• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.91-104
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• 2014

An Excavation Damaged Zone (EDZ), in which rock properties are permanently changed due to blasting impact or stress redistribution, can influence the behavior and stability of structures. In this study, the mechanical stability of an underground opening was simulated by using FLAC, which is a two-dimensional modeling code, with a consideration of EDZ. A sensitivity analysis was also carried out with fractional factorial design. From the modeling, it was found that the behavior and the stability of an underground tunnel are strongly dependent on the existence of the EDZ. The sensitivity analysis showed that the key parameters affecting the factor of safety around the tunnel are in-situ stress ratio, depth, cohesion, reduction ratio, internal friction angle, and height and width of the tunnel. It is necessary to consider the EDZ, which can significantly affect mechanical stability in tunnel design.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.357-368
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• 2015

Brittle failure of Mesozoic granite in the Daejeon region is predicted using empirical analysis and numerical modeling techniques. The input parameters selected for these techniques were based on the results of laboratory tests, including damage-controlled tests. Rock masses that were considered to be strong during laboratory testing were assigned to "group A" and those considered to be extremely strong were assigned to "group B". The properties of each group were then used in the analyses. In-situ stress measurements, or the ratio of horizontal to vertical stress (k), were also necessary for the analyses, but no such measurements have been made in the study area. Therefore, k values of 1, 2, and 3 were assumed. In the case of k=1, empirical analysis and numerical modeling show no indication of brittle failure from the surface to1000 m depth. When k=2, brittle failure of the rock mass occurs at depths below 800 m. For k=3, brittle failure occurs at depths below 600 m. Although both the Cohesion Weakening Friction Strengthening (CWFS) and Mohr-Coulomb models were used to predict brittle failure, only the CWFS model performed well in simulating the range and depth of the brittle failure zone.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.16 no.2 s.61
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• pp.179-188
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• 2006

The vibration or/and noise generated by blast operations might cause not only structural damage to properties but mentally also to humans and animals. For that reason, maximum permitted vibration and noise levels are set by sensitivities of structures and they are used for the management of blast vibration. It is known that the fish lived in water are more sensitive to vibration than land animals, and thus the adverse impact of the blasting on fish farms should be very concerned. This study investigated the vibration and noise levels at a large eel farm located some 840 meters of the blasting site through the large real-scale experiments of blastings, prior to conducting the actual blasting. As a result, it was found that the noise met the requirement to be within maximum permitted level, while the ground vibration exceeded the permitted vibration. Accordingly, the impact of the excess vibration was investigated by an existing empirical method and verified by a new three dimensional numerical analysis. In this study, such an inspection process was briefly described, and a method was suggested for the examination of possible adverse effects from blasting on vibration-sensitive structures like the eel farm. The study also introduced a design method that controls the blast effects - ground vibration and noise.

• 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.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2005

Analogue physical modelling using granular materials (i.e., sandbox experiments) has been applied with great success to a number of geological problems at various scales. Such physical experiments can also be simulated numerically with the Discrete Element Method (DEM). In this study, we apply the DEM simulation to the collision between the Indian subcontinent and the Eurasian Plate, one of the most significant current tectonic processes in the Earth. DEM simulation has been applied to various kinds of dynamic modelling, not only in structural geology but also in soil mechanics, rock mechanics, and the like. As the target of the investigation is assumed to be an assembly of many tiny particles, DEM simulation makes it possible to treat an object with large and discontinuous deformations. However, in DEM simulations, we often encounter difficulties when we examine the validity of the input parameters, since little is known about the relationship between the input parameters for each particle and the properties of the whole assembly. Therefore, in our previous studies (Yamada et al.,2002a,2002b,2002c), we were obliged to tune the input parameters by trial and error. To overcome these difficulties, we introduce a numerical biaxial test with the DEM simulation. Using the results of this numerical test, we examine the validity of the input parameters used in the collision model. The resulting collision model is quite similar to the real deformation observed in eastern Asia, and compares well with GPS data and in-situ stress data in eastern Asia.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.12 no.12
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• pp.71-78
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• 2011

This paper aims to present the evaluation of engineering characteristics and reusing possibility of waste powders produced in dolomite and limestone nonmetal mining by physical and mechanical experiments on compaction, uniaxial compressive strength, permeability, chemical composition, and so on. Granite soil, 2 types of limestone waste powder, and 1 type of dolomite waste powder were used for main materials, and cement and bentonite were used for admixed materials in this experiments. The findings based on the experimental results are the severe difference of chemical composition of the dolomite & limestone waste powder and the crushed rock waste powder, and the outstanding of engineering characteristics of the dolomite waste powder with high content of MgO compared with the limestone waste powder. The engineering properties on compaction, uniaxial compressive strength, and permeability are enhanced with increase of admixed ratio of waste powder on granite soil. From the experimental results, it can be suggested that the dolomite waste powder admixed with in-situ granite soil is useful as geo-materials with considering of distribution costs.