfill, sand, and heater were installed. With the assistance of an artificial neural network, the boundary conditions for the experiment could be adequately implemented in the modeling. The thermal, hydraulic, and mechanical results from the modeling were compared with the measurements from the in situ THM experiment. The predicted buffer temperature from the THM modelling was about $10^{\circ}C$ higher than measurement near by the overpack. At the other locations far from the overpack, modelling predicted slightly lower temperature than measurement. Even though the magnitude of pressure from the modeling was different from the measurements, the general trends of the variation with time were found to be similar.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.468-479
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• 2019

It is essential to comprehend coupled hydro-mechanical behavior to utilize subsurface for the recent demand for underground space usage. In this study, we developed a new simulator for numerical simulation as a tool for researching to consider the various domestic field and subsurface conditions. To develop the new module, we combined OpenGeoSys, one of the scientific software package that handles fluid mechanics (H), thermodynamics (T), and rock and soil mechanics (M) in the subsurface with FLAC3D, one of the commercial software for geotechnical engineering problems reinforced. In this simulator development, we design OpenGeoSys as a master and FLAC3D as a slave via a file-based sequential coupling. We have chosen Terzaghi's consolidation problem related to single-phase fluid flow at a saturated condition as a benchmark model to verify the proposed module. The comparative results between the analytical solution and numerical analysis showed a good agreement.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.29 no.8
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• pp.65-73
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• 2013

Ground-coupled heat pump system has attracted attention as a promising renewable energy technology due to its improving energy efficiency and eco-friendly mechanism for space cooling and heating. Pipes buried in the ground play a role of direct thermal interaction between circulating fluid inside the pipe and surrounding soils in the geothermal exchange system. However, both complexities of turbulent flow coupling thermal-hydraulic phenomena and very long aspect ratio of the pipe make it difficult to model the heat exchange system directly. Energy balance for fluid flow inside the pipe was derived to model thermal-hydraulic phenomena, and one-dimensional pipe element was proposed through Galerkin formation and time integration of the equation. Developed element is combined to pre-developed FEM code for THM phenomena in porous media. Numerical results of Thermal Response Test showed that line-source model overestimates equivalent thermal conductivity of surrounding soils due to thermal interaction between adjacent pipes and finite length of the pipe. Thus, inverse analysis for the TRT simulation was conducted to present optimal transformation matrix with utmost convergence.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.17 no.1 s.66
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• pp.32-42
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• 2007

Severe damage can occur around deposition holes due to complex interaction of thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) loading during the long term operation of high level radioactive waste repository. Many candidate sites for repository are located in crystalline rock mass, therefore mechanism of damage follows the form of brittle fracture and failure. This paper briefly introduces major outcomes from 15 years international collaborative project, DECOVALEX, and presents major study results for current ongoing benchmark test study from DECOVALEX-THMC, to evaluate the effect of THM loading to rock mass in excavation damaged zone (EDZ) near deposition holes. Through benchmark test model by simplifying THM loading to boundary loading obtained numerical results are compared, and discrete fracture interaction after up to 1 million years operation is discussed.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.161-176
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• 1999

A powerful numerical method that can be used for modeling rock-structure interaction is the Discontinuous Deformation Analysis (D D A) method developed by Shi in 1988. In this method, rock masses are treated as systems of finite and deformable blocks. Large rock mass deformations and block movements are allowed. Although various extensions of the D D A method have been proposed in the literature, the method is not capable of modeling water-block interaction, sequential loading or unloading and rock reinforcement; three features that are needed when modeling surface or underground excavation in fractured rock. This paper presents three new extensions to the D D A method. The extensions consist of hydro-mechanical coupling between rock blocks and steady water flow in fractures, sequential loading or unloading, and rock reinforcement by rockbolts, shotcrete or concrete lining. Examples of application of the D D A method with the new extensions are presented. Simulations of the underground excavation of the \ulcornerUnju Tunnel\ulcorner in Korea were carried out to evaluate the influence of fracture flow, excavation sequence and reinforcement on the tunnel stability. The results of the present study indicate that fracture flow and improper selection of excavation sequence could have a destabilizing effect on the tunnel stability. On the other hand, reinforcement by rockbolts and shotcrete can stabilize the tunnel. It is found that, in general, the D D A program with the three new extensions can now be used as a practical tool in the design of underground structures. In particular, phases of construction (excavation, reinforcement) can now be simulated more realistically.

• Explosives and Blasting
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.38-61
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• 2023

An Excavation Damaged Zone(EDZ) caused by blasting impact changes rock properties, in situ stress distribution, etc., and its effects are noticeable at around a radioactive waste repository located at deep underground. In particular, the increase in permeability due to the formation of cracks may significantly increase the amount of groundwater inflow and the possibility of radioactive nuclide outflow. In this study, FLAC2D and FLAC3D were used to analyze the mechanical and thermal behaviors for three categories: a)No EDZ, b)Uniform EDZ, and c)Random EDZ. It was found that the tunnel displacement in the Random EDZ case was 423% higher than that in the No EDZ case and was 16% higher than that in the Uniform EDZ case. Tunnel inflow in the Random EDZ was also 17.3% and 10.8% higher than that in the No EDZ and the Uniform EDZ case, respectively. The permeability around the tunnel was increased by up to 10 times in the corner of the tunnel wall and roof due to the stress redistribution after excavation. From the computer simulation, it was found that the permeability around the tunnel wall was partially increased but the overall tunnel inflow was decreased with increase of stress ratio. Mechanical analysis using FLAC 3D showed similar results. Slight difference between 2D and 3D could be explained with the development of plastic zone during the advance of tunnel excavation in 3D.

• 한국지구물리탐사학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.272-280
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• 2003

A definite shut-in pressure in hydraulic fracturing techniques is needed for obtaining the correct information on the in-situ stress regimes in rock masses. The relation between the behaviour of hydraulically induced fractures and the condition of remote stress is considered to be major reasons of an ambiguous shut-in pressure in hydraulic fracturing pressure-time history curves. This paper describes the results of a series of numerical analyses carried out using UDEC(Universal Distinct Element Code, Itasca), which is based on the discrete element method, to compare several methods for determining the shut-in pressure during hydraulic fracturing. The fully coupling of hydraulic and mechanical analysis was applied, and the effects of four different discontinuity geometries in numerical modelling have been investigated for this purpose. The effects of different remote stress regimes and different physical properties on hydraulic fracture propagation have been also analyzed. Several methods for obtaining shut-in pressure from the ambiguous shut-in curves have been applied to all the numerical models. The graphical intersection methods, such as (P vs. t) method, (P vs. log(t)) method, (log(P) vs. log(t)) method, give smaller values of the shut-in pressure than the statistical method, (dP/dt vs. P). Care should be taken in selecting a method for shut-in pressure, because there can be existed a stress anomaly around the wellbore and fracturing from the wellbore by a constant flow rate may have a more complicate mechanism.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.197-213
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• 2019

We simulated the fault reactivation experiment conducted at 'Main Fault' intersecting the low permeability clay formations of Mont Terri Underground Research Laboratory in Switzerland using TOUGH-FLAC simulator. The fluid flow along a fault was modelled with solid elements and governed by Darcy's law with the cubic law in TOUGH2, whereas the mechanical behavior of a single fault was represented by creating interface elements between two separating rock blocks in FLAC3D. We formulate the hydro-mechanical coupling relation of hydraulic aperture to consider the elastic fracture opening and failure-induced dilation for reproducing the abrupt changes in injection flow rate and monitoring pressure at fracture opening pressure. A parametric study was conducted to examine the effects of in-situ stress condition and fault deformation and strength parameters and to find the optimal parameter set to reproduce the field observations. In the best matching simulation, the fracture opening pressure and variations of injection flow rate and monitoring pressure showed good agreement with field experiment results, which suggests the capability of the numerical model to reasonably capture the fracture opening and propagation process. The model overestimated the fault displacement in shear direction and the range of reactivated zone, which was attributed to the progressive shear failures along the fault at high injection pressure. In the field experiment results, however, fracture tensile opening seems the dominant mechanism affecting the hydraulic aperture increase.

• 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.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.517-523
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• 2008

A RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp) conjugated chitosan hydrogel was used as a cell-supporting scaffold for articular cartilage regeneration. Thermosensitive chitosan-Pluronic (CP) has potential biomedical applications on account of its biocompatibility and injectability. A RGD-conjugated CP (RGD-CP) copolymer was prepared by coupling the carboxyl group in the peptide with the residual amine group in the CP copolymer. The chemical structure of RGD-CP was characterized by $^1H$ NMR and FT IR. The concentration of conjugated RGD was quantified by amino acid analysis (AAA) and rheology of the RGD-CP hydrogel was investigated. The amount of bound RGD was $0.135{\mu}g$ per 1 mg of CP copolymer. The viscoelastic parameters of RGD-CP hydrogel showed thermo-sensitivity and suitable mechanical strength at body temperature for cell scaffolds (a> 100 kPa storage modulus). The viability of the bovine chondrocyte and the amount of synthesized glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) on the RGD-CP hydrogels were evaluated together with the alginate hydrogels as a control over a 14 day period. Both results showed that the RGD-CP hydrogel was superior to the alginate hydrogel. These results show that conjugating RGD to CP hydro gels improves cell viability and proliferation, including extra cellular matrix (ECM) expression. Therefore, RGD conjugated CP hydrogels are quite suitable for a chondrocyte culture and have potential applications to the tissue engineering of articular cartilage tissue.