• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.5-19
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• 2019

Considering the natural phenomenon in which steep slopes ($65^{\circ}{\sim}85^{\circ}$) consisting of rock mass remain stable for decades, slopes steeper than 1:0.5 (the standard of slope angle for blast rock) may be applied in geotechnical conditions which are similar to those above at the design and initial construction stages. In the process of analysing the stability of a good to fair continuum rock slope that can be designed as a steep slope, a general method of estimating rock mass strength properties from design practice perspective was required. Practical and genealized engineering methods of determining the properties of a rock mass are important for a good continuum rock slope that can be designed as a steep slope. The Genealized Hoek-Brown (H-B) failure criterion and GSI (Geological Strength Index), which were revised and supplemented by Hoek et al. (2002), were assessed as rock mass characterization systems fully taking into account the effects of discontinuities, and were widely utilized as a method for calculating equivalent Mohr-Coulomb shear strength (balancing the areas) according to stress changes. The concept of calculating equivalent M-C shear strength according to the change of confining stress range was proposed, and on a slope, the equivalent shear strength changes sensitively with changes in the maximum confining stress (${{\sigma}^{\prime}}_{3max}$ or normal stress), making it difficult to use it in practical design. In this study, the method of estimating the strength properties (an iso-angle division method) that can be applied universally within the maximum confining stress range for a good to fair continuum rock mass slope is proposed by applying the H-B failure criterion. In order to assess the validity and applicability of the proposed method of estimating the shear strength (A), the rock slope, which is a study object, was selected as the type of rock (igneous, metamorphic, sedimentary) on the steep slope near the existing working design site. It is compared and analyzed with the equivalent M-C shear strength (balancing the areas) proposed by Hoek. The equivalent M-C shear strength of the balancing the areas method and iso-angle division method was estimated using the RocLab program (geotechnical properties calculation software based on the H-B failure criterion (2002)) by using the basic data of the laboratory rock triaxial compression test at the existing working design site and the face mapping of discontinuities on the rock slope of study area. The calculated equivalent M-C shear strength of the balancing the areas method was interlinked to show very large or small cohesion and internal friction angles (generally, greater than $45^{\circ}$). The equivalent M-C shear strength of the iso-angle division is in-between the equivalent M-C shear properties of the balancing the areas, and the internal friction angles show a range of $30^{\circ}$ to $42^{\circ}$. We compared and analyzed the shear strength (A) of the iso-angle division method at the study area with the shear strength (B) of the existing working design site with similar or the same grade RMR each other. The application of the proposed iso-angle division method was indirectly evaluated through the results of the stability analysis (limit equilibrium analysis and finite element analysis) applied with these the strength properties. The difference between A and B of the shear strength is about 10%. LEM results (in wet condition) showed that Fs (A) = 14.08~58.22 (average 32.9) and Fs (B) = 18.39~60.04 (average 32.2), which were similar in accordance with the same rock types. As a result of FEM, displacement (A) = 0.13~0.65 mm (average 0.27 mm) and displacement (B) = 0.14~1.07 mm (average 0.37 mm). Using the GSI and Hoek-Brown failure criterion, the significant result could be identified in the application evaluation. Therefore, the strength properties of rock mass estimated by the iso-angle division method could be applied with practical shear strength.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.37-48
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• 1977

The earth's crust is unceasingly undergoing deformations because of the forces acting upon it. The relationship between the tectonic forces and the resulting deformations are found from the states of stresses in the earth's crust induced by these forces. The study has been attempted to analyze the deformations of the overlying sedimentary layers, which are deformed by the magma intrusion along its lower boundary. The elastic model is constructed to analyze the geologic structures, by means of the theory of elasticity, and then the appropriate boundary conditions are given. The solution of the Airy stress function which satisfies the given boundary conditions is derived from the analytic method. The internal stress distributions of the deformed elastic model layer are portrayed by principal stress trajetories, and then the corresponding potential faults and joints systems are predicted from the Coulomb-Mohr failure criterion. The internal displacement distributions are shown by the calculated displacement components vectors, namely horizontal, vertical and net components. Results of the numerical calculations show the developments of some geologic structures as follows; (1) one set of shear joints and or two sets of shear joints which are oppisite directions, and one set of extension joints parallel to the ${\sigma}_1$ direction, (2) one set of high angle thrusts and normal faults, (3) symmetric fold; both limbs are dipping in opposite direction with low angle. The field work at the Wall-A San area, located near Jinju City, in southern Korea, had accomplished to compare the field structures with the predicted ones. The results of the comparison exhibits the developments of joint and fault systems satisfactorily consistent with each others. But the area does not show any type of folding, in spite of the intrusion of a granodiorite massif, this fact is one of the important features of the whole Kyungsang sedimentary basins of Mesozoic age distributed at the south-eastern parts of Korea. For this reason, it is thought that the magma intrusion had occurred with extremly low pressure. The geologic structures have been modified by the erosion and weathering throughout the geologic time, and the conditions of the sedimentary layers (width, thickness and radius of magma) are not the same as before, being intruded by the magma. To enlighten this, it is preferable to study these geologic structures with analyses of various types of rheological models.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.304-317
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• 2009

Most crystalline rocks have much higher compressive strength than tensile strength and show brittle failure. In-situ rock mass, strong enough in general sense, often fails in brittle manner when subjected to high stress exceeding strength in due of geometrically induced stress concentration or of high initial stress. Therefore, it is necessary to verify the brittle failure characteristics of rock and rock mass for proper stability assessment of underground structures excavated in great depths. In this study, damage controlled tests were conducted on biotite-granite and granitic gneiss, which are the two major crystalline rock types in Korea, to obtain the strain dependency characteristics of the cohesion and friction angle. A Cohesion-Weakening Friction-Strengthening (CWFS hereafter) model for each rock type was constructed and a series of compression tests were carried out numerically while varying confining pressures. The same tests were also conducted assuming the rock is Mohr-Coulomb material and results were compared.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.221-234
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• 2019

Today, many important concrete face rockfill dams (CFRDs) have been built on the world, and some of these important structures are located on the strong seismic regions. In this reason, examination and monitoring of these water construction's seismic behaviour is very important for the safety and future of these dams. In this study, the nonlinear seismic behaviour of Ilısu CFR dam which was built in Turkey in 2017, is investigated for various reservoir water heights taking into account 1995 Kobe near-fault and far-fault ground motions. Three dimensional (3D) finite difference model of the dam is created using the FLAC3D software that is based on the finite difference method. The most suitable mesh range for the 3D model is chosen to achieve the realistic numerical results. Mohr-Coulomb nonlinear material model is used for the rockfill materials and foundation in the seismic analyses. Moreover, Drucker-Prager nonlinear material model is considered for the concrete slab to represent the nonlinearity of the concrete. The dam body, foundation and concrete slab constantly interact during the lifetime of the CFRDs. Therefore, the special interface elements are defined between the dam body-concrete slab and dam body-foundation due to represent the interaction condition in the 3D model. Free field boundary condition that was used rarely for the nonlinear seismic analyses, is considered for the lateral boundaries of the model. In addition, quiet artificial boundary condition that is special boundary condition for the rigid foundation in the earthquake analyses, is used for the bottom of the foundation. The hysteric damping coefficients are separately calculated for all of the materials. These special damping values is defined to the FLAC3D software using the special fish functions to capture the effects of the variation of the modulus and damping ratio with the dynamic shear-strain magnitude. Total 4 different reservoir water heights are taken into account in the seismic analyses. These water heights are empty reservoir, 50 m, 100 m and 130 m (full reservoir), respectively. In the nonlinear seismic analyses, near-fault and far-fault ground motions of 1995 Kobe earthquake are used. According to the numerical analyses, horizontal displacements, vertical displacements and principal stresses for 4 various reservoir water heights are evaluated in detail. Moreover, these results are compared for the near-fault and far-faults earthquakes. The nonlinear seismic analysis results indicate that as the reservoir height increases, the nonlinear seismic behaviour of the dam clearly changes. Each water height has different seismic effects on the earthquake behaviour of Ilısu CFR dam. In addition, it is obviously seen that near-fault earthquakes and far field earthquakes create different nonlinear seismic damages on the nonlinear earthquake behaviour of the dam.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.221-242
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• 2021

A numerical study of the performance assesment of coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) processes in improved Korean reference disposal system (KRS⁺) for high-level radioactive waste is conducted using TOUGH2-MP/FLAC3D simulator. Decay heat from high-level radioactive waste increases the temperature of the repository, and it decreases as decay heat is reduced. The maximum temperature of the repository is below a maximum temperature criterion of 100℃. Saturation of bentonite buffer adjacent to the canister is initially reduced due to pore water evaporation induced by temperature increase. Bentonite buffer is saturated 250 years after the disposal of high-level radioactive waste by inflow of groundwater from the surrounding rock mass. Initial saturation of rock mass decreases as groundwater in rock mass is moved to bentnonite buffer by suction, but rock mass is saturated after inflow of groundwater from the far-field area. Stress changes at rock mass are compared to the Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion and the spalling strength in order to investigate the potential rock failure by thermal stress and swelling pressure. Additional simulations are conducted with the reduced spacing of deposition holes. The maximum temperature of bentonite buffer exceeds 100℃ as deposition hole spacing is smaller than 5.5 m. However, temperature of about 56.1% volume of bentonite buffer is below 90℃. The methodology of numerical modeling used in this study can be applied to the performance assessment of coupled THM processes for high-level radioactive waste repositories with various input parameters and geological conditions such as site-specific stress models and geothermal gradients.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.121-130
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• 2007

To investigate the enhancement in strength and deformation capacities of concrete confined by FRP composites, tests under axial loads were carried out on three groups of thirty six short columns in circular section with diverse GFRP confining reinforcement. The major test variables considered include fiber content or orientation, wrap or tube type by varying the end loading condition, and continuous or discontinuous confinement depending on the presence of vortical spices between its two halves. The circumferential FRP strains at failure for different types of confinements were also investigated with emphasis. Various analytical models capable of predicting the ultimate strength and strain of the confined concrete were examined by comparing to observed results. Tests results showed that FRP wraps or tubes provide the substantial increase in strength and deformation, while partial wraps comprising the vertical discontinuities fail in an explosive manner with less increase in strength, particularly in deformation. A bilinear stress-strain response was observed throughout all tests with some variations of strain hardening. The failure hoop strains measured on the FRP surface were less than those obtained from the tensile coupons in all tests with a high degree of variation. In overall, existing predictive equations overestimated ultimate strengths and strains observed in present tests, with a much larger scatter related to the latter. For more accuracy, two simple design- oriented equations correlated with present tests are proposed. The strength equation was derived using the Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion, whereas the strain equation was based on entirely fitting of test data including the unconfined concrete strength as one of governing factors.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.287-294
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• 2021

In order to expand facility agriculture and reduce greenhouse construction costs in reclaimed land, a greenhouse foundation method that satisfies economic feasibility and structural safety at the same time is required. As an alternative, the allowable bearing capacity and settlement were reviewed when the DCM(Deep cement mixing) method was applied among the soft ground reinforcement methods. To examine the applicability of the greenhouse foundation, the allowable bearing capacity and settlement were calculated by applying the theory of Terzaghi, Meyerhof, Hansen, and Schmertmann. In case of the diameter of 800mm and the width and length of the foundation of 4m, the allowable bearing capacity was 179kN/m² and the settlement was 7.25mm, which satisfies the required bearing capacity and settlement standards. The calculation results were verified through FEM(Finite element method) analysis using the Mohr-Coulomb material model. The allowable bearing capacity was 169kN/m² and the settlement was 2.52mm. The bearing capacity showed an error of 5.6% compared to calculated value, and the settlement showed and error of 65.4%. Through theoretical calculations and FEM analysis, it was confirmed that the allowable bearing capacity and settlement satisfies the design criteria as a greenhouse foundation when the width and length of the foundation were 4m. Based on the verified design values, it is expected to be able to present the foundation design criteria for greenhouses through empirical tests such as bearing capacity tests and long-term settlement monitoring.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.51-63
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• 2023

Numerical analysis was conducted to determine the effect of soil behavior by thawing and freezing of seasonal frozen soil on pile foundations. The analysis was performed using the finite element method (FEM) to simulate soil-pile interaction based on the atmosphere temperature change. Thermomechanical coupled modeling using FEM was applied with the temperature-dependent nonlinear properties of the frozen soil. The analysis model cases were applied to the MCR and HDP models to simulate the elastoplastic behavior of soil. The numerical analysis results were analyzed and compared with various conditions having different length and width sizes of the pile. The results of the numerical analysis showed t hat t he HDP model was relat ively passive, and t he aspect and magnit ude of t he bearing capacit y and displacement of the pile head were similar depending on the length and width of the pile conditions. The vertical displacement of the pile head by thawing and freezing of the ground showed a large variation in displacement for shorter length conditions. In the MCR model, the vertical displacement appeared in the maximum thaw settlement and frost heaving of 0.0387 and 0.0277 m, respectively. In the HDP model, the vertical displacement appeared in the maximum thaw settlement and frost heaving of 0.0367 and 0.0264 m, respectively. The results of the pile bearing capacity for the two elastoplastic models showed a larger difference in the width condition than the length condition of the pile, with a maximum of about 14.7% for the width L condition, a maximum of about 5.4% for M condition, and a maximum of about 5.3% for S condition. The significance of the effect on the displacement of the pile head and the bearing capacity depended on the pile-soil contact area, and the difference depended on the presence or absence of an active layer in the soil and its thickness.