• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.329-343
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• 2000

Rock joint survey consists of measurement of orientation and face mapping for trace informations. We have developed a new alternative approach called rock joint survey system by stereophotogrammetry and image processing to replace the conventional manual method. For the measurement of orientations and face mapping, we applied a stereophotogrammetry and developed two hybrid approaches using image processing techniques, respectively. These methods have advantages in making it possible to measure the orientations of joints and perform face mapping rapidly and objectively in unaccessible and dangerous areas.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.274-286
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• 1994

Direct shear tests were on ducted in a laboratory setting in order to investigate the shear strength and deformation behavior of rock joints. Also, the characteristics of acoustic emissions (AE) during shearing of rock joints were studied. The artificial rock joints were created by splitting the intact blocks of Hwangdeung granites and Iksan marbles. Joint roughness profiles were measured by a profile gage and then digitized by Image analyzer. Roughness profile indices(Rp) of the joints were calculated with these digitized data. Peak shear strength, residual shear strength, shear stiffness and maximum acoustic emission(AE) rate were investigated with joint roughness. The peak shear strenght, the residual shear strength and the shear stiffness were increased as roughness popfile index or normal stress increased in the shear tests of granites. In the tests of marble samples, the shear deformation characteristics were not directly affected by joint roughness. As the result of two directional shear tests, the shear characteristics were varied with shear direction. AE count rates were measured during the shear deformation and the AE signals in several stages of the deformation were analyzed in a frequency domain. The AE rate peaks coincided with the stress drops during the shear deformation of joint. The dominant frequencies of the AE signals were in the vicinity of 100 kHz fo rgranite sample and 900 kHz for marble samples. The distribution of amplitude was dispersed with increasing normal stress.

• 한국지구물리탐사학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.115-121
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• 2003

Discrete joint network approach has widely been used to investigate the hydraulic behavior of jointed rock masses. In general, joints will undergo deformation due to stress redistribution induced by construction of underground openings, hence joint aperture is often assumed to have a probability distribution rather than to be a constant value. In real situations, however, it is more reasonable to take into account the effect of stress change on aperture values by calculating joint deformation. In this report, a mechanical process has been developed to determine the joint opening or closure based on a statistically generated joint network model. By performing numerical analyses, some significant results on the hydro-mechanical behavior of jointed rock masses have been summarized.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.386-393
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• 2011

This study suggests an algorithm for estimating joint diameter distribution in rock mass from the joint trace length distribution around a circular tunnel. For estimating the joint diameter distribution, the concept of Joint Center Volume (JCV) suggested by Song. (2005) was applied and the calculation method of JCV for the cylindrical window survey was developed by using the complete survey method. The estimated joint diameter distribution was verified against the original joint diameter distribution by Monte-Carlo simulation. It was observed that the estimated joint diameter distribution was converged to the original joint diameter distribution with less than 20% of error.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.573-586
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• 2023

Joints or weak planes can induce anisotropy in the strength and deformability of fractured rock masses. Comprehending this anisotropic behavior is crucial to engineering geology. This study used plaster as a friction material to mold specimens with a single joint. The strength and deformability of the specimens were measured in true triaxial compression tests. The measured results were compared with three-dimensional numerical analysis based on the distinct element method, conducted under identical conditions, to assess the reliability of the modeled values. The numerical results highlight that the principal stress conditions in the field, in conjunction with joint orientations, are crucial factors to the study of the strength and deformability of fractured rock masses. The strength of a transversely isotropic rock mass derived numerically considering changes in the dip angle of the joint notably increases as the intermediate principal stress increases. This increment varies depending on the dip of the joint. Moreover, the interplay between the dip direction of the joint and the two horizontal principal stress directions dictates the strength of the transversely isotropic rock mass. For a rock mass with two joint sets, the set with the steeper dip angle governs the overall strength. If a rock bridge effect occurs owing to the limited continuity of one of the joint sets, the orientation of the set with longer continuity dominates the strength of the entire rock mass. Although conventional three-dimensional failure criteria for fractured rock masses have limited applicability in the field, supplementing them with numerical analysis proves highly beneficial.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.167-174
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• 2004

This paper is to introduce an article published in Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, 2003. In this research, a fracture mechanics model is developed to illustrate the importance of time-dependence far brittle fractured rock. In particular a model is developed fer the time-dependent degradation of rock joint cohesion. Degradation of joint cohesion is modeled as the time-dependent breaking of intact patches or rock bridges along the joint surface. A fracture mechanics model is developed utilizing subcritical crack growth, which results in a closed-form solution for joint cohesion as a function of time. As an example, a rock block containing rock bridges subjected to plane sliding is analyzed. The cohesion is found to continually decrease, at first slowly and then more rapidly. At a particular value of time the cohesion reduces to value that results in slope instability. A second example is given where variations in some of the material parameters are assumed. A probabilistic slope analysis is conducted, and the probability of failure as a function of time is predicted. The probability of failure is found to increase with time, from an initial value of 5% to a value at 100 years of over 40%. These examples show the importance of being able to predict the time-dependent behavior of a rock mass containing discontinuities, even for relatively short-term rock structures.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.15 no.3 s.56
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• pp.185-194
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• 2005

Recently, the surrounding rock mass is understood as the major support system for the tunnel constructed in the rock mass. Generally, the rock mass contains many discontinuity planes such as joints, and thus, the tunnel behavior in the rock mass is governed by the characteristics of the discontinuity planes. In this study, the behavior of tunnel in jointed rock mass is studied by model tests and numerical analyses. The results shows that the behavior of tunnel depends on the different initial stress conditions, in case that the tunnel is excavated in the ground without any joints. When a joint is located near the tunnel, the pound stress and displacement tend to increase between the tunnel and the joint.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.723-737
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• 2016

In this paper an approach was described for determination of direction of sliding block in rock slopes containing planar non-persistent open joints. For this study, several gypsum blocks containing planar non-persistent open joints with dimensions of $15{\times}15{\times}15cm$ were build. The rock bridges occupy 45, 90 and $135cm^2$ of total shear surface ($225cm^2$), and their configuration in shear plane were different. From each model, two similar blocks were prepared and were subjected to shearing under normal stresses of 3.33 and $7.77kg/cm^{-2}$. Based on the change in the configuration of rock-bridges, a factor called the Effective Joint Coefficient (EJC) was formulated, that is the ratio of the effective joint surface that is in front of the rock-bridge and the total shear surface. In general, the failure pattern is influenced by the EJC while shear strength is closely related to the failure pattern. It is observed that the propagation of wing tensile cracks or shear cracks depends on the EJC and the coalescence of wing cracks or shear cracks dominates the eventual failure pattern and determines the peak shear load of the rock specimens. So the EJC is a key factor to determine the sliding direction in rock slopes containing planar non-persistent open joints.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.353-364
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• 2022

This study presents a hybrid algorithm for classifying the rock joints, where the improved artificial bee colony (IABC) and the fuzzy C-means (FCM) clustering algorithms are incorporated to take advantage of the artificial bee colony (ABC) algorithm by tuning the FCM clustering algorithm to obtain the more reasonable and stable result. A coefficient is proposed to reduce the amount of blind random searches and speed up convergence, thus achieving the goals of optimizing and improving the ABC algorithm. The results from the IABC algorithm are used as initial parameters in FCM to avoid falling to the local optimum in the local search, thus obtaining stable classifying results. Two validity indices are adopted to verify the rationality and practicability of the IABC-FCM algorithm in classifying the rock joints, and the optimal amount of joint sets is obtained based on the two validity indices. Two illustrative examples, i.e., the simulated rock joints data and the field-survey rock joints data, are used in the verification to check the feasibility and practicability in rock engineering for the proposed algorithm. The results show that the IABC-FCM algorithm could be applicable in classifying the rock joint sets.

• Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.1-16
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• 2016

This study estimates relationships between physical and chemical weathering indices of various rock types and topographical relief. Physical weathering properties such as rock strength and joint and chemical weathering indices such as the $SiO_2/Al2O_3$, CIA and WPI were analyzed from 18 rock outcrops in mountain and valley areas consisting of 9 rock types. The results indicate that the elevation and relief of topography increase physical strength of rock increases. It can be suggested that the total r(rock-mass strength rating) and R(rock rebound strength by Schmidt Hammer) are most useful indices as a quantitative weathering property factor to explain formative causes of topographical relief. The results also suggest that rock types such as sandstone, granite, gneiss and schist are most suitable to explain meaningful difference in topographical relief with the physical and chemical weathering indices.