• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2005.03a
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• pp.751-758
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• 2005

In this study, the Discrete Element Code was applied to the analysis of falling rock blocks. The simulation was performed using the PFC2D computer code. Falling rock blocks should be applied as additional force to each others. The force affect the motion of falling rock blocks. This was used to find out the behavior of each blocks. This study revealed that the DEM can successfully capture the behavior of falling rock blocks.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2006.03a
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• pp.738-743
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• 2006

Falling rocks are classed by the collapse to wide meaning. it is a kinds of earth disaster that has happen every year. Falling rocks are defined as blocks which had fallen from the cliff. It is caused by the relaxation of discontinuous structures like as a joint, a foliation, a bedding, and so on. Usually, the Relaxation of blocks from the rock face is happened by various kinds factors that are acted as a complex. Sometimes, the tree can be a factor of the weakness or relaxation of rock blocks and a cause of the falling rock.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.21-32
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• 2000

Rock composition of the Hwangsang-dong Granite Standing Sculptured Buddha (Treasure No. 1122) in the Kumi City is biotite-hornblende granodiorite which consists of about 30 pieces of individual rock blocks of same compositions. However, the cap rocks is pebble-bearing coarse sandstone. Rock blocks of the Standing Buddha and surrounding out crops occur well developed several joint systems of $N25^{\circ}$ to $45^{\circ}W$ strike and nearly vertical (70 to $85^{\circ}SE$) dipping. Rock blocks of the Standing Buddha showed vertical, horizontal and oblique joints, and those blocks are well supported by individual blocks. However, the junction part of the blocks are under dangerous situation due 10 seriously mechanical and chemical weathering. Host rock of the Standing Buddha belongs to the HW grade, therefore mostly rock-forming minerals of the granodiorite Standing Buddha altered with clay and iron hydroxide minerals by mineralogical and chemical weathering. Near surface of the Standing Buddha show spore and mycelium of green algaes, and a joint plane alive with weeds. We suggest that if structural stability for the Standing Buddha remove essentially a unstable rock blocks from the main body, and the main body necessitate supporting by rock bolting method because of repeated unstability and minimizing stress to the rock blocks. For the opened joint planes, fractured surface and alive weeds will attempt to fill in a petro-epoxy, petro-filler and biochemical treatments for the algaes, and ground water curtain and wall seems to be necessary for water flow and diminishing humidity of the Standing Buddha.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.16 no.1 s.60
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• pp.1-10
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• 2006

Rock masses in nature include various rock discontinuities such as faults, joints, bedding planes, fractures, cracks, schistosities, and cleavages. The behavior of rock structures, therefore, is mainly controlled by various rock discontinuities. In many tunnels, enormous cost and time are consumed to cope with the failing or sliding of rock blocks, which cannot be predicted because of the complexity of rock discontinuities. It is difficult to estimate the properties of rock masses before the rock excavation. The observational design and construction method of tunnels in rock masses is becoming important recently. In this paper, a new observational design and construction method for rock block evaluation of tunnels in discontinuous rock masses is proposed, and then applied to the tunnel based on actual rock discontinuity information observed in the field. It is possible to detect key blocks all along the tunnel exactly by using the numerical analysis program developed far the new observational design and construction method. This computer simulation method with user-friendly interfaces can calculate not only the stability of rock blocks but also the design of supplementary supports. The effectiveness of the proposed observational design and construction method has been verified by the confirmation of key block during the enlargement excavation.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.212-223
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• 1992

The distinct element method(DEM) si well suited to the kinematic analysis of blocky rock masses. Two distinctive problems, a rock avalache and tunnel in jointed rock masses, are chosen to apply the DEM which is based on perfectly rigid behaviour of blocks. Investigated for both problems are the effects of the input parameters such as contact stiffnesses, friction coefficient and damping property. Using various types of models of the avalanche and tunne, an extensive parametric study is done to gain experiences in the method, and then to alleviate difficulties in determining parameter values suitable for a given problem. The coefficient of frictio has significant effects on all aspects of avalanche motion(travel distance, velocity and travel time), while the stiffnesses affect the rebounding and jumping motions after collision. The motion predicted by the models having single and mutiple blocks agrees well to the observations reported on the actual avalache. For the tunnel problem, the behaviour of the key block in an example tunnel is compared by testing values of the input parameters. The stability of the tunnel is dependent primarily on the friction coefficient, while the stiffness and damping properties influence the block velocity. The kinematic stability of a tunnel for underground unclear waste repository is analyzed using the joint geometry data(orientation, spacing and persistence) occurred in a tailrace tunnel. Allowing a small deviation to the mean orientation results in different modes of failure of the rock blocks around the tunnel. Of all parameters tested, the most important to the stability of the tunnel in blocky rock masses are the geometry of the blocks generated by mapping the joint and tunnel surfaces in 3-dimensions and also the friction coefficient of the joints particularly for the stability of the side walls.

• 한국지구물리탐사학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.328-334
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• 2003

Evaluating stability of dam foundations is one of the prime areas of any rock engineering investigations. Despite best engineering efforts in the design and construction of dam foundations, the foundation regime of a constructed dam suffers deterioration due to continuous erosion from backwater current of dam discharge and dynamic effects of loading and unloading process. Even during construction, development of frequent cracks due to sudden thermal cooling of concrete blocks is not uncommon. This paper presents two case studies from India and Bhutan. In the first case, the back current of water discharge from the Srisailam dam in India had continuously eroded the apron and has eaten into the dam foundation. In the second case with dam construction at Tala Hydroelectric Project in Bhutan, sudden overflow of river during the construction stage of dam had led to development of three major cracks across the dam blocks. This was ascribed to adiabatic cooling effect of concrete blocks overlain by chilled water flow. Non-destructive evaluation of rock mass condition in the defect regime by the borehole GPR survey helped in arriving at the crux so as to formulate appropriate restoration plan.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.167-174
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• 2015

Since about 70 percent of the territory is mountainous, more tunnels are constructed in Korea for maximizing the development efficiency. With the increasing number of tunnel construction, safe construction in tunnels has been emerged as the utmost important subject. Recently, the number of long tunnel construction is steeply increased because of the request for high speed and straight road. In this study, a safe tunneling method using numerical modeling of rock blocks in long tunnels is proposed, and then applied to the long tunnel based on real discontinuity information observed in situ. It is possible to detect key blocks all along the tunnel exactly by using the numerical analysis program developed for the safe tunneling method using numerical modeling of rock blocks. This computer simulation method with user-friendly interfaces can calculate not only the stability of rock blocks but also the design of supplementary supports.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.1
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• pp.66-74
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• 1991

The block theory with stereographic projection was applied and analyzed on the tunnel section of Samcheok Coal Mine. The results were as follows ; 1) Prevail orientations of discontinuity of sandstone around the main driftway of Samcheok Coal Mine were $(327^{\circ},\;44^{\circ}),\;(13^{\circ},\;24^{\circ}),\;(204^{\circ},\;65^{\circ})$ and $(225^{\circ},\;77^{\circ})$ in dip and dip direction, respectively. 2) Movable blocks of the site were 0110, 0111, 1110(roof), 0100, 0110, 1110(right wall) and 0001, 1001, 1011(left wall). Because of the direction of tunnel, blocks of the left wall was safe. thus key blocks were those of the roof and the right wall. Maximum height of key block was larger than the width of the tunnel but 2m of the yielded zone is expected in general for 5m width tunnel. 3) It is shown that block theory is applicable to large cavern in hard rock analysis.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 1997.03a
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• pp.17-34
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• 1997

• Explosives and Blasting
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.1-16
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• 2010

This study focuses on the phenomenon that the blast damaged zone developed on rock slope surfaces can be affected by joint characteristics rather than by explosive power when the pre-splitting is applied to excavate a jointed rock slope. The characteristics of rock joints on a slope were investigated and categorized them into 4 cases. Also an image processing system has been used for comparing the distribution pattern of rock blocks. From this investigation, it was found that the rock blocks bigger than 2,000 mm occupied 42% in the case of single joint set and it showed the well efficiency of pre-splitting blast. In cases of 2~3 parallel joint sets and 2~3 intersecting joint sets are developed on rock surfaces, the rock blocks in the range of 1,000~2,000 mm occupied 43.6% and 35.8%, respectively, and it showed that the efficiency of pre-splitting was decreased. When more than 3 joint sets are randomly developed, however, the rock blocks in the range of 250~500 mm occupied 35% and there was no block bigger than 1,000 mm. This denotes that the blasting with pre-splitting was not effective. The numerical analysis using PFC2D showed that the blast damaged zone in a rock mass could be directly influenced by the pre-splitting. It is, therefore, required to investigate the discontinuity pattern on rock surfaces in advance, when the pre-splitting method is applied to excavate jointed rock slopes and to apply a flexible blating design with a consideration of the joint characteristics.