• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 1998.05a
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• pp.3-34
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• 1998

The stability condition of rock slopes is greatly affected by the geometry and strength parameters of discontinuities in the rock masses. Rock slopes Involving movement of rock blocks on discontinuities are failed by one or combination of the three basic failure modes-plane, wedge, and toppling. In rock mechanics, practically all the parameters such as the joint set characteristics, the rock strength properties, and the loading conditions are always subject to a degree of uncertainty. Therefore, a reasonable assessment of the rock slope stability has to include the excavation of the multi-failure modes, the consideration of uncertainties of discontinuity characteristics, and the decision on stabilization measures with favorable cost conditions. This study was performed to provide a new numerical model of the deterministic analysis, reliability analysis, and reliability-based optimization for rock slope stability. The sensitivity analysis was carried out to verify proposed method and developed program; the parameters needed for sensitivity analysis are design variables, the variability of discontinuity properties (orientation and strength of discontinuities), the loading conditions, and rock slope geometry properties. The design variables to be optimized by the reliability-based optimization include the cutting angle, the support pressure, and the slope direction. The variability in orientations and friction angle of discontinuities, which can not be considered in the deterministic analysis, has a greatly influenced on the rock slope stability. The stability of rock slopes considering three basic failure modes is more influenced by the selection of slope direction than any other design variables. When either plane or wedge failure is dominant, the support system is more useful than the excavation as a stabilization method. However, the excavation method is more suitable when toppling failure is dominant. The case study shows that the developed reliability-based optimization model can reasonably assess the stability of rock slopes and reduce the construction cost.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.342-347
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• 1996

The changes of electromagnetic wave velocity in rock were monitored to investigate rock behaviors due to the drill & blasting excavations through georadar tomography during the construction of the underground rock laboratory (5 m wide, 6 m high, and 140 m long) at Mabuk-Ri, Goosung-Myun, Yongin-Si, Kyunggi-Do. Two horizontal boreholes spaced 1.4 m apart were drilled parallel to the test tunnel before excavating it, high-resolution crosshole georadar tomography with about 500 MHz electromagnetic waves was performed at pre-excavation phase (May, 1996) and post-excavation phase (August, 1996). The data were acquired with the combination of 34 sources and 44 receivers with space of 0.3 m. Only 11 continuous receivers were selectively utilized with one fixed source. Sampling interval was 0.4 ns and each trace has 512 samples. The first arrival of each trace was picked manually with a picking software. The total number of rays used in inversion amounted to 34x11 and the size of pixel was determined to be 0.3 m. As an inversion technique, SIRT(Simultaneous Iterative Reconstruction Technique) was applied in this study. The velocity of electromagnetic waves at post-excavation phase decreased as large as 15% in comparison with that at pre-excavation phase, which may be attributed to the creation of micro-cracks in rock due to excavations and saturation with groundwater. Small amount of borehole deviation made a critical effect in radar tomography. Totally different tomograms were created after borehole deviation corrections.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.197-205
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• 2008

Total displacement under non-reinforcement is a quantitative index of rock mass behavior during tunnel excavation and depends widely upon geological characteristics. The primary purpose of this study is to suggest a rock mass evaluation method, well representing tunnel behavior during excavation, according to rock type. A 3-D numerical analysis was carried out, with consideration of the shape of tunnel section, excavation condition and so forth, in a sedimentary rock-based tunnel, and total displacements under non-reinforcement according to rock mass class were calculated. Finally, quantification analysis was carried out to assess correlation of the total displacement with RMR parameters. As the result, a modified RMR system fer quantification of rock mass behavior during tunnel excavation is suggested.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.725-733
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• 2022

This study applied a hydraulic rock splitting system equipped with a hybrid packer to the bench-cut method. The hybrid packer system is an improvement of the packer developed in previous studies; it is designed efficiently to reduce vibration and noise during rock excavation by combining the two functions of inducing hydraulic fractures using injection pressure and then expanding and extending them using a rubber packer. Field experiments assessed the efficiency of rock excavation with respect to the injection conditions; the adjusted experimental conditions included the distance from the free surface and the test holes drilled at the top of the slope and the injection settings. Using a separation of 5 m left some unexcavated parts, but using a separation of 1 m left no unexcavated parts. The hydraulic fractures generated by the injection pressure developed generally parallel to the free surface and expanded and extended as the rubber packer expanded, thus facilitating bench-cut excavation. For hydraulic rock splitting to be broadly applicable to bench-cut rock excavation, it is important to accumulate results from many field experiments conducted under varying experimental conditions for various types of rockmass.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.237-250
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• 1992

The cavities formed by the excavation of coal seam cause unstable within rock body, leading to large displacement around adjacent roadway. This displacement brings the closure of roadway and deformation of support. Therefore, it is necessary to understand and predict the deformation characteristics of roadway while coal seam is under excavation. In this study, the observed displacements are compared with the calculated ones through the analysis using Linear Boundary Element Mothod under the elastostatic conditions, in order to determine the virgin stress state and deformation modulus which affect the deformation characteristices.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.102-115
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• 1992

Blasting operations associated with rock excavation work may have an environmental impact in nearby structures or human beings. With the increase of construction work in urban areas, vibration problems and complaints have also increased. In order to determine the optimum design parameters for safe blast, it is essential to understand blast mechanism, design variables involved in blast-induced damage, and their effects on the blasting results. This paper deals with the characteristics of ground vibrations, air blast and fly rock caused by blast, including the general method of establishing the vibration predictors, and damage criteria suggested by various investigators. The results of field measurements from open pit mine and tunnel construction work are discussed. Basic concepts of how to design blast parameters to control the generation of ground vibrations, air blast and fly rock are presented.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.158-167
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• 1999

There are substantial difficulties in assessing the volume of soill/rock to be excavated and the cost thereof, which is attributable to the subjective and qualitative methods of rock mass classification prevailing at the moment. This paper intends to introduce more objective and quantitative rock mass classification method easily applicable to the excavation of granites in Muakjae, Seoul. As a result of such study it is proven that Schmidt hammer and point load strength tests are fairly reliable and easily applicable to estimate and quantify uniaxial compressive strength of granitic material in Seoul. In an efforts to confirm the granitic rock mass conditions in 12 meters underground, seismic refraction surveys were made on the top of vertical exposures from where underlying rock mass conditions could be directly inspected. Rock mass boundaries determined by seismic refraction methods were found to agree within a 1m variance with visible differences in rock mass conditions in the vertical exposure beneath the test site. Thus it can be concluded that detailed geotechnical mapping on cutting slopes is a most efficient, dependable and cost-effective technique in assessing likely excavation conditions of shallow granitic mass in Seoul.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.25-32
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• 2000

This paper presents two new extensions to the DDA method. The extensions consist of sequential loading or unloading and rock reinforcement by rockbolts, shotcrete or concrete lining. Examples of application of the DDA method with the new extensions are presented. Simulations of the underground excavation of the Unju Tunnel of Kyungbu High Speed Railway Project in Korea were carried out to evaluate the influence of excavation sequence and reinforcement on the tunnel stability. The results of the present study indicate that improper selection of excavation sequence could have a destabilizing effect on the tunnel stability. On the other hand, reinforcement by rockbolts and shotcrete can stabilize the tunnel. It is found that, in general, the DDA program with the three new extensions can now be used as d practical tool in the design of underground structures. In particular, phases of construction (excavation, reinforcement) can now be simulated more realistically.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 1994.09a
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• pp.149-157
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• 1994

In this study two dimensional visco-plastic finite element model capable of handling the multi-step excavation was developed for investigating the effect of excavation support sequences on the behavior of underground openings in the jointed rock mass. First, the finite element model which is capable of handling the multi-step excavation is developed and verified. And then the model is combined with visco-plastic joint model. Ubiquitous joint pattern was considered in the model and joint properties in cach set were assumed to be indentical. Passive, full-grouted rockbolts were cosidered in the numerical model. The visco-plastic deformations of joints and rockbolts were assumed to be governed by Mohr-Conlomb and von Mises yield criteria, respectively. With the ability of removing elements, the model can simulate the multi-step excavation-suppport sequences. The reliability and applicability of the model to the stability analysis for the underground excavation in pratice was checked by simulating the behavior of underground crude oil storage caverns under construction.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.527-534
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• 1998

Excavation of underground openings changes stress distribution around the opening. The survey of this disturbed zone in excavation is very important to design and construct underground facilities, such as tunnel, gas and oil storage, power plant and disposal site of high- and low-level radioactive wastes. This paper presents a zoning of rock masses with tunnel excavation using PS logging. Compressional and shear wave velocities are measured in boreholes drilled in the tunnel wall, which was constructed with blasting and/or machine excavation. The disturbed zone in excavation can be estimated by comparing PS logging data with a tomographic image of compressional wave velocity and compressional and shear wave velocities of core samples. In the side wall of tunnel, the disturbed zone reaches 1.5 m and 1.0 m in thickness for blocks of blasting and machine excavations, respectively. In the roof of tunnel, however, the disturbed zone is 1.0 m and 0.75 m thick for the two blocks. These results show that the width of the disturbed zone is larger in the side wall of tunnel than in the roof, and 1.3 to 1.5 times larger for the blasting excavation than for the machine excavation.