• Proceedings of the KSR Conference
• /
• 2011.10a
• /
• pp.353-364
• /
• 2011

This paper presents the ground behaviour of shield TBM lunching area during excavation. In order to perform this study, a scaled model test was carried out in the 1/45 scale for a field tunnel in practice where the tunnel had about 7.8 m diameter at Seoul Metro Line 9 construction site. The test to simulate earth pressure balance (EPB) shield TBM tunnelling at the lunching area was conducted with the developed small scaled shield TBM machine. Measurements were performed during simulation of excavation for total jacking thrust force, ground displacements and pressures. Based on the analysis of simulation results, the stability of ground was verified and evaluated. In particular, the suitable reinforcement range and methods are also suggested. In addition, these results are useful for engineers and technicians to select suitable and serviceable machine operation parameters and reduce environmental influence at all stages of tunnel construction.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
• /
• 2007.04a
• /
• pp.101-104
• /
• 2007

As the proportion of underground construction increases, the impact of inappropriate selection of a underground construction method for a construction size increases. The purpose of this study is to develop an objective way of selecting an excavation method. There have been several attempts to achieve the same goal using various data mining methods such as the artificial neural network, the support vector machine, and the case-based reasoning. However, they focused only on the selection of a retaining wall construction method out of six types of retaining walls. When we categorized an underground construction work into four groups and added more number of independent variables (i.e., more number of construction methods), the predictability decreased. As an alternative, we developed a decision tree by analyzing 25 earthwork cases with detailed information. We implemented the developed decision tree as a computer-supported program called Dr. underground and are still in the process of validating and revising the decision tree. This study is still in a preliminary stage and will be improved by collecting and analyzing more cases.

• Journal of Industrial Technology
• /
• v.20 no.A
• /
• pp.257-267
• /
• 2000

It was difficult to apply conventional excavation methods in some sections from Seoul to Pusan high speed rail road construction of 1 lot 2, due to highway concrete road, gas pipe, water pipe and nearby factories with automatic control system machine. To excavate safely and efficiently in these sections new blast patterns were employed within allowable blast vibration level, by test blast and controlled vibration by sequential blast. Behaviors of the rock mass including convergence and displacement around tunnel were measured with construction works and the crack width in concrete wall was also monitored for controlling allowable limits. The results can be summarized as follow : 1. The allowable blast vibration level in structure site is less 1.0cm/sec for highway concrete, 0.5 cm/sec for gas pipe, water pipe and building housing and 0.3 cm/sec for automatic control system machine. 2. The convergence displacement, single rod extensometer and multi rod extensometer around tunnel and cracks in concrete wall were measured, it was confirmed that the measured values were converged within allowable level. 3. The empirical formular of ground vibrations with 90% confidence lines for PD-3 was given as follow. $$V_{90%}=45.549({\frac{D}{\sqrt{W}}})^{-1.353}$$

• Geomechanics and Engineering
• /
• v.16 no.6
• /
• pp.643-654
• /
• 2018

Tunnel excavation leads to a disturbance on the initial stress balance of surrounding soils, which causes convergences around the tunnel and settlements at the ground surface. Considering the effective impact of settlements on the structures at the surface, it is necessary to estimate them, especially in urban areas. In the present study, ground settlements due to the excavation of East-West Line 7 of the Tehran Metro (EWL7) and the Abuzar tunnels are evaluated and the effect of the lateral earth pressure coefficient ($K_0$) on their extension is investigated. The excavation of the tunnels was performed by TBMs (Tunnel Boring Machines). The coefficient of lateral earth pressure ($K_0$) is one of the most important geotechnical parameters for tunnel design and is greatly influenced by the geological characteristics of the surrounding soil mass along the tunnel route. The real (in-situ) settlements of the ground surface were measured experimentally using leveling methods along the studied tunnels and the results were compared with evaluated settlements obtained from both semi-empirical and numerical methods (using the finite difference software FLAC3D). The comparisons permitted to show that the adopted numerical models can effectively be used to predict settlements induced by a tunnel excavation. Then a numerical parametric study was conducted to show the influence of the $K_0$ values on the ground settlements. Numerical investigations also showed that the shapes of settlement trough of the studied tunnels, in a transverse section, are not similar because of their different diameters and depths of the tunnels.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
• /
• v.4 no.2
• /
• pp.132-143
• /
• 1994

Many methods and techniques to reduce ground vibrations are well known. Some of them are to adopt electric millisecond detonators with a sequential blasting machine or an initiating system with an adequate number of delay intervals. The types of electric detonators manufactured in korea include instantaneous, decisecond and millisecond delays but numbers of delay intervals are only limited from No.1 to No.20 respectively. It is not sufficient to control accurately millisecond time with these detonators in tunnel excavation. Sequential fire time refers to adding an external time delay to a detonators norminal firing time to obtain sequential initiation and it is determined by sequential timer setting. To reduce the vibration level, sequential blasting machine(S.B.M) with decisecond detonators was adopted. A total of 134 blasts was recorede at various sites. Blast-to-structure distances ranged from 20.3 to 42.0 meter, where charge weight varied from 0.24 to 0.75 kg per delay. The results can be summarized as follow: 1. The effects of sequential blasting machine on the vibration level are discussed. The vibration level by S.B.M are decreased approximately 14.38~18.05% compare to level of conventional blasting and cycle time per round can be saved. 2. The empirical equations of particle velocity were obtained in S.B.M and conventional blasting. V=K(D/W1/3)-n, where the values for n and k are estimated to be 1.665 to 1.710 and 93.59 to 137 respectively. 3. The growth of cracks due to vibrations are found but the level fall to within allowable value.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
• /
• 2008.03a
• /
• pp.803-812
• /
• 2008

Along with the increasing demand for automatic and mechanical tunnel excavation methods in Korea, the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) method of tunnel excavation has become increasingly popular. However, in spite of this rising demand, few studies have been performed on the TBM method, in Korea. For this reason, this study focused on evaluation of the applicability of TBM performance prediction models based on field data in order to contribute to the basic and essential parts of TBM designation and the TBM method of tunnel excavation in Korea. These rock properties can be defined as the mechanical and physical factors of rock that have an influence on a disc cutter's ability to cut rock, and provide information for the evaluation of the applicability of field data. Based on outcomes from these tests, applicability of the prediction model was evaluated and the predicted performance of a TBM was compared with real field data obtained from four different TBM construction sites in Korea.

• Magazine of korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
• /
• v.21 no.1
• /
• pp.101-112
• /
• 2019

This case study presented a simplified failure mechanism approach used as a preliminary deformation prediction for the Mexico City's metro system expansion. Because of the Mexico City's difficult subsoils, Line 12 project was considered one of the most challenging projects in Mexico. Mexico City's subsurface conditions can be described as a multilayered stratigraphy changing from soft high plastic clays to dense to very dense cemented sands. The Line 12 trajectory crossed all three main geotechnical Zones in Mexico City. Starting from to west of the City, Line 12 was projected to pass through very dense cemented sands corresponding to the Foothills zone changing to the Transition zone and finalizing in the Lake zone. Due to the change in the subsurface conditions, different constructions methods were implemented including the use of TBM (Tunnel Boring Machine), the NATM (New Austrian Tunneling Method), and cut-and-cover using braced Diaphragm walls for the underground section of the project. Preliminary crown and excavation front deformations were determined using a simplified failure mechanism prior to performing finite element modeling and analysis. Results showed corresponding deformations for the crown and the excavation front to be 3.5cm (1.4in) and 6cm (2.4in), respectively. Considering the complexity of Mexico City's difficult subsoil formation, construction method selection becomes a challenge to overcome. The use of a preliminary results in order to have a notion of possible deformations prior to advanced modeling and analysis could be beneficial and helpful to select possible construction procedures.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
• /
• v.39 no.4
• /
• pp.5-17
• /
• 2023

The advancement in large-scale underground excavation in urban areas necessitates monitoring and predicting technologies that can pre-emptively mitigate risk factors at construction sites. Traditionally, two methods predict the deformation of retaining walls induced by excavation: empirical and numerical analysis. Recent progress in artificial intelligence technology has led to the development of a predictive model using machine learning techniques. This study developed a model for predicting the deformation of a retaining wall under construction using a boosting-based algorithm and an ensemble model with outstanding predictive power and efficiency. A database was established using the data from the design-construction-maintenance process of the underground retaining wall project in a manifold manner. Based on these data, a learning model was created, and the performance was evaluated. The boosting and ensemble models demonstrated that wall deformation could be accurately predicted. In addition, it was confirmed that prediction results with the characteristics of the actual construction process can be presented using data collected from ground measurements. The predictive model developed in this study is expected to be used to evaluate and monitor the stability of retaining walls under construction.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
• /
• v.7 no.1
• /
• pp.62-69
• /
• 2004

The objective of this study is to estimate the distribution of a zone disturbed by excavation (EDZ) around tunnels that have been excavated at about 500 m depth in pre-Tertiary hard sedimentary rock. One of the most important tasks is to evaluate changes in the dynamic stability and permeability of the rock around the tunnels, by investigating the properties of the rock after the excavation. We performed resistivity and acoustic tomography using two boreholes, 5 m in length, drilled horizontally from the wall of a tunnel in pre-Tertiary hard conglomerate. By these methods, we detected a low-resistivity and low-velocity zone 1 m in thickness around the wall of the tunnel. The resulting profiles were verified by permeability and evaporation tests performed at the same boreholes. This anomalous zone matched a high-permeability zone caused by open fractures. Next, we performed resistivity monitoring along annular survey lines in a tunnel excavated in pre-Tertiary hard shale by a tunnel-boring machine (TBM). We detected anomalous zones in 2D resistivity profiles surrounding the tunnel. A low-resistivity zone 1 m in thickness was detected around the tunnel when one year had passed after the excavation. However, two years later, the resistivity around the tunnel had increased in a portion, about 30 cm in thickness, of this zone. To investigate this change, we studied the relationship between groundwater flow from the surroundings and evaporation from the wall around the tunnel. These features were verified by the relationship between the resistivity and porosity of rocks obtained by laboratory tests on core samples. Furthermore, the profiles matched well with highly permeable zones detected by permeability and evaporation tests at a horizontal borehole drilled near the survey line. We conclude that the anomalous zones in these profiles indicate the EDZ around the tunnel.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
• /
• v.34 no.6
• /
• pp.697-726
• /
• 2023

Brittleness as an important property of rock plays a crucial role both in the failure process of intact rock and rock mass response to excavation in engineering geological and geotechnical projects. Generally, rock brittleness indices are calculated from the mechanical properties of rocks such as uniaxial compressive strength, tensile strength and modulus of elasticity. These properties are generally determined from complicated, expensive and time-consuming tests in laboratory. For this reason, in the present research, an attempt has been made to predict the rock brittleness indices from simple, inexpensive, and quick laboratory test results namely dry unit weight, porosity, slake-durability index, P-wave velocity, Schmidt rebound hardness, and point load strength index using multiple linear regression, exponential regression, support vector machine (SVM) with various kernels, generating fuzzy inference system, and regression tree ensemble (RTE) with boosting framework. So, this could be considered as an innovation for the present research. For this purpose, the number of 39 rock samples including five igneous, twenty-six sedimentary, and eight metamorphic were collected from different regions of Iran. Mineralogical, physical and mechanical properties as well as five well known rock brittleness indices (i.e., B₁, B₂, B₃, B₄, and B₅) were measured for the selected rock samples before application of the above-mentioned machine learning techniques. The performance of the developed models was evaluated based on several statistical metrics such as mean square error, relative absolute error, root relative absolute error, determination coefficients, variance account for, mean absolute percentage error and standard deviation of the error. The comparison of the obtained results revealed that among the studied methods, SVM is the most suitable one for predicting B₁, B₂ and B₅, while RTE predicts B₃ and B₄ better than other methods.